EQUINOX Minerals Limited has started paying back more than US$600 million loan it obtained from international banks to finance its Lumwana project in Solwezi.

KASAMA Municipal Council (KMC) has with immediate effect reduced by 30 per cent charges on business permit fees, levies and rental fees for their various properties for hire.

AFRICAN parliamentarians meeting at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, have resolved to push for the full implementation of the Kyoto Protocol at the forthcoming Copenhagen conference in Denmark this December.

MMD Youths in Kasama have called for the expulsion of Northern Province youth chairperson, Danny Chisanga for blaming the provincial chairperson, Griever Sikasote for the loss of the Kasama by-election.

ZESCO acting managing director, Cyprian Chitundu has said the company's optic fibre network will not be sold together with Zamtel although the power utility firm is in talks with the telecommucations firm as the anchor customer.

FIRST Lady, Thandiwe Banda was yesterday appointed matron of the Girl Guides Association of Zambia (GGAZ) and pledged to promote the full development of girls to enable them become responsible citizens to contribute to national growth.

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the Government to cut the public sector wage bill to free up some funds for social sector spending which will enhance economic diversification and poverty reduction.

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has expelled Namwala Member of Parliament (MP) Robbie Chizyuka for gross indiscipline but the MP said the matter was still in court.

THE Government has said that it acquired a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support vulnerable families under the food crisis response programme for 2009 and 2010 after member countries of the financial institution made the request.

"It seems Zambia is locked in a deadlock of international and local commitments that it does not fulfil but keep bragging about. These commitments include the international and regional treaties, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), national planning commitments like the National Development Plans, Vision 2030, the Indaba, fight against corruption, the never-ending Constitution-making process, and now the stalled African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The big questions are: Where are we really going with the APRM process? Why are Zambians in the dark on what is going on with the process? Why is it that the majority of Zambians still do not know about the APRM? Why can the public not easily access the information from the National Governing Council (NGC) housed at the Ministry of Justice under the Governance Secretariat? Will the APRM just end up like other national processes that have hefty budgets, big allowances, questionable personalities and intentions but never yielding satisfactory results?" questions Dominic Liche the Governance Officer at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR).

NORWAY-based midfielder Olivier Karekezi has confirmed his availability for the final Group C qualifier against Zambia set for November 14 in Kigali.

Pressure is mounting for a new constitution that is inclusive of all citizen's views as the ongoing delays by the body granted to draft it still continues.

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has asked commercial banks to bring down loan interest rates saying harsh lending conditions are responsible for the poor loan recovery rates and are eroding confidence in the sector.

The Food Reserve Agency has purchased more than 175,000 tonnes of maize at a cost of K228 billion while the crop marketing season which was extended for 30 days will come to an end this Saturday.

ETHIOPIAN Airlines passengers who were scheduled to leave for Addis Ababa yesterday got stranded after the aeroplane they were to board burst two tyres on landing at the Lusaka International Airport.

GOVERNMENT has released more than K3 billion to Kitwe City Council (KCC) to go towards the dismantling of outstanding retirees' benefits and council operations.

KITWE businessman Masautso Banda has surrendered his son to former lover and singer Angela Nyirenda.

SPEAKER of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa yesterday warned members of the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) to desist from referring the electoral pact when in Parliament.

MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) from Luapula Province have said they will help explain the stance taken by their chiefs over second Republican president Frederick Chiluba's acquittal.

SUSPECTED bandits on Monday evening shot dead a woman of Asian origin and wounded her husband in Lusaka's Madras area at the gate of another family that the couple was visiting.