Top news items in major Zambia media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Saturday.

-- The Chinese government has pledged to explore new areas of bilateral cooperation with Zambia to accelerate the implementation of more sustainable development between the two countries this year.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said his government would create new highlights of bilateral cooperation to enhance the ties to new levels. (Times of Zambia)

-- The Zambian government has called on radio stations across the country to aspire for the highest level of ethical and professional standards in carrying out their work of informing, educating and entertaining the public.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Kampamba Mulenga said in remarks delivered during the commemoration of the World Radio Day that radio stations should not be used as platforms to foment disunity and disharmony in the country. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- An opposition political leader has urged the Zambian government to consider direct and indirect funding of political parties especially during elections time to level the playing field.

Maxwell Mwamba, leader of the Democratic Assembly said there was need for the government to provide direct as well as indirect funding to political parties such as cash grants or subsidized media access as a way of ensuring the growth of democracy. (Daily Nation)

-- A senior Zambian government has said the country has no higher institution that could fit the description of being called a university.

Minister of Higher Education Professor Nkandu Luo has questioned the intellectual ability of universities in the country to do and move things, saying the universities were no operating like high learning institutions.

Zambia has two public universities while the government has a program of constructing one public university in each of the country's 10 provinces. A number of private universities have also mushroomed in recent years. (The Mast) Endit