DEVELOPMENT: Lesotho Bears Brunt of Difficult Harvest in Southern Africa

The camera zooms in on a woman who is complaining of weakness and a skin rash. "The doctor says I'm not eating enough," she told a South African television station this week, in a news clip shot in the tiny kingdom of Lesotho.

RIGHTS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: No Rest in the Twilight Years

Getting older in Africa isn't what it used to be.

HEALTH-AFRICA: Pregnant Women Beware

A decade after the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development, maternal mortality continues to plague Africa. Delegates to a meeting held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, recently heard that of the 585,000 deaths caused every year by obstetric complications, many occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

POLITICS-MALAWI: Inching Towards That 30 Percent Target

Slowly but surely, Malawi’s women are making their presence felt in the country’s traditionally male-dominated political arena.

ECONOMY-AFRICA: Be Careful What You Wish For

The 79-member grouping of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries known as the ACP bloc wrapped up its latest summit in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, this week, with delegates expressing a willingness to kick start stalled global trade talks.

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Ending Discrimination No Easy Task

A conference on South Africa’s equality courts has highlighted the challenges of undoing centuries of racial and cultural prejudice.

EDUCATION-AFRICA: Breaking the Link Between Pregnancy and Dropping Out

Teenage pregnancy has often dealt a mortal blow to the educational aspirations of girls in Africa. But, laws compelling schools to re-admit these young mothers could hold the key to solving this problem.

RIGHTS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Human Trafficking Stretches Across the Region

Young South African women are being given false job offers to lure them into prostitution in Macau, a former Portuguese colony now under Chinese control, says the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

POLITICS-AFRICA: Jitters About the Congo

A substantial build-up of troops along the Democratic Republic of Congo’s border with Rwanda has sparked fears of renewed conflict in central Africa.

REFUGEE DAY: Pending Asylum, a Cat and Mouse Game With Police

A man who wishes to be identified as Soyu Mokili has discovered that the streets of South Africa's main commercial city, Johannesburg, are not paved with gold in the way he expected.

HEALTH-NAMIBIA: "Let Us Call a Spade a Spade"

The contest to determine who would succeed Namibian President Sam Nujoma as head of the ruling South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) was eagerly watched in the country and the Southern African region.

POLITICS-AFRICA: Upbeat on Globalisation, Although Southern Africa Lags

Africans feel relatively positive about globalisation and the United States, although the enthusiasm for both is markedly weaker among Southern Africans and Tanzanians than among people in other parts of the continent, according to a major survey of seven sub-Saharan African nations.

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Children’s Wishes for Children

While driving from South Africa's capital, Pretoria, to the commercial centre of Johannesburg this week, Jody Kollapen - Chairman of the Human Rights Commission - said he spotted a collection of shacks that were housing families.

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: Making a Necessity “Sexy”

A sparkling, bright blue cap, and a mask for the nose and mouth await visitors at the main door. Before being let into the building, visitors are also handed a pair of nylon socks to cover their shoes: mandatory attire for touring Africa’s only condom manufacturing firm.

POLITICS-SUDAN: Peacekeepers a "Drop in the Ocean" – But Welcome Nonetheless

Rebels in south Sudan have welcomed the United Nations’ weekend decision to send a peacekeeping mission to the country to monitor agreements that would end Africa’s longest running civil war.

MEDIA-ZIMBABWE: A Nation of “Information Scavengers”

It's time for mid-week prayers at the Methodist Church in Main Street. But, spiritual affairs may be the least important matter on the minds of those present. Instead, a lot of time appears to be taken up by more worldly concerns, especially the pursuit of the latest information.

POLITICS-AFRICA: Arab Leaders Steal the Show At G8 Summit

Kenyan civil society activist Edward Oyugi says Africa's relations with the developed world amount to the continent holding out a begging bowl. But, African leaders insist they have a partnership with wealthy nations - one based on investment in return for good governance.

CORRUPTION-ZAMBIA: “Suspects Are Beginning to Look Like Victims”

This month marks the second anniversary of a corruption task force set up by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to investigate the alleged improprieties of his predecessor, Frederick Chiluba. However, chances of the former leader being convicted on any of the charges seem increasingly remote.

ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Steps Out of the Shadows

Tourism has long been viewed as one of the holy grails of job creation in South Africa, which is burdened by an unemployment rate of more than 30 percent. Certain parts of the country - Cape Town, and its surrounds for example - have become firm favourites with local and international visitors. Now the lesser known province of Limpopo is also hoping to take its place at the table.

POLITICS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Regional Parliament Too Costly?

The prospect of a regional parliament in Southern Africa appeared less certain Friday (Jun. 4), when a five-day meeting of the Southern African Development Community's Parliamentary Forum wrapped up in the Namibian capital, Windhoek.

ENVIRONMENT DAY-SOUTH AFRICA: Taking the Sting Out of Beekeeping

While much of this year's World Environment Day (Jun. 5) will be spent discussing the fate of the oceans (the theme of the day is 'Wanted! Seas and Oceans: Dead or Alive?'), something altogether smaller is also receiving attention in South Africa: the bee.