Thousands of civilians fled cities and towns into dense forest as embassies and humanitarian aid organizations evacuated many of their staff members from Bangui.

Jeffrey Gettleman, The Times’s Nairobi bureau chief, reports on how Kenya’s wildlife conservation corps is learning from a reformed poacher how to counter the growing threat to elephants.

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s former president, was released from the hospital late Wednesday, ending a 19-day hospital stay.

Gabon’s government has made efforts to combat poaching, but as the price of ivory soars its elephants are being slaughtered.

Italy has a good record of granting asylum status but a disgraceful follow-through, refugee agencies say, which has resulted in an expanding population of refugees in shantytowns.

An advance by rebel forces prompted the United Nations to evacuate staff and the State Department to warn Americans to leave the country.

Once thought of as a model in protecting elephants from poachers, Gabon faces the same obstacles as other countries.