Lusaka- Copper-rich Zambia will fall far short of its target of raising half a billion dollars in mine taxes this year because of the significant drop in international copper prices caused by the global economic downturn, it emerged Wednesday.

Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) commissioner Chriticles Mwansa told reporters that the commission had only managed to collect 293.1 billion kwacha (about 63 million dollars) so far this year, far short of its 415-million-dollar target.

Lusaka- Zambia's newly-elected President Rupiah Banda on Friday fired finance minister N'gandu Magande, who ran against him for the presidential nomination of the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy.

Announcing his cabinet, Banda said Situmbeko Musokotwane, a former treasury secretary in the finance ministry and former advisor to deceased ex-president Levy Mwanawasa, would take Magande's place.

Lusaka- Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Zambia's north-central Copperbelt region Thursday to demand the release of a local radio journalist who was arrested Wednesday for alleged incitement in a post-election programme.

The protesters, who chanted anti-government slogans, brought business in the town of Kitwe to a standstill, privately-owned Radio Phoenix reported.

No injuries were reported in the demonstration that passed off with only minor rioting.

Lusaka, Zambia - The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Thursday suspended the verification of votes cast in last week's disputed presidential election after supporters of new President Rupiah Banda and opposition leader Michael Sata traded punches.

State radio reported that a number of election workers got caught in the middle when fists started to fly at the hall where the verification was taking place.

Lusaka, Zambia  - The decision by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to phase out food aid to refugees in two camps in Zambia will leave about 3,000 people vulnerable to hunger, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said Tuesday.

UNHCR Representative to Zambia James Lynch said the WFP had informed his office that it would stop providing food to all but the most vulnerable refugees at Zambia's Meheba and Mayukwayukwa camps in 2009.

Lusaka - Rioting broke out in Zambia's capital overnight, after it emerged that acting president Rupiah Banda had overturned opposition leader Michael Sata's lead in Thursday's presidential by-election with only a few results left to count, reports in South Africa said.

With just two constituencies out of 150 in the southern African country left to be announced, Banda, 71, the candidate of the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, was poised to become president for the next three years, replacing ex-leader Levy Mwanawasa, who died in August.