ANGOLA

Angola dances to the Blue tune
[Pedro de Gouveia] In Africa, there are few countries in which the ubiquitous red and white colours of Coca-Cola haven't been plastered across billboards, buildings and banners to epitomise "Cocacolonisation" by the world's biggest soft drink brand.

KENYA

Product placing Kenyan tourism industry
[Titus Kaloki] It was delightful to read in one of our common dailies, the Daily Nation, about how the corprate players in Kenya have come to see sense in product placement and sponsorship on popular TV shows.

AFRICA

Deal-making and best practice sharing at AfricaCom 2008
The 11th AfricaCom conference and exhibition closed on 19 November 2008, in Cape Town, South Africa, following two days of intense discussion, best practice sharing and deal-making among the continent's telecoms stakeholders.

Software pirates bust in Durban
Two Durban-based computer outlets, Computer and Electronic Services in Smith Street and World Wide Web in the Bluff, have been raided by police for allegedly selling PCs pre-loaded with illegal software.

Kingsley Sibanda, "You feel like a bandit fighting a sitting government"
All Zimbabwean journalists are required to register with the state-appointed media board that vets applicants. Kingsley Sibanda (not his real name), 30, is struggling to survive as an unaccredited freelance journalist writing for foreign publications.

Alcatel-Lucent to deploy mobile cellular network in Nigeria
PARIS: Alcatel-Lucent announced on Tuesday, 18 November 2008, Nigeria's Emerging Market Telecom Services Ltd (EMTS), a subsidiary of M/s Etisalat Telecommunication Corporation and M/s Mubadala Development Company, has awarded Alcatel-Lucent a multi-million Euro contract for the deployment of its new mobile cellular network in the country on a turnkey basis.

mCel and AIRCOM optimise 3G in Mozambique
AIRCOM International, an independent network planning and optimisation consultancy, announced on Tuesday, 18 November 2008, that it is working with Mozambique operator mCel to support the update of the mCel planning tools for 2G and 3G networks.

AFRICA

Open Air Cinema helps educate and entertain Africa
LINDON, UTAH: Open Air Cinema, announced a humanitarian effort that includes a subsidised program to provide non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and small business owners in Africa with its inflatable movie screens to show films in an outdoor environment.

KENYA

Retailer launches Christmas consumer promotions
[Carole Kimutai] Despite the global crunch that has seen a drastic reduction in consumer spending, retail supermarket chain Nakumatt has launched a R3m (KSh30m) Christmas season rewards program that will run for two months.

Africa, G8 and OECD countries meet in Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA: More than 150 high-level representatives from Africa, G8 and OECD countries met in Addis Ababa this week to discuss priority actions needed to keep Africa on a strong growth track despite an increasingly unstable international environment, weakened by the recent global financial crisis as well as severe food and fuel price shocks.

Madagascar leases out half its arable land
South Korean firm Daewoo plans to grow maize on one million acres of land in Madagascar. The firm will pay nothing for the lease of the land. The Indian Ocean island will gain employment opportunities and infrastructural developments from Daewoo's 99-year lease of 1.3m hectares.

Engen expands in Rwanda, Burundi and Guinea Bissau
Engen, the African petroleum products marketer, has increased its African footprint, with the acquisition of Total's operations in three African countries - Guinea Bissau, Rwanda and Burundi, effective 19 November 2008.

Senegal: Weighing the benefits of solar stoves
Researchers have sold over 1,000 solar stoves to rural families in Senegal in a bid to prove that the ovens can improve child and maternal health and reduce household fuel consumption.