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$254mn Eskom wind power project gets South African regulator's nod

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:01:11 -0400

JOHANNESBURG - The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted power producer Eskom a licence for its Sere wind farm in the Western Cape, paving the way for the company to start construction of its $254.3 million (R2.4-billion) project. Sere is the Nama word for "cool breeze". The wind farm project is scheduled to become fully commercially operational by the end of ...

Pistorius wont compete in 2013 due to murder trial

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:20:02 -0400

Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympic champion who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, will not compete this year in any event as he awaits trial. Pistorius stands accused of premeditated murder after the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home. According to sports 24, Pistorius will face trial in the North Gauteng High Court on 4 June. EWN reported that ...

Molecular trigger for onset of Alzheimers pinpointed

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:50:02 -0400

Scientists at Cambridge's Department of Chemistry have been able to map in detail the pathway that generates "aberrant" forms of proteins, which are at the root of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. They believe the breakthrough is a vital step closer to increased capabilities for earlier diagnosis of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and opens up ...

Gupta family acknowledges some misjudgments made in landing chartered jet at S. Africa base

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:30:04 -0400

A well-connected Indian family in South Africa has apologised for the controversy surrounding the landing a chartered plane at Waterkloof Air Force Base to carry guests for his niece's wedding. The Gupta family said that it had only wanted to hold a memorable wedding, but realised that some bad decisions or misjudgments could have been made in the process to secure landing rights for the plane. ...

Indigenous culture youth among key topics as UN permanent forum opens 12th session

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:15:18 -0400

20 May 2013 150 Around 2,300 indigenous participants are expected to discuss culture, education and health during the 12th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which will include a special focus on youth, indigenous groups in Africa and the importance of strengthening ties with international financial institutions. "We must have a better understanding of the ...

Teen Dies of Cancer After Touching Millions With Song

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:07 -0400

Zach Sobiech, an 18-year-old whose battle with cancer became a global story, has died. The Minnesota native became famous when his song "Clouds,rdquo; which is about facing death, became a viral sensation on YouTube, topping 3 million views. The song was originally released in December of last year. The video was so popular that a group of celebrities were inspired to create a video ...

Past Differences Hamper US-Russian Efforts to Help Syria

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:06 -0400

Public diplomacy experts say a difference in perceptions dating back to the Cold War era could hamper U.S. and Russian efforts to deal with the ongoing civil war in Syria. Heritage Foundation senior fellow Helle Dale said there is a "love-hate" relationship between the United States and Russia that is "quite complicated." On VOA's Encounter program, Dale said she agrees with an ...

Obama Praises Burma Reforms Calls For End to Attacks on Muslims

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:04 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama praised Burma's president on Monday for his leadership in pushing through political reforms, while warning that ethnic and communal violence targeting minority Muslims in Burma must stop. Mr. Obama spoke Monday at the White House, alongside Burmese President Thien Sein, the former general who in 2011 became president after Burma's first democratic polls in more than ...

Uganda to Continue Leaked Letter Investigation Says Official

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:04 -0400

A spokesman for Uganda's government says President Yoweri Museveni's administration will continue with investigations into a security breach despite, criticisms that it is contravening the constitution. "That is not true that the government is stifling freedom of the press or freedom of the people of Uganda,rdquo; said government spokesman Fred Opolot. "The police and the government [are] ...

Sharif Calls for Peace Talks With Pakistani Taliban

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

ISLAMABAD Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif, who is set to become prime minister for a third time after his party won recent parliamentary elections, on Monday called for peace talks with domestic Taliban extremists, saying "this is the best optionrdquo; to fight militancy. Addressing newly elected federal and provincial lawmakers of his Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party in Lahore, Sharif ...

President Obama To Visit Senegal South Africa Tanzania

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Africa this summer, visiting three countries. In a statement Monday, the White House says President Obama along with his wife, Michelle, will travel to Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania in late June and early July. The administration says Obama will meet with government officials as well as leaders from business, civil ...

Deadly US Twister Hit Tornado Alley

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:33 -0400

Monday's deadly tornado in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma struck in an area commonly known as "Tornado Alley" -home to most of the nation's ...

Obama to Tornado Victims You Will Not Travel That Path Alone

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:33 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks next to Vice President Joe Biden (L) about the devastating tornadoes and severe weather impacting Oklahoma, at the White House in Washington, May 21, ...

UN AIDS Deaths Down Treatment Up in Africa

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:33 -0400

A new United Nations report says AIDS-related deaths in Africa are falling while the number of Africans getting treatment for the AIDS virus is on the ...

Court Rules bin-Laden Photos May Remain Secret

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:33 -0400

A U.S. appeals court has ruled the federal government is not required to release photos taken of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden after he was killed by special ...

UN envoy proposes set of principles to guide peace efforts in DR Congo

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:59 -0400

Print 21 May 2013 &#150 The United Nations Envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes Region today proposed a set of principles to guide immediate peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while voicing concerns over renewed fighting in the eastern part of the country. ';The suffering and displacement of the people, especially women and children, in eastern DRC and beyond have ...

Kenya West Pokot leaders seek to change cattle farming

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:26:42 -0400

Leading a delegation of residents from Pokot to a dairy farm in Njoro to familiarise themselves with new dairy technology, Senator John Lonyangapuo and Governor Simon Kachapin agreed that cattle related problems and illiteracy were bringing down standards of living among the community and promised to correct that. For the last four years, the Senator said livestock breeders from Lelan highlands ...

China vice-premier arrives in Zimbabwe

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:26:02 -0400

HARARE, Zimbabwe -; Chinese vice-premier Wang Yang has arrived in Zimbabwe at the start of an official trip to view his nation's burgeoning trade and development ties in ...

New Egypt tax law cuts for poor business hikes

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:26:00 -0400

CAIRO -; Egypt's president has signed a new tax law that cuts the amount paid by poorer Egyptians while increasing taxes on small and medium-sized ...

Rebels in C. African Republic protest conditions

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:58 -0400

BANGUI, Central African Republic -; Some members of the rebel alliance who overthrew the president of Central African Republic are protesting outside the luxury hotel where their leader is ...

Court frees man in murder that shocked SAfricans

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:58 -0400

JOHANNESBURG -; A magistrate drops charges against the boyfriend accused in the brutal gang-rape and killing of a teenager that shocked South ...

Bulgarian Nataliya Apostolova to Head EU Delegation to Libya

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:23:25 -0400

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission, announced Tuesday the appointment of Nataliya Apostolova as the new Head of EU Delegation to Libya. Photo by EPA/BGNES, ...

US Tunisia Launch Small Business Initiative

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:59 -0400

have launched an initiative to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, boost trade and promote economic growth.Developed under the U.S.-Tunisia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which is led by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the initiative, funded and led by the U.S. Agency for International Development, will provide training on the U.S. small business ...

EU Provides Funding for Anti-Piracy Efforts in Africa

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:58 -0400

has allocated EUR37 million (about US$47.7 million) for its Regional Maritime Security program to strengthen the fight against piracy in several Eastern and Southern African countries.The new program will help to develop the legal and judicial system of countries in the region, so that they are better equipped for the arrest and transfer of pirates. Financial oversight systems will also be ...

