EGYPT

Substantial setback for press freedom in Egypt

NEW YORK: A new requirement by the Egyptian military that local print media obtain approval for all mentions of the armed forces before publication is the single worst setback for press freedom in Egypt since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, the Committee to Protect Journalists said yesterday, 13 April 2011. Read more >>

WEST AFRICA

Senegalese editor Coulibaly convicted in defamation case

NEW YORK: A magistrate in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, found investigative journalist Abdou Latif Coulibaly guilty of criminal defamation on Thursday, 14 April 2011, in connection with 2010 stories alleging fraudulent transactions between an agricultural business and the government, according to local journalists. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

Burundi seeks life sentence for Kavumbagu

NEW YORK: A Burundi state prosecutor asked a panel of judges on Wednesday, 13 April 2011, to hand journalist Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, who has been imprisoned since July 2010 over a column critical of the country's security forces, the maximum life sentence on a charge of treason, according to local journalists. Read more >>

AFRICA

New VP Africa for World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)

BEIJING: Idorenyen (Idy) Enang, president of the Nigerian Advertisers Association (ADVAN) and MD of Samsung Electronics at Samsung West Africa, has been appointed WFA regional VP for Africa. This was confirmed today, 15 April 2011, by unanimous vote at the WFA Annual General Meeting in Beijing. Read more >>

AFRICA

Mobile tech produces challenges, opportunities for businesses

According to Robyn Milham, head of enterprise sales for Southern Africa at Research In Motion (RIM), consumerisation, cloud computing, tablet computing and mobile collaboration are among the major trends that will drive the market for enterprise mobility solutions over the next year. Read more >>

AFRICA

RIM, MTN partner for next ITNews Africa Innovation Dinner

ITNewsAfrica.com announced on Wednesday, 13 April 2011, that Research In Motion (RIM) and the MTN Group will be partnering up at the ITNews Africa Innovation Dinner later this month. The theme chosen for the Innovation Dinner is "Overcoming mobile enterprise security challenges". Read more >>

AFRICA

Android Developer Challenge for sub-Saharan Africa launched

In response to the growing number of Android device activations in African markets, Google this week announced its Google Android Developer Challenge, inviting talented and creative developers in sub-Saharan Africa to design and build original Android applications for mobile phone users. Read more >>

AFRICA

Think Africa Press website launched

LONDON: Think Africa Press, a free online publication that aims to provide insightful and enlightening news analysis and commentary on African affairs, has officially launched. Run from London headquarters by multi-national staff, Think Africa Press engages a network of correspondents - both on the ground in Africa and from around the world. Read more >>

NORTH AFRICA

Libyan exodus shrinks remittances

[Simba Russeau] CAIRO: The exodus of migrants streaming out of Libya due to ongoing unrest has highlighted the heavy dependence of some countries on remittances from their citizens working abroad. In several countries this flow has now become choked. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

Western Union launches money transfer service in Somaliland

JOHANNESBURG: The Western Union Company has extended its agent network to Somaliland, now reaching a total of 50 African markets it serves. The service will initially enable only receipt of funds in Somaliland from its global network of agent locations. Read more >>

KENYA

Kenya: Co-op Bank launches agent banking service

Nairobi's Co-op Bank recently launched its agent banking service "Co-op Kwa Jirani", aimed at providing customers with access to banking facilities in their neighbourhood across the country. The bank plans to appoint businesses that have been in operation for a minimum of 18 months as agents. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Google Panda update: Research reveals well-known news sites early winners

LONDON, UK: Early data from leading independent search marketing specialist and technology firm Greenlight, reveals big winners and losers, visibility-wise, from Google's Panda algorithm update - designed to improve Google's ability to detect and devalue "low-quality content", and which it has now rolled out across all English language websites. Read more >>

NORWAY

Opera gets a parking ticket

OSLO, NORWAY: Opera has spent a record budget on its new campaign and has managed to retain its sense of humour as it takes on the big guys - and gets a parking ticket for its troubles. Read more >>

LEBANON

Moroccan journalist wins Gebran Tueni Prize

BEIRUT, LEBANON: Aboubakr Jamaï, the co-founder and former managing director of the weekly newspaper Le Journal Hebdomadaire and a pioneer of the independent press in Morocco, has been presented the 2010 Gebran Tueni Award in a ceremony in Beirut, Lebanon. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Multi-nation, multi-nice tiny tot

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Daihatsu designed the engine, Toyota contributed the badge and some electrical kit, Citroen and Peugeot added various body bits and pieces and then the scene moves to Poland where the engine is put together and on to the Czech Republic where the Toyota Aygo, which has just arrived in South Africa, is finally all screwed and glued together. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

'Playing globally, winning locally' central to INDABA 2011

Celebrating a record year of tourism growth and unpacking the new goals set for the tourism industry will be the focus of INDABA 2011, which is being hosted again by South African Tourism this year at Durban's Albert Luthuli Convention Centre from 6-11 May 2011. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

2011 SAMA nominees announced

The nominees for the 17th MTN South African Awards were announced last night at a "star-studded annual industry party" at La Toscana and Beira Alta Restaurant in Montecasino. The top releasing artists of 2010 were all present to witness their names being announced. Read more >>