Speculation is rampant that North Korea's Kim Jong-il will go public with plans to name his son his heir at a rare political conference.

Abu Abbas oversees one of Baghdad's overstretched police stations whose employees have increasingly been targeted by insurgents. He says Iraqi rule of law has been neglected.

The Indonesia volcano eruption is only smoke and ash and not life-threatening so far. But some warn that more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are on the way.

In France, a movement from within the Gypsy community could temper what have been bad relations with European governments amid a hot immigration debate.

Vodacom's M-Pesa mobile phone banking service is all the rage in Kenya, where in 3 years it jumped to 10 million customers in a country of 37 million. But as M-Pesa launches in South Africa, it will find a market full of similar services, from cash-transfer windows at grocery stores to Western Union.

South African President Jacob Zuma has asked for more China investment in infrastructure, which would create new jobs amid 25 percent unemployment.

The small town of Guca becomes the site of a spirited gypsy music festival for a week every year.

Kenya allowed Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is facing war crime charges, to visit. The move was smart for domestic and regional politics, although it brought international criticism.

Nigeria's privatization plans for its power grid don't consider the role of the generator and diesel fuel industries, which may have an interest in holding up improvements.

The Kabul Bank is a bedrock for a stable Afghan society. Its collapse could spell disaster for the country already battling a resurgent Afghan Taliban.

Of the five Ferrari 458 Italia supercars that combusted worldwide, two caught fire in China, highlighting the number of people in China who will pay $550,000 for a car.

If a referendum on South Sudan's independence ends with a vote for secession from Sudan, internal clan rivalries could complicate the transition to independence.

These are the five most central issues that Israel and the Palestinian Authority need to address in the latest round of peace talks, which began Sept. 2.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed today to meet again in two weeks. But Mr. Abbas has little support at home for the talks, even among allies.

The best hope for stability in Somalia may lie in African Union troops, but they can't take the offensive against the terrorist group Al Shabab.

While Iraq combat operations are over, the 50,000 remaining US soldiers in Iraq are looking to cement their achievements by sending out small groups of advisers to help improve Iraqi Army performance.

Guest blogger Jason Stearns says that the Congolese government's rejection of recommendations made in a UN report on the possible genocide makes it less likely that crimes will be adequately addressed.

In his new memoir, former British prime minister Tony Blair shares misgiving about the Iraq war – and catalogs his extensive struggles with then-finance minister Gordon Brown.

In South Africa, 1.3 million striking public service workers refuse government offers, further disrupting schools and hospitals and posing long term economic problems.

The US and Iran set aside controversy over Iran’s nuclear program to play a World Basketball Championships match that featured NBA players including Hamed Haddadi of Iran.