READBOOK FOR MONDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2012

AFRICA: A UN freelance consultant was the victim of a "random daytime shooting" in Cairo on Sunday (Al Ahram). An oil feud disrupts peace in the Sudans (New York Times). Algerian rappers remain quiet on revolutionary politics (Al Akhbar).

ASIA: The Free Syrian Army assassinated a high-ranking Syrian general and chief of a military hospital in Damascus (AP via the Washington Post). A translation of two poems by well-loved Syrian poet Fouad Ajami (The New Republic). The burden of war, including the dying, is now shifting to contractors in Afghanistan (New York Times).

EUROPE: Referendum negotiations begin between Scotland and the UK (Guardian). Greek austerity debates are marked by fiery protest (BBC). Bosnia ended a 16-month deadlock and voted in a new parliament (RFE/RL). An interview with Hungarian novelist Imre Kertész about the deteriorating politics of his country (Comment is free/Guardian).

--

VIDEO: Felix Salmon of Reuters explains the Greek debt crisis using rubber duckies in a paddle pond.