{jcomments on}OMAR, BXL, AGNEWS, le 12 juillet 2010 — Bomb blasts ripped through two separate bars packed with soccer fans watching the World Cup final in the Ugandan capital Kampala late Sunday, killing dozens of people, including an American, police said Monday.

 

 

BURUNDI :

RWANDA

Rwanda takes over chair of COMESA Fund
www.busiweek.com/EABW REPORTER/ Monday, 12 July 2010

Kigali – Rwanda has taken over the chair of the COMESA Fund from Mauritius.Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr John Rwangombwa, now chairs the fund. Rwanda won the chair at the 5th COMESA Fund Ministerial Meeting in Kigali, on June 30..

It was preceded by the 9th meeting of the Technical Committee of the COMESA Fund.

The COMESA Fund with two different windows infrastructure and adjustment facility was established to facilitate integration, and mobilise resources for development projects in member states.

Rwangombwa told the press he will mobilize increased membership of the Fund among Member States pointing out that not all the 19 members have joined.

“One of my priorities will be increasing membership, and to ensure that we come up with projects that will enhance regional integration,” he said. The fund has a functional adjustment facility that addresses costs that may arise from implementing
regional integration measures. The adjustment facility has taken off well and last year Rwanda and Burundi became the first countries to benefit from the facility.

They received Euro 10.3 Million and Euro 4.4 respectively, equivalent to 65% of the anticipated loss of revenue for June 2009- July 2010 as a result of the alignment of their tariff structures to those of the EA Community Common External Tariff within
the Customs Union.

Rwangombwa said this year Rwanda will carry out an assessment of the revenue loss to claim the remaining 35 percent compensation from the Fund.

The fund has a facility intended to mobilise resources for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure, and for addressing some of the limited productive capacity of member states

“Identifying the key infrastructure projects that are required to deepen regional integration is also a priority,” Rwangombwa said

UGANDA

Twin bombings in Uganda leave dozens dead
From Times Wire Services/mobile.latimes.com/7/12/2010

KAMPALA, Uganda– Bomb blasts ripped through two separate bars packed with soccer fans watching the World Cup final in the Ugandan capital Kampala late Sunday, killing dozens of people, including an American, police said Monday.

The deadliest attack occurred at a rugby club as people watched the game between Spain and the Netherlands on a large-screen TV outdoors. The second blast took place at an Ethiopian restaurant, where at least three Americans were wounded.

“At this moment we can confirm that one American has been killed,” U.S. Embassy public affairs officer Joan Lockard said.

There was some initial confusion over the total number of dead, with reports as high as 64.

Kampala’s police chief said he believed Somalia’s most feared militant group, al- Shabab, could be responsible for the attack. Al-Shabab is known to have links with Al Qaeda, and it counts militant veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan
conflicts among its ranks.

A head and legs were found at the rugby club, suggesting a suicide bomber may have been to blame, an Associated Press reporter at the scene said.

At least three Americans — part of a church group from Pennsylvania — were wounded at the Ethiopian restaurant. One was Kris Sledge, 18, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

“I remember blacking out, hearing people screaming and running,” Sledge said from the hospital. His right leg was wrapped and he had burns on his face. “I love the place here but I’m wondering why this happened and who did this … At this point
we’re just glad to be alive.”

At the scenes of the two blasts, blood and pieces of flesh littered the floor among overturned chairs.

Heavily armed police cordoned off both blast sites and searched the areas with sniffer dogs while dazed survivors helped pull