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In Brief: Unleashing mutated mosquitoes to fight malaria

DAKAR Thursday, February 19, 2009 (IRIN) - Anopheles gambiae may meet its match in Medea.

Scientists hope a synthetic gene known as Medea can wipe out the most common mosquito species that spreads malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists are trying to pinpoint the malaria-transmitting gene in mosquitoes and engineer genetically-modified mosquitoes (GMM) that lack the deadly gene. The hope is that GMM will prevail in a survival-of-the-fittest struggle between disease-carrying mosquitoes and the genetically-modified variety.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Ambitious target to cut malaria infections

BUJUMBURA Thursday, February 19, 2009 (IRIN) - The government has set itself the challenge of reducing malaria cases by half by the end of 2010 and 80 percent two years later, the health ministry said.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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In Brief: Financial speculators and the food crisis

DUBAI Sunday, February 08, 2009 (IRIN) - A food security expert has said that the involvement of financial markets in basic food commodities was the biggest factor in the worldwide food price hikes over the past couple of years.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Deportations not a sign of xenophobia - minister

BUJUMBURA Wednesday, February 04, 2009 (IRIN) - Human rights activists in Burundi have criticised the government for deporting hundreds of foreign nationals rounded up in the suburbs of Bujumbura, but the authorities say the police are only trying to curb crime.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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AFRICA: Need to focus on maternal, child health - top AU official

ADDIS ABABA Wednesday, February 04, 2009 (IRIN) - Countries in Africa should promote maternal, infant and child health and report on progress, in order to curb high deaths rates on the continent, a senior African Union (AU) official has said.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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AFRICA: Pastoralists grapple with climate change

NAIROBI Wednesday, January 28, 2009 (IRIN) - As many as 250 million people in Africa may not have enough water to meet their basic needs by 2020 because of climate change, a specialist in poverty, environment and climate change said on 27 January.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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In Brief: Burundi peace facilitator dies

JOHANNESBURG Wednesday, January 28, 2009 (IRIN) - Jan van Eck, a peace facilitator in the Great Lakes region, died from a heart attack in Cape Town on 27 January, aged 65.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Thousands flee food crisis in north

BUJUMBURA Thursday, January 15, 2009 (IRIN) - The food crisis looming in the northern province of Kirundo has prompted more than 1,000 families to flee their homes in search of food in neighbouring countries, officials say.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Name change to help legalise rebel party

BUJUMBURA Tuesday, January 13, 2009 (IRIN) - The decision by Burundi's last active rebel group to remove the word “Hutu” from its name should ease its registration as a political party, a senior government official said.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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AFRICA: Soil scientists join efforts to boost food security

NAIROBI Tuesday, January 13, 2009 (IRIN) - A digital soil-health surveillance system, launched on 13 January in Nairobi, will enable soil scientists to map areas at risk of soil degradation and facilitate appropriate interventions that could help to curb food insecurity across the continent.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: FNL Prisoner release under way

BUJUMBURA Monday, January 05, 2009 (IRIN) - The release of the first 80 prisoners detained over their affiliation with a rebel group, the Parti pour la Liberation du Peuple Hutu-Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL), has begun, following a decree issued by Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on 30 December 2008.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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AFRICA: New hope for malaria vaccine

DAKAR Monday, December 22, 2008 (IRIN) - The world’s most clinically advanced malaria vaccine trials have given new hope in the fight against the disease, which in sub-Saharan Africa kills a child every 30 seconds.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Striking health staff resume work

BUJUMBURA Wednesday, December 17, 2008 (IRIN) - Burundian health workers who have been on strike since 24 November have resumed work after an agreement between their trade unions and the government.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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BURUNDI: Not yet out of the woods

BUJUMBURA Thursday, December 11, 2008 (IRIN) - The agreement by Burundi’s last rebel group to change an unconstitutional ethnic reference in its name and move its forces into assembly sites takes the country significantly closer to peace but still leaves much to be done, according to analysts.

Source: IRIN - Burundi

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AFRICA: Tell us more – Children call for sex education

DAKAR Thursday, December 11, 2008 (IRIN) - Children in sub-Saharan Africa want to know more about sex and how to protect themselves from HIV, but taboos surrounding children's sexuality can mean life-saving information is kept from them, according to an international NGO.

Source: IRIN - Burundi