Business as usualIt's a rude awakening after you spend a long weekend relaxing, thanks to Heritage Day in South Africa, and rock up at work to realise the rest of the world went on without you while you were thinking up some funny #braailyrics with friends and family around a fire. Media freedom remains under constant attack in Somalia with broadcasting staff walking out after refusing to follow orders to transmit Islamic messages only from militia. On the upside though, you can now keep an eye on how many censor requests your government has made to Google after the search engine released an online map early last week with details worldwide. The WAN-IFRA Women in News initiative is doing great work in Africa and is now reaching its half-way point with participants from Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Any project supporting the development of women in the workplace gets thumbs up from me - especially in Africa where women still fight constantly for equal rights in all aspects of life. Other than that, it was business as usual across the continent. Now when's that next public holiday... Cheers, Sindy Peters, Africa editor
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Today's top stories
Special focus on media freedom
Internet giant Google released a new interactive online map on Tuesday (21 September 2010) that reveals the number of user information and censorship requests that it has received by governments around the world. The company's chief legal officer, David Drummond, said the Transparency Report could be "a deterrent to censorship". Read more >>Advertisement:
The BBC reported on Thursday (23 September 2010) that members of staff at the radio and TV broadcaster GBC in Mogadishu had walked out of the station after refusing to follow orders from Islamist militants. GBC was seized on Saturday by Hizbul Islam rebels, who said the station was to only transmit Islamic messages. Read more >>NEW YORK: The Committee to Protect Journalists reiterated its call to King Mohammed VI to use his constitutional prerogatives to bring Moroccan legislation in line with international standards for freedom of expression. CPJ also urged the monarch to end the use of the judiciary and other government agencies to harass critical journalists. Read more >>[Mariama Keita, Mohamed Keita/CPJ Africa Staff] While South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) discusses the party's proposal for a media appeals tribunal, delegates should take note of a landmark ruling in Nigeria this year in which a High Court judge declared a government-dominated press council unconstitutional. Read more >> Marketing
[Esther Karuku] It is said, you will never know where you're going until you know where you've come from. This is a common saying reiterating the importance of origin and culture in an individual's life. Culture is defined as a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shape and influence perception and behaviour. It's most visible in a society in the form of art, music, language, dressing among other overt practices. Read more >> Advertisement:
2010 FIFA World Cup
[Nthambeleni Gabara] PRETORIA: The successful hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has done wonders for South Africans' national confidence and the country's image abroad. Read more >> Cinema
AFRICA AiM 2010 programme releasedThe full programme for this years Africa in Motion film festival is now available at www.africa-in-motion.org.uk. The festival takes place from 21 October - 5 November 2010 at the Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland featuring over 70 films from 28 African countries. The theme for this year's event is 'Celebrations'. Digital
ITNewsAfrica.com has launched a website for its Innovation Dinner Series, a bi-monthly dinner event aimed at Africa's ICT professionals, entrepreneurs and senior business people, providing opportunities for networking, acquiring information and strategic planning. Read more >>Media
Women in News (WIN), an initiative from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) that aims to help female media professionals advance their careers, will see participants from Zambia, Namibia and Botswana meet in Johannesburg, South Africa, next week, with the programme reaching its half-way point. Read more >>Online Media
The African Press Organisation (APO) announced late last week an alliance with A24 Media, Afrik.com and Afrik-News.com to distribute its wire service via their websites. Read more >>Public Relations
SOUTH AFRICA Catch the early PRISA birdEarly bird registration for PRISA's national conference " Africa on Top - a bold new vision for the public relations and communication profession," closes on 29 September 2010. The conference will be held on 20 October at Gold Reef City, Johannesburg. The keynote address is by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, editor-in-chief South African Journal of International Affairs and national director of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), an independent foreign policy think-tank based in Johannesburg. Go to www.prisa.co.za for more information. Retail
The World Bank announced on Wednesday (22 September 2010) that it has given 43 million US dollars to Burundi to support the development of its agricultural sector. The grant will be used through the Agricultural Rehabilitation and Support project, according to the World Bank representative for Burundi, Mercy Miang Tembon. Read more >>Financial services network, The Western Union Company has announced its coverage in Africa now exceeds 20,000 agent locations across 49 countries. Read more >>LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, US: Disney/ABC Television Group and The Nielsen Company have announced the debut of ABC's My Generation Sync iPad App on the App Store, a first-of-its-kind app that is designed to enhance the experience of watching My Generation on TV by providing synchronised interactive content and social media functionality on the iPad. Read more >>[Mintel GNPD, Mintel Oxygen] LONDON, UK: Brits may be ever more environmentally conscious in many areas of life, but there's one area it seems it is a stretch too far for consumers. When it comes to nappies, new research from Mintel finds eco concerns have yet to hit the market, as over a third (36%) of parents* admit they 'know disposables are bad for the environment but still use them'. What is more, just 5% of today's parents use washable or reusable nappies and only 4% use eco or organic disposables. Read more >> More International news...
SOUTH AFRICA Apollo Artists Agency launch MoreSOUTH AFRICA Behind-the-scenes - Foto na Dans More[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] BMW is quite proud of the fact that it has created a whole new motoring segment with its rather strange and rather expensive X1 creation - but to define precisely what it is, or pretends to be, is no easy task. And for that very reason it's also not easy to weigh it up against the opposition. Read more >> Advanced alternative energy vehicles arriving in SA for Solar Challenge; one of the world's toughest alternative energy vehicle races kicked off in South Africa today, 23 September, from Pretoria. The South African Solar Challenge 2010 is an epic 10-day race between solar-powered cars travelling more than 4000km across the length and breadth of the country. The event finishes in Pretoria on 2 October. Read more >> More Motoring news...
On World Tourism Day - today, 27 September 2010 - International SOS celebrates its 25th year in business. Read more >>[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] When your lodge is in the Top Five out of 39 Speciality Lodging in Sabi Sand Reserve on www.TripAdvisor.com and every one of the 35 reviewers award the highest possible score, you know you're dealing with a special property. It isn't surprising to learn that there is three staff to every guest. Even when its full house, there are only ever eight suites occupied. Read more >> More Travel news...
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