Radio, the most widely used medium in Africa, can only flourish on democratic soil, which helps to explain why private stations are thriving in the west and not in the centre of the continent.

The aim of this portal is to bring together all African conservation groups and NGOs in one place on the internet, to exchange information and ideas; to provide aid and assistance to all the smaller African conservation groups - publicity, wider recognition, free websites (and website hosting) where necessary, and eventually financial aid - some of whom don't even have electricity, let alone internet access; to build up a Research resource on the internet.

Published since January 2001, this free online monthly magazine covers a wide range of scientific issues concerning Africa. Each issue features a number of short pieces written by scientists with a general audience in mind. Science in Africa additionally includes information on upcoming science events, jobs, funding opportunities, and science education activities and opportunities. A free email newsletter is also available.

Every year, the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction - Africa Regional Office offers training courses that focus on field experiences and participatory approaches. These courses are designed for managers and leaders of development organisations. Participants have been drawn mainly from development organisations such as indigenous and international NGOs, community-based organisations and government agencies.

Lettre d'information d'Africultures

Citizens who want news and the journalists who construct news are increasingly turning to the Net as their prime resource. But what kind of medium is the Internet as a place to keep in touch with a changing world?

What if we had a chance to start over, to reorganize our media system? Could we do it? These questions are not now on the agenda in the United States and are unlikely to be any time soon. That's why I was so excited about the possibilities in societies undergoing major transformations and economic restructuring. As the rest of society is reorganized, there is the opening to recreate media, too.

Albert Mukong, the Cameroonian journalist and human rights activist who took his case to the UN Human Rights Committee, has been given $137,000 by the Cameroon Government in compensation for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the authorities.

The Brussels-based think tank, International Crisis Group, on Friday issued a report describing the performance of the ICTR as "lamentable". It said that seven years after its establishment, the ICTR had handed down verdicts on only nine individuals and not one of the alleged masterminds of the 1994 genocide - including Colonel Theoneste Bagosora who has been in prison for five years - had been brought to trial. However, the report said there were some points in the ICTR's favour. "It has provided indisputable recognition of the Rwanda genocide and has politically neutralised the 'Hutu Power' movement's agenda of Tutsi extermination." But, the report went on, "seven years on, it has still not been able to shed light on the design, mechanisms, chronology, organisation and financing of the genocide, nor has it answered the key question: who committed the genocide?".

This section of the Benton Foundation's web site is called 'funder's corner' and features interesting articles on the latest trends and resources in fundraising and grantmaking.

The offshore information services market is valued at US$30 to $40 billion. Up until recently the countries that were in the running for a piece of that business were not on the African continent. Countries such as India, Russia, Ireland, Israel, Barbados, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and the Far East have made a name for themselves with US companies for the high quality and low cost of their services. The services range from basic data entry to software engineering and the writing of software solutions. Awo A. Quaison-Sackey was an early starter in the outsourcing market and has built a business with offices in Connecticut and Accra based on it. He explains how Ghana is well placed to respond to this market.

Published quarterly in print & electronic format. Covers information technology for development topics & is mainly addressed to the development community.

Twice-monthly media analysis; writing on trends in coverage on international family planning, population, development, & reproductive health issues.

The SETI@home (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) project has made distributed computing famous. Now there are two new projects which are aimed at medical research - and your computer can help.

The World Association of Newspapers is recruiting publishers world-wide for a new study on advertising effectiveness that will provide both customised results for local markets and a global presentation aimed at advertisers who are increasingly running regional or global campaigns. The Paris-based WAN announced the new project on Tuesday during the World Newspaper Congress in Hong Kong, where it unveiled the results of world-wide research showing that newspapers are an effective advertising medium, particularly when used in combination with other media.

A recent speech from the Dean of Science at the Botswana Technology Center (BOTEC) highlighted the need for more African scientists and scientific research. Professor Mpuchane challenged African governments to contribute more to science education.

Mike Jensen's report on current Internet connectivity in Africa lays out the facts. He also provides commentary on the difficulty of measuring this with accuracy. The report is not confined to current connectivity, but looks at policy and future plans to increase and improve Internet access throughout Africa.

This article from Scientific American provides insight into research on internet and network technologies. Learn about a vision of data linked and comprehended by machine logic. Will the future contain a Web which not only displays information but has it manipulated by web agents for daily tasks?

This discussion on slashdot links to 2 articles about the new 'smart tags' in Windows XP. Read about the implications of this software for information integrity. One fear is that smart tags will mean links from your web site are no longer controlled by you, but by Microsoft.

The production of cell phones and computer chips is a factor in the Congolese civil war, which has killed 2.5 million people. What do we do when our appetite for technology leads to devastation?