Friends of Ahmed Bassiouni put up a poster of him in remembrance during the revolution

Outside the Hardee's restaurant in Tahrir Square, I came across a university art lecturer, Shady Noshokaty, whose friend and colleague, Ahmed Bassiouni, had also been shot dead.

He was hanging up a smiling poster of the dead man, whom he wanted to be remembered as “a brave, honest, crazy, beloved guy”.

Shady was determined his friend would not die in vain.

“I'll be honest, in the beginning I wasn't sure the demonstration would do anything, but now it's really become my cause,” he said.

During the 18 days of protests that eventually forced Mr Mubarak from office, the final outcome was far from inevitable.

There were many iconic moments that suggested the protesters had the upper hand: the blaze in the headquarters of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP); Mr Mubarak's speeches offering concessions; and the emotional release of one of the revolution's planners, Wael Ghonim of Google, on 7 February after 12 days in detention.

A Mubarak supporter and his camel scattered the crowd in Tahrir Square on one day

But there were also dark days, like the surreal “battle of the camel”.

After several pro-Mubarak rallies took place around Cairo, tough-looking men headed for Tahrir Square on 2 February – some on horseback and one on a camel – and launched another deadly attack.

Short-lived euphoria

It was hard not to get swept up in the huge victory party that took over central Cairo on 11 February after state television announced that the president was stepping down.

Yet even at the time, some of the jubilant cries seemed rather naive.

I heard shouts of “this is freedom” and “it's over – the people have won”.

As the military council took control, soldiers were hailed as heroes.

“Of course, absolute power corrupts,” says Amr Gharbeia, one of the bloggers who camped out in Tahrir Square, looking back. “The only thing that could keep it in check was people on the street.”

Young activists turned Tahrir Square into a carnival of freedom

Last July, Amr was beaten and held for a night by military police in Cairo after a march against the armed forces.

He describes how the deterioration in activists' relations with the military soon became “more personal and close”.

Another online activist, Malek Mustafa, was shot in the eye during protests demanding a faster transfer to civilian rule in November.

Blogger Nawara Negm was attacked by a mob that accused her of stirring up strife with the army

This month, blogger Nawara Negm, who I first encountered during a cheery Tahrir campsite sing-along, was attacked by a mob that accused her of stirring up strife with the army.

Many of my friends in Egypt have also been caught up in waves of violence during this tumultuous year. Two news photographers were injured, one in the head, when police fired buckshot at protesters.

Others have fallen victim to the increased crime.

Long troubled by rising sectarian tensions, my Arabic teacher, a Coptic Christian, decided to move abroad.

Islamist gains

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“Start Quote

I feel very worried… There’s a lot of uncertainty because a lot of our goals have not yet been met”

End Quote Shahira Amin Journalist

The real winners of the 25 January revolution have undoubtedly been the Islamists.

Within the past year, the mainstream Muslim Brotherhood has gone from being a banned group to setting up its own Freedom and Justice Party, which won 47% of seats in the newly elected People's Assembly.

The first time I interviewed Sondos Asem, a Brotherhood activist in her early 20s, was shortly after I arrived in Egypt. We agreed that I would not publish her real name because of fears for her safety.

We joked about this when we met for coffee after the revolution.

“From now on I will always be Sondos,” she grinned.

When we saw each other again – during the election process – she was busy helping to run the Brotherhood's English-language Twitter feed.

The Muslim Brotherhood dominates the newly-elected People's Assembly

She downplayed the influence that more fundamentalist Salafists might have on her group's political agenda.

“The Brotherhood has been moderated by its past experience in parliament,” she said. “We hope this will happen to [the main Salafist] Nour party too.”

Nour went on to win nearly a quarter of the seats in parliament.

On Wednesday, Sondos plans to join a rally to Tahrir Square, “same as last year”, to keep up pressure on the ruling military to hand over power.

Despite heavy rain, many activists returned to their tents in the square on Tuesday night. They see themselves as custodians of the revolution.

“I feel very worried. There's a lot of uncertainty because a lot of our goals have not yet been met,” says prominent Egyptian journalist Shahira Amin, who has been among the crowds.

