The fate of Somalia stands at a crossroads, as Islamists who have taken control of the capital offer a new chance to move beyond the violence brought by competing warlords. But security analysts fear the country may become a safe harbor for al-Qaeda, duplicating the role of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the 1990s.

One thing that may keep that from happening: gossip, which some consider to be Somalia's national pastime. Melissa Block talks with Simon Robinson, Time magazine's South Africa bureau chief.

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