South Africa Turkey stocks outperform

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:21 -0400

London - South African and Turkish equities outperformed both emerging market and global share indices on Tuesday, with Johannesburg's main index hitting a record high as the rand fell more against the ...

Several wounded as rubber bullets fired at striking South African miners

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:55 -0400

Wendell Roelf - 21 May 2013 Ten striking South African miners were taken to hospital today after being hit by rubber bullets, police said. It is the latest incident in a series as labour strife spread ahead of mid-year pay ...

Middle East North Africa - Restricting speech restricts Arab freedom

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:26 -0400

The sight of hundreds of thousands of Arabs marching on the streets of a number of Arab countries, demanding their dignity and rights, will remain among the iconic images of the twenty-first century. The willingness of so many citizens to take such tremendous risks to their own lives, with thousands dying for their freedom, stunned a world long accustomed to the image of the resigned, ...

Two foreigners die while descending from Everest

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:15:57 -0400

Two foreigners, one Bangladeshi and another Korean died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest Monday night, a Nepali government official informed Tuesday.According to Gyanendra Shrestha, an official at mountaineering department at the Ministry of Tourism, two dead foreigners have been identified as Mohammad Khalid Hussain of Bangladesh and Sung- Seo of Korea.Both of them were ...

African American community Neglected by finance

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:48 -0400

Half of African Americans say their financial situations have improved from a year ago, compared to 33% of the general population, according to a Prudential report released Tuesday. The survey polled 1,153 people who identified as African American or black and a general sampling of 471 ...

African Americans more financially confident but underserved

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:34 -0400

Tunisia announces 3 cases of coronavirus including 1 death

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:04:57 -0400

A 66-year-old Tunisian man has died from the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia and two of his adult children were infected with it, the Tunisian Health Ministry reported. His sons were treated and have since recovered but the rest of the family remains under medical observation, the ministry said in a statement ...

Obamas Africa tour leaves ancestral homeland of Kenya as loser

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:49 -0400

Kenya .Not even a relatively peaceful election earlier this year is enough to tempt Obama back to his ancestral homeland. The big problem is the winner, Uhuru Kenyatta, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity at the international criminal court (no matter that the US is yet to sign up to the ICC).At least the ...

Whats Behind Nigerias Escalating Bodycount

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:00 -0400

People pray near the graves of victims of a suicide bomb attack during a memorial service at St. Theresa's Church in Madalla, on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria on December 23, 2012. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters) New data from the Council on Foreign Relations' Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) shows that April was the second-bloodiest month in Nigeria since President Goodluck Jonathan's ...

African Unity at 50 Integration is the only way - Samia Nkrumah

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:00 -0400

By rejecting continental unity Africa is depriving itself of wealth and autonomy, says Nkrumah's daughter. Pan-Africanism is crucial for our development on the continent and for the restoration of the dignity of Africa.The main objective of linking up with the African diaspora is to restore the dignity of Africans that was diminished after slavery and colonialism. We came to realise that our ...

Uganda Media takes a hit in presidential grooming affair

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:58 -0400

A siege on media houses by Ugandan security forces entered a second day on Tuesday, as they searched for a letter by an army commander that claimed President Yoweri Museveni was grooming his son to be ...

South Sudan cuts oil output citing problem with exports to Sudan

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:36 -0400

JUBA/KHARTOUM (Reuters) - South Sudan has almost halved its oil production due to a problem with oil exports to Sudan, it said on Tuesday, adding it suspected its rival had closed the cross-border pipeline in a possible sign of new friction between the ...

Peace debate exposes deep rifts in Israeli government

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:35 -0400

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) shakes hands with former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, head of the centrist Hatenuah party, during their joint statement at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem February 19, ...

Chad Johnson in Custody Judge Rips NFL Star After Probation Violation Arrest

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:09 -0400

Chad Johnson is receiving widespread support from fans who are eager to see his return to NFL Chad Johnson was reportedly jailed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. after turning himself into police on Monday.The former NFL star, 35, was arrested on suspicion of violating his one-year probation in relation to a domestic assault incident involving ex-wife Evelyn Lozada. An arrest warrant was issued in recent ...

Man accused of rape and murder that shocked South Africa is released

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:53:13 -0400

African prosecutors dropped charges on Tuesday against one of the two men charged with raping, mutilating and killing a teenage girl in a crime that outraged a country hardened by some of the world's highest rates of sexual violence. Prosecution spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said the man had been released from custody because there was not enough evidence to take him to trial. The victim, ...

In Uganda fury over a generals letter reveals battle over the presidents political legacy

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:53:04 -0400

KAMPALA, Uganda - An army general's concern that officials are at risk of assassination if they oppose President Yoweri Museveni's alleged plan to have his son succeed him has stirred controversy in Uganda because it challenges the popular view of Museveni as a moderate leader, analysts said Tuesday. Police continued their search Tuesday of a daily newspaper's offices to find Gen. ...

Kenya Sh180 for Roads Repair

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:48:20 -0400

The Kenya Rural Roads board will spend Sh180 million to repair roads in Narok county.Kerra's chairman Joe Wanyoike said every constituency will receive Sh30 million. The county has six constituencies.Wanyoike said they have released 75 per cent of the money. He was speaking during a courtesy call to Narok Governor Samuel Tunai after carrying out a routine inspection of ...

Kenya No More Strikes

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:48:19 -0400

The Kenya National Union of Teachers yesterday said it will not give any further strike notice to the government over shelved allowances. Union officials Wilson Sossion and Mudzo Nzili asked the new education secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi to ensure the 2012 parliamentary approval is implemented. Speaking in Kapsabet during the Nandi Central Annual General Meeting, the Knut officials expressed ...

President at home on trial abroad How Kenyas new leader is coping

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:43:00 -0400

Kenya's new president and deputy say they are cooperating with the International Criminal Court's investigation against them, but the ICC prosecutor says that's simply not ...

Diplomats Iran Acts to Expand Sensitive Nuclear Capacity

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:55 -0400

VIENNA, AUSTRIA -- A U.N. nuclear agency report due this week is expected to show Iran further increasing its capacity to produce material that its adversaries fear could eventually be used to develop atomic bombs, Western diplomats said on Tuesday. But they said it also is likely to indicate that growth in Iran's most sensitive nuclear stockpile has been held back because some of it has ...

Russia Says Senior Islamist Insurgent Killed

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

MOSCOW -- The right-hand man of Russia's most wanted insurgent was killed by security forces on Tuesday, officials said, as Moscow tries to contain militancy in its Caucasus region before it hosts the Winter Olympics near there next February. Dzhamaleil Mutaliyev, a senior figure in a group fighting to establish an Islamist state, was killed along with another militant in a shootout in ...

Rescuers Dig for Survivors After Deadly US Tornado

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

U.S. search and rescue crews are digging for survivors in miles of wreckage, after a massive tornado leveled neighborhoods Monday in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma, killing at least 24 ...

