WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Will the Bamako Meeting Tackle Africa’s Sore Spots?

The African leg of the World Social Forum (WSF) kicks off next week in the Malian capital, Bamako, with a host of issues on the agenda: war and militarism, global trade and debt, to name just a few.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Congolese Mineral Wealth As Coveted As Ever

A ragged gold miner dives into a chocolate-coloured pool of sludge, resurfacing minutes later with a handful of stones containing slivers of gold ore.

HEALTH-NAMIBIA: In Prisons, a Little Latex Could Go a Long Way

A piece of legislation nearly 30 years old that outlaws male-to-male sodomy may, at first glance, appear more a target for gay rights activists than AIDS campaigners. Seen in the context of Namibia's prisons however, the 1977 Criminal Procedures Act raises questions that relate to both health and rights.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Swaziland Facing Tenth Year of Declining Growth

How is a small country to compete in a global marketplace where size is rewarded? Case in point is the tiny Southern African country Swaziland, nestled between the geographic giants South Africa and Mozambique. Its neighbouring countries also have booming economies, while Swaziland is mired in its tenth year of declining economic growth.

SOUTH AFRICA: Microfinance Groups Need to Learn from Bangladesh Experience

South Africa's microfinance institutions face stiff competition from loan sharks who prey on the vulnerable, especially in the townships where a majority of the country's poor live, say microfinance experts.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: A Difficult Year Ahead for Famine-Hit Malawi

2005 will go down in history as another difficult year for the tiny famine-stricken southern African nation of Malawi.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Kyoto’s Timetables, UN Red Tape Count Against Africa

Africa stands to access hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy projects and for adapting to adverse effects of climate change after this month's pivotal talks on global warming in Montreal, Canada. But commentators warned this window of opportunity was closing fast.

POLITICS: High Turnout in Congo Referendum

Congolese voted on their new constitution for the first time in decades, but many complained that they knew little about the proposed charter meant to pave the way for elections next year.

SOUTH AFRICA: Enough About AIDS Already? No – Too Little

South Africa's high HIV prevalence has been described as the biggest challenge facing the country since apartheid. In light of this, one would expect to be bombarded with AIDS prevention messages on radio, television, billboards and bus stops. Yet some say that not enough of these messages are available.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Another Year, Another Food Crisis

For several years now, Southern Africa has faced acute food shortages that look set to continue in 2006. According to the United Nations, several countries in the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) will still be relying on food handouts next year to prevent millions of their citizens from starving to death.

ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Story of a Recycler Bicycler

Charles Mbiza's bicycle is more than a method of transport. It's a metaphor for the state of rubbish collection in South Africa's commercial hub, Johannesburg.

CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Where Are Malawi’s Women Legislators Now?

More than a year ago, IPS profiled several of the women who had won seats in Malawi's parliament, something that enabled them to break new ground in the drive to make the legislature less of male-dominated forum.

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: “Empower the Home-Based Care Workers…”

Nombuso Mdluli, a home-based caregiver for people with AIDS, has a daily acquaintance with the suffering that HIV can inflict on its victims. For some reason, though, it is the plight of one particular man which haunts her.

CORRUPTION-SOUTH AFRICA: Some Good News – and Some Bad

South Africa has made progress in the fight against corruption, but more needs to be done to eradicate the vice, say analysts - this as the world marks International Anti-Corruption Day, Friday.

DEVELOPMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Youths at the Service of Youth

They've spent the past year confronting many of South Africa's problems head on, from the high incidence of rape to the fact that many school children battle hunger. They expected nothing less.

ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Is “Cull” a Four-Letter Word?

Lawrence Anthony is known for rescuing animals, including lions, from former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein's palaces after Baghdad fell to U.S. forces in April 2003.

WTO-SPECIAL: Disillusion in Southern Africa Ahead of Trade Summit

Campaigners from Southern Africa are bracing for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks to be held in Hong Kong later this month. Some plan to send representatives to the meeting, to protest against unfair trade legislation – particularly as this relates to agriculture.

WORLD AIDS DAY: Helping Children to Help Themselves

Millions of children around the world received a lesson, Thursday, in how to deal with something that many will inevitably confront: the AIDS pandemic.

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Jane Zweli* has tried to escape her abusive marriage - tried no less than three times, in fact. But, with little education and few skills, she fears that a future away from her husband might be even bleaker than one with him.

POPULATION: Mixed Blessings for Zimbabweans Who Brave South Africa

In the dingy halls of the hotel, one of the staff is talking on the phone. "Tau has been killed," he says. "I cannot tell you who did it, but Memo discovered the corpse."

EDUCATION-SOUTH AFRICA: Orphans Face a Double Loss – Parents and Schooling

Ndiphiwe Nyathi's* mother died while her daughter was at school; now the teenage girl is missing classes to nurse her ailing father. When she does attend lessons, "she seems angry," says Valencia Gqaleni, one of her teachers at Manyano High School. "She fought with the other learners one day."