The Federal High court in Abuja has ordered the release from detention of Lamido Sanusi, the former emir of Kano deposed and exiled by the governor of the state of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje. The decision follows a suit filed by Sanusi in federal court. It remains to be seen whether the judge’s orders will be carried out; the rule of law can be weak in Nigeria, especially when it comes to high-profile political prisoners.

Samantha Andrews is an intern in the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations. Today’s reported car bombing in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, is further evidence that, while the sel…

Significant Middle East Developments Syria. Fighting raged today in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, where troops loyal to the regime and rebel fighters prepared for large-scale confrontation. Rebel fo…

Maria Abi-Habib, Margaret Coker, and Siobhan Gorman, Yemen Steps Back From Terror-Plot Claims, Highlighting U.S.’s Challenge, The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2013. Estimates vary about the number…