Africa

Central Nigeria—The villages of Dogo Nahawa, Rasat, Zot, and Shen were attacked on Sunday, leaving a body count of 378 people. According to The Wall Street Journal, members of the predominantly Muslim Fulani ethnic group targeting people belonging to the predominantly Christian Berom ethnic group. The massacre, which was conducted with machetes, is the latest example of political strife in Africa’s most populous country, since ailing president, Umaru Yar’Adua has been travelling for medical treatments and has been out of the public eye for three months. The violence is likely to get worse, since a village chief incited the young to get revenge. “Now is the time for everyone to wake up. Elders are calling you youths to come out,” he said, according to The Wall Street Journal. Another elder said, “By God’s grace we will enter their villages and kill their women and children.”

Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq—The second national election since Saddam Hussein was taken out of power was held on Sunday, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Since none of the parties are powerful enough to form their own government the task of building coalitions is up to Iraqi politicians. The race is primarily between the current Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and Iyad Allawi, who was installed as transitional prime minister by the US in 2003. Al-Maliki’s Rule of Law Coalition seems to be leading in the south, but voters throughout the country seem to be straying away from religion based parties in favor of more secular parties they believe focus on essentials like creating jobs and providing electricity.

Europe

PARIS, France—35 alleged pirates were captured by the French Navy in the past three days. According to Times Online, this marks the “biggest haul in the two years since EU naval ships started patrolling the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.” The Nivose, a French frigate seized four mother ships and six skiffs—which are small enough to be manned by one person—in operations over the weekend. The prisoners are to be flown to Kenya, where about 100 pirates are being tried on behalf of western nations with forces in the area. “The pirates are learning that we are not a soft touch,” a French naval spokesman told Times Online.