Seven Feared Trapped in Cambodian Gold Mine Collapse

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

PHNOM PENH -- A gold mine shaft has collapsed in the Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, trapping at least seven miners, officials said Monday. Police said late Monday they are trying to rescue the trapped miners, near Romtum village, Rovieng district, but the shaft is very deep and old, making rescue efforts difficult. "We don’t have the identities or the exact number of people, ...

Afghanistan Sees Sharp Rise in Women Imprisoned for Moral Crimes

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:52 -0400

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday, the highest number since the Taliban were toppled almost 12 years ago. Running away from home, usually from abuse and forced marriage, and alleged adultery, which often involves rape, have landed most of the 600 women in prison. That figure is an increase of 50 percent over the last 18 months. "That increase reflects a shameful lack and failure ...

Nigeria Seeks Help from Niger in Battle with Militants

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:52 -0400

NIAMEY -- Nigeria has asked neighboring Niger for support in a week-old offensive against Islamist insurgent bases in its semi-desert frontier region, underlining moves towards West African cooperation against jihadis seen as a cross-border threat. Concerns grew particularly after Islamist militants associated with al-Qaida seized the north of Mali last year and were dislodged only after ...

Emergency Response Grows in Chad

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:52 -0400

Emergency water supplies are being rushed to southeastern Chad where about 50-thousand people have fled fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region. Several Arab tribes have been battling for control of mining operations there. to De Capua report on Darfur displaced The refugees and migrants have been gathering around the village of Tissi since January. Felix Leger is the country director ...

Apple Faces Questions on US Tax Avoidance

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:51 -0400

Giant technology company Apple is facing questions from a U.S. congressional panel about how it avoided billions of dollars in U.S. taxes on its profits by creating offshore entities that claim not to be a tax resident in any ...

Clashes Continue in Eastern DRC Ahead of UN Chief Visit

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:51 -0400

Soldiers have clashed with rebels for a second day in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, before a scheduled visit by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Tuesday's fighting between the army and rebel group M23 was again centered around Mutaho, just 12 kilometers north of the city of ...

Algerian PM President Recovering in France

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:51 -0400

ALGIERS -- Algeria's prime minister, reacting to reports that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is seriously ill, said the 76-year-old was recovering in France but had been ordered to take complete rest by his doctors. Since he was rushed to hospital in Paris on April 27 with what was officially described as a minor stroke, Bouteflika has been neither heard nor seen in public, raising ...

Death Toll Revised Lower in Oklahoma Tornado

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:50 -0400

Earlier, 51 people were reported killed. Officials attributed the higher number to counting bodies twice in the chaos following the storm that struck late Monday. They said additional bodies could yet be recovered. At least 240 people were injured. The tornado with winds of 320 kilometers an hour demolished an elementary school and reduced homes to piles of splintered wood in the suburb of ...

Chinese Premier Looks to Boost Economic Political Ties

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:50 -0400

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is on his first international trip, this week, with stops in India, Pakistan, Switzerland and Germany. The trip not only highlights China's efforts to deepen its economic ties in Asia and Europe, but grow its political influence, as well. Although the weather was hot when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in India this week, relations between the two ...

UN chief promotes education gender empowerment during final day of Mozambique visit

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:17:23 -0400

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with students at Sansão Muthemba Secondary School in Polana Caniço, Maputo, Mozambique. UN Photo/Eskinder ...

Uganda leaders legacy at stake in generals case

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:21 -0400

Ugandan Police surround the offices of the Daily Monitor newspaper, preventing all journalists from leaving according to the paper's political editor, in Kampala, Uganda Monday, May 20, 2013. Ugandan police forcibly entered the premises of the independent newspaper to look for evidence against an army general who recently questioned the president's alleged plan to have his son succeed ...

5 Serbs released from Libya after 21 months

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:14 -0400

Authorities say the men went to Libya to work as construction workers, but were captured by rebels who accused them of being mercenaries fighting alongside Moammar Gadhafi's regime. Serbia had in the past had close economic and military ties with Gadhafi's ...

Europa Gives Up Romanian and African Licenses

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:11 -0400

UK Junior Europa Oil & Gas reported Tuesday that it was giving up its licenses in Romania and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in line with its strategy of focusing on offshore Ireland and onshore projects in the UK and France. Europa is relinquishing the EPI-3 Brates license in Romania and its rights to the Bir Lahlou and Hagunia license areas in the SADR. Europa CEO Hugh ...

Oscar Pistorius brother cleared of road crash death

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:08:15 -0400

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News The brother of Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was acquitted on Tuesday of the unlawful killing of a motorcyclist in a traffic accident.Oscar Pistorius is currently facing a murder charge after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home near Pretoria on Valentine’s Day. He says he mistook her for an intruder while she was in a ...

South Africa plans water pipeline to supply northern coal mines

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:08:02 -0400

- South Africa will begin building a 70-kilometer (44-mile) pipeline this year to supply water from a reservoir in the north to local coal mines, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said. The De Hoop Dam in Limpopo Province is almost complete and water storage has begun, the minister said today in Cape Town. Work on a separate pipeline that will supply other parts of the ...

Malawi sells presidential jet

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:07:45 -0400

Bohnox Enterprise beat three other bidders for the 14-passenger aircraft used by president Bingu wa Mutharika, who died last year. "We have accepted their offer and we are waiting to hear from them," Cabinet clerk Ernest Katchetche said in a statement on Tuesday. The 15-year-old Dassault Falcon 900-EX had been described as being in "perfect flying condition". ...

DR Congo waits on funding for Grand Inga

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:56:46 -0400

The dream of harnessing the mighty Congo River with the world's largest set of dams has moved closer, with the World Bank and other financial institutions expected to offer finance and ...

Ghana spends 70 million dollars annually on disasters-Dr. Norman

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:51 -0400

Dungu (N/R), May 21, GNA - Dr. Ishmael Norman, Director of the Center for Disaster Resilience and Leadership Studies of the University for Health and Allied Science (UHAS) has revealed that Ghana spends 70 million dollars annually on disasters ...

Former Prez Kufuor back home from South Africa Switzerland

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:50 -0400

Accra, May 21, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufour on Monday returned home from South Africa and Switzerland after engagements to woe investors to ...

Youth Bridge Foundation represents Ghana at 72nd European Youth Parliament

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:48 -0400

Accra, May 20, GNA - The Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), a Non-governmental organisation, is representing Ghana at the 72nd International Session of the European Youth Parliament (EYP) in ...

Ghana hosts AFRA workshop on Learning Management Systems

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:48 -0400

Accra, May 20, GNA - Ghana is hosting a five-day African regional workshop on the implementation of e-learning platforms for networking nuclear education and ...

10 S African miners hurt in guards clash

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:18 -0400

TEN striking chrome miners were shot and wounded with rubber bullets in a dawn clash with mine security, South African police and unions say. Some 500 miners at a small chrome mine in the restive Rustenburg mining region northwest of the country staged a picket around 0300 GMT Tuesday (1300 AEST). Security guards used rubber bullets to disperse the group, who work at a mine owned by the ...

