Somali MPs to elect new president in historic vote

Somalia's parliament is due to start choosing a new president, in the latest step to end decades of war.

The newly-elected MPs are convening at a police academy in Mogadishu for the secret ballot.The BBC's Daud Aweis in Mogadishu says the process is behind schedule, with MPs and their staff going through tight security checks.It is the first time in many years that a president will be chosen on Somali soil - a sign of improving security.However, the al-Qaeda linked group, al-Shabab, still controls many southern and central parts of the country, and has staged frequent suicide attacks in the capital since it was driven out of Mogadishu last year by African Union troops and pro-government forces.Current Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in power since 2009, is regarded as one of the favourites among the 22 candidates. The president's opponents have accused him of corruption - a charge he has repeatedly denied. ..read more