Beneath the surface of Earth's second-largest continent is a wealth of minerals, petroleum, water and geothermal energy. African scientists are working to develop and manage this vast resource, but more scientists are needed to strengthen the work force in Africa's natural-resource sector and drive economic growth.

A groundbreaking program called Nurses Strengthening Our AIDS Response, or simply Nurses SOAR, is sending nurses specially trained in HIV/AIDS care from the United States to hospitals and clinics in Africa to act as mentors for increasingly burdened nursing staffs.

An inter-governmental organisation, the Global Partnership for Chemical Safety Forum, has honoured a Nigerian scientist, Mrs. Abiola Olanipekun, for her contributions to chemical safety.

There is not doubt that the election of President-elect Barak Obama has ushered a new era in global politics.

Mrs Grace Ekpiwhre, the immediate-past Minister of Science and Technology, says food shortage and diseases plaguing the African continent can be addressed through purposeful scientific research.

A LAST-MINUTE decision to extend the 50MW Kiira thermal plant contract has averted a return to the 12-hour loadshedding schedule. The plant was commissioned for two years in November 2006.

A TOTAL of 140 vehicles were crushed at Mombasa Port during this festive season in a bid to de-congest the port. The vehicles destroyed had overstayed due to delay by the owners to collect them.

INDUSTRIES should install energy-saving systems to remain competitive, the Vice-President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, has advised.

INDUSTRIES should install energy-saving systems to remain competitive, the Vice-President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, has advised.

CHARLES Mbire has been appointed a director on the board of Ecobank Uganda. Mbire was appointed by by the board of directors of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated.

Fresh turmoil and uncertainty loom for the people of Somalia - already ravaged by displacement, conflict, drought and hyper-inflation - after the country's interim president resigned on 29 December.

During the Christmas celebrations, LRA rebels conducted simultaneous attacks in several localities of Haut Uélé, northeastern DRC.

THE number of civilians massacred by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan has catapulted to 189 in four days.

The top United Nations envoy to Somalia today called for unity and solidarity among all the people of the strife-torn nation in the wake of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's resignation from office, which he called a "patriotic and courageous" decision.

The African Union - United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) announces with regret the death of one of its peacekeepers as a result of injuries sustained when fired upon in the course of a hijacking carried out by unknown armed men in the town of El Fasher in the early evening of 27 December 2008. Particulars are being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin.

Speed-limiting devices should be fitted to cars on a voluntary basis to help save lives and cut carbon emissions, according to a new report.

There are calls for a ban on shooting common seals in Scotland, because of a dramatic drop in their numbers.

Illegal logging in Mexico is threatening a butterfly sanctuary that has been declared a Unesco world heritage site.

Scientists have been scouring the world's oceans to find out more about the enigmatic and elusive beaked whale.

While millions of people around the world turn on their TVs and radios to hear the Pope this Christmas, the Catholic Church is also making daily prayers available for download on an iPhone.

Sundowns reported back to training on Monday afternoon following their Christmas break, but one player, Mbulelo Mabizela, was again conspicuous by his absence.

Former Jomo Cosmos midfielder Lebo Morula's bid to spend the festive season at home with his family was unsuccessful after he was denied bail by a Pretoria magistrate last week.

Silver Strikers FC are the 2008 Malawi soccer kings after their closest rivals, Bullets FC, lost to Tiger FC, effectively giving the capital city giants a clear chance to claim the title.

Respite has come the way of Nigeria's Davis Cup team, following the decision of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow the team remain in the Euro-Africa Zone Group III after failing to honour this year's campaign in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie will not be moving to the Premier League with Everton, according to the player's club.

Israeli military says assault could last "weeks" as death toll climbs to 350.

Activists say Israeli navy "rammed" them and forced them away from the territory.

Muslim group calls for volunteer fighters to travel to Gaza and "defeat Israel".

Supplies to foreign forces in Afghanistan cut as Islamabad begins military action.

Alliance led by the ex-PM has won the country's first poll in seven years.