Fighting in eastern DR Congo kills 19

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:22:15 -0400

NINETEEN people have been killed and 27 injured in fierce clashes between the army and M23 rebels in the restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the government says. Mortar fire rang out for a second day north of Goma, ahead of a visit by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to DRC on Wednesday as part of a tour that will take him to the volatile provincial capital. Government spokesman Lambert Mende told ...

Nigeria relaxes state of emergency

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:54:46 -0400

Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency over three states near Nigeria's northern border. The government is fighting militants from Boko Haram, a militant group trying to establish an Islamist state in Nigeria. The Economic Community of West African States this week described the state of emergency as a necessary and legitimate measure to ensure security, Nigerian newspaper ThisDay ...

UPDATE 4-Rubber bullets fired at S.African mine strikers several hurt

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:40:34 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 10:40am EDT * Miners hospitalised after clash with security guards * Auto sector union demands 20 percent wage rise * Currency tumbles; rate cut hopes dashed By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN, May 21 (Reuters) - Ten striking South African miners were taken to hospital on Tuesday after being hit by rubber bullets, police said, as labour strife spread ahead of mid-year pay ...

Algeria Algerian Press Demand Truth On Bouteflikas Health

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:01 -0400

Algerian newspapers on Tuesday denounced a news blackout by the government over the state of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in a French hospital for three weeks. The government has accused local and international media of publishing false information as rumours circulate that the president may even be in a coma. Pointing out that Bouteflika's Algerian doctor, Rachid ...

Africa Cwusa Wishes to Express Its Disappointment At the Organizing of the AUs 50th Celebrations

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:00 -0400

The Creative Workers Union of South Africa is deeply disturbed by the manner in which Motale Group has been conducting itself as the middleman/labour broker entrusted with the role of procuring the services of artists and creative minds from South Africa for the 50th Celebrations of the AU's existence. This is in the wake of the AU been led by one of our struggle icons, the honourable Dr ...

Central Africa In Africas Great Lakes Region Peace Dividend Must Follow Peace Deal

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:00 -0400

Washington, DC - Africa's Great Lakes region today has the chance to achieve something that has eluded its war-weary people for several decades. It can silence the guns, boost trust and trade between neighbors, educate millions of out-of-school children, empower women, and create economic opportunities that will help the countries forge a path to prosperity, good governance, and lasting ...

Africa New Rapid Diagnostic Test for Worm Infection

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:00 -0400

Deerfield, Il - A new diagnostic test strip to rapidly detect lymphatic filariasis - also known as elephantiasis - in human blood has significant advantages over the standard card test that has been used for more than a decade to map, monitor and assess the success of the massive global campaign to eliminate the disease. "Like a compass, this new test will help guide global public health ...

Africa Calls for Rhino Horn Legalisation Grow

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:00 -0400

The poaching of rhinoceros in Africa is a growing problem. The increasingly prevalent photos of brutally-slain beasts in conservation reserves or African savannahs provide an insight into the cruelty of the trade, but dramatic numbers reveal its extent. ...

South Africa Green Light for Eskoms Sere Wind Farm

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:37:58 -0400

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has given state company Eskom a licence to go ahead with its Sere wind farm near Koekenaap in the Western Cape. "Sere is our first large-scale renewable energy project," Eskom chief executive officer Brian Dames said in a statement on Monday. "It demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and to investing in a ...

Kenya cases International Criminal Court Presidency decides on new composition of Trial Chamber V

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:37:57 -0400

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 186 other ...

Ratification of Mozambique Petroleum Law Seen By Year-End

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:36:07 -0400

The Mozambique government currently is revising its legal and fiscal packages for exploration and production, but anticipates its new petroleum law to be ratified by year-end in time for the upcoming licensing round, said Arsenio Mabote, chairman of the Instituto Nacional de Petroleo. Mozambique will seek to promote exploration in offshore areas 4, 5 and 6 in its upcoming licensing round. The ...

Sudan South Sudan Start Talks Over Former National Oil Company Assets

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:35:56 -0400

Oil producing Sudan and newly independent South Sudan started talks on Monday aimed at resolving a dispute over the sharing of assets belonging to former national oil company Sudapet, said officials. A South Sudanese delegation from the oil and mining ministry has arrived in Khartoum for talks with their Sudanese counterparts, said Sudanese government spokesman Rabie Abdelaty, as the two ...

Nigeria arrests 120 militants as they plan funeral for slain commander

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:35:29 -0400

About 120 extremist militants were arrested in northern Nigeria as they planned the funeral of a commander killed earlier in the week, military officials say. The arrests came Monday in the Borno state capital of Maiduguri, where military authorities have relaxed a 24-hour curfew after they said the security situation in the state had improved, the Nigerian Tribune reported Tuesday. Brig. Gen. ...

Uganda news editor cries foul over raid

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:35:29 -0400

A police raid on a daily newspaper in Uganda is evidence of government-backed media harassment, the newspaper's managing editor said. Two radio stations were closed Monday and police raided the offices of The Daily Monitor, the largest independent newspaper in Uganda. Police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba told Bloomberg News that authorities had a court order to search the newspaper's ...

Attacks Kill 8 in Iraq

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:05:54 -0400

New attacks in three Iraqi cities have killed at least eight people and wounded dozens more -- a day after more than 70 died in assaults on Shi'ite Muslims, stoking fears of all-out sectarian war with minority ...

S.African court clears brother of Oscar Pistorius

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:52:52 -0400

The brother of murder-accused Olympian Oscar Pistorius cried tears of relief as a magistrate acquitted him of culpable homicide in the death of a woman in a car ...

Tunisia Salafist group calls for Friday demo

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:49:22 -0400

Saif Eddine Errais, center, spokesman of radical Islam Salafist group Ansar al-Sharia speaks during a press conference, Thursday, May 16, 2013 at the "Errahma" mosque in Cite Khadra, near Tunis. (AP Photo/Amine ...

African Development Bank to host Innovative Financing Seminar on Infrastructure and Diaspora bonds

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:45:46 -0400

AfDB's annual meetings in Morocco on May 29, 2013. One of the main objectives of the seminar to be at held at the Palmeraie Golf Palace in Marrakech, themed "Financing African Structural Change - Infrastructure and Diaspora Bonds" is to raise awareness of all stakeholders in the role that infrastructure and diaspora bonds can play in catalyzing financing to address the existing ...

Nigeria $1 bln wealth fund to start investing in June

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:45:38 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 9:45am EDT * Nigeria to start fund investment next month * Fund has been delayed twice, starts with $1 bln * Targets listed and unlisted equities and debt By Camillus Eboh LAGOS, May 21 (Reuters) - Nigeria will begin investing the initial $1 billion allocated to a new sovereign wealth fund by June, a statement from the fund showed, after it delayed the start date ...

PHOTONEWS Prof. Chinua Achebes Body Arrives In Nigeria

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:43:10 -0400

The body of late Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe arrived in Nigeria earlier today in Abuja. Prof. Achebe's body arrived in a Nigerian flag-draped casket which was received at the airport by Nigerian officials led by the Secretary to the federal government. His coffin was then wheeled first to a church service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport before proceeding to the Federal ...

