The Government will this week commence full-scale consultations for the 2018 National Budget and the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework. The consultations will be in form of public forums with all stakeholders, economic actors, and members of the general public. The consultations will focus on the key areas of the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) which was launched by President ...

More than 100 people remain missing after a huge landslide buried homes in a village in Sichuan province, south-western China. A couple and a baby were rescued and taken to hospital on Saturday but hopes of finding more survivors are fading. The bodies of fifteen people have so far been recovered, but many more are feared trapped beneath the rubble. ...

At least 140 people were killed when a lorry transporting oil burst into flames near the Pakistani city of Ahmedpur East, local officials say. A crowd had gathered, reportedly to collect fuel leaking from the overturned vehicle when it caught fire. Dozens are being treated in hospital. It appears the tanker blew a tyre while rounding a sharp bend in ...

Brexit Secretary David Davis has told the BBC he is “pretty sure”, but not “certain”, that he will be able to get a free trade deal with the EU. He told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show that other EU states “have a very strong interest in getting a good deal”. “I’m pretty sure, I’m not 100% sure – it’s a ...

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has condemned the savage attack of mourners at Lusaka’s Memorial Park yesterday and calls for political leadership to end the escalating violation of human rights and freedoms through organised political violence. The commission says it is a great national shame that bereaved families and individuals are not only deprived of their right to mourn and ...

An ex-girlfriend of Charlie Sheen has filed a lawsuit accusing him of exposing her to HIV, and then dissuading her from taking antiretroviral drugs. Neither Sheen nor the ex-girlfriend are identified by name in the suit, which was filed Thursday in L.A. County Superior Court. However, the defendant — referred to as “confidential male defendant” — is said to have ...

Pop star Katy Perry ended her debut performance at Glastonbury by diving head first into the audience. It was less crowd-surfing than crowd-swimming, as the singer pulled herself slowly over the heads of her fans. “Well, Beyonce never did that,” joked one audience member as Perry emerged from the fray. The stage dive came as the star performed Roar at ...

Yemen is now facing the worst cholera outbreak anywhere in the world, the United Nations has warned. A statement by Unicef and the World Health Organization says the number of suspected cholera cases in the war-torn country has exceeded 200,000. So far more than 1,300 people have died – one quarter of them children – with the death toll expected ...

Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his delight at firing Portugal into the Confederations Cup semifinals after netting his 75th international goal in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of New Zealand. “I’m very happy to be in the semifinals. We’re confident and want to win,” said Ronaldo, who picked up his third straight man-of-the-match award in Russia. The 32-year-old has a court date in Madrid ...

Joachim Loew remains wary of the threat posed by Cameroon as the Germany coach bids to maintain his decade-long record of reaching the semifinals at major tournaments in the Confederations Cup on Sunday. The world champions take on Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions at Sochi’s Fisht Stadium while Chile play Australia in Moscow in the final round of Group B games. Germany ...