Top stories from DAWNS Digest
Crises in CAR and South Sudan Dominate AU Summit
Mauritania was named the new chair of the AU as African leaders gathered in Ethiopia for a two-day summit. The situations the Central African Republic and South Sudan took center stage. “On Saturday, after the official summit closes, African leaders and Western diplomats will hold a pledging conference to raise cash for the AU-led MISCA mission in CAR. ‘What we hope is strong support for MISCA, to enable it to implement its mandate more effectively,’ the director of the AU peace and security council, El-Ghassim Wane, told AFP.” (AFP http://yhoo.it/1eiFzGn)
Tensions Super High in Thailand Ahead of Sunday’s Vote
Protesters are already filling the streets. “Thailand’s army says it will increase the number of troops in the capital on standby to 10,000 ahead of Sunday’s election that anti-government protesters say they will disrupt as part of their campaign to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The government’s decision to press ahead with the February 2 election has inflamed tensions in the capital, Bangkok, where the protesters have blockaded main intersections and forced many ministries to close their doors this month.” (Nigerian Tribune http://bit.ly/1jQ5rwR)