An online campaign defending cutting, which is still legal in Mali, recasts the practice as a means of protecting girls.

Much more than a trend, increasing coups reflect a major crisis in West Africa’s political systems.

Unproductive arm-wrestling distracts from the key issues and could steer Malians even further from democracy.

The dialogue process and the timing of the proposal to extend the transition offer hard lessons for Mali’s diplomatic partners.

The problem is not new, but it is growing at an alarming rate and claiming new types of victims.