Missing oil revenue stirs discontent among Chads poor

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:30:36 -0400

Flicit sees nothing unreasonable about her demands. Seated in one of the few shady spots in her yard, she details what she would like to obtain for her family: a decent wage, enough to eat, a health service and cheap building materials so everyone can have a home. "And school really free of charge for all children," adds this resident of Demb, a poor neighbourhood of N'Djamena, the ...

How to deal with Tunisias Salafists | Sherelle Jacobs

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:30:26 -0400

Ansar al-Shariah supporters clash with Tunisian police in Kairouan on Sunday 19 May, after Tunisia's interior ministry banned their annual conference. Photograph: ...

Is the African Union equipped to serve Africas people for another 50 years | Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:30:24 -0400

in 1963 (pdf) - needs to take stock of its strengths and weaknesses as an intergovernmental organisation designed to promote the pan-African agenda politically and economically. As articulated by the leading figures of pan-Africanism, that agenda consists of a three-dimensional project of political self-determination, economic self-reliance, and solidarity in the promotion and defence of African ...

Kenya Technology goes on errand in Nairobi

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:41 -0400

Dash2do helps busy people with daily tasks through its online platform. Finding someone trustworthy to run an errand for you in Nairobi could be a problem of the past.At least, this is what one innovative Kenyan company is aiming for.Dash2do is an online platform with a portfolio of errand runners, drivers, tradespeople and artisans, all vetted by the company to carry out tasks for people with ...

Nigeria seeks Nigers military support against Boko Haram

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:33 -0400

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Nigeria has asked neighboring Niger for support in a week-old offensive against Islamist insurgent bases in its semi-desert frontier region, underlining moves towards West African cooperation against jihadis seen as a cross-border ...

Saudi Arabia detains 10 more in Iran spying case

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:31 -0400

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has detained 10 more people in a spying case it announced in March that it said was linked to Iran, state television reported on ...

M23 rebels clash with Congo army for a 2nd day in the countrys east

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:27:39 -0400

GOMA, Congo - A Congolese military official says that fighting between the M23 rebels and the army continued for a second day near Congo's eastern provincial capital of Goma. Army spokesman Col. Olivier Hamuli said fighting in Mutaho, 10 kilometres (6 miles) east of Goma, broke out early Tuesday after M23 rebels tried to take back positions lost to the army in fighting Monday. The rebels ...

South Africa Sheriff denied entry to auction Mandela ex-wifes belongings to pay debt

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:27:36 -0400

JOHANNESBURG - An auction to pay off a debt of Nelson Mandela's ex-wife failed to take place because no one would open her home to the sheriff. Officials and reporters gathered Tuesday outside the gated home of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. No one responded to the doorbell although a black car sped out of the gates. Madikizela-Mandela is loved by many for her role in the anti-apartheid ...

Iranians face internet curbs before prez election

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:43 -0400

Internet speeds and limited access ahead of an unpredictable presidential election that has put hardline Islamist authorities on alert for possible unrest. Experts and web users say they believe the Internet obstacles are related to the June 14 presidential vote, the first since 2009 polls in which accusations of fraud - denied by the government - kindled months of protests organised in part via ...

Tunisia Ban On Ansar Al-Chariaa Congress Still in Force - Interior Ministry

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:41 -0400

Tunis - "The ban on holding the "Ansar al-chariaa" congress is still in force across the country" Interior Ministry's spokesman asserted, on Monday, during a meeting with the press. The rally this formation had attempted to organise on Sunday in Ettadhamen district, was illegal, Mohamed Ali Laroui specified. He added that "the security forces had enforced the ...

Nigeria Nine Minor Informants to Kidnappers Assassins Nabbed

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:41 -0400

Sapele - Nine minors, all males, suspected to be members of four different dreaded cult groups that have been disguising and acting as informants to kidnappers and assassins in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, were Tuesday arrested and paraded in Koko, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta state, by men of the Nigeria Army, Koko Barrack, in conjunction with the Joint Task ...

Zimbabwe Supreme Court to Hear Petition On Election Date On Thursday

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:40 -0400

A court application compelling President Robert Mugabe to announce the date for elections will be heard as an urgent matter in the Supreme Court this Thursday. This comes after chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku threw out Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's appeal against a High Court application made by a Harare man, Jealousy Mawarire, that forces Mugabe and his coalition partners to ...

Tanzania LTE Insurgent Challenger Smile Does a Hard Launch and Will Open Its Network On a Wholesale Basis to Other Operators

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:39 -0400

London - Smile Communications has put in place the first public roll-out in Africa of LTE in 800 MHz spectrum in Tanzania and has ambitious plans to roll out in the same spectrum in three more countries. This week it moved from soft to hard launch status in Tanzania and the other 3 countries will follow. Russell Southwood spoke to founder and CEO of the company Irene Charnley. Smile ...

Africa Africa Should Put Basics in Place

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:39 -0400

Windhoek - The Governor of the Bank of Namibia, Ipumbu Shiimi, says although the goal of Africa to share a common currency is sound - the basics such as road and other infrastructure need to be addressed first. His remarks follow a call by Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, Dr Sam Nujoma, for a single African currency and passport to advance the ideals of Pan-Africanism and ...

Gambia WAAPP Convenes National Farmers Dialogue

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:39 -0400

The West African Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) under the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), on Monday began a two-day farmers' dialogue in the country. Over one hundred participants are taking part in the two-day meeting being held at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi. According to organizers, the purpose of the ...

Tanzania IBM Says ICT Investment Inevitable for Efficiency Productivity in Economy

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:39 -0400

INCREASED investment in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is inevitable for enhanced efficiency and productivity in the national economy. According to IBM Africa Country General Manager David Sawe, "There is huge demand for ICT in organisations that aim at improving efficiencies and boosting profit." Giving a keynote address to the opening of a three-day training for ...

Tanzania Banks Sector Register Improved Performance

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:39 -0400

BANKS in Tanzania posted impressive results in the first quarter of this year, painting a positive trend in the monetary sector since the 2008 global financial crisis that greatly affected their performance. The sector since the crisis had to deal with a non-debt-payment problem as clients were affected by the crisis and hence failed to honour their obligation. Many banks saw the increase of ...

President Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:52:35 -0400

Afghan President Hamid Karzai receives an honorary degree from his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, second right, at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India, May 20, ...

South Korea See Norths Threats at Unprecedented Levels

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:52:34 -0400

SEOUL -- South Korea says it will never accept rival North Korea as a nuclear-weapons state. But there appears to be no international consensus on how to prevent that. Speaking Tuesday in Seoul, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se characterized Pyongyang's recent belligerent threats as more diverse, frequent and intense than previously seen. He told a forum organized by ...

Vodacom seeks African acquisitions

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:41:40 -0400

Vodacom, which is aggressively seeking to acquire new operations on the African continent, could expand into as many as three new countries by the end of next year, Shameel Joosub, the group chief executive, said ...