“But I still feel the energy is here and the trend is irreversible.”

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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – A day after a retired colonel seized Papua New Guinea’s military headquarters in an attempt to force out the prime minister, the ex-soldier was holed up in a nearby barracks on Friday, demanding a pardon for himself and his supporters.

A small group of soldiers led by retired Col. Yuara Sasa put the military’s top commander under house arrest Thursday in a bloodless, pre-dawn takeover, but later that day Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said Brig. Gen. Francis Agwi had been released and remained in charge of most of the military. O’Neill said Sasa had been “dealt with,” but did not say how.

The mutiny was part of a power struggle in which O’Neill and former Prime Minister Michael Somare claim to be the rightful leader of the South Pacific island nation.

On Friday, police said Sasa was at Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby, near the military headquarters, with about 20 supporters. Police spokesman Dominic Kakas said Col. Sasa had asked for a pardon.

“That is correct, yes,” Kakas said. “They are trying to sort something out.”

On Thursday, Sasa had told reporters in Port Moresby he was giving O’Neill seven days to comply with a Supreme Court order reinstating Somare as prime minister. The government responded by calling on Sasa’s group to surrender and saying the mutiny had little support.

Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah told reporters Thursday that about 30 soldiers were involved in the mutiny and that 15 of them were arrested. Namah said Sasa could be charged with treason, which carries the death sentence.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemned the mutiny, saying in a written statement that the military has no place in Papua New Guinea’s politics. Australia is the main provider of foreign aid to its former colony.

“It is critical therefore that this situation be resolved peacefully as soon as possible, with the PNG Defense Force chain of command restored,” she added.

Somare was Papua New Guinea’s first prime minister when it became independent in 1975, and was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Papua New Guinea’s Parliament replaced him with O’Neill in August, while Somare was getting medical treatment outside the country.

Last month, the country’s Supreme Court and Governor-General Michael Ogio backed Somare, who the court ruled was illegally removed. But Ogio changed his mind days later, saying bad legal advice had led him to incorrectly reinstate Somare.

Sasa, who was Papua New Guinea’s defense attache to Indonesia before retiring from the military, has said Somare appointed him defense chief. Somare’s spokeswoman and daughter, Betha Somare, said that his ousted Cabinet had confirmed Sasa’s appointment several days ago. She did not respond to a request for comment on Friday’s developments.

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Egypt's Revolution

Islamists battle for rural votes

Baffling array

Weird and wonderful logos

Egyptian views on poll

Long known for its pyramids and ancient civilisation, Egypt is the largest Arab country and has played a central role in Middle Eastern politics in modern times.

In the 1950s President Gamal Abdul Nasser pioneered Arab nationalism and the non-aligned movement, while his successor Anwar Sadat made peace with Israel and turned back to the West. The protests that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 put Egypt at the crossroads once again.

Egypt's ancient past and the fact that it was one of the first Middle Eastern countries to open up to the West following Napoleon's invasion have given it a claim to be the intellectual and cultural leader in the region. The head of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque is one of the highest authorities in Sunni Islam.

A popular uprising in January-February 2011 forced President Mubarak from power

But the historic step by President Anwar Sadat to make peace with Israel in the 1979 Camp David agreement led to Egypt being expelled from the Arab League until 1989, and in 1981 Mr Sadat was assassinated by Islamic extremists angry at his moves to clamp down on their activities.

President Hosni Mubarak then took a more moderate line, but Islamic groups continued their campaigns sporadically. They have been responsible for deadly attacks that have often targeted tourists and resort areas, and more recently have begun to target Egypt's Coptic Christian community.

While providing stability and a measure of economic progress, Mr Mubarak's rule was inwardly repressive .An emergency law in force since 1967 – apart from an 18-month interruption in 1981 – muzzled political dissent, and the security forces became renowned for their brutality. Corruption was widespread.

