TRANSPORT-SOUTH AFRICA: Culture Puts the Brakes on Women&#39s Mobility

The bicycle has been hailed as having done "more than anything else in the world...to emancipate women" - the words of 19th century American feminist Susan B. Anthony. But for many women in South Africa, culture and tradition make it difficult to take advantage of the increased mobility and access to social and economic opportunities, not to mention the reduced carbon footprint, offered by bicycles.

Q&A: "Slash the Salaries of the President, Ministers and Members of Parliament"

The sole female presidential candidate in Kenya's Dec. 27 general elections will launch her party's manifesto on Sunday. Nazlin Umar, one of nine contenders, is running on the ticket of the Workers Congress Party under the slogan "President wa mtaa" ("Street President", in Swahili), as part of a campaign to convince voters that she is able to address everyday concerns.

TRADE-AFRICA: EU is Using &#39&#39Bully Tactics&#39&#39 to Push Through EPAs

‘‘We succumbed,’’ lamented a diplomat from Namibia. ‘‘We signed on the 12th of December. The pressure was too much. The private sector felt that they would be disproportionately affected. In terms of markets, they would be losing access for beef, grapes, fish and fish products.’’

TRADE-GHANA: ‘‘How Would Mandelson Know What’s Good For Us?’’

There is only one freezer in Ken’s Frozen Foods. Agnes Modenu, the manager of this tiny shop, lifts its lid and takes out transparent bags of frozen chicken parts. All of the meat has been delivered to a nearby harbour after being imported into Ghana, she says.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Brazil Announces Voluntary Fund to Protect Amazon

In the context of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia, Brazil has announced the creation of a voluntary fund to protect the Amazon jungle region, and its decision to adopt national targets to curb deforestation.

Q&A: “Where Has All the Water Gone?”

Imagine a planet where nuclear-powered desalination plants ring the world's oceans; corporate nanotechnology cleans up sewage water so private utilities can sell it back to consumers in plastic bottles at huge profit; and the poor who lack access to clean water die in increased numbers.

ZIMBABWE: Investment Dwindles in the Face of A Defiant Government

Recent international reports show Zimbabwe’s economic decline hastened by continued capital flight, with the troubled country cited as one of the worst investment destinations in the world.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Whose Quota, Exactly?

A campaign to bring about greater gender balance in Sierra Leone's government has sparked debate on issues of class, with some fearing that a proposed quota for women could be monopolised by candidates who are unrepresentative of Sierra Leonean women overall.

AFRICA: Money, Media and Tradition Complicate Women&#39s Political Aspirations

The challenges confronting women politicians in Africa were given an airing recently during a press conference in South Africa's commercial hub, Johannesburg.

HEALTH: Europe &#39Forgetting&#39 AIDS

AIDS has become a "forgotten disease" in the European Union, according to the man in charge of the bloc's public health policies.

ZIMBABWE: Illegal Trade Booming – For The Sake of Survival

Easily portable, consumable goods from Zimbabwe are increasingly finding their way into neighbouring countries as cross-border traders search for deals to earn much-needed foreign currency.

LATIN AMERICA: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle… Forfeits Equal Pay

To avoid reproducing gender inequality, governments should implement integrated policies that recognise, for instance, the unpaid work done by women, according to an ECLAC report on the fulfilment of the third Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

ENVIRONMENT-BRAZIL: Bishop Fasts Again for Sao Francisco River

Brazilian Catholic Bishop Luiz Cappio has entered the third week of his hunger strike against the diversion of water from the Sao Francisco river, in the arid northeast of the country, amid expressions of support.

RELIGION-MEXICO: Outspoken Bishop Backed by Civil Society

Former members of the Catholic Church hierarchy and over 100 social organisations closed ranks behind Monsignor Raúl Vera, the only Catholic bishop in Mexico who still adheres to liberation theology, and whose unorthodox stances and confrontational style are disturbing conservative sectors.

TRADE-ZIMBABWE: EPAs ‘‘Bringing in Old Issues Through Back Door’’

With an economy tottering on the brink of collapse and an unenviable political situation, civil society organisations in Zimbabwe have every reason to worry about the implications of the interim agreement on trade in goods that their country has just signed as part of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).

CLIMATE CHANGE: Serious Security Threat Warns Report

While science and economics dominate the ongoing United Nations climate change conference in Bali, a new report warns of another serious consequence to global warming related events - increased conflicts in vulnerable areas.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Who Pays for Carbon on &#39Made in China&#39 Labels?

Standing on the brink of a year when its capital hosts the much-proclaimed ‘Green Olympics’, China is anxious to present a constructive presence at the United Nations climate change conference underway in Bali, Indonesia.

CLIMATE CHANGE – AUSTRALIA: Rudd Urged to Lead Binding Targets at Bali

While Australia’s newly-elected Labour Party (ALP) government will ratify the Kyoto Protocol - even receiving a standing ovation at the United Nations climate change conference in Bali - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd may oppose moves to commit rich nations to specific targets on cutting greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions.

HEALTH: South Joins Hands to Reach Child MDGs

The U.N. children's agency UNICEF says that increased cooperation among developing countries is benefiting the lives of poor children around the world, particularly in the critical first months of life.

LATIN AMERICA: Prizes for Communities Fighting Exclusion

They work in the deep heartland of Brazil, or in urban slums. They all seek social inclusion, and their starting point is the bottom of the social ladder, with people who have a wide experience of life, contrasting with their short years.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Survival of Pacific Islands Rests on Bali Outcome

With the effects of climate change lapping at their shores, representatives of the small island nations to the United Nations climate change conference underway in Bali are hoping that the industrialised countries will learn from the new Australian government’s decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.