Guinea: Hope for Stability?

Guinea is located in West Africa, bordering Mali and Liberia among other countries.

The country has long been haunted by political instability. In December 2008, Moussa Dadis Camara, a local military leader, seized control in a coup. After a brutal crackdown on protesters which claimed 150 victims, Camara was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. Now, a new civilian prime minister offers the prospect of free elections in the near future.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/01/2010126203819945322.html

Saudi Arabia: A major overhaul of the judicial system?

This article from Gulf News suggests that Saudi Arabia is about to overhaul its justice system. The country plans to adopt "many provisions" from judicial systems in the Western world, although with the caveat that any reforms must still be in line with Shariah law.

The article has few details, so it is hard to tell just what the extent of the planned reforms will be at this point. However, the piece also hints that the government will soon announce a new law to curb underage marriages, a major problem in the country and in neighboring Yemen. Stay tuned for more details.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-to-enact-law-on-underage-marriages-1.574578