EGYPT

Mubarak responsible for intensified press attacks - CPJ

NEW YORK: According to press freedom organisation, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak unleashed an unprecedented and systematic attack on international media on Thursday, 3 February 2011, as his supporters assaulted reporters in the streets while security forces began obstructing and detaining journalists covering the unrest that threatens to topple his government. Read more >>

EGYPT

Journalists under physical assault in Egypt

NEW YORK: Supporters of President Hosni Mubarak began violently attacking journalists reporting on the streets of Cairo on Wednesday, 2 Febraury 2011, a shift in tactics from recent media censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. CPJ has called on the Egyptian military to provide protection for journalists. Read more >>

NORTH AFRICA

Journalists censored, held in Sudan protests

KARTHOUM: Reporters Without Borders is concerned over the recent worsening condition of press freedom in Sudan. The country is already hostile to the work of journalists and seizures of journals and arrests of media professionals on Tuesday, 1 February 2011, in connection with popular demonstrations has raised fears of a major return of repression. Read more >>

AFRICA

FCAT film library to be available online

TARIFA: The African Film Festival of Tarifa has entered into a partnership with AfricanFilms.tv, a video-on-demand internet platform with its headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, aiming to help the platform build up its catalogue of African films. Read more >>

AFRICA

News Corp. puts Myspace on the block

NEW YORK: News Corp. said on Wednesday it was exploring a sale or other "strategic options" for Myspace, the ailing social network which has been eclipsed by Facebook. Read more >>

NIGERIA

Nigerian jailed for Facebook insult of governor

Nigerian police detained a man for 10 days after he insulted a state governor on Facebook, traumatising him to such a degree that he has been hospitalised, his father said on Thursday (3 February 2011). Mukhtar Ibrahim Aminu, 24, posted a message on his own Facebook page on January 9 insulting governor Sule Lamido over the politician's support for President Goodluck Jonathan in April elections. Read more >>

AFRICA

Inactive subscribers - six reasons why

[Georgia Christian] There may come a time in your email marketing career when you realise that the campaigns that you have been working so hard on are starting to fall on blind eyes. Some of your subscribers, you now realise, haven't opened or clicked through your emails in quite a long time. Read more >>

MALAWI

ZBS joins hands with Cellulant for mobile news

[Gregory Gondwe] Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), which also operates an online service, has entered into a partnership with Cellulant Malawi - a mobile commerce company that manages, delivers and bills for digital content and commerce services actualised over telecom networks - to start mobile news. Read more >>

NIGERIA

The mobile banking race begins in Nigeria

[Erik Hersman] Last week I got a visit from Peter Afam Emeleogu, an old contact from TED Africa in 2007. We've both been busy in the intervening years, exploring how technology can be used to overcome inefficiencies in the system. Peter's journey started when he realized the market value of mobile credit as a currency. Read more >>

AFRICA

Anvil Knitwear joins Cotton made in Africa initiative

NEW YORK: Anvil Knitwear has become the first US-based apparel manufacturer to join the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative. The CmiA initiative is a public-private partnership project to promote sales of sustainably grown cotton from Africa, overseen by the Aid by Trade Foundation, an organisation that aims to reduce poverty and promote economic development through market-based incentives. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Google algorithm update slams duplicate content

LONDON, UK: Just last month, a leading search marketing specialist and technology firm, Greenlight, pointed out in its 2011 top 10 predictions for natural and paid search, that among other things, search engines would take an even more aggressive stance towards duplicate and low value content this year. Well... Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

UK consumer confidence drops to lowest level for 22 months

LONDON, UK: The GfK NOP Consumer Confidence Index has dropped eight points this month to -29, the lowest figure since March 2009, when it was -30. January saw decreases across all five measures; the most notable being in the "major purchase" index, which dropped 21 points. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Bob Scarpelli to chair Titanium & Integrated Jury

LONDON, UK: The Titanium and Integrated Jury, which awards breakthrough ideas and the best integrated campaigns, will be chaired this year by Bob Scarpelli, DDB Worldwide's chairman and chief creative officer. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

The One Club Creative Boot Camp

NEW YORK, US: The One Club hosted its Creative Boot Camp at Macaulay Honors College in Manhattan for the second year in a row. The four-day workshop from 24-27 January was led by creative directors and designers from around the United States. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Volvo's new sizzle-wagons

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] If there is still any doubt about Volvo's ability and determination to produce exciting cars please note the Swedish brand has just dumped the last remains of its stodgy, fuddy-duddy image on the scrapheap with the introduction of one of the most exciting sports-wagon ranges yet to arrive in this country. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

The Inventiveness of Richard III

[Daphne Cooper] The Tragedy of Richard III is performed with great ingenuity and resourcefulness at Artscape's Arena. Eighteen characters are handled by three actors and two puppets, made by Hillette Stapelberg. David Dennis, Marcel Meyer and Anelisa Phewa handle the many roles with the aid of masks, and bosoms (for the women) - made by Izelle Grobler. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Screamingly funny musical showcase

[Debbie Hathway] If you're up for some bellyaching laughs and great musical talent, don't miss Gino Fabbri and Donna Africa in Completely Nuts at On Broadway in Cape Town until 12 February. It's a comedy review that sets out to prove that "madness, like stupidity, is an entirely subjective affair". Read more >>