Moderate Islamist wins Somali election

Somalia’s parliament elected a moderate Islamist leader as the country’s new president early today, handing over the elusive task of stabilising a country wracked by violence and anarchy for nearly 20 years.

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was elected in neighbouring Djibouti after the last president – a former soldier, rebel and warlord named Abdullahi Yusuf – resigned in December after failing to pacify the country during his four-year presidential term.