AFRICA

Africa communicators to talk 2010
Communicators from across Africa will be in Johannesburg at the end of July to discuss how best to take advantage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and project Africa positively to the world at the third annual 2010 National Communication Partnership Conference.

G8 summit opens with spotlight on aid for Africa
JAPAN: Aid for Africa, and whether enough was coming from the world's major economic powers, was in the spotlight on as the Group of Eight nations met with seven African leaders at its annual summit.

SOUTH AFRICA

Food crisis, climate change, MDGs top G8 agenda
The global food crisis and climate change will be among the top issues on the agenda of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he attends the Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Japan this week.

AFRICA

Consolidating gains: 2008 Research Industry Survey results
[Jane Delorie] Each year the Marketing and Social Research Association (MSRA) takes a close look at the health of the East African research industry. The survey records actual revenue of member agencies for the previous calendar year and asks agency heads to forecast future growth.

Commonwealth Business Council to visit Malawi
[Gregory Gondwe] Barely a month after Chinese investors visited Malawi, a 20-person Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) delegation will also be visiting Malawi from 15-18 July. Ministry of Trade and Industry official, Leonard Mwaungulu, said the purpose of the visit is to explore investment opportunities in Malawi.

AIG Uganda posts UGX5bn profit
[Walter Wafula] American International Group has announced a profit before tax of UGX5bn representing a 4.1% growth in the company's earnings in 2007. The profit growth is a result of swollen premiums, according to the company's 2007 financial reports released on July 2.

Kenya: New law could raise food prices further
Prices of food in Kenya, which have already risen by 50 percent since the start of 2008, could increase further following a new government regulation, a consumer watch group has warned.

Zimbabwe: 'Can I give you some Harare luggage for your US dollars?'
The flower seller booths on Unity Square in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, are now the haunt of money changers, because this is one of the few commercial activities in the country still experiencing any kind of growth.

ZIMBABWE

Zim retail and banking sectors lurch into crisis
[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's retail and banking sectors lurched into an unprecedented crisis after banks struggled to deal with an implosion of zeros on the country's beleaguered currency, throwing the point of sale (POS) transaction system into a quandary.