18-year-old Zambian, Mphatso Simbao, wins National Geographic Explorer Award at Google Science fair

A Zambian youth, Mphatso Simbao has won a National Geographic Explorer Award at Google Science fair.

18-year-old Mphatso took part in the National Geographic Explorer category.

AfDB Injects USD 1 billion to end youth unemployment in Africa

ITA Youth Agripreneurs learning how to work in the field. Credit: IITA

The African Development Bank (AfDB) together with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is embarking on the initiative “Jobs for Youth in Africa”, aimed to put an end to youth unemployment in the continent by creating 8 million agribusiness jobs within five years. 

The president of the AfDB, a former Nigerian minister of agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina visited the Agripreneurs training centre at IITA today, and reiterated his commitment to the initiative.

Blackberry to stop making smartphones

BlackBerry CEO John Chen. Picture: Official BlackBerry Facebook page.

BlackBerry is shutting down its phone business after 14 years of making handsets. The company confirmed that it’s out of the smartphone manufacturing business.

The company’s devices were once the phone of choice for professionals, providing access to emails on the move, but BlackBerry has struggled to keep up with competition from rivals Apple and Samsung as mobile users increasingly opt for touchscreens.

President Lungu's daughter launches a feeding program in Misisi compound

By Staff Reporter, Lusaka 
The newly elected Nkoloma Ward Councilor, Tasila Lungu has launched a feeding program in Misisi Compound that is anticipated to benefit atleast 250 children. 

Tasila said she has launched the program in a quest to reducing the poverty levels and promote education among the school going children. 

Commonwealth youth award winner earns United Nations accolade

An education advocate from Bangladesh who was honoured in the Commonwealth Youth Awards earlier this year has now been named as one of 17 United Nations Young Leaders. 

Shougat Nazbin Khan, aged 27, was recognised at a UN ceremony in New York this week for her outstanding achievements to use technology to widen access to education and reduce poverty in rural India. 

Illegal abortions among girls in Chadiza worries headman

Headman Kaliza, Apiton Banda from Chief Mwangala’s area has said that some elderly women in the area have a habit of giving traditional medicines to young girls who are pregnant to terminate their pregnancy. 

Mr. Banda says such habit is not only tarnishing the name of the village but also puts the lives of these teenagers in danger. 

Play a role in uniting the country, youths told

Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale has challenged young people in the country to take a leading role in restoring unity in the country. 

Dr Hamukale said young people today have a pivotal role to play of unifying the country especially that their parents hail from different provinces and are beneficiaries of ethnic co-existence. 

Kantu's life on the line, thugs want her dead

By Staff Reporter, Lusaka 

The life of a Lusaka based singer, stage name Kantu is under threat by unknown thugs. In the early hours of today (Sunday), 'Mungeli' singer was attacked by unknown people. 

“I was unfortunately attacked early this morning around 02 as I was coming from the sling beats festival where I was performing,” she says. 

UPND youths, women are being victimized - HH

By Staff Reporter, Lusaka 

Opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema says United Party for National Development (UPND) youths and women are being victimized in bus stops, markets, taxi ranks and other trading places for being UPND sympathizers. 

Mr Hichilema popularly known as HH says hundreds of UPND sympathizers yesterday afternoon went to the party secretariat in Lusaka to petition the party to pursue all avenues both locally and internationally in order for justice to prevail over the stolen elections. 

CEEC funds yield a stock feed production company in Kasama

A stock feed production company is set to start production in Kasama district of Northern Province. 

Global field Farm Limited Company, which is also funded by the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) has become the second firm to be manufacturing stock feed after Northern Province Cooperative Marketing Union. 

GCE results out, 108,595 obtain certificates

A total Number of 108,595 candidates who sat for the General Certificate of Education, GCE, in 2016 have obtained certificates. 

ZANIS reports that Ministry of General Education Permanent Secretary Henry Tukombe announced the results at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday. 

East women calls for inclusion in empowerment programs

Some women in Chipata district have asked that they should be fully included in women empowerment programs. 

Mbenjele Market Committee vice chairlady, Sarah Tembo, notes that less women access empowerment programs compared to those in urban areas. 

Fashion designing has potential of creating employment - Bulongo

Zambian fashion designer Betty Bulongo says fashion designing has a huge potential of creating employment in the country. 

She observed that there is need to incorporate creative fashion design in the Zambian school curriculum in order to equip students with creative art skills. 

President Lungu assigns youthful ministers to head provinces

By Staff Reporter, LUSAKA 

His Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu President of the Republic of Zambia has appointed part of his Cabinet and named all the ten (10) Provincial Ministers. 

President Lungu has also nominated 8 members of Parliament (MPs) and subsequently appointed as Cabinet and Provincial Ministers respectively. 

APPLY: Reporting Contest on Early Childhood Development

Deadline: December 1, 2016 

Journalists in Asia, Africa and Latin America have a chance to win a prestigious international study tour as part of a contest to recognize the best stories on early childhood development. 

International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will recognize in-depth, investigative or innovative reporting that has helped raise awareness on issues such as early nutrition, early child care, early education and their impact on a child’s future well-being and contributions to society. 

Million-Dollar Fund Launched for Media Innovation in Africa

Media pioneers and organizations in Africa will benefit from a new $1 million fund designed to spur digital innovation that can improve news distribution, revenue flows and audience engagement in news coverage about the health and well-being of Africans. 

The new innovateAFRICA Fund offers seed money, technology support and expert mentorship to media organizations and individual innovators. 

APPLY: Call for Innovations - Securing Water for Food

Are you a scientist, entrepreneur, or a passionate problem solver interested in helping produce more food with less water in developing countries? Do you have a piloted innovation that you seek to share with others, highlight before experts, publicize, and accelerate? 

Vendors, Marketeers and Traders optimistic that presidential empowerment fund initiative will continue

Traders, who benefited from the presidential empowerment fund initiative, have testified that their businesses have greatly improved. 

Association of Vendors, Traders and Marketeers of Zambia president Fredrick Tembo said the association was therefore optimistic that re-election of President Edgar Lungu will enable the empowerment fund to continue. 

Govt to empower 47,000 east farmers

Government says it will this farming season sponsor slightly over 47,000 farmers in Chipata district. 

This is from the previous 45,800 farmers assisted through FISP, the Farmer Input Support Programme, under the E- Voucher system in the district.