POLITICS-AFRICA: Dogs of War to Nip at Heels of Continental Parliament

When the new Pan-African Parliament is inaugurated in Ethiopia next week, it will confront a host of challenging issues - not least the role of mercenaries in Africa.

ENVIRONMENT: A Third of Bird Species At Risk

The plight of birdlife in Africa and other parts of the world is being highlighted at a meeting that is currently underway in the South African port city of Durban.

POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: Isolated Violence, Poverty Focus of Election Campaign

Campaigning for South Africa's general elections, to be held next month, has moved into top gear - with politicians scrambling for an endorsement from the country's 20.7 million registered voters.

RIGHTS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: AIDS the Focus of Int’l Women’s Day

"As a woman, I can't bring a condom home. If I do, then I'm not a wife - I'm a prostitute. My husband will ask me whether I have a secret lover. If I say I don't, he will want to know where I had learnt how to use a condom," says Siphiwe Hlophe.

ECONOMY-SOUTH AFRICA: Financial Gains Elusive for Black Majority

Ten years after the demise of apartheid, South African blacks are still waiting for a slice of the economic pie they were denied in the past.

POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: Haitian Leader’s Plight Fails to Move Opposition

Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who fled a rebel onslaught Sunday, is searching for a new home – and it appears that he may take up exile in South Africa.

POLITICS-ZIMBABWE: "The Situation is Very Grim"

"We are the only country in the world not at war whose economy is shrinking at an alarming rate. Inflation is running at 620 percent. Eighty percent of our people live in poverty," says Tendai Biti of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

POLITICS-AFRICA: An Underwhelming Response to the Pan-African Parliament

With less than a month to go before the first session of the African parliament, interest in the new legislature appears to be at a low in various parts of the continent.

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: A Qualified Welcome for AIDS Budget

South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has received mixed reviews from AIDS activists for the annual budget he announced last week.

RIGHTS-AFRICA: AIDS, Plight of San to be Key Issues at CIVICUS Meeting

More than 600 civil society activists from around the world will meet in Botswana's capital, Gaborone, next month to exchange information and ideas about development in Africa and elsewhere.

POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: Race a Defining Issue in the Upcoming Election

The announcement, Monday, that South Africa will go to the polls on Apr. 14 for its third democratic election has opened the way for political parties to start campaigning in earnest. But, analysts are already predicting that the ruling African National Congress will be returned to power with a sweeping majority.

POLITICS-SUDAN: Peace Process is Vulnerable, Say Analysts

Sudan's peace process will collapse if Khartoum and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army refuse to involve others in the talks that are underway in Kenya, political commentators have warned.

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: A Month into 2004, and ARV’s Still Scarce

AIDS campaigners in South Africa are worried about the apparent lack of progress in implementing a plan to distribute anti-retroviral drugs to millions of people living with the disease.

ECONOMY-SOUTH AFRICA: The Brain Drain Proves Colour-Blind

The so-called "brain drain" of professional expertise from South Africa has been a source of concern for several years now. Discussions of the trend have tended to focus on white professionals - but, it appears that black South Africans are also joining the exodus.

LABOUR-SOUTH AFRICA: German and South African Unions Strengthen Ties

"We live in one world. Not in the first, second, third, fifth or sixth world," Michael Sommer, head of the Confederation of German Trade Unions, said in South Africa this week.

DEVELOPMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Millions in Need of Food Aid

The spectres of drought and malnutrition are stalking South Africa, where more than four million people require emergency food aid. Farmers' organisations estimate that the figure could rise to 15 million by June - this out of a population of roughly 44 million.

MEDIA-AFRICA: A Depressing Start to 2004 for African Journalists

The new year has started on a bad note for the media in Africa, with journalists under siege in various parts of the continent.

HEALTH-AFRICA: HIV/AIDS Campaigners Invest in the Youth

The new year has begun with a small but significant contribution to the fight against AIDS, which is devastating Sub-Saharan Africa.

SOUTH AFRICA: Education a Beacon of Hope for the Girl Child

South Africa has become a beacon of hope for the girl child in Sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty and outdated traditions have prevented girls from attending schools.

POPULATION-ANGOLA: Challenges Face Refugees Back Home

Angola is a country in transition. "Refugees are moving, the displaced are moving and so are ex-combatants," says Kallu Kalumiya of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

POLITICS-SUDAN: Rebels Scour Africa in Search of Support

Rebels in south Sudan have launched a diplomatic offensive in Africa, ahead of Nov. 30 peace talks in Kenya, as part of efforts to end Sudan’s 20-year civil war.