Zambia is still planning to press ahead with a controversial mining tax - despite the multinational companies threatening to abandon operations.

The government says the companies aren't paying enough tax and the Zambian people are suffering. 

I asked Pamela Chisanga from Action Aid in Lusaka to give me her take on the row.

Call for transparency over mining profits in Zambia


The Zambezi is one of Africa's longest rivers. It snakes its way through six countries in south-eastern Africa, starting in Zambia and finishing in the Indian Ocean.

Like all big rivers, it can be a friend. But also, an enemy.

People living along its banks depend on it for their survival.

But the risk of flooding is high. Sections of the giant Kariba Dam on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe are crumbling. Now the World Bank has finalised a deal with both countries to make 275 million dollars available to fund repairs.

Kariba also helps to generate vital hydroelectric power for the region.

So with countries around the world keen to find cleaner sources of energy, what lessons can they learn from Kariba?

The BBC's Lucy Burton reports.


What lessons can Africa learn from the Kariba dam?

Zambia is a country full of natural resources – the most astonishing of which is its national parks. Full of incredible wildlife and beautiful scenery, it’s often called the jewel in Africa’s crown. But it’s a jewel not many people have heard of. The government, which is trying to diversify the economy away from copper mining, is hoping that by 2016 tourism will contribute 6% to GDP. But is it possible for the industry to grow and protect and conserve the people and animals that live in the bush? Lucy Burton reports from South Luangwa in the west of the country.

Safari: Zambia's hidden jewel

Last Boxing Day I had the pleasure of presenting Newsday, 'the world's biggest breakfast show' with Nkem Ifejika. Here are a few clips from that show.

Lucy Burton BBC Newsday Presenting

BBC Radio 4 Today programme: Global stocks plunge in response to big falls in the US - is this a crash or a correction?

R4 Today Stock Market Crash

Business Matters

BBC Business Matters: Pakistan Turns To IMF For Bailout Talks

Despite the horror of last weekend, it was largely business as normal in Paris on Monday. Offices, schools, shops and subways were open, but there was just one topic of conversation. Lucy Burton reports from Paris on a city in a state of shock.

Paris Terror Attacks - BBC Business Daily

BBC Radio 4 Today: Shareholders Revolt

Fast Food: Food fit for athletes

As coronavirus forces more of us to work from home, we explore the challenges it poses. Daisy Upton is author of Five Minute Mum, and discusses how parents can combine work with looking after young children. Anita Douglas is an occupational psychologist and director of Leading Results, a learning and development company, and offers tips for coping with the solitary aspects of working from home. And Tim Bradshaw of Sandstone Communications tells us how managers can effectively lead their teams remotely.

The World Service guide to successfully working from home

BBC Business journalist working for the World Service.

lucyburtonbbc

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