James Jeffrey reports for the Inter Press Service about how Somaliland, particularly its capital of Berbera, is trying to look forward to a bright future independent of a Somalia Somalilanders wish to separate from.

Crossing African borders by land can be an intimidating process (it’s proving an increasingly intimidating process nowadays in Europe ( Read more... )

• Bloomberg looks at what Gawker's bankruptcy means.
• Bloomberg View notes that Saudi Arabia's reform plans are too timid.
The Inter Press Service looks at misogynistic dress codes in Somaliland.
• Open Democracy compares the Greek and British referenda on Europe.
• Transitions Online looks at impending Russian parliamentary elections.
• Universe Today reports ( Read more... )

• Bloomberg looks at the restarting of northern Alberta oil, looks at the deterioration in Sino-Taiwanese relations, reports on how Norway is using oil money to buffer its economic shocks, and suggests low ECB rates might contribute to a property boom in Germany.
• Bloomberg View notes the idea of a third party in the US, one on the right to counter ( Read more... )

• Bloomberg notes California's dependence on oil imports, looks at how Libya's internal divisions limit oil exports, observes the devastation of Fort McMurray, reports on EU-Turkish disputes on visa-free travel, observes the problems of Belarus' banks, and reports on Kenya's closure of Somali refugee camps.
• Bloomberg View talks about how the ( Read more... )

• The Dragon's Gaze notes evidence that Kardashev Type III civilizations do not exist.
• The Dragon's Tales notes the new Kenya-Somalia border war, suggests the United Arab Emirates will be building a mountain to try to trigger rain, and notes that the new French-built submarines of Australia will come with American tech parts.
• Language Log looks at the ( Read more... )

At Demography Matters I share four Al Jazeera news reports on migration. The common theme is recent surges in migration: child refugees in Sweden, Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and Somalilanders, Cubans hoping to get to the United States.

Original content will come tonight, I promise.

• blogTO examines the nature of Toronto's abundant consumption of electricity.
• The Dragon's Gaze links to a study of the atmosphere of Wasp 80b.
• The Dragon's Tales notes that Russian rocket manufacturer Energomash may go out of business as a result not of sanctions but of threatened sanctions.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money does not approve of Kenya's plan to ( Read more... )

Lisa Vives of the Inter Press Service describes how concerns with money laundering and the funding of terrorism are shutting down money-transfer services to Somalia, with potentially catastrophic results. American laws which make banks liable for the consequences of their transfers are key. (Does Canada do similar things?)

Minneapolis Congressman ( Read more... )

Al Jazeera America's James Jeffrey writes about the efforts of stable secessionist state Somaliland to attract tourists, part of the entity's long-running campaign to acquire international recognition.

Friday is the day people head to the beach near the ancient maritime town of Berbera, across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen. On any other day of the ( Read more... )

CBC's Jeff Green describes the grief and confusion felt by the people who knew Mohamud Mohamed Mohamud, a Somali-Canadian from Hamilton who was a student at York University before he left to become a jihadist for the Islamic State in Syria and died there in recent airstrikes. No one seems to know what set him off.

Roughly one year ago, Mohamud ( Read more... )