Daily News on the Issues Affecting Africa for May 14th

Continue reading for a summary of recent news stories relating to some of the most pressing issues on the continent. We draw on a wide range of respected news sources, both from Africa itself and around the world. The themes of today's In the News post are updates on the EU forces in Central African Republic, Malawi election results, Boko Haram's effect in Cameroon, schools in DRC, and faulty trials for Gadaffi's two sons.

EU force in C. African Republic at 870 in June

LARISSA, Greece — The European Union expects to have more than 800 troops on the ground in the Central African Republic by mid-June, where they will secure parts of the capital before handing over to a U.N. force later this year, the force's operation commander said Tuesday. The six-month deployment comes amid mounting concern that existing French and African peacekeepers need more help to secure the near-anarchic country before the U.N. force is deployed in September.

To read more, please visit the Washington Post site HERE.

Malawi: Elections 'Too Close to Call', Says Opinion Poll

Cape Town — President Joyce Banda was not the front-running candidate in the run-up to this month's elections in Malawi, but the race was too close to call, according to a public opinion survey conducted six to eight weeks before next week's polls.

To read more, please visit the AllAfrica.com site HERE.

Nigeria's Boko Haram Begins to Destabilize Cameroon

Yaounde — Senior defence officials say that Cameroon has been infiltrated by Nigeria's Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and there are fears that this central African nation, known for its stability, is drifting into chaos. "Right now, we are being infiltrated by Boko Haram. The military has decided to strengthen the intelligence system to effectively counter this threat, which seems to be gaining local support," Colonel Didier Badjeck, spokesperson for the Cameroon Ministry of Defence, told IPS.

To read more, please visit the AllAfrica.com site HERE.

À Oman, la RDC présente son plan de construction de 1 000 nouvelles écoles par an

Augustin Matata Ponyo a été convié, du 12 au 14 mai à Mascate (Oman), à la "réunion annuelle sur l'éducation pour tous" organisé par l'Unicef. L'occasion pour le Premier ministre congolais de présenter son plan de (re)construction de 1 000 écoles par an en RDC.

To read more, please visit the Jeuneafrique site HERE.

Chaos as Libya's war crimes 'trial of the century' fails to produce Gaddafi's sons

The war crimes trial of two of Muammar Gaddafi's sons and top officials descended into chaos in Tripoli on Monday, with neither son appearing and most observers barred from attending. There were chaotic scenes outside the al-Hadba prison when guards told journalists that, despite assurances that the case billed as Libya's trial of the century would be open, there would be no public access.

To read more, please visit the Guardian site HERE.