Human trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced labor not only still exists in the 21st century, it affects most countries in the world, the United Nations reports. The report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime urges the international community to do more to protect victims and prosecute offenders. “The fact that this form of slavery still exists in the 21st century shames us all,” UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said of the report - Trafficking In Persons: Global Patterns.

Civil society organisations from a large group of developing countries are insisting on full participation in negotiations under way with the European Union. The ongoing talks about economic partnership agreements (EPAs) are critical for long- term development, economic growth, and poverty reduction in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, according to participants at the ACP Civil Society Forum held in Brussels April 19-21.

As oil prices reached a record high of 68 dollars a barrel last week - compared with the oil producers' targeted range of 22 to 28 dollars back in January 2005 - the United Nations remains hopeful there will be increasing demand for conservation and alternative sources for energy.

Transparency International recently launched "Transparency Watch," an e-bulletin of the global anti-corruption movement. The newsletter has been redesigned to be distributed electronically, both on their Web site and by email, on a monthly basis. Beginning in May, readers will be able to subscribe to receive "Transparency Watch" automatically via email.

Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL), the only fixed-line provider in the country, has substantially reduced its telephone The new tariffs enable a client to make an international call at just Tsh750/- (US$ 0.70) per minute compared to a previous rate of Tsh1,500 ($ 1.10) per minute.

This is a great opportunity for two researchers well versed in African social, political, cultural and economic, pre and post independence history to work on an exciting documentary-film for broadcast in 2007. All candidates must have excellent research skills and must be able to work to tight deadlines. Both positions are voluntary but researchers will be duly credited. There may be some scope to travel to Africa in late 2006. Researchers with knowledge of Ghanaian, Sierra Leonean, Nigerian, South African, Ugandan, Kenyan and The Gambian Histories are particularly welcome. Please apply with your CV and details of your skills and experience to Michelle Akande, [email][email protected]

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was ratified in 1989 but many young people grow up knowing little of what it is to have the protection and freedoms that are described within its 54 articles. Much remains to be done to guarantee teenagers their rights. Often mistaken for or treated as adults, teenagers are vulnerable to many risks and dangers. Despite the protection offered by the CRC, their rights are too often neglected. Between eight and twenty million children are thought to be involved in the worst forms of child labour: forced and bonded labour, armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and trafficking.

Google has launched its latest salvo against rivals such as Yahoo and Microsoft, unveiling a free online calendar service. The web calendar lets people store appointments, receive reminders and share schedules with others. It is tied in to Google's e-mail service, Gmail, automatically offering to add the date information in a message to the calendar.

I really appreciated Stephen Marks' article on China in Africa recently (See I think this is a very important topic we as Africans should be discussing. Keep up the great work with Pambazuka, it is a fantastic service!

China's increased role throughout Africa has demonstrated that Beijing's Africa policy will be an important aspect of its rapid economic growth. Hence, on January 12, China officially unveiled an Africa Policy Paper which outlined the future relationship between Africa and China. As stated in its forward, the Policy Paper was created " with the view of promoting the steady growth of China-Africa relations in the long term and bringing the mutually beneficial co-operation to a new stage."

On the occasion of the World Urban Forum, IDRC is organizing a photo competition seeking photos that show us the thousands of creative ways people living in cities of the South or the developed world are tackling the challenges of urban living.

The unsung heroes of public interest computing may soon receive much more of the recognition they deserve, thanks to a new annual competition launched by the Florence and Frances Family Fund, a donor-advised fund at Tides Foundation.

The CiviCRM community seeks to make powerful advocacy, communication and eCRM tools avaliable to even small nongovernmental organizations. CiviCRM 1.4 offers groups freely downloadable software that provide a fully internationalized and localized central database of their constituents, the ability to track donations, and broadcast email.

Ethiopian President Girma Woldegiorgis said Ethiopia seeks the support of the Chinese government in its efforts to utilize the huge hydropower potential in the country. Girma made the remark while holding talks with Zhang Mao, deputy mayor of Beijing, the capital city of China, at the National Palace, the country's presidential office. Girma said the support of China would be instrumental to enable Ethiopia to tap its huge hydro-electric power potential. He said the cooperation between the sisterly cities of Addis Ababa and Beijing would contribute for an exchange of experience, especially in the areas of urban administration.

The Ugandan army has stopped providing military escorts to convoys delivering non-food aid to war-ravaged northern Uganda but relief workers say the decision is premature because the security situation in the region is still fragile. "There is no longer need to give escorts to whoever travels on the roads. We are moving from a bad situation to an improved security situation," army spokesman Lt Chris Magezi said by phone from Gulu, 380 km north of the capital, Kampala. "The situation is much better as most major roads are now motorable without any threat of ambushes."

An African student was fatally shot last Friday with a weapon bearing a swastika symbol, raising the hate crime murder toll in St. Petersburg to six in seven months. The fifth year student of the St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications, Lamzer Samba, 28, from Senegal died instantly of two bullet wounds when he was shot from behind by an unidentified man in the early morning on his way home from the Apollo nightclub where he and his friends had been celebrating the university’s anniversary.

This is a one day conference to discuss how African organisations can play a more effective role in enhancing poverty reduction, promoting good governance and development in Africa, and promoting the well being of the African community in the UK and improve the community’s participation in the politics of the UK.

Fighting and the planting of lethal landmines in the northwest of Guinea Bissau has isolated some 20,000 people who are struggling to survive on dwindling food reserves and occasional deliveries of food and medicines by canoe. Residents say at least three people have died from treatable illnesses as the sole road that links the farming and fishing communities of Suzana, Varela and the surrounding villages with the nearest hospital about 40 kilometres east in Sao Domingos remains closed and mined after fighting between Senegal rebels and Guinea Bissau troops.

New evidence is emerging about the extent and nature of China’s involvement in Africa. A series of articles in the Financial Times claims that China "has in the span of a few years changed the pattern of Africa's investment and trade." The paper admits to "only just beginning to grapple with the implications." Trade between China and Africa has quadrupled since the beginning of this decade.

IOM UK is holding a one-day event to engage the African Diaspora in the UK in further developing the reintegration assistance given under the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP). VARRP is funded by the UK Home Office and the European Refugee Fund. With participants from leading African Diaspora community organisations and NGOs in the UK, and from IOM Missions in Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and DRC, this will be an action oriented, workshop-based event. Participation is free and pre-register is essential. For further details, log onto: