Editor's note

The Islamist militant group, al-Shabaab, has claimed responsibility for a terror attack in Nairobi in which at least 14 people were killed and scores injured. The question the terror attack raises is why the group continues to target Kenya and what can be done about it. Brendon Cannon and Martin Plaut share their insights.  

British Prime Minister Theresa May's current Brexit plan was roundly rejected by MPs in the country's Parliament on Tuesday night - a historic and humiliating defeat. May has pledged to hold cross-party meetings in the hope of finding a Brexit proposal that would win the support of MPs in a future vote. However, Simon Usherwood wonders, what’s May really up to?

Moina Spooner

Commissioning Editor: East Africa

Top Stories

Al-Shabaab’s first attack on Kenyan soil was in 2008. Since then the Kenyan government has responded with force. United Nations Photo/Flickr

Why al-Shabaab targets Kenya, and what can be done to stop attacks

Brendon J. Cannon, Khalifa University; Martin Plaut, School of Advanced Study

Kenya is attacked far more than Ethiopia or other eastern African states by al-Shabaab militants.

Protesters gather outside parliament while MPs vote inside. EPA/Neil Hall

Theresa May Brexit deal hammered in parliament, but be wary of prospects of a new ‘consensus’ approach

Simon Usherwood, University of Surrey

After her historic loss in parliament, the PM will hold cross-party talks to find a way out of the impasse. But will she really be listening?

Politics + Society

Bold steps Mnangagwa should be taking instead of fiddling with the petrol price

Robert Rotberg, Harvard Kennedy School

President Emmerson Mnangagwa's decision to double the price of petrol shows very poor judgement and bad leadership.

Guatemala in crisis after president bans corruption investigation into his government

Rachel E. Bowen, The Ohio State University

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales is defying a constitutional court order to release a UN-backed prosecutor his government arrested and allow his corruption investigation to continue.

Garbage collection in Syria is crucial to fighting the Islamic State

Mark Ward, University of Washington

Keeping the water and power on, managing sewers and collecting garbage will help communities shattered by the Syrian civil war rebuild – and keep out the Islamic State, says a former aid official.

Why Gbagbo acquittal is a bigger blow for the ICC than the Bemba decision

Luke Moffett, Queen's University Belfast

The ICC is meant to be a Court of last resort, to ensure justice for victims and to end impunity. It's not living up to these promises.

Arts + Culture

World’s oldest clove? Here’s what our find in Sri Lanka says about the early spice trade

Eleanor Kingwell-Banham, UCL

Archaeologists have found cloves and black pepper corns they believe to be more than 1,000 years old at a site in Sri Lanka.

How we’re designing musical instruments with the help of disabled musicians and VR

Franziska Schroeder, Queen's University Belfast; Matilde Meireles, Queen's University Belfast

Tailored VR technology is helping creating digital musical instruments that musicians with disabilities can play.