SOUTH AFRICA

Sprint for 2010 tickets begins
[Michael Appel] The sprint is on for tickets to Africa's very first 2010 FIFA World Cup, with ticket application forms available from most FNB branches, as well as on fifa.com from 1pm local time on Friday, 20 February 2009. [video]

Zain presents donation to Nelson Mandela Foundation
The Zain Group, mobile telecommunications operator in the Middle East and Africa, have donated $85,863 to the Nelson Mandela Foundation from funds raised in a SMS competition held last year. The competition formed part of a global SMS birthday wishes campaign prior to the 46664 Concert honouring Nelson Mandela at 90 held in June at Hyde Park in London.

AFRICA

Ericsson, Orange connect rural Africa
STOCKHOLM: Orange Guinea Conakry and Ericsson are deploying base stations fully powered by solar energy, to connect remote parts of rural Africa. Using Ericsson's base stations, a hybrid diesel-battery solution and solar panels, Orange aims to increase mobile coverage in rural and urban areas, and help reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020.


Short films, big ideas
[Angus Robinson] MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, BARCELONA, SPAIN: Kevin Spacey was certainly the star attraction at the Mobile World Congress yesterday, Thursday, 19 February 2009, with Will.I.am from the Black-Eyed Peas and Chris DeWolf of MySpace also making showings in the mobile entertainment sessions.


47,000 visitors at Mobile World Congress 2009
BARCELONA, SPAIN: The GSMA has reported that more than 47,000 visitors from 189 countries attended the GSMA 2009 Mobile World Congress. The four-day conference and exhibition had attendees from mobile operators, software companies, equipment providers, internet companies and media and entertainment organisations, and government delegations.

Tanzanian newspapers accused of defamatory reports
On 13 February 2009, the Tanzanian minister of information, sports and culture ordered three newspapers to provide reasons why they published what he calls "defamatory" news reports. The newspapers in question are Taifa Letu, "Sema Usikize and Taifa Tanzania.

ZIMBABWE

Zim banks to import foreign cash
[Sam Hungwe] Zimbabwe's central bank has ordered banks to start importing foreign currency from their nostro accounts as banks began grappling with increasing demand for foreign cash, bankers said. A nostro account is a bank account established in a foreign country for the purpose of holding that country's currency.

AFRICA

Transport links in Africa to boost trade
LONDON, UK: Trade routes across Africa could soon be revolutionised as a result of an ambitious transport initiative set out by International Development Minister Gareth Thomas on 19 February, 2009.

Nigeria: Urbanisation chokes commerce
KANO: Shop owners in Nigeria's northern Kano state told IRIN a government plan to wipe out illegal businesses has thousands of small business owners floundering in a region where population density and unemployment are among the highest nationwide.