By Jimmy Kainja

In the book "Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places", there is a passage where its author, Paul Collier argues that one of the differences between African and Western [referring to western Europe and North America] leaders is that Western leaders always try to smile in their public appearances, which is not always the case with their African counterparts.

Collier is not implying that African leaders are nastier or more grumpier than the westerners, rather, he is trying to emphasize the fact that western leaders acknowledge their people as masters who gets them into the positions of power, hence a smile, even a fake one, can certainly help them in retaining or winning the elector's favour. In Africa elected leaders are still treated the same way as dictators before them; they are masters to be feared and revered: demigods to be praised.

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By Ivan Simic

The year 2009 is definitely Presidential year; Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th, and first African American President of the United States, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is appointed as the new Prime Minister of Iceland, becoming the world's first openly lesbian head of government. Morgan Tsvangirai is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Zimbabwe following the power-sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe, the President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira, is assassinated during an armed attack on his residence in Bissau.

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LUANDA (AFP) – Pop stars, politicians and a president are among those expected to attend the African Nations Cup draw being staged by tournament host Angola here on Friday.

The event, featuring Congolese artist Papa Wemba and other Angolan singers, is being held at a shiny new glass-and-steel convention centre in the purpose-built southern suburb of Talatona.

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by Pilirani Semu-Banda

The very survival of women and children in Africa may depend on the newly-launched Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA). According to latest estimates by the African Union (AU), over the next ten years there will be 2.5 million maternal deaths, another 2.5 million child deaths and 49lmillion maternal disabilities in Africa alone if urgent actions are not taken.

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By Ivan Simic

For the past few months we had the “honour” to read many articles and news reports in which above countries have been described as mayor threats and terrorism/terrorist supported states without any sustainable evidence. It is not a secret that these states are facing much political and economical turbulence’s, but that does not necessary means they are the world threats.

The titles like “Pakistan Terrorism Heaven”, “Iran the Most Active Terror Sponsor”, ”Pakistan Supports Terrorism” and “Iran Worst Terror Proliferator”, among others, are very insulting and unfair as they present sovereign countries and their citizens as terrorists.

Are the attacks and accusations on these and other states work of bad journalism or maybe corrupted journalism, or both, or maybe government propaganda or failed intelligence?

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The World Bank has granted Malawi US$10 million for the Community-Based Rural Land Development Project (CBRLDP). The additional grant will also extend the project for another two years, the bank said.

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By Jimmy Kainja

porting tournament has a "surprise package." With the final places for the Africa's biggest football tournament, African Cup of the Nations (ACN), finally decided, Malawi can fittingly be pointed at as the "surprised package" of the qualifying rounds.

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By Ivan Simic
17 November 2009, Rome, Italy – The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened on Monday, a UN food security summit in Rome, while the troubles of the world hunger seemed unimportant to the leaders of the world's wealthiest nations.



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