News stories by Thembi Mutch

MAPUTO, Jun 29 (IPS) - In downtown Maputo, the walls are covered with the local newspaper, Verdade, and a range of people, young and old, male and female, are reading it. Verdade, which means Truth in Portuguese, is a free weekly newspaper that is pasted on the walls of buildings in Mozambique's capital.

MIKINDANI, Tanzania, Jun 17 (IPS) - In Kilwa District in southern Tanzania local community leader and fisherman Salim Riziki stands next to a set of turbines, newly imported from Dubai, talking about the gas finds on Songo Songo, an island 15 km off the mainland.

MAPUTO, Jun 05 (IPS) - Lined up along the streets of central Maputo, Mozambique's capital city, are expensive, European-style bars and restaurants with sophisticated names like Café Continental, Nautilus, 1908 and Mundos.

MAPUTO, May 27 (IPS) - Mozambique is proud home to not one, but two female rappers who are both qualified lawyers. Yveth "Vauvita" Matunza is striking. She is tall, wearing shoes with enormous stilettos. She has on full make up and a smart, tailored dress suit. She is doing her masters part time while working full time at the Mozambican Human Rights League offices - and rapping on her off time.

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Mar 06 (IPS) - The local Tanzanian community bordering Lake Nyasa is no nearer to understanding what the conflict between their country and Malawi is about, nor why so much is at stake, as mediation efforts are expected to begin soon.