Civil rights activists warned of a possible surge of violence if elections - hinted at by President Robert Mugabe -

Climate change represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the planet today. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, climate change is a major threat to sustainable development and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The combined effects of climate change, increased global population and income growth, among others, threaten to affect food and water resources that are critical for livelihoods in SSA. This is especially true for those communities who live in the drylands of Africa and who rely

"ZRA has issued the alert, but they have not yet informed us of the dates on when they will open the gates," said Patrick Kangwa, head of operations at Zambia's Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit.

The ZRA manages Kariba Dam situated between

UNITED NATIONS - Ivory Coast is the world's biggest remaining source of conflict diamonds and the main international watchdog says it is stepping up efforts to stop the glittering trade financing new conflict in the tense country.

Tens, possibly hundreds, of millions of dollars worth of diamonds have in recent years been smuggled out of Ivory Coast, where Alassane Ouattara -- backed by the international community -- and incumbent Laurent Gbagbo are in a showdown for the presidency.

Private monitor groups say most get fake

President Robert Mugabe is expected to announce a date for national elections in 2011, according to local media, but NGOs and human rights activists fear they could lead to a surge of political violence.

Blessing Zulu | Washington DC 24 December 2010

Exasperated by the continued bickering in Harare, South African President Jacob Zuma is now taking the lead role in drafting an elections roadmap for Zimbabwe.

Mr Zuma is the Southern African Development Community mediator in Harare. Sources in President Robert Mugabe's former ruling Zanu-PF party and both formations of the Movement for Democratic

Tatenda Gumbo | Washington

As a year-end deadline in South Africa approaches for Zimbabweans to regularize their residency status, the Home Affairs office is urging them to persist in seeking documents even if it does not seem likely they will complete the process by December 31.

Officials said even preliminary and partial documentation could help them acquire a safe haven against being deported as illegal aliens as of January 1.

"What we would want to get to our people is our voice and our command that there should be no violence, but that does not mean that everybody will listen to us," Mugabe said at a joint end-of-year news conference with Tsvangirai.

"Having found each other as Zimbabweans we had no option, but to work together. Today we have greater political

Jonga Kandemiiri & Blessing Zulu | Washington 17 December 2010

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has vowed to retaliate against Western countries that have imposed travel and financial sanctions on him and some 200 close associates by nationalizing Zimbabwe operations of companies based in those countries.

Speaking in the eastern city of Mutare