Three suspects have appeared before a military tribunal in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, facing murder charges over the death of a journalist and his wife eight months ago. The suspects are two policemen and a soldier. They allegedly murdered Franck Ngyke and his wife on 3 November at their Kinshasa residence.

This book is a collection of contributions by participants of the meeting on Priorities and Needs in the Area of Unsafe Abortion, organized by the UNDP, UNFPA, WHO and the World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) in August 2000.

Zambia's approaching general elections have increased pressure on the government to enact the Freedom of Information bill, more than three years after it was withheld for "wider consultation".

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on the Zimbabwean government to stop the alleged jamming of news broadcasts by radio stations based in the United States and Britain.

One of Morocco's first government departments to start the move to free software has chosen to switch its servers to Mandriva Linux and is looking at switching desktops to Linux in the near future in a move that could save them as much as 80% of their acquisition and support costs.

NGOs APC and Catia have joined forces with the Ethiopian Free and Open Source Network to host a series of workshops over the next 10 days (July 13-23) to promote the use of free and open source software in that country. The series of three workshops will range from FOSS policy discussions to advanced systems administrator training.

The theme of this event is "Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and the IT Sector - Strategies for Engagement with the NGO Sector". The objective of the event is to create an opportunity for dialogue and interaction between IT companies and NGOs, highlighting different CSI strategies and approaches that are being implemented by IT companies, and how these interventions relate to the needs and expectations of NGOs and the communities they serve.

Malick Mboob, a former "Daily Observer" journalist, is still in National Intelligence Agency (NIA) custody, 42 days after his arrest by the Gambian police force. He has been in arbitrary detention without trial far in excess of the 72 hours that the Gambian 1997 constitution stipulates, since his arrest on 26 May 2006.

This is a media training initiative operating inside the youth section of Cape Town's Pollsmoor Prison, South Africa. The project works with 12 incarcerated males from the ages of 16 to 18, who meet weekly to co-produce radio stories about various aspects of prison life. Using radio production and training as both a means of building communication skills and as a forum for group dialogue, the Young in Prison Radio Project aims to provide a space for the young inmates to collectively dialogue about issues that are important to their personal development and rehabilitation, and to share their experiences with the outside world.

In Africa, the channels of communication are underdeveloped or inappropriate due to numerous factors. This paper outlines the prospects for fiber optic technology in Africa and looks at some fiber optic networks in Africa, examining how fiber optics applications are being used to enhance technological and economic development.

Many are raving about the impressive upswing in African cell phone usage, and the positive effects this might have on the continent's development. But what next? For Africa to fully reap the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICT), investment in broadband Internet and other technology is also necessary.

In her opening address to this year’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) fair in Blantyre in February, Information and Tourism Minister Patricia Kaliati challenged companies involved in the ICT sector to take technology to people on the ground. "As government, we would like ICT products to be enjoyed by many. We would like to see people in Limbuli, Makanjira and Mkando having access to ICT products. We would like to see the local tomato grower in the village using the internet to access markets for his or her products,” said Kaliati.

The June issue of ReConnect Africa is now online. Connecting Africa to the global world, ReConnect Africa is a unique online publication and portal that provides readily accessible information, articles, interviews and jobs in Africa. With essential services for employers who recruit, manage and develop African human resources and careers advice, services and information for graduates and professionals in Africa and the Diaspora seeking opportunities in employment and business in Africa.

African political leaders praised Microsoft's support for the region's development of information-technology access and called for greater investment to further expand this reach. Speaking at the start of a two-day conference Microsoft organized to discuss ways to bring more software to Africa, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said Africa was the world's "last frontier in information technology," with just 10% of the Tanzanian population having easy access to computers.

President Olusegun Obasanjo on July 6 2006, launched the Computer for All Nigerians Initiative (CANI) aimed at easing access to, and use of computers amongst all Nigerians in irrespective of class, age gender and location. He said the objective of the CANI scheme is to increase computer penetration in Nigeria in line with the National ICT policy, the multi-sectoral reform agenda of government and the realisation of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.

The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) on Sunday 9 July started a series of meetings in Libya devoted to the formulation of a four-year telecommunications development plan for Africa. The meetings taking place in the Libyan capital from July 9-17 include a special session of the ATU board of directors (9-11 July), a preliminary committee of the ministerial conference (12- 15 July) and the 2nd conference of ministers (16-17 July).

This course is intended for practitioners to learn essential facilitation concepts and skills for working developmentally with groups of people in small group, workshop or training course settings. Practitioners will learn the basics of facilitation and improve the ways they already facilitate.

The past 10 to 15 years have seen a dramatic growth in pluralism in broadcasting in Africa. From a broadcasting scene overwhelmingly dominated by government-controlled or state media, the landscape has evolved considerably with the licensing of many private commercial and community broadcasters. The task of implementing the principles of pluralism and diversity lies to a large extent with African broadcasting regulators. This manual is aimed at members and staff of African broadcasting regulatory bodies, along with others, such as journalists, broadcasters and civil society groups who are seeking to realize the ideals in these declarations.

Doctors and social service providers from countries affected by conflict today called for greater resources to support women and children suffering from sexual violence. In heart-wrenching testimonies, they highlighted the long-term consequences of such violence, which they said required medical, social, legal and psychological services to help victims regain control of their lives.

From outside, it looks like any other transit goods container, or storage for the popular mitumba (second-hand) clothes. But inside the nondescript structure is the studio of the country’s first slum radio station. The container houses equipment and machines of newly launched 101.5 Koch FM, a private radio station owned by youth from the Korogocho slum in Nairobi. Raphael Obonyo, a manager with Koch Youth Club, came up with the radio station idea to caution young people against crime and to provide entertainment.