Self Help Africa Why Only Profits Can Cure Poverty

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:38:49 -0400

The importance of profiting from one's efforts ought to be an easy concept to embrace. It is why humans no longer live in caves. If an endeavor--any endeavor--produces more value than it consumes, it will not only pay for itself, but create the means for growth. In contrast, endeavors that persistently generate losses are destined to wither and die. Africa has long been a place where ...

Kenya fine with Obama snub

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:19:02 -0400

Kenya said Tuesday it was "fine" with US President Barack Obama avoiding the country on an Africa tour next month, rejecting reports it was due to upcoming crimes against humanity trials of its leaders.Obama will leave on a first African tour in late June, visiting Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa, but his itinerary bypasses Kenya, where his father was born."America, just like ...

Zimbabwe Mutambara Calls for Mineral Database

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:10 -0400

GOVERNMENT should mobilise funding for exploration to establish a database of the country's mineral reserves to avoid getting raw deals when negotiating with investors, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has said. He made the remarks at the 74th annual general meeting of the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe at Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga last week. The meeting was held under the theme: ...

Nigeria Shell Community Disagree Over Cause of Bayelsa Oil Spill

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:10 -0400

The Ikarama Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has disagreed with Shell Petroleum Development Company over the cause of the reported oil spills from nearby oil wells. The spill has contaminated the Taylor Creek in Yenagoa; and residents of Biseni/JK4 Road told the News Agency of Nigeria that they disagreed that the spills were caused by oil theft. Officials of ...

Rwanda Invest in Productive Sectors to Reduce Trade Deficit - Experts

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

More investment in the productive sectors of the economy and increased consumer expenditure could play a big role in reducing the trade imbalance Rwanda experiences, Mohamed Mazimpaka, the director of Chamber of Commerce at the Private Sector Federation, has said. Mazimpaka noted in an interview with Business Times that manufacturers were not innovative enough and many sectors lacked technical ...

West Africa ECOWAS to Review Protocol On Movement of Persons Goods Services

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

As part of the review process of the Ecowas Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services, the Ecowas Commission will undertake a Mission to The Gambia as a Member State from the 22nd - 25th May 2013, to begin the awareness campaign and information exchange with government authorities and other stakeholders on the subject. The sub-regional bloc has started to review the Regional ...

Kenya Rutos Office Releases Sh18 Million Jet Invoices

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

Nairobi - Deputy President William Ruto's office has released documents to support their assertion that a jet which took him on a tour of four African nations was a one-off hire at a cost of Sh18.5 million and not Sh100 million as reported. The documents include an invoice from the charter company whose jet the deputy president used on the trip. The invoice from VistaJet shows the deputy ...

Ethiopia Construction of Ethio-Kenyan Electric Highway to Commence

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

Miherete Debebe CEO of EEPCo, Guang Z Chen, WB Country Director for Ethiopia, Alemayehu Tegenu, minister of Water and Energy and Lamin Barrow, resident representative of the African Development Bank after the signing ceremony at the Hilton Hotel. The construction of the Ethiopia - Kenya interconnector high-voltage electric highway line will start in September 2013. The project has secured ...

Kenya Vetting of All Police Officers Starts Next Month

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

Nairobi - Vetting of all police officers will begin in June, according to the chairman of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Johnston Kavuludi. The commission will consult an international security expert, the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board as well as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission before embarking on the exercise. "The commission in preparation has scheduled a ...

Nigeria Country to Achieve Carbon Neutrality By 2025 Says Alison-Madueke

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:09 -0400

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said Nigeria will by 2025 bring down its gas flaring by at least two per cent. Alison-Madueke disclosed that by 2010, the country had recorded a downward gas flaring rate of 30 per cent as well as against the current rate of 11 per cent, adding that it aspires to bring it further down to two per cent by 2020 and beyond. The ...

Ghana Work Now Starts At Permanent Site of Volta Varsity

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:08 -0400

Ho - Chinese contractors have started work on the permanent site for the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Sokode near Ho. The work being undertaken at the site includes laying of a foundation for the building of temporary accommodation and offices for the foreign workers, pegging and erecting of a security fence wall, surveying, and raising of pillars. Speaking to the media at the ...

Ethiopia ETH Switch Opens Financial Proposals of Two Firms

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:08 -0400

The development of a national Electronic Funds Transfer System will make inter-bank processes easier EthSwitch SC is choosing between two companies - BPC Banking Technologies BV and Compass Plus Limited (Great Britain) - for the award of a turnkey contract for the supply and implementation of a National Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Switch Clearing Settlement and Reconciliation System. It ...

Africa UN Chief Calls for Push to Achieve Millennium Development Goals

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:08 -0400

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized the importance of countries stepping up their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before their 2015 deadline and stressed developing countries like Mozambique have the most to benefit from accelerated action. "The MDGs have mobilized Governments as never before. They have catalyzed dynamic new partnerships. And - most ...

Gambia Over D1.5 Million Butchery Shop Handed Over to Kotu Communities

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:08 -0400

The Livestock Horticultural and Development Project (LHDP) last week handed over a newly constructed butchery complex worth over D1.5 million to the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council for onward transmission to "Group Legaye of Kotu'. The project is jointly funded by the African Development Bank, IFAD and the Government of the Gambia. The handing over ceremony, graced by senior ...

Rape in South Africa Desperately seeking a political champion

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:10:44 -0400

Five years. That's how long it took for President Jacob Zuma to make more than a passing reference to rape in a State of the Nation speech. Until two months ago, he had successfully steered almost entirely clear of what experts have called a crisis in our country. So what changed in February 2013? Anene Booysen. The 17-year-old's horrific death at the hands of her rapists proved to be ...

Nanotechnology Expert Chad Mirkin Selected for Linus Pauling Medal Award

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:07:12 -0400

Northwestern University scientist Chad A. Mirkin has been selected to receive the 2013 Linus Pauling Medal Award from the Oregon, Portland and Puget Sound local sections of the American Chemical ...

Zayed Future Energy Prize Seeks to Enhance Submissions from African Clean Energy Sector for 2014

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:06:46 -0400

WAM ABU DHABI, May 21st, 2013 (WAM)-- As part of its outreach campaign to increase the number and quality of submissions from the African continent, the Zayed Future Energy Prize participated at the Clean Power Africa conference at African Utility Week in Cape Town, South Africa, from 14th - 15th May, 2013. Submissions for this year's edition are open until 5th August for all five ...

37 Killed as Massive Tornado Hits Oklahoma

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:43:18 -0400

A tornado with 320 kilometer-per-hour winds has killed at least 37 people and caused massive destruction in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma, destroying two schools and entire ...

Kosmos Comes Up Dry Onshore Cameroon

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:38:12 -0400

Kosmos Energy Ltd. said it failed to find commercial reservoirs at an exploration well onshore Cameroon, sending the oil-and-gas company's shares falling after hours. The Sipo-1 exploration well, drilled on the Ndian River Block in the Rio del Rey Basin, was targeting the Miocene Isongo Formation. Oil and gas shows evidenced during drilling indicated a working petroleum system, but no ...

Lebanese farmland firm to invest up to $800 million in Sudan

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:32:09 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 7:32am EDT * Arab firms lease farmland in Sudan to secure food for Gulf * Lebanon's GLB to invest up to $800 million in Sudan By Ulf Laessing KHARTOUM, May 21 (Reuters) - Lebanese farmland investor GLB Invest plans to invest up to $800 million in Sudan to produce animal feed to be sold to Saudi Arabia, its president said on Tuesday. Arab investors have launched farmland and ...

Nigerian military calls for civilian support

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:46 -0400

Authorities of the Nigerian Defense Headquaters (NDH) has solicited the cooperation of the civilian population to ensure the success of military operations in some part of the country.Chief of Defense Staff Adm. Ola Ibrahim made the call in a statement to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, adding that the cooperation was necessary to minimize friction.Ibrahim said the military seeks the cooperation ...

DR Congo army says in control of Muntaho in

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:37 -0400

After having repulsed the attacks from M23 rebels on Monday, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Armed Forces (FARDC) have asserted that they are in control of Muntaho locality in North-Kivu Province in the eastern part of DR Congo.The revelations were made to the press on Monday by colonel Olivier Hamuli, the FARDC military spokesman in North-Kivu Province.Hamuli revealed that M23 were ...

Etisalats Nigeria affiliate signs $1.2 billion loan

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:26:58 -0400

DUBAI | Tue May 21, 2013 7:26am EDT DUBAI May 21 (Reuters) - Etisalat's Nigeria affilate has signed a $1.2 billion loan with 13 Nigerian banks, the United Arab Emirates' No.1 telecom operator said on Tuesday. The medium-term facility will be used to refinance an existing $650 million loan and bolster Etisalat Nigeria's network, Etisalat said in a statement to the Abu Dhabi ...

Human Rights delegation meets in Morocco

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:26:20 -0400

Manama, May 21 (BNA) - Bahraini delegation led by Human Rights Affairs Minister Dr. Salah bin Ali Abdulrahman met with the inter-ministerial delegate in charge of human rights in the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr. Mahjoub Al-Hayba, in response to the invitation received from the Moroccan government to be familiar with the Moroccan experience in the field of human rights and to exchanging experiences in ...

Cross River State Rural Access and Mobility Project in Nigeria

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:24:57 -0400

Cross River State has an enviable history in Nigeria, yet until 2008, most rural roads were in poor, impassable conditions. They had a negative impact on the local economy, especially agricultural activities, with poor rural roads resulting in exorbitant vehicle operating costs and unquantifiable travel times. The situation was worse still in far-flung villages where logs of fallen trees often ...

AfDB Project Integrates Nomadic Peoples into Mainstream Education in Nigeria

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:24:56 -0400

Spanning at least 20 different countries across the African continent, nomadic peoples constitute about six per cent of the total African population, or some 50 million people. This large population, categorized into three major groups, as pastoralists, migrant fishing folks and farmers, has a common wandering lifestyle. Shrinking grazing lands, constant blocking of grazing paths, increasing ...

Tunisia says Sars-like virus killed elderly man

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:48 -0400

(21 mins ago) Tunisia's Health Ministry says a 66-year-old man has died after being infected with the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia. The ministry's statement reported that his son and daughter were also diagnosed with the virus but have been treated and since recovered, AP reports. The cases are the first for Tunisia and indicate that the virus is slowly trickling ...

South Africa Under pressure miners union demands 60 percent wage raise

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:11:16 -0400

South African employers are bracing themselves for the mother of strike seasons this year. As the end of May beckons, the country is braced for a series of employment negotiations, as sectoral wage contracts come under the spotlight.First to throw the gauntlet is the country's largest and richest trade union, the powerful, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which submitted its wage demands ...

Ex-Dolphin Chad Johnson bonds out of Broward jail | Video

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:11:16 -0400

Chad Johnson was jailed briefly Monday after he was accused of violating his probation on a domestic violence charge. Johnson, 35, pleaded no contest last year to a battery charge after his wife, reality TV ...

Ten South African miners hospitalised after chrome mine clash

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:09:49 -0400

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Ten striking miners at a chrome mine in South Africa were admitted to hospital after clashes with security guards, police said. "Ten miners were admitted to hospital. They were injured after security guards fired what are reported to be rubber bullets," police spokesman Thulani Ngubane said. He added that officers had arrived at the mine, owned by chemicals ...

Tunisia Man back from Saudi Arabia dies from coronavirus 2 children treated and recovered

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:09:31 -0400

TUNIS, Tunisia - Tunisia's Health Ministry says a 66-year-old man has died after being infected by the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia. The ministry's statement reported that his son and daughter were also diagnosed with the virus but have been treated and since recovered. The cases are the first for Tunisia and indicate that the virus is slowly trickling out of the ...

Nigeria Survey - 30 Percent of Girls Get Raped

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:52 -0400

At least three in 10 young girls have sex for the first time ever through rape, says a survey. The survey by Positive Action for Treatment Access (PATA) investigated reasons for high HIV prevalence and lower age of first sex among adolescents aged between 10 and 19 and found "forced sex was the third main reason for sexual debut" after love and peer pressure. More than 31.4% of girls, ...

Nigeria Passengers Stranded At Lagos Airport As Aviation Workers Begin Strike

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:51 -0400

Scores of air passengers were yesterday stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) as unions at the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) embarked on an indefinite strike. The workers, who spoke to our correspondent, said the strike was to press home their demand for the implementation of the salary structure approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. ...

Tanzania Tanzanian Elected Sacau Vice-Chairman

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:51 -0400

A TANZANIAN, Mr Salum Shamte has been elected Vice-Chairman of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). Mr Shamte who is also Chairman of the board of Directors of Agricultural Council of Tanzania was elected during the organisation's annual general meeting and will lead for a period of three years. Tanzania hosted this year's SACAU policy conference and its ...

Kenya ICT AVUs Integral Teaching and Learning Approach

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:51 -0400

For Africa to compete in the global economies, 12 -15 percent of its workforce need to have access to technical tertiary education. This was the opening remark by Dr. Bakary Diallo, Rector of the African Virtual University (AVU) during the African Virtual University Computer Science and Teacher Education Curriculum Design workshop at the Intercontinental Hotel, in Nairobi. At the end of this ...

Liberia Multi-Million Dollar Medical College in Sight

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:51 -0400

A former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Louis Sullivan has disclosed plans for the construction of a multi-million dollar medical college in Tappita, Nimba County. Dr. Sullivan who is also president emeritus of Moore House School of Medicine said his visit to Liberia is geared towards working with Doctor Karteh in the development of a medical college in the country. He ...

Kenya Strike On As County Pay Talks Collapse

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:51 -0400

The ongoing strike by county assemblies to force the Salaries and Remuneration Commission improve their salaries is expected to continue after the salary negotiation talks collapsed. The chairman of the the county assemblies speakers forum Nuh Nassir said they had been unable to reach a satisfactory compromise with the commission. "As we speak now, county assemblies remain adjourned until ...

Kenya Which Way for Kenyas Oil Sector

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:50 -0400

Nairobi - The National Oil Corporation of Kenya has kicked off a series of stakeholder talks on the future of oil and gas exploration and production in Kenya. The talks seek to inform policy making and the creation of institutional structures needed for effective management of the emerging petroleum upstream sector. National Oil has identified a number of topics in the areas of oil and gas ...

Rwanda Environment Projects Threatened By Financial Constraints

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:50 -0400

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), an international fund which among others sponsors projects in Rwanda, has warned that financial constraints might affect it programs. Based in Washington, GEF normally sponsors projects related to biodiversity, international water management systems, climate change, the ozone layer, land degradation, as well as persistent organic pollutants. During a ...

Africa Mbeki - Continent Can Solve Its Problems

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:50 -0400

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki said yesterday that Africans can solve the numerous problems affecting the continent without giving room for external interference which usually comes with interests. Mbeki, who stated this shortly after receiving the Daily Trust African of the Year 2012 Award at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja last night, said the success which the panel he led to ...

Kenya Asus Vivobook Laptop Is a Touch Above the Rest - Review

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:04:50 -0400

The first impression you get about the Asus VivoBook is how sleek and stable it looks despite its 1.8kg weight. The S400 notebook has a metallic finish on the top and a smooth velvet feel on the battery-pack side, making it comfortable to use. With an i7 Intel Core processor, the S400 is an upgrade of its predecessor, the core i3 S200 but still in the reasonably affordable range. The VivoBook ...

Afriforum opposes Zimbabwe helicopter deal

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:02:36 -0400

reported on the dea l in which the South African Defence Force (SANDF) is to donate Alouette III helicopters and spares to the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF). This afternoon Afriforum lodged an appeal at the North Gauteng High Court asking for an interim interdict prohibiting the defence force from delivering any helicopters or spares to the ZDF pending an application for a review of the decision ...

Seven Muslims Charged for Killing Buddhist Monk in Burma

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:34:31 -0400

A court in Burma has convicted seven Muslims for the killing of a Buddhist monk during deadly sectarian riots in a central town earlier this ...

Wave of Violence Continues in Iraq

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:34:31 -0400

New attacks in three Iraqi cities have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60 others. Officials say a suicide bombing followed by clashes between militants and Iraqi troops left three soldiers dead Tuesday in Tarmiyah, north of the capital, Baghdad. Farther north, two car bombs exploded in Tuz Khormato, killing three people, while car bombs in Kirkuk killed at least one ...

Nigerias military takes back five rebel strongholds

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:26:30 -0400

Several thousand troops were last week deployed across three states where Islamic insurgents seized territory in the volatile region, and fighter jets have pounded Boko Haram camps as the military tried to rid the country of "terrorist activities". The military has "secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo after destroying all the ...

Algeria ‘in limbo’ before polls

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:24:14 -0400

Before the president's latest illness, supporters within the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) had made known their desire to see him seek a fourth term in the election scheduled for next ...

China says its legal ivory trade not to blame for African poaching

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:23:52 -0400

21 May 2013 CHINA'S small traditional trade in carving uses ivory acquired through legal auctions and in no way encourages or worsens the problem of elephant poaching ...

Ghana’s Voter Register Appears Bloated

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:19:47 -0400

In Ghana today much of our political discourse has been reduced to a shouting match and who can make the most ridiculous pronouncements to an ever ready media overly absorbed by sensationalism. Amidst all the noise, however, certain truths or better still facts cannot be ignored. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) tables, as part of its contention, the notion that Ghana’s Electoral Commission ...

Ghana Beyond The Supreme Court

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:19:46 -0400

Arthur Kobina Kennedy What will happen when the Supreme Court rules in the election dispute? Will there be peace or violence? That we were a divided country before December ...

Toyota Ghana Supports Kaneshie Polyclinic

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:19:43 -0400

Takahiko Takabayashi (left) presenting the items to Mawutowu Kwesi Brese (right) with health officials. TOYOTA Ghana Company Limited has donated assorted items worth GH6,000 to the Kaneshie Polyclinic in Accra to refurbish the Tuberculosis and Human Immune Deficiency Virus Unit (TB/HIV). The items included 20 bags of cements, 20 packs of floor tiles, 10 gallons of oil and emulsion paint, a 32 ...

Tunisia’s premier vows action after unrest

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:08:47 -0400

Tunis - Tunisia's Islamist premier Ali Larayedh on Monday vowed tough action against Ansar al-Sharia after bloody clashes between police and members of the radical Salafist group, hinting at a shift in government ...

Security guards fire rubber bullets at South Africa strikers

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:07:18 -0400

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Security guards at a South African chrome mine owned by chemicals group Lanxess fired rubber bullets at stone-throwing workers on an illegal strike, a spokeswoman for the company said on ...

Zimbabwe Tsvangirai promises salary hikes ahead of polls

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:03:29 -0400

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai has revved his election drive, promising restive civil servants salaries that are at par with the private sector, once he comes into ...

Churches desecrated in Central African Republic Christians flee to countryside

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:02:23 -0400

In recent weeks, Islamist rebels who assumed power in the Central African Republic in March have kidnapped the rector of the cathedral in the nation's capital as well as the archdiocesan chancellor. Calling members of the new regime "religious extremists with evil intentions," Bishop Albert Vanbuel of Kaga-Bandoro decried "the deliberate program of desecration and destruction ...

South African bishops criticize police presence at private wedding

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:02:19 -0400

The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference has criticized "the deployment of the police flying squad and other elements of the security forces" and "the use of an air-force base by a privately-chartered jet" during a recent wedding of prominent Indian entrepreneurs. "The South African Police Services should busy itself with combating crime, for which there is ...

Death in Zimbabwe results in unusual charge against US government worker

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:01:57 -0400

This image released by U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., shows the damage to the car that allegedly hit and killed Alois Pedzisai Matyoramhinga in Zimbawbe. Unusual circumstances have left federal prosecutors pursuing vandalism charges against Andrew Pastirik, a U.S. government worker accused of killing the Zimbabwe man in a drunken driving collision. Much of the case against Pastirik is ...

Africa Africa Loses $50bn Annually to Illicit Fund Flow - Mbeki

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:57:20 -0400

The Chairman of the United Nations High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, Thabo Mbeki, has said that the continent loses, at least, $50 billion annually through illicit fund flows. Mr. Mbeki, a former President of South Africa, made the fact known in Abuja on Monday when he led a delegation of the UN panel on a courtesy visit to President Goodluck Jonathan. He said the panel ...

Libya Security Crisis Intensifies

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:57:20 -0400

Gunmen block a street near Libya's Ministry of Justice with military trucks in Tripoli (file photo). Tripoli - Libyan security services defused several car bombs and other explosives in the past two days, Prime Minister Ali Zidan said on Sunday (May 19th). The prime minister's press conference came in the wake of a string of bombings in both Benghazi and Tripoli. The attacks ...

Zimbabwe Mining Firms to Engage Govt