The Guinea Supreme Court last Thursday confirmed Alpha Conde, leader of the Rally of the People of Guinea (RPG), winner of the 7 November presidential run-off vote in the country. The 72-year-old Conde therefore becomes the fifth president of the Republic of Guinea, following the Supreme Court announcement which barely beat the Thursday midnight dateline set for the release of the results.

No one but the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) seems to dispute the fact that there was massive fraud during the first round of the parliamentary elections on 28 November. Many journalists were physically prevented from covering the widespread irregularities. Such incidents are unfortunately expected to recur during the second round on 5 December. Reporters Without Borders has drawn up a non-exhaustive list of cases of abusive behaviour towards journalists by NDP members and supporters with the complicity of the police on 28 November.

Bloggers have reacted to documents published by WikiLeaks (Cablegate) that disclosed classified communication between the US State department and its embassies worldwide. The documents make reference to African countries and its leaders. In this Global Voices post, the views of bloggers are summarised, but there are also lists of stories related to Africa and relevant WikiLeaks documents.

In the aftermath of the referendum and simultaneous failed putsch, a veritable waltzes of arrestations and investigations are shedding a sad shadow on the island, says this Global Voices post. The referendum lowers the presidential age to 35 years old (from 40 years old), allows Andry Rajoelina (now 36 years old) to participate in presidential elections, to stay in power indefinitely during the transitional period, however long that period becomes.

Furious demonstrations continued across Haiti last Wednesday following the 28 November highly contested election in which thousands found themselves unable to vote. Rock-throwing and road-barricading protests were reported in Les Cayes, Hinche, Petit Goave and Archaie. On Tuesday, demonstrators clashed with United Nations peacekeeping troops in St. Marc and Gonaives. The UN mission issued several alerts to its personnel restricting movement.

Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika has ordered that the electoral commission be suspended amid talks of grave fraud. The suspension follows an audit report detailing some US$ 9 million meant for local government elections scheduled for April next year and cannot be accounted for.

Firoze Manji e Molly Kane

Kathy Jo Wetter

Anne Maina

Khadija Sharife

Pat Mooney

Andréia Lisboa de Souza

Albano Pedro

Konstantina Isidoros’s article ‘raises the bar, lifts the lid and exposes the follies of Morocco perfectly’ writes Martin Dewhurst.

Economic growth that fails to take into account social and environmental impacts will not allow us to tackle critical global issues such as climate change and poverty reduction. The focus should be on quality not quantity, writes Muna Lakhani.

Four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from Africa have been selected to receive a prestigious award by UK-based charity, the STARS Foundation. Bungoma-based NGO, ACE Africa Kenya, Nairobi-based NGO, Childline Kenya, Hargeisa-based Africa Educational Trust and Cape Town-based, Home from Home Trust, will each receive a STARS Impact Award, consisting of $100,000 in unrestricted funding and tailored consultancy support. They will be presented to the charities’ Directors on 2nd December at a ceremony in London.

South African blacks must put aside political affiliations and work together if they are to develop schools that will provide their children with a good education and the freedom to decide their own destinies, writes Veli Mbele.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, Dibussi Tande brings a message from the African blogosphere ‘to think positive, and stand in solidarity with those infected and affected’.

As a new report reveals that global beverage company SABMiller uses no fewer than 65 tax havens including Switzerland and Mauritius, Khadija Sharife takes a closer look at the company’s history in apartheid South Africa.

Diagne Roland Fodé

Even with Mbeki gone, South Africa remains plagued by quacks selling ZAR80 juices they claim can cure a disease that only ARVs can treat, writes Oliver Meth.

A closer look at Haiti’s history demonstrates ‘how deeply problematic it is to think that the US and France should play any role in the governance and internal policy-making of Haiti,' writes Anthony Morgan.

The question isn’t ‘whether Ethiopians in America have reason to be thankful for the blessings of liberty and the opportunities they have to make material progress’, it is whether they should be thankful to the US for providing billions of dollars to Zenawi’s repressive dictatorship, writes Alemayehu G. Mariam.

The iron rule of Hosni Mubarak has dominated Egypt for three decades. The regime he heads is preparing for the succession and seeking to channel Egyptians’ hunger for change into a tool of retrenchment. The secular opposition is absorbed by the effort of staying in the political game; the Muslim Brotherhood has larger ambitions. What place does a parliamentary election have in this landscape? Tarek Osman provides an assessment from Cairo.

From the Seychelles to Liberia, African countries are creating financial centres that demand little or no taxation. Khadija Sharife provides a run-down of the places to hide away money from the taxman.

Okachikwu Dibia takes a roadtrip to a village in Nigeria and is appalled at the state of the roads.