Reporters Without Borders has been given an assurance by Mauritanian president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, elected on 4 August 2009, that freedom of the press will be one of his priorities. The head of state, on an official visit to Paris yesterday, met a delegation from the worldwide press freedom organisation and in a cordial meeting said he was determined to work to improve the state of press freedom in his country.[more]

Apparent foot-dragging prompts fears that role of army will not be properly investigated. A parliamentary committee of inquiry set up to investigate alleged abuses during September’s Kampala riots is yet to begin its work, prompting some to wonder if the truth behind the violence will ever be known.[more]

The Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) has praised the Mozambican media for its coverage of the election campaign that ran from 13 September to last Sunday.[more]

The launch of the eagerly-awaited NewsDay has been marred by the controversial dismissal of the paper’s editor, Barnabas Thondlana, writes a jocoza correspondent. NewsDay is yet to be given an operating licence by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) whose commissioners are yet to be named by President Robert Mugabe.[more]

Broadband services in South Africa are very poor as compared to other countries around the world, a new study by the University of Oviedo's Department of Applied Economics and the University of Oxford revealed.[more]

Bichachi is on police bond, which requires him to report to the Criminal Investigation Department every fortnight.[more]

Threats against Somali journalists have hit a new high, with all rebel groups now issuing death threats based on coverage. Hizbul Islam rebel - the only group that had not issued any threat - now says it will punish with death any journalist who writes any story about the government side, writes Dennis Itumbi for journalism.co.za.[more]

Stockholm — Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, says the lack of manpower development for media practitioners in developing countries has affected the media's ability to effectively perform its watchdog role. The media, the Liberian leader observed is also poorly equipped to meet the challenges of the new media landscape.[more]

On 25 October 2009 recorders from various media houses were confiscated by organized hooligans during the Newsmakers’ Forum that took place at Lusaka Play House which had featured George Mpombo a former Defence Minister.[more]

Namibia will hold presidential and national assembly elections on 27 and 28 Novermber, 2009. A number of Namibian journalists will use blogs to report and monitor the elections.[more]