RIGHTS-ALGERIA: Death Sentences Follow Fugitives Thick and Fast

Algeria is set to be among the top three countries in the world with the highest number of death sentences passed in 2008, regularly condemning people accused of terrorism - whether or not they are present in court to answer charges.

ENVIRONMENT-ALGERIA: Fighting Desertification Through Conservation

In May, Algeria will inaugurate a reserve around a small oasis in the south-west where plants and animals are to be protected in the service of a broader goal. Hopes are that the Taghit National Park will help stop the advance of the Sahara Desert, which already stretches across almost all of this North African country.

CHALLENGES 2006-2007: Keeping the Sahara in Check

Two hundred kilometres. A long distance to some, perhaps, but in the context of desertification in Algeria, alarmingly short.

ECONOMY-ALGERIA: What is the Best Week End for the Weekend?

Many Algerian employers are lobbying for a return to having their country's weekends over Saturdays and Sundays, rather than Thursdays and Fridays, saying the current policy is cutting into foreign trade revenues.

ECONOMY-ALGERIA: A Woman’s Place? Just About Everywhere.

In years gone by, Algerians who used the term "women's work" would probably have been referring to tasks such as weaving, the manufacture of terra cotta pots, and the production of traditional cakes. Custom in this predominantly Muslim country of North Africa ensured that women were first and foremost wives and homemakers.

HEALTH-ALGERIA: Low HIV Prevalence Not a Problem? Think Again

Coverage of AIDS in Africa typically focuses on the dire situation in countries south of the Sahara, which are home to almost two thirds of people infected with HIV globally, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

RIGHTS-ALGERIA: When Going to Court Is Too Great a Trial

In a sad reflection of the times, the Drop-In Assistance Centre for Female Sexual Harassment Victims has done a bustling trade in the Algerian capital, Algiers, since being established two years ago. Hundreds of women have made use of the centre, which is funded by the General Union of Algerian Workers – the country’s largest labour body.