Horn of Africa

A Somali soldier patrols a street following a suicide car bomb and gun attack.

The death of a Navy SEAL reveals US mission creep in Somalia

A longtime Africa correspondent looks behind the headlines in Somalia and talks about his new memoir.

The death of a Navy SEAL reveals US mission creep in Somalia
Actor Ben Schnetzer plays photojournalist Dan Eldon in the bio-pic The Journey is the Destination.

A mother who lost her son in Somalia brings his journals to life in a film

A mother who lost her son in Somalia brings his journals to life in a film
Abebe Haregewoin (right) and his father in Ethiopia.

Famine haunted his childhood in Ethiopia. Now he sees food running out again.

Famine haunted his childhood in Ethiopia. Now he sees food running out again.
Ethiopian drought/water jugs

In Ethiopia and other countries, drought related to El Niño is causing a hunger crisis

In Ethiopia and other countries, drought related to El Niño is causing a hunger crisis
Ilwad Elman and her mother Fartuun Adan created the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu.

A Mogadishu-based mother and daughter team say youth can be brought back from religious extremism

A Mogadishu-based mother and daughter team say youth can be brought back from religious extremism
Ethiopians prepared billboards to welcome U.S. President Barack Obama to their capital Addis Ababa.

Elaborate rituals and lions roaming the palace grounds are just part of what sets autocratic Ethiopia apart from its neighbors

Some onlookers think President Barack Obama's "charisma" might help nudge Ethiopia onto a more democratic path

Elaborate rituals and lions roaming the palace grounds are just part of what sets autocratic Ethiopia apart from its neighbors
U.S. President Barack Obama meets with President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti on May 5, 2014. Some Djiboutians say American ties to their country are holding back democratization.

The overthrow of Blaise Compaoré sparks protests against Djibouti's leader

The protests that forced Burkina Faso's longtime ruler to step down are echoing on the other side of the continent, where young protesters in Djibouti are calling for their own leader to step down after 15 years. They face not only a repressive government, but its international supporters as well.

The overthrow of Blaise Compaoré sparks protests against Djibouti's leader
al-Shabaab radio stations in Somalia

How al-Shabab is building a media empire and creating chaos in Kenya

Al-Shabab is building a media empire and finding broader support by taking over radio stations in Somalia. And it's sending its recruits to foment violence in neighboring Kenya.

How al-Shabab is building a media empire and creating chaos in Kenya

Toxic! Britney Spears used as a weapon against Somali pirates

If you ever plan to travel by sea off the coast of east Africa, make a note to self: Britney Spears' music seems to have a repellent effect against pirates.

Toxic! Britney Spears used as a weapon against Somali pirates
Four year old Portia Walton runs toward Abdul Haji during the Westgate Mall massacre. Her mom and others shelter under the black and white table in the middle. The terrorists are holed up and firing from the supermarket beyond the table.

Meet the Kenyan hero who fought terrorists and rescued dozens

Westgate hero tells his story: Abdul Haji, the Kenyan businessman who fought the terrorists and rescued dozens.

Meet the Kenyan hero who fought terrorists and rescued dozens
Kenyan soldiers take cover behind walls near the Westgate shopping centre after an exchange of gunfire inside the Westgate mall in Nairobi, Monday.

Nairobi Attack a Sign of 'Desperation' for al-Shabab, says Expert

The violent attack on a mall in Nairobi is a sign of desperation from the Somali group responsible for it, according to analyst Ken Menkhaus. He's a professor of political science at Davidson College in North Carolina. Anchor Marco Werman challenges him to explain his analysis.

Nairobi Attack a Sign of 'Desperation' for al-Shabab, says Expert
African Union troops patrolling in Kismayo, in southern Somalia. The Kenyan-led troops come under daily attack in Kismayo.

Shabab on the Offensive Inside Somalia

While the siege continues at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, al-Shabab is also on the offensive inside Somalia. The BBC's Mark Doyle reports from the southern Somali port-city of Kismayu.

Shabab on the Offensive Inside Somalia