Dioncounda Traore, the interim president of Mali, requests ECOWAS military assistance: logistics, training, equipment, aerial support - but no ground troops.
As the crisis in Mali takes root, ECOWAS meets with a rebel leader in northern Mali to open dialogue and begin the process of negotiating a peaceful solution.
The March 2012 coup in Mali has made the security situation worse, deepened the crisis in the north, and created massive displacement. What are the short term prospects?
Canadians are taking to the streets of Quebec to protest a harsh government clampdown on free speech and free assembly, prompted by a student strike against university fee increases. What you need to know about the Montreal protests.
A new ECOWAS-mediated agreement allows the interim president, Dioncounda Traoré, to remain in office for the next 12 months, until a presidential election can be organized next year. Not everyone in Mali is pleased with this decision.
Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau have taken over control of the capital, detaining interim president Raimundo Pereira and outgoing prime minister and presidential hopeful Carlos Gomes Jr.
Growing tensions and violent protests have gripped Senegal ahead of the presidential election. Sunday will be a critical day for Senegalese democracy, as voters head to the polls for a very contentious vote.
Since January 31, massive protests have been rocking Senegal. What's happening in Senegal, a "beacon of democracy" in an unstable region? Three keys to understanding the situation.