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At a glance

Politics: President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February 2011 amid an uprising, handing power to the military. A transition to civilian rule is in progress

Economy: The Egyptian economy is the second largest in the Arab world after Saudi Arabia

International: Egypt has been a key ally of the West; it has played a key role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring

Encouraged by the protests that overthrew the long-term leader of Tunisia, mounting popular anger burst to the surface in huge anti-government demonstrations in January 2011, which eventually led President Mubarak to step aside. He was arrested and put on trial in August 2011 over deaths during the demonstrations.

An interimr military administration took charge, promising to effect a quick transition to democracy. Under continuing pressure from pro-democracy protesters, a new interim government was formed. In March 2011, a series of constitutional changes paving the way for early elections were approved.

But a key demand of the revolutionaries – the lifting of Egypt's emergency law – has not been fulfilled. There are also fears that the first post-Mubarak elections could lead to lead to the political dominance of various shades of political Islam, with possible repercussions for religious minorities, such as Coptic Christians, womens' rights and the tourism industry.

Egypt's teeming cities – and almost all agricultural activity – are concentrated along the banks of the Nile, and on the river's delta. Deserts occupy most of the country.

The economy depends heavily on agriculture, tourism and cash remittances from Egyptians working abroad, mainly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

However, rapid population growth and the limited amount of arable land is straining the country's resources and economy.

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Mr Jonathan said it would be impossible to beat Boko Haram through military means alone

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Why can't Nigeria defeat Boko Haram?

Who are Boko Haram?

Maiduguri: Nigeria's city of fear

The president of Nigeria has challenged the Islamist militant group Boko Haram to identify themselves and state their demands as a basis for dialogue.

Goodluck Jonathan said there was no doubt that Boko Haram had links with other Jihadist groups outside Nigeria.

He said if they did not identify themselves, talks were impossible.

It comes as the leader of Boko Haram denies killing civilians in last week's Kano bombings, in which 185 people died.

In an interview with Reuters, Mr Jonathan said: “If they clearly identify themselves now and say this is the reason why we are resisting, this is the reason why we are confronting government or this is the reason why we destroyed some innocent people and their properties, why not.

“See, as a president of a country you will not preside over dead bodies. You will be a president of people who are alive. So if they clearly identify themselves then there will be a basis for dialogue.”

He acknowledged the fears of the United Nations and neighbouring governments that the groups training and arming were being bolstered by Jihadist allies such al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and al-Shabaab.

In Kano, Christian leaders have welcomed the President's appeal for dialogue to end the current state of insecurity.

Denial

The group has acknowledged carrying out attacks on police stations and other official buildings.

But in a message posted on YouTube, Abubakar Shekau blamed the deaths of “innocent civilians” on Nigeria's security forces.

Nigeria's authorities deny the allegations.

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Boko Haram: Timeline of terror

2002: Founded

2009: Hundreds killed when Maiduguri police stations stormed; leader Mohammed Yusuf captured and killed

Dec 2010: Bombed Jos, killing 80 people; blamed for New Year's Eve attack on Abuja barracks

Jun-Aug 2011: Bomb attacks on Abuja police HQ and UN building

Dec 2011: Multiple bomb attacks on Christmas Day kill dozens

Jan 2012: Wave of violence across north-east Nigeria

Last Friday's attack in Nigeria's second-biggest city was the deadliest in Boko Haram's recent campaign of violence, carried out in the mainly Muslim north.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden”, says it wants to overthrow the government and impose Islamic law.

This week security forces arrested more than 150 suspected members of the organisation.

In his 40-minute audio message, Mr Shekau also threatened to carry out a bombing campaign against Nigeria's secondary schools and universities – unless security forces stopped what he claimed was a series of recent attacks on Islamic schools or madrassas in the northern town of Maiduguri.

The still picture posted on YouTube shows Mr Shekau dressed in a black turban and a white gown and bullet-proof vest – holding an AK 47 rifle.

He reiterated claims that the Nigerian government would not be able to stop Boko Haram – and demanded the release from prison of all its members.

On Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan sacked the chief of police, Hafiz Ringim, forcing him to retire early, a statement from the presidency said.

There had been calls for the police chief's resignation since a man suspected of masterminding Boko Haram's Christmas Day bomb attacks on churches escaped from police custody earlier this month.

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