Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

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

-- Zambia's First Lady Esther Lungu has pledged to take the lead in helping raise awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) that has plagued the country.

She said during the flagging off of a GBV sensitization march held under the theme "One Billion Raising Revolution March Against GBV in Zambia" that collective effort was vital as it could help save thousands of girls, women and men from harm and suffering that resulted from abuse and violence.

Last year, Zambia recorded 18,540 GBV cases, a 2.4-percent rise from 18,088 in 2015. (Times of Zambia)

-- The Zambian and Tanzanian governments are this month expected to launch a feasibility study into the construction of a finished petroleum products pipeline between the two countries.

Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary Emeldah Chola said the project was in its preparatory stage and that the pipeline will run from the town of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to the Zambian town of Ndola. (Zambia Daily Mail)

--The U.S. government has hailed Zambia as one of the most successful countries in Africa in addressing HIV/AIDS.

U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz expressed happiness that Zambia was getting to a place where the disease was close to being under control.(The Mast)

-- Lawmakers in Zambia have appealed to the government to ensure that uranium resources in the country were protected.

A Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs expressed fears about a lack of proper communication on issues of national security on uranium ore mining following reports that a British firm intends to start uranium exploration in the southern part of the country. (Daily Nation) Endit