A humble taxi driver, Zubiru Jalloh, drew a lot of attention here recently for returning $100,000 worth of jewelry and cash left behind by one of his passengers. 42-year-old Jalloh moved from his native country of Sierra Leone in ‘98 to live and work in America. Working 12-hour shifts and earning a modest $300 a [...]
According to a US diplomatic cable, released by Wikileaks, the British Government refused a US$60M export licence for assault rifles, heavy machine guns, armoured personnel carriers and helicopters bound for the country in ‘08. The leaked cables show the US Ambassador to Swaziland suggested the arms might be destined for ‘a middle eastern country’, however, [...]
On the 4th February in Amsterdam the first pan African Business Confidence Index (ABCI) was published by the African Business Panel to assess confidence in business across the Continent. The results indicate confidence and growth throughout industry across Africa for the month of January. Results will subsequently be published on a monthly basis. The survey [...]
With a growth rate that increased from 2% to 5.5% in 2010, the President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has announced the continuation of the policy of direct foreign investment, including the creation of a new framework for public-private partnerships and a national mining company. ‘We have had a good year in 2010, with the rate of [...]
The increasingly targeted attacks on gay people in a number of African countries, which are thought to have led to the murder here last month of outspoken gay activist, David Kato, will contribute to an increase in HIV infections, says Christian Aid. Kato, whose name and photograph recently appeared on the front page of anti-gay [...]
Fears are becoming reality as commodity prices rise following the rise in fuel prices announced by regulator the Petroleum Control Commission (PCC) at the end of last month. The price of fuel and electricity were increased by 15 percent. The PCC, announcing the increases, argued that the hike was in line with the upward trends [...]
Twenty six people have been killed in the disputed Abyei region of Sudan when a group of Misseriya; Arab nomads, attacked Maker Village, which is populated by members of the Dinka Ngok tribe. Charles Abyei, speaking for the Abyei administration, told the press, ‘This is the third day of attacks and the government is involved. [...]
The nineteen-nation Paris Club has stricken off US$1.2 billion of the country’s debt. The government have consequently hailed the move stating that it now signifies the beginning of a ‘new Liberian story’. On September 16th, the representatives from the government of Liberia and delegates from the Paris Club met and agreed to debt cancellation. In [...]
Mwekera Middle Basic School in the country’s second largest city, Kitwe, will remain closed for a third term, due to an outbreak of suspected typhoid. However, speculation is brewing that the situation has already spiralled out of the control of local authorities. The district health director for the city, Chikafuna Banda, claims to have submitted [...]
The European Union is partnering with the Ministry of Finance, availing EUR1,7m to rehabilitate and develop irrigation schemes nationwide. The bulk of the money will be focussed on 23 projects in communal regions, offering much needed help to the many farmers who lack the means to buy and install infrastructure needed for irrigation. Thus, once [...]
