AIDS 2008

Situating Africa's development plights in "confidence" and "inferiority complex" are increasingly gaining currency continent-wide.

Maize seed production in sub-Saharan Africa has fallen far short of farmer requirements, drastically eroding yields, a meeting of representatives from 13 African countries meeting in Nairobi last week was told.

The opportunity that had been provided by a high level summit to salvage a global trade pact collapsed recently in Geneva after the United States, China and India failed to compromise on farm import rules after nine days of talks.

Pastoralists in East Africa's arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) need to be empowered to adapt to, and survive, climate change, a report by a humanitarian organisation says.

Poor education systems have been cited as the main reason behind Africa's failure to make headway in fighting poverty.

The Olympics are now in their second week, with the US finally overtaking China in the total medal count towards the end of last week.

Okay, the Chinese cheated a little at the Olympics opening show: Some of the fireworks that the rest of the word saw were pre-recorded and computer generated, and the little singing angel who wowed world audiences was miming while another girl (hidden behind curtains because she was considered ugly) did the song.

There is excitement in the air about giving laptops to poor children under the One Laptop Per Child programme, which is seen as a magic wand that can improve education and skills in many parts of the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa.

Kuwait-based Zain Group recently consolidated its global expansion by rebranding all its Celtel Africa operations to Zain.

There is fear and trembling among parents these days about the dangers posed by the Internet and the IT revolution in general.

Africa should make more use of the skills of its nomadic peoples to help combat the challenges of climate change, the aid agency Oxfam says.

Balancing Act, a London based consultancy and research firm, has named Gateway Television (GTV) the favourite satellite pay-TV channel in Africa.

DESPITE SLEEPING UNDER insecticide treated nets, pregnant women still face serious threat from malaria, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine, a medical journal.

On its own, the International Criminal Court (ICC) can never bring justice to war affected countries. If such justice is to be done and seen to be done, it requires a far broader effort. The conditions for sustainable peace do not just happen, they are created.

As a senior official at the United Nation headquarters, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania joins such towering African female figures as Liberian President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, Kenya's 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai -- and two other Tanzanians: Pan-African Parliament President Gertrude Mongella -- who was behind the 1995 Beijing Women's Conference's success -- and UN Habitat Head Anna Tibaijuka.

The World Bank has advised African governments to make fiscal policy adjustments to save millions of their citizens threatened by the rising food prices.

Continental pay television company, MultiChoice, says it is tightening its grip on the domestic market thanks to big international sporting events and reality television shows.

With the first round of the 8th African Under-17 championships due to get underway at the end of the month, talent scouts from Europe will be focusing on the competition that culminates in Algeria next year.

Nigeria is the only African country in the soccer semi-finals of the Olympic Games after Cameroon's elimination by Brazil in the quarterfinals.