Botswana: Morupule Power Station Expansion Set to Take Off Mar 30, 2009
Last December, several international financiers met in Gaborone to assess the possibilities of funding the Morupule B Power Station project. According to media reports, these financiers included bilateral, multilateral and commercial lenders such as the World Bank, Citi Group, Fortis Bank, Deutsche Bank, China Exim Bank, the African Development Bank, the Southern African Development Bank, Investec Bank, Standard Bank of South Africa, Nedbank, Absa, Capital Bank and Caylon. (allAfrica.com)
The comforts of community Mar 28, 2009
The books, set in the Botswana capital of Gaborone, centre on Precious Ramotswe, a gentle, heavyset gal she calls herself "traditionally built" with a kindly husband and a couple of foster children ... This year, he will be there twice, once for his annual visit in June and then again in October, when he will premiere an opera, for which he is writing the libretto, at a small opera space he founded in an old Gaborone garage space now called The No. 1 Ladies' Opera House ... They respond to the... (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Namibia launches operation to rescue marooned schoolchildren Mar 28, 2009
GABORONE, 27 March 2009 () - Rain continues to lash countries along the course of the upper Zambezi River, aggravating already extensive flooding in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, where crops and infrastructure have been destroyed ... Nathan Morule, who works in the capital, Gaborone, but was originally from Shakawe, north of the Okavango Delta on the border with Namibia, told IRIN: "I drove home [to Shakawe] on Sunday [22 March] evening to pick up my family and move my belongings to... (AlertNet)
Out of Africa, one for the ladies Mar 26, 2009
And the show's producers have already signed a 10-year lease on the production facility in Gaborone where the series was filmed just in case. We're entering a wonderful new era for America and the continent of Africa, says Richard Curtis, who co-wrote the pilot screenplay with Minghella and serves as executive producer on the series. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Madagascar: Region Unlikely to Send Troops After 'Coup' Mar 23, 2009
Gaborone Though Botswana does not support the takeover in Madagascar by the army and former mayor, Andry Rajoelina, Foreign Minister, Phandu Skelemani has ruled out sending an army from the region (SADC) to quell what they perceive to be a coup. Mmegi had wanted to know whether sending an army from SADC countries, as in the case of Lesotho, where soldiers were sent to quell a mutiny by the mountain kingdom's army, was a viable option. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Inflation Eases to 10-Month Low Mar 19, 2009
Speaking recently in Gaborone, economist Dr Keith Jefferis said he believes inflation should move towards the upper end of the central bank's objective by year-end and therefore there should be significant interest rate cuts in the coming months. "As is well known, Botswana has relatively high interest rates, which have been reduced slightly in recent months but we have not seen the type of dramatic cuts in interest rates that have been witnessed in other economies. " I believe inflation will... (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Retrenchments Turn Villages Into 'Little Hells' Mar 17, 2009
Gaborone The closure of two major mines and the scaling down of operations at most mines in Botswana have had a knock-on effect beyond miners in this southern African producer of diamonds. When times were still good, many mine workers hired people to do chores at their homes. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Diamonds Don't Guarantee Jobs Forever Mar 13, 2009
Gaborone The rent collector arrived at a house in Boteti, a small village in central Botswana, and immediately realized something was wrong. "The house was deserted, the curtains removed," Ratanang Otlhogile, who declined to use his real name, told IRIN.. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Dissent Grows Over Attack on Press Freedom Mar 1, 2009
Gaborone There is growing dissent in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) over laws that enable the government to regulate the media ... "I am bound to accept the majority decision but I believe that government has no business regulating the media. Part regulation or weak regulation is untidy. The fervour with which the Bill was embraced creates the impression that we have an ulterior motive," Rakhudu, the MP for Gaborone North told IPS.. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: High Profile Trial Could Open Can of Worms Feb 25, 2009
Gaborone The high profile trial of former Debswana Managing Director, Louis Goodwill Nchindo, could open a can of worms about the shady activities of senior government officials in Botswana, officially Africa's least corrupt country. Nchindo and his co-accused are charged with, among other things, defrauding the Botswana government of title to land in Gaborone and of allegedly telling Mogae that the Tourism Development Consortium was set up as a vehicle through which Debswana intended to... (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Global Crisis Hammers Diamond Industry Feb 23, 2009
Gaborone Diamond exports plunged by close to 90 percent in the four months between August and November 2008 as the global recession hit demand for luxury goods, figures availed by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveal. According to the CSO, diamond exports which amounted to P3. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Job Losses Show 'Diamonds are Not Forever' Feb 23, 2009
Gaborone "The situation is now very bad, very bad for workers. It is no longer about the workers alone, it is about the government, the companies, everyone. We need to talk. Dialogue is the only solution.". This was a response from Jack Tlhagale, secretary general of the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU), when asked about the plight of mine workers in the light of ongoing retrenchments and mine closures. (allAfrica.com)
Zimbabwe: Arrest Sours Plans for Leaving Botswana Feb 21, 2009
Gaborone Scenes of jubilation broke out at the long-distance bus terminus in Botswana's capital, Gaborone, on the day Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Zimbabwean opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was inaugurated as prime minister - and the talk was all about going home ... Maredza is referring to a case on the roll at Gaborone's Magistrate's Court where two police officers and five other local men allegedly swindled a Zimbabwean man out of US$1,600 and other valuables in... (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: HIV Prevalence Remains High Feb 20, 2009
Gaborone Despite significant financial investments in both prevention and treatment, Botswana has been experiencing only a modest decline in HIV prevalence, especially among women. Official estimates reveal that one in six Botswanians over 15 years lived with HIV and AIDS in 2008. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: St Joseph's Fiasco Exposes Combi Owners' Nefarious Entitlement Mentality [editorial] Feb 16, 2009
On the other hand, members of the Gaborone Taxi and Local Bus Service Association (GTLBSA) that ply that route see it as economic sabotage by transport authorities. In addition to the issues of the freedom of choice guaranteed to every consumer in this country, we think the parents are raising serious concerns that include safety, customer care and morality. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Race for Speaker Hots Up Feb 16, 2009
In 1999, she ousted Michael Dingake of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) from the Gaborone Central constituency before the incumbent MP Dumelang Saleshando of the BCP avenged in 2004 and ousted Nasha ... The former Gaborone City Clerk also needs no introduction to local politics. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Banks Freeze Loans to Miners As Crunch Bites Feb 16, 2009
But so far the bank has rejected all requests for funding from such applicants until the bank is in a position to fully assess the risk profile," said the bank's deputy chief executive officer (CEO) Richard Wright.As a survival strategy, Wright says, the bank is in the process of looking at its qualifying criteria. Asked to comment on whether there has been a sharp rise in the number of defaulters, Wright acknowledged that there has been a slight increase adding that FNBB is not a large player... (allAfrica.com)
Zimbabwe: Hope And Caution for A New Country Feb 16, 2009
With a wife and son waiting for him to send money to buy food, Tatenda says life is very difficult in Gaborone. He spends the whole day at White City location hoping to get a piece job. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Cholera Becoming an Election Issue Feb 13, 2009
Gaborone The detection of cholera in northeastern Botswana is causing rising resentment of the Zimbabweans fleeing their homeland's collapse, and is being used by opposition parties in an election year to slam President Ian Khama's government. In late January and early February 2009, Botswana's parastatal, the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), found traces of vibrio cholerae bacteria in the Shashe reservoir near Tonota village, about 35km south of Francistown, the country's second city, and in... (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Job Losses as Diamonds Lose Their Lustre Feb 12, 2009
Gaborone Thousands of mining jobs in Botswana are in jeopardy as diamond and other mineral sales dwindle and companies begin retrenching to cut costs. The Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) have been locked in talks with management in an attempt to avert looming retrenchments as diamond sales plummeted in response to the global financial crisis. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Intelligence Agents Accused of Torture Feb 9, 2009
Two soldiers and two policemen have alleged that they were severely beaten and humiliated in a torture chamber at the offices of DIS in Gaborone in October last year ... The four security men insist they were subjected to extensive torture at the hands of DIS officers over allegations that they had stolen an assault rifle from the Gaborone West Police Station ... But the men have alleged that after their extensive torture, they were taken to the Gaborone West Police Station where an officer who... (allAfrica.com)
Local Weather Feb 8, 2009
Melbourne, FL 32935 Last Updated: 02/08/09 07:15:32 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 89% Barometer: 30. (Florida Today)
Another smooth transition for Botswana Apr 1, 2008
Themba Hadebe / AP filePresident Festus Mogae speaks during an interview in Gaborone on March 18, 2008 ... GABORONE, Botswana - Botswana's president steps down Tuesday, handing over power in the kind of smooth transition for which the country is known one that contrasts sharply with the political turmoil in neighboring Zimbabwe ... Sadzani Baile, manager of a Gaborone restaurant, lists the fight against AIDS as one of Mogae's greatest achievements, along with attracting foreign investment... (MSNBC -- International)
Tight Security for Khama's Inauguration Apr 1, 2008
Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. Enter your search terms. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana's president steps down Apr 1, 2008
Only a fortnight ago, Mogae launched the Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB), an equal joint venture between De Beers and the Gaborone government, which will end the practice of sending diamonds mined in Botswana to De Beers' London-based main Diamond Trading Company for sorting and marketing. Mogae has also looked to diversify the country's sources of wealth, encouraging companies to access large reserves of coal and opening Botswana to tourists thanks to its spectacular wildlife. (iAfrica.com)
SA diamond producer eyes Botswana Mar 25, 2008
Gaborone, Botswana - The South African Diamond Corporation, which employs 200 people locally, was considering relocating to Botswana because of that country's investor friendly climate, the firm said last week ... It has become one of the 16 operators that have set up a diamond cutting and polishing factory in Gaborone. (Business Report, South Africa)
On the trail of Mma Ramotswe Mar 24, 2008
Bob Maddams, a film-maker working in Africa, follows in Precious Ramotswe's footsteps around Gaborone before heading off to investigate the real Botswana ... We had parked right outside the suspect's house, which stood in a wide tree-lined street in a quiet residential part of Gaborone, Botswana's capital ... Next stop was Mochudi, the village about 45 minutes' drive from Gaborone, where Mma Ramotswe grew up in the house of her beloved father, Obed Ramotswe. (The Observer)
Precious Ramotswe's Botswana Mar 23, 2008
When one enters through Seretse Khama airport, in Gaborone, one of the first things one sees is a prominent notice that says: We do not tolerate corruption in Botswana ... PRECIOUS RAMOTSWE was born in Mochudi, a traditional village just under an hour s drive from Gaborone ... Although visitors now spend time in Gaborone and Mochudi, the real attractions are up in the north, where the Okavango delta and its surrounding country make up what is probably one of the last unspoilt wildernesses in... (Times Online)
SA, Botswana to ink giant power deal Mar 19, 2008
Botswana and South Africa are expected to next month sign a deal on a gigantic power project in Gaborone, a Botswana senior government official said on Tuesday. The Mamabula power project, "estimated to cost between six and 10.5 billion dollars", will be able to generate 2400 megawatts of electricity on completion, the director general in the minerals and energy ministry, Akolang Tombare, told journalists. (iAfrica.com)
Bigger bang for bling Mar 19, 2008
GABORONE, Botswana (AP) -- The world's largest producer of diamonds wants more bang for its bling ... All sorting and valuing of diamonds produced in by Debswana, a joint venture between and Botswana's government, will be now done at the new $83 million plant in the capital, Gaborone ... Kabo Ramatludung, a 23-year-old training as a cutter in Gaborone, had been selling puppies to earn money. (CNN -- International)
Director Anthony Minghella, 1954-2008 Mar 19, 2008
Last summer, as he took a break on the Gaborone, Botswana set of his latest film, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Anthony Minghella was trying to put success into perspective ... With reporting by Alex Perry/Gaborone. (Time.com)
Botswana gems sparkle at home Mar 19, 2008
Peter Biles BBC News, Gaborone ... The presence of the new advanced diamond sorting facility in the capital, Gaborone, is expected to create further jobs in the finance, security and telecommunications sectors. (BBC News -- Business)
Anthony Minghella, 54, Oscar-winning director Mar 19, 2008
Associated Press Writers Raphael G. Satter in London and Celean Jacobson in Gaborone, Botswana, contributed to this report. . (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
The making of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Mar 16, 2008
Alexander McCall Smith s books about a traditionally built Botswanan woman who takes it upon herself to open a detective agency in the capital, Gaborone, have changed that. First published in 1998, the stories proved so evocative of a country and a people with a quiet dignity, a moral compass and a sprightly sense of humour that the tales of Precious Ramotswe, her finicky assistant, Makutsi, and her mannered suitor, JLB Matekoni, have become as popular as Rebus or Miss Marple, with fans in 40... (Times Online)
Alexander McCall Smith: Precious project: Mar 15, 2008
Again, I told the company about her and urged Anthony Minghella to meet her in Gaborone. He did so and he realised, I think, what a fine person the minister is. (Scotsman)
Botswana: How 'Illegals' Survive Mar 4, 2008
com: Botswana: How 'Illegals' Survive (Page 1 of 1). Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Sadc region headed for dark days Feb 22, 2008
A project to link Angola, Malawi and Tanzania in the southern African power pool specifically needed to be fast-tracked, he told journalists after the meeting in the capital Gaborone. SA on the task team. (iAfrica.com)
Africa: Bush Explains Focus of Africa Military Command Feb 21, 2008
The regional trade hubs -- which also are in Nairobi, Kenya, and Gaborone, Botswana -- facilitate trade between the United States and the region under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows a range of products to be exported duty free into the United States. The four trade hubs serve as the central point where business, government and finance can gather to promote economic growth and development. (AllAfrica.com)
Botswana: Construction of Country's Largest Dam Starts Next Month Jan 30, 2008
This will be the fourth dam after Gaborone, Bokaa and Letshibogo ... Motshegwa says once the dam is complete, it will provide water to meet the demands of Gaborone, Francistown, Selebi-Phikwe, Mahalapye and other towns and villages, "along the route of the North-South Carrier" ... Other sectors to benefit from this dam, she said, are the mines and power plants in the vicinity of Gaborone. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Extremely Dangerous TB Strain Detected Jan 22, 2008
The two XDR-TB cases were admitted to the national referral centre, Princess Marina hospital in the capital, Gaborone. Mokgweetsinyana said one of the cases had been a mineworker in South Africa, while the other had never been out of the country. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Corruption in Project Implementation [editorial] Jan 21, 2008
The construction of the P13 million road bridge connecting Tlokweng to Gaborone was scheduled for completion by October last year. The constructors, Zebra Construction, have since postponed the completion date to February, but we doubt that even the Works andTransport Ministry believes them. (allAfrica.com)
Indicted N.O. lawmaker linked to 'blood diamonds' Jan 19, 2008
Prosecutors in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, did not return telephone calls seeking comment. Debswana released a statement Friday saying it was aware of the charges and noted that the accusations against Nchindo are related to the "misuse of company office for personal gain prior to and including 2002.". (USA Today -- News)
Botswana: Close to P9m Missing in Anglican Financial Records? Jan 14, 2008
com: Botswana: Close to P9m Missing in Anglican Financial Records. Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Hour-by-hour forecast Jan 3, 2008
Melbourne, FL 32935 Last Updated: 01/03/08 07:15:48 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 55% Visability: 10 miles (16 km). (Florida Today)
Robert Mugabe left isolated as European leaders attack his misrule in Zimbabwe Jan 1, 2008
Discover the lost city on an adventure holiday to Peru. Navigation - link to other main sections from here. (Yahoo News -- Zimbabwe)
Spices flavour apple pie in a mug Dec 27, 2007
FORTUNE, PEI As I write these words I'm sitting poolside at a hotel in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. I've been in Africa for 10 days with my production team filming for my new Food Network series Chef Abroad. (Globe and Mail)
CIC Energy announces commencement of coal-to-hydrocarbons feasibility study Dec 12, 2007
The Mmamabula Energy Project is located in the Mmamabula Coal Field of southeastern Botswana, 120 kilometres north of the capital city of Gaborone and adjacent to South Africa's Waterberg Coal Field. The majority of the electricity generated is intended for export under a long-term power purchase agreement to South Africa's national utility, Eskom Holdings Limited. (Canada Newswire)
Botswana: Will New President Give Opposition Cabinet Jobs? Dec 10, 2007
Tumelo SetshogoGaborone ... "Some Botswana National Front (BNF) members who sympathised with former vice president, Kathleen Letshabo revealed that, party leader Otsweletse Moupo and his deputy are the likely candidates. "I personally don't trust these guys - Moupo and Gaborone - because they are very close to Khama," said a BNF MP who did not want to be named. He said: "What I know is that Gaborone is a personal friend of Khama, but Moupo I don't know whether its personal or political,"... (allAfrica.com)
Complete weather forecast Dec 7, 2007
Jackson, MS 39201 Last Updated: 12/07/07 07:45:24 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 74% Barometer: 30. (The Clarion-Ledger)
Botswana: Top Politician Disbarred as Lawyer Nov 22, 2007
Lekopanye MooketsiGaborone. The Registrar and Master of the High Court has struck the President of the Botswana National Front (BNF), Otsweletse Moupo who is also a practising attorney, off the roll. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Police Merger Plans Flop Nov 19, 2007
com: Botswana: Police Merger Plans Flop (Page 1 of 1). Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Stock Prices Plunge to Six-Month Low Nov 14, 2007
com: Botswana: Stock Prices Plunge to Six-Month Low (Page 1 of 1). Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: President Says Poverty Levels Will Drop to All Time Low Nov 8, 2007
com: Botswana: We Lead the Pack in Poverty Reduction - Mogae (Page 1 of 1). Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Accusations Fly As Primaries Draw Near Nov 7, 2007
com: Botswana: Accusations Fly As BDP Primaries Draw Near (Page 1 of 1). Use our pull-down menus to find more stories. (allAfrica.com)
Living with Aids| Nov 4, 2007
"My husband didn't believe the virus exists," she says at an interview in her home in Gabane, just outside the capital Gaborone. "He didn't want me to take medication or to have protected sex.". (iAfrica.com)
Botswana: Diplomats Talk by Video-Conference Oct 26, 2007
Karabo SenameGaborone ... The Debswana conference was the second after the one that was held last week at the Gaborone Main mall when the Diplomats were at the residence of the Botswana High Commissioner in London, Roy Blackbeard. (allAfrica.com)
Representatives from the U.S., Africa and China to Share Perspectives of Investment in Africa at Summit Oct 25, 2007
U.S. Embassy Gaborone. U.S. Embassy Ghana. (allAfrica.com)
Botswana: Minister Denies Secret Troop Deployment to Darfur Oct 9, 2007
But Botswana Congress Party (BCP) MP for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando insisted that Parliament should have been consulted before deployment of Botswana soldiers on the Darfur peace mission. Relevant Links. (allAfrica.com)
Press Release: Statement by IMF Deputy Managing Director Takatoshi Kato at the Conclusion of an Official Visit to Botswana Sep 28, 2007
Mr. Takatoshi Kato, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today in Gaborone. "This is my first visit to Botswana. I am grateful for this opportunity and want to thank Vice President Ian Khama, Minister of Finance and Development Planning Baledze Gaolathe, Central Bank Governor Linah Mohohlo, and the other Botswanan officials I met for their kind hospitality. "This trip has given me a unique opportunity to hear directly from policy makers... (IMF News)
Seduced by Botswana: Minghella brings 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' to the screen Sep 26, 2007
"Because of the addiction to action in American cinema, the cut-to-the-chase excitement of American film, I think it's unlikely that this will work in a movie theater," he said as shooting of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" concluded one late afternoon in a dusty Gaborone schoolyard. "This is not an easy film to make. In fact it's been incredibly hard.". (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
This surgery school operates on the cheap Sep 15, 2007
" This has been Dr. Okrainec's Tuesday routine for the past six weeks: First, establish a reliable Internet connection between two doctors' offices in Toronto and Botswana. Dr. Allan Okrainec simulates minimally invasive surgery in Toronto while a doctor in Botswana, shown on the projection screen, learns the technique. (Tibor Kolley/The Globe and Mail) Then, teach a small group of eager Botswana-based surgeons the basics of a minimally invasive surgical technique that is increasingly common in... (Globe and Mail)
Southern Africa: Plans to Base U.S. Africa Command in Botswana Causes Tension [analysis] Sep 13, 2007
Botswana has also repeatedly denied accusations by its neighbour that the US has a military base near the capital Gaborone, which might be used to effect regime change in Harare. After the explosive Lusaka SADC heads President Robert Mugabe reportedly walked out of a closed door session protesting against a frank assessment of the situation in Zimbabwe by his Zambian counterpart, Mr Levy Mwanawasa, the proposed US base has emerged as another poser for regional leaders. (allAfrica.com)
Boom for Botswana?| Sep 10, 2007
Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella has brought a rare bustle to Gaborone since he and his crew arrived 10 weeks ago to bring Alexander McCall Smith's best-selling novel to an even wider audience. As well as filming in the capital, Minghella of "The English Patient" fame is planning to shoot scenes in the stunning Makgadikgadi Pans, huge salt flats in northern Botswana, and has roped in locals for a funeral scene at a village on the outskirts of Gaborone ... Gaborone a must-see destination.... (iAfrica.com)
In Africa, smaller cities grow Sep 10, 2007
GABORONE, Botswana - As a construction worker in Botswana's booming capital city, Mpontshang Mokwe is hardly struggling for work these days. "There are too many buildings," Mr. Mokwe says, hauling a long strip of lumber toward the most recent of his projects guest quarters for yet another new home in Gaborone's Block 8 neighborhood ... This rapid population increase is not unique to Gaborone. (Christian Science Monitor)
E.tv buys Botswana TV station Sep 8, 2007
South African media company Sabido Ltd, the holding company of locally-based television station e.tv, has acquired 49 percent of Gaborone Broadcasting Company (GBC), e.tv said in a statement on Friday ... It covered Gaborone and the surrounding areas, reaching a population of approximately 450000. (iAfrica.com)
