Just days after Barack Obama was elected president, he got his first test in the global arena. Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, at first resorted to some Soviet-style sabre-rattling before adopting a more emollient tone. The Guardian's Simon Tisdall explains the diplomatic dance between the two leaders.
Throughout the course of this incredibly long US election season, we have spoken with David Moats of the Rutland Herald newspaper in Rutland, Vermont. From the Democratic primaries through the general election to Obama's dramatic victory last week, David has been watching with more than a journalist's interest. I asked him how he felt now that it was all over.
One of the many global trouble spots that will command President Obama's attention is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As violence continues to escalate, the Guardian's diplomatic editor, Julian Borger, explains the origins of the crisis.
The South African singer Miriam Makeba, who has died age 76, was known as Mama Africa not only for her wonderful voice but also for her strong anti-apartheid stance. We take a look at her remarkable life.
Each week we feature a piece from one of our listeners or readers to find out what life is like in a different corner of the world. This week in his Letter from Burkina Faso, Stephen Davies explains why a land dispute has the vultures staring down with interest.
