The wave of protests across the Middle East and North Africa don't yet constitute revolution and real democratic change may be decades away, Auckland University associate professor Stephen Hoadley says.

Southern Sudan looks to have voted for secession from the Arab-led north of the country.

"We used to have regular cases of water-related disease, including diarrhoea and typhoid, but that's a thing of the past."

Southern Sudan's city planners have come up with a wild idea.

Our small country has a long record in world peacekeeping.

Following the marriage of President Jacob Zuma to his fifth wife, the Independent looks at the arguments for and against polygamy.