AFRICA

2010 a catalyst to strengthen relations between Africans
[Michael Appel] The 2010 FIFA World Cup must unify and strengthen the relations between ordinary Africans from across the continent, says government spokesperson, Themba Maseko. Maseko was speaking at the 2010 National Communications Partnership on Wednesday, 30 July 2008.

UGANDA

Celtel Uganda changes brand name to Zain
[Walter Wafula] It's not a secret anymore. In a matter of hours, Zain will officially become the new brand name of pan-Africa telecommunication company Celtel International, as its parent company, Zain Group, seeks to fortify its African market and give it a global face. Zain is an Arabic word for beautiful, good and wonderful.

Missed payment for IM Software could leave traders in the lurch
Reuters Messaging Network is a tool used by financial traders to help them meet the strict compliance and record-keeping standards under which they work. However, starting Friday, that service could be hobbled due to a complaint by FaceTime, the company that owns the intellectual property behind the network. Apparently, Reuters neglected to pay a $150,000 bill on time.

AFRICA

Women serving Africa
With the world's attention turning to women's issues in August, it is an opportune to time to recognise and celebrate the contributions of women to the development of Africa. In light of this, the Foundation for the Development Africa (FDA) has launched an exciting women development programme and appointed Ina le Roux as director of Women Development.


Ethiopian minister, UNISA sign agreement on PhD programme
Addis Ababa: Ethiopia's Ministry of Education and the University of South Africa (UNISA) on Wednesday signed an agreement that will enable the latter to launch PhD programmes through videoconferencing.

Six African acts signed for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz
The African Diaspora is to be showcased at this year's Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in Newtown at the end of August. Representing artists from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, the DRC and Swaziland, the African line-up will be joined by top performers from South Africa, the US, Japan, Norway, Spain, Israel, Germany and Holland.

IFJ and IPI call for inquiry into journalists death
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI) are calling for an inquiry into the death of London "Times" photojournalist Richard Mills of Northern Ireland, found dead in his hotel room in Harare on 14 July and declared by the police to be the victim of asphyxiation by hanging.


Media blackout alarms journalists
Zimbabwe's independent media say it is in no one's interests for crucial talks to take place out of the public eye.

TNM Mobile Company introduces free communication promotion
[Gregory Gondwe] While Celtel Malawi Limited is gearing up for brand name changes, its rival company TNM Limited has launched a promotion that will allow its subscribers make free calls from July 30 to August 31 this year.

Take aim for celebrity and fame
Oscar-nominated film director Mike Figgis and Sony Ericsson are inviting anyone who wants to showcase their life to submit a storyboard consisting of five mobile phone snapshots in a competition which celebrates the launch of the Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber-shot.


Malawi: MACRA unveils bidders for 4th mobile licence
[Gregory Gondwe] Barely a few days after awarding a third mobile cellular services licence to Global Advanced Integrated Networks Limited (GAIN), the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has unveiled six bidders for a fourth mobile service provider.

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe: Banks move towards automating payments system
[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe' banks have moved significantly towards automating the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system, as the sector sought to curtail delays associated with manual and human intervention.

Zimbabwe: Children follow shoppers to South Africa
Musina: Zimbabwean children are being drawn to South Africa to run errands and perform piecemeal jobs for shoppers from their own country - who are heading south because of the unavailability of basic goods in their own country.


Guinea-Bissau: Fishermen turn to trafficking as fish profits drop
Bubaque: As the profits to be made from fishing diminish with rising fuel costs and poor management of the sector, fishermen are increasingly turning to drugs and people trafficking to boost their meagre incomes, fishermen in Bissau and the Bijagos islands told IRIN.


Meet Wally - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
Less than two weeks after his 52nd birthday, a Gauteng businessman will give South African television viewers a rather unconventional gift of his own: the opportunity to learn some very important lessons from his own difficult journey of cardiovascular disease.