Following the concerns raised by

Egyptian protestors were furious at Mubarak for upholding his own interests and those of Western powers and foreign companies at the expense of the country’s people. Mika Minio-Paluello takes a closer look at oil company BP’s relationship with the regime.

In a world plunged ever deeper into an uncivilised global capitalist condition, the World Social Forum is a crucial beacon of hope. But while news of Egypt and Tunisia’s revolutions electrified activists at this year’s gathering in Dakar, Vishwas Satgar asks whether progressive civil society is powerful enough to organise for a genuine climate change solution at COP17.

At the forefront of most people’s dreams when South Africa’s new ANC government came into power was the famous quote: ‘There shall be houses, security and comfort’. But it is now ‘years since we first voted and there is little change to show for that’, writes the Mandela Park Backyarders Movement.

David Kato, a prominent Ugandan gay rights activist, was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in broad daylight at his home in Uganda, dying on his way to hospital. News of Kato’s death reverberated throughout the world as friends, leaders, activists and human rights organisations paid tribute to a man whose lifelong legacy championed human dignity in the face of man’s inhumanity to man.

With Black History Month underway in North America this month, Ajamu Nangwaya laments the move away from political engagement and militancy to mere celebration.

Loga Virahsawmy writes about the difficulties facing sex workers in Mauritius and the rest of the SADC region.

While the passing of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Act in May 2007 ‘sent very positive signals about Nigeria’s desire to sustain its leadership in the global initiative to the world’, NEITI needs to be subject to a number of new amendments, writes Uche Igwe.

The people of Côte d’Ivoire must be supported in their efforts to bring the country’s political crisis to a peaceful conclusion, while all talk of military intervention must be resisted, writes Bernard Founou-Tchuigoua.

Tough measures to tackle gender-based violence are more important to South African women than government distribution of free sanitary pads, argues Glenda Muzenda.

Africa has a wealth of leadership outside of state politics. Sanya Osha gives some examples.

With Zanzibar celebrating 47 years since its 1964 revolution on 12 January, Salma Maoulidi discusses current political developments and asks which literary script might best capture the island’s experience.

Independent multimedia reporting website Mediahacker reports on WikiLeak documents in which Dominican President Leonel Fernandez expressed concern that a United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) general had been assassinated.

In an interview with Ricky Jordan, Patricia Rodney – wife of the late Walter Rodney – discusses her preparations around finally being able to write her husband’s story.

Tunisia’s former president Zine Abbedine Ben Ali has fled following popular uprising, but will he simply be replaced by another ruling elite, asks Dennis Sammut.

‘The statement by Afrikaner author, Anneli Botes, that one group that she still does not like are “black people”, reveals a deeper malaise that continues to permeate the post-apartheid psyche among certain sectors of South African society,’ writes Tim Murithi.

Rasna Warah calls on Kenyans to join a campaign against the government’s proposals to withdraw from the ICC and ‘to use taxpayers’ money to pay the legal fees of the six suspects accused of committing crimes against humanity’.

In the wake of protests in Tanzania and Tunisia and the authorities’ heavy-handed response, Kate Bomz draws parallels between the countries’ respective histories.

Uche Igwe travels to Rivers State in Nigeria and reports on progressive reforms by the state governor in the areas of healthcare, education and food security.

The international community should accept Somaliland into the family of nations, writes Abdirahman Mohamed Dirye.