MOROCCO

Moroccan government promises reforms

RABAT: The Moroccan government has promised democratic reforms of the press code at a meeting with journalists who pressed for the lifting of reporting constraints, the country's press union said on Wednesday (6 April 2011). Read more >>

AFRICA

Looking for African women leaders

The Kuwa Ajabu Foundation ("be extraordinary") is a non-profit organisation which empowers and builds sustainable capacity in the form of job creation for young, unemployed people across Africa. Affiliate partners include the UN, Women In Finance, Menprow and the fully black-owned Blue Rain advertising agency. The foundation's flagship programme in 2011/12 is focused on promoting gender-equality and seeking out 'unknown women leaders' in African society. These untold stories of leadership are translated into moral-based leadership programmes, inclusive of identifying role models that are more easily accessible and ultimately real, the ordinary person doing the extraordinary. For more, email infor@kuwaajabu.foundation.ngo.

AFRICA

Africa's largest undersea internet cable to land this month

A new undersea telecommunications cable to boost Africa's internet access will land this month, mobile service provider MTN said on Thursday (7 April 2011), calling it the continent's largest data pipeline yet. Read more >>

AFRICA

African language could be graduation requirement

Every university student in South Africa could be required to learn one African language as a condition for graduating, Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande said. Read more >>

EGYPT

Mubarak gone, Egyptian media picks up pieces - where to from here?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] After nursing its wounds inflicted by the tyrannical regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian media - aided by the Jasmine Revolution - has begun to count the costs of the oppression, pull itself together and plan for the future. As the road to freedom is still littered with 'technical' obstacles, many observers wonder: where to from here? Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Joy as Facebook launches 'Journalists on Facebook' page

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, has launched a resource page called 'Journalists on Facebook' to help reporters find sources, interact with their readers and advance stories, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported on Wednesday 6, April 2011. Read more >>

KENYA

Kenya: African Laughter to create journalists directory

Webaraza, recently launched as Kenya's media information centre with Kenyan news agency headlines from African Laughter and the new PRAlerts service supplying a media diary and press releases from Kenya's PR agencies, will shortly be opening a media zone for Kenyan journalists and bloggers. Read more >>

KENYA

yu launches internet-free Facebook

[Carole Kimutai] yu, the mobile phone brand of Essar Telecom Kenya has added Facebook to its Peperusha platform making the social networking site available to subscribers without the need for an internet connection. Read more >>

AFRICA

'Women in News' programme hosted for second year

The Women In News (WIN) initiative, a leadership programme for African women working in media, launched for a second year this week, hosting 32 women in middle and top management of newspapers in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, as well as a team of coaches and mentors from local markets and abroad. Read more >>

AFRICA

MoneyGram looks at expansion in Africa

CAPE TOWN: MoneyGram International leaders were in Cape Town, South Africa this week to discuss the company's focus on its expansion in the African remittance market. During the past five years, MoneyGram has quadrupled its network in Africa, doubled transaction volume and opened an office in Morocco, its third in Africa. Read more >>

AFRICA

DHL renews focus on trade in Africa

NAIROBI: Logistics company DHL recently announced its renewed focus on Africa. The company is aiming to help expand trade in core sectors such as oil and energy, industrial projects, life sciences and healthcare, aid and relief and the consumer segment. Read more >>

MALAWI

Future of Malawi top forex earner bleak

[Gregory Gondwe] If there were any doubts that the future of tobacco, which is Malawi's top forex earner, is bleak, this year's goings at the country's tobacco auction floors have strengthened this case. Over 70% of Malawi's annual foreign exchange is accrued through tobacco exports while government also rakes in over 40% of its taxes and fees revenue from the crop. Read more >>

MEXICO

Mexico's Televisa in US$1.6bn dollar mobile phone deal

MEXICO CITY: Mexican media giant Televisa has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in the Iusacell mobile phone company for $1.6 billion, the company said on Thursday, 7 April 2011. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Alcohol matching trend offers huge opportunities for food industry

LONDON, UK: There is a massive opportunity for food manufacturers to take advantage of a growing trend of consumers matching their food and alcohol, finds Datamonitor. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Authentic Athens

[National Geographic Traveller] As one of the world's oldest cities and the birthplace of democracy, Athens has a lot to live up to and living it up is something this city is famous for. National Geographic Traveller's Nicola Jackson finds that despite the Greek capital's debt problems and infamous radical protests, its most expensive bars, restaurants and shopping districts are still abuzz with Athenians drinking in life - and who can blame them? They invented the right to choose and they choose to burn the candle at both ends. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

5...4...3...2... 1... Action!

[Jordan Scott] Welcome to Theatre Sports, an improvised show that is performed by actors that are originality personified. Theatre Sports has been running for 18 years this year and is ever evolving. Remember that every time you watch Theatre Sports, due to its improvised and unscripted nature, it'll be the first and last time that you'll see it. This in itself is a perfect reason to not only see it once, but twice...and then a third time of course. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Rambling Bones, not your average Timberlake production

[Sindy Peters: Africa editor] Newbies in the music industry could learn a lot from Joburg's Rambling Bones. I wouldn't say they're veterans in the industry, but they are very clued up on the zeitgeist of the music industry. We met Jay Bones, front man vocalist; Eric Wright, bassist; and drummer Leighton "Baron Von Danger" Powell, of this alternate folk rock band who have released their third album, "Ramblin' Bones and His Bloody Agents". Read more >>