DEVELOPMENT-BOTSWANA: Tourism May Save the San from Cultural Extinction

The government of Botswana's decision to permit the San, or the Bush People, to have a say in how their lands are developed by tourism industry, is an indication of the changing nature of tourism development in the region.

CULTURE-FRANCE: Artists Stage a Strike

In a summer of strikes and protests, unionists are now bringing French culture to a halt.

CULTURE: In Search of Columbus’ Bones

Scientists from four countries are engaged in the process of unveiling the true burial site of the remains of Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) and believe that their conclusions, which are some six months away, will be the last word on the subject.

CULTURE-MALAWI: Young Women Leaders Rise Up To Challenges

-Faced with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection, environmental degradation and sluggish economic growth, young women professionals in Malawi have put their heads together and intensified efforts to bring about a major paradigm shift.

/ARTS WEEKLY/MUSIC-ARGENTINA: 21st Century Boom in Tango Clubs

The mushrooming of milongas or tango clubs in the Argentine capital demonstrates the resurgence of interest in this traditional urban music and dance rhythm of the Rio de la Plata region - Argentina and neighbouring Uruguay - both locally and abroad.

/ARTS WEEKLY/MUSIC-MALAYSIA: Old Music Gets New Beat

A unique orchestral performance is setting the stage for an Asian musical beat that is contemporary yet firmly rooted in the region's traditions, in this case the Indonesian 'gamelan', the indigenous orchestra of bronze gongs.

/ARTS WEEKLY/CULTURE-INDIA: Court Order May Kill Cloth Printing Art

For over five centuries it was as if time had stood still at the famed block printing units in this ancient town 40 kms away from Jaipur, the capital of western Rajasthan state.

CULTURE-MALAWI: Women Champion For Removal Of Discriminatory Laws

With domestic abuse and violence against women on the rise, Malawian women activists have drafted several bills aimed at ending the suffering they endure in their lives.

/ARTS WEEKLY/ITALY: The Dictatorship of the Viewer

'Dreams and Conflicts: The Dictatorship of the Viewer' is the theme of the 50th edition of the Biennale di Venezia, Europe's most prestigious international exhibition of contemporary art, which presents the works from 230 artists representing 63 countries.

/ARTS WEEKLY/ART-CHINA: Once Derided as Trash, Contemporary Art is Hot

Being hip and avant-garde are hardly the criteria that Chinese cultural mandarins like to adhere to when they judge which Chinese contemporary art is worth presenting to the world.

/ARTS WEEKLY/PAKISTAN: Mystery of the Persian Mummy Continues

Save for a decent Muslim burial, the 'mummy' that created a furore among archaeologists around the world in 2000 when it was discovered in Pakistan, lies in a cold, uneasy slumber, sealed and locked in the mortuary of Edhi Foundation here.

/ARTS WEEKLY/MUSIC: Mexico’s First Women’s Orchestra

Female classical musicians in Mexico, who must swim against the tide in a field dominated by men, are now auditioning for a spot in the country's first all women's symphonic orchestra.

/ARTS WEEKLY/CANADA: National Gallery Honours First Nations’ Art

-Canada's National Gallery has become the first major fine arts institution in North America to permanently incorporate Canadian aboriginal art into its displays.

CULTURE-SWAZILAND: Seeking Equality From Gender Biased Ancestral Spirits

An early dusk falls on wintry Swaziland, the time for the head of the traditional homestead to lead the family in prayer to the ancestral spirits. The household head kneels at the umsamo, the sacred spot on the far wall directly opposite the door of a hut designated for this purpose. The other family members kneel in a semi-circle on either side. "Emadloti (ancestral spirits), we greet you, we hail you, we welcome you . . ."

POLITICS-PAKISTAN: Talk of Recognising Israel Creates a Furore

If it was just an official feeler to gauge public opinion on the controversial question of Pakistan's recognition of Israel, the government has an answer - the Pakistani people are not ready to even consider the option.

THAILAND: Muslims Fear Tense Times Ahead for Islamic Schools

Since the much-hyped arrest of three Thai Muslims with alleged links to an Islamic militant group in the region, the Muslim minority in the country's south has been fearing that Islamic schools there may soon face a lesson in survival.

ARGENTINA: Documentary-Makers Reflect Unemployed Movement

Young documentary-makers in Argentina armed with digital video cameras are staging a sort of revival of the militant filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s, with their films conveying the struggle of today's organised unemployed workers.

/ARTS WEEKLY/MUSIC-ZIMBABWE: Import Law Comes into Effect

A long-awaited law, which allows the import of musical instruments and broadcasting equipment duty free, has come into effect in Zimbabwe.

/ARTS WEEKLY/MUSIC: Rastafarian Reggae ‘Singjay’ Sizzla Heats UP

For the past two years, the once-promising career of reggae ''singjay'' (singer and DJ) Sizzla looked in danger of petering out, following a clutch of mediocre recordings. But in late 2002, the fiery Rastafarian bounced back with "Da Real Thing", an album of roots songs and ballads that has put him back on track.

/ARTS WEEKLY/FILM: The Bittersweet American Dream of Seven Cuban ‘Rafters’

Not everything went as they thought it would for the seven protagonists of ''Balseros'' (Rafters), a documentary that picks up the trail of seven Cubans seven years after they braved the dangerous sea crossing to the United States in 1994.

/ARTS WEEKLY/FILM-AUSTRALIA: Relationships Star in Sydney Fest

A full fortnight's worth of films screened during the 50th Sydney Film Festival would be impossible to categorise thematically, but explorations of human relationships and women stood out among this year's 210 entries.