In this edition: the latest twists and turns from the campaign trail in Gabon; South African president Jacob Zuma is under pressure as he marks 100 days in office; and the dangers for African women of using skin bleaching products.
Gabonese Defence Minister Ali Ben Bongo, tipped to replace his late father in an August 30 presidential election, has been stripped of his post in a bid to ensure a fair vote, authorities said on Saturday.
In this edition of The Week in Africa: Two weeks before elections in Gabon, the debate over Omar Bongo's succession is heating up; a transitional government in Madagascar; Hillary Clinton wraps up her 11-day tour of Africa.
11 out of 23 Gabonese presidential candidates, including opposition heavyweights, have issued a joint call to postpone the presidential election set for August 30, citing at least 120,000 duplicate names found on electoral lists.
Violent clashes have broken out in Gabon between police and several thousand demonstrators calling for presidential candidate Ali Ben Bongo to resign from the cabinet as defence minister.
In this edition: in northern Nigeria, more than 600 people have been killed in violent clashes between police and members of a fundamentalist Islamic group; and Ali Ben Bongo is picked as Gabon's ruling party candidate for the upcoming elections.
Ali Ben Bongo is Gabon's defence minister, and a presidential candidate for the August 30 polls. He is also the son of late president Omar Bongo - meaning he has some heavy expectations to fulfill and severe critics to rebut.
Gabon's prime minister has announced a new government which includes the ruling party's presidential candidate Ali Bongo, who is the son of the late president Omar Bongo Ondimba and defence minister since 1999.
In this edition: US President Barack Obama's health care reform is the subject of huge online discussion while, in Gabon, it's Omar Bongo's succession that's raging on the Net.
