MOROCCO

Politicised prison sentence for Moroccan editor

NEW YORK: The one-year prison sentence against Rachid Nini, executive editor of the Moroccan daily Al-Massae and owner of Al-Massae Media Group, is the latest instance of the Moroccan government settling scores with critical journalists through a judiciary that is subservient to the executive branch, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday, 9 June 2011. Read more >>

KENYA

Kenya now brands its tea

[Carole Kimutai] Tea, Kenya's leading export, is set for a massive branding initiative that will be used to identify and promote the tea in local and international markets. Towards this end, the Tea Board of Kenya has appointed the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) to implement a globally recognised mark of origin for Kenyan tea. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

Engen finances new school in Burundi

Engen has contributed US$250,000 towards a new school that has been built in Cibitoke Province, Burundi. The school was presented to Burundi's people at a ceremony recently attended by the president of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza and the governor of Cibitoke Province, Nsabimana Anselme. Read more >>

AFRICA

Mobile may help heal Africa

[Mvelase Peppetta] With the world's highest rates of HIV and TB, health care provision has to be at the top of most African countries' agendas - and innovative use of mobile technologies may be just the salve they are looking for. Read more >>

NIGERIA

Lagos court finds in favour of Helios Nigeria

The proposed sale by telecoms provider Telkom of its Nigerian operation, Multi-Links, suffered a setback on Tuesday (7 June 2011) after the Lagos High Court in Nigeria found in favour of Helios Towers Nigeria in the matter regarding the validity of a master lease agreement between the two companies. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

M-Pesa's rollercoaster ride

[Stuart Thomas] M-Pesa, the world-famous mobile payment system, has effectively become a type of credit card for poor communities in East Africa. The payment system has had unbelievable success in this region and other emerging market regions, prompting interest in it from many sectors in the world. Read more >>

UGANDA

Daily Monitor nominated for Tumaini Awards

[Walter Wafula] The Daily Monitor newspaper, a publication of The Monitor Publications Limited in Uganda has been nominated for the inaugural Tumaini Awards. The privately-owned newspaper is among the 58 finalists who were selected from over 820 entries for the awards that were launched on 28 March this year, according to the chairperson of Tumaini, Stella Ayo Odongo. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

New design for The Zimbabwean Online

On Tuesday, 14 June 2011, The Zimbabwean Online plans to launch its redesigned platform with a new user interface that focuses on content delivery. The new website also aims to represent the portals refreshed editorial structure with more content associations and cross-referencing providing more in-depth and diverse news. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

Digitalmark acquires rights to nation media

Digitalmark has recently procured the rights to represent online media owner, Nation Media in East Africa. Read more >>

AFRICA

Standard Bank helps finance KDN expansion in Africa

Altech Kenya Data Networks (KDN) has entered into a funding arrangement for capital expansion over a three-year period through Standard Bank. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

One Club announces Pencil Ranking early results

NEW YORK US: The One Club Pencil Rankings are designed to be a groundbreaking initiative aimed at identifying the top agencies and brands of the year and the early results have now been announced. Read more >>

JAPAN

TV, fixed Internet top information sources in Japan following disaster

TOKYO, JAPAN: comScore, Inc has released a study on the use of various Japanese media sources in the aftermath of the March earthquake and tsunami disaster based on data from the comScore MobiLens and comScore Media Metrix services. The study found that the largest percentage of people (83%) identified television to be very important as an information source after the disaster, followed by fixed Internet (72%), radio broadcasts (66%) and mobile phones (49%). Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Proteas duck off to Mauritius

Dale Steyn, the world's fastest bowler and Faf du Plessis, newcomer to the Proteas cricket team and whose team won the IPL Tournament, came straight from the IPL to relax for a few days at the newly opened Long Beach in Mauritius. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Ngoma Safari Lodge welcomes its first guests

Africa Albida Tourism's MD, Glenn Stutchbury, and the newly appointed regional marketing and customer relation's manager welcomed the first official guests at Ngoma Safari Lodge recently for Africa Albida Tourism, Jonathan Hudson, and their skilled and enthusiastic team. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Somebody to Love

[Debbie Hathway] Mzansi Productions' director Dirk Badenhorst picked a tried-and-tested theme for his current production, Somebody to Love - a dance celebration to the music of Queen. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz announces international line-up

Top international artists will join Wynton Marsalis at The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival, to be held between 25 and 27 August, 2011. Artists from America, Brazil, Croatia and Belgium will share the bill with those from South Africa and the African diaspora. Read more >>