Zambian leader Rupiah Banda on Saturday joined local chiefs in a traditional ritual to ask ancestral spirits and God for rains.

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defense and Security is to hold a Heads of State summit of to iron out sticking points in Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement (GPA).

THE number of people arrested for trafficking in cannabis over the independence celebrations period is an indicator that cannabis consumption still remains a huge problem.

THE Government has said thugs ferried by political parties to areas where there are elections are responsible for the violence and urged the parties to stop the practice.

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested more than 51 people countrywide for illegal possession of psychotropic substance during the 45th Independence celebrations period.

EUROPEAN Commission (EU) head of delegation in Zambia, Derek Fee has paid tribute to the Zambian Government for its stance on gender-based violence in the country.

The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has disbursed more than K800 billion for the various road projects and related activities in different parts of the country.

ZAMBIA should brace for a low crop yield next year unless the shortage of fuel being experienced in various parts of the country is reversed soon, Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) president Jarvis Zimba has said.

THE Government has said the recent opening of four commercial banks in the country is a sign of a positive economic environment in Zambia that has continued to attract foreigners.

A group of South African farmers arrived in Tripoli, Libya yesterday to help revive commercial agriculture in the oil-rich north African country.

BLACK farming groups are calling for a major overhaul of the way their sector is funded, after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced last week that the first R1bn tranche of the Land Bank's R3, 5bn recapitalisation would be released in

An arms dealer who holds the local franchise for the Build-a-Bear Workshop has bought the "black empowerment" shares in military aviation company Aerosud, one of South Africa's two "risk partners" in the manufacturing of Europe's A400M Airbus.

THE North Gauteng High Court has declared large portions of a important land-reform law unconstitutional, rendering it unworkable in its present form.

The Department of Health would ask the Treasury for billions extra over the next three years to fund its HIV/AIDS treatment campaign, which was being scaled up dramatically, acting health director-general Kamy Chetty said on Friday.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe says he is impressed by the various 2010 legacy projects being completed around Johannesburg, after taking a tour of the city on Saturday.

President Jacob Zuma has called for greater cohesion among Cape Town's Coloured and African Communities.

The revamped Wonderboom National Airport in Pretoria is expected to be used extensively during the 2010 FIFA World Cup to transport fans and FIFA delegates to and from the host city.

Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Monday unveil a joint Home Affairs-Lusikisiki Community Forum, to monitor the quality of service delivery to the community.

South Africa is expected to participate in the 27th Havana International Trade Fair in Cuba this week, to promote its exports and investment potential.