November 20, 2009:  Algeria is threatening to sue France in the International Court of Justice over how France administered Algeria during 130 years of colonial rule (that ended in the 1960s). This could be interesting, because the main reason for France taking control of Algeria was the inability, or unwillingness, of Algerian governments to control the criminal groups, including pirates, who had been preying, for centuries, on European shipping, and civilians living on the coast. One of the first wars the U.S. was involved in was against these North African pirates. The ones based in Algeria were always among the worst. Algeria is still a source of terrorists. For example, in the last week, Italy arrested 17 Algerians who were raising money for Islamic terrorist activities back in Algeria. The gang had raised over a million dollars, mainly from criminal activities, in the last three years. Such arrests of Algerian exiles are a common occurrence in Europe, especially since Algeria defeated its own Islamic terrorist groups in the last decade.

Algeria is also taking the lead in an effort by Moslem nations to get all nations to sign an international treaty banning any act that Moslems would construe as blasphemy. In short, that means any criticism of Islam would be illegal. Some Western nations are willing to consider this, but most non-Moslem (majority) states are rather hostile to this proposal. That's largely because so many Moslem nations are not only hostile to non-Moslems, but often have laws that forbid the practice of any religion but Islam. Nevertheless, Algeria, and its allies, are willing to keep the effort going for as long as it takes, to make the world show proper respect for the One True Religion.

Algeria, Mali and Mauritania have all quietly advised tourists to stay away from the border area this Winter, or to proceed with extreme caution. The reason is several Islamic terror groups believed to be still operating in the desert and semi-desert border area.

Algeria and Egypt have seen street violence, first in Egypt, then in Algeria, over football (soccer) games (the qualifying rounds for the World Cup). Fan enthusiasm escalated to major demonstrations and damaged diplomatic relations.

November 7, 2009: Police killed three Islamic terrorists 110 kilometers east of the capital, and recovered two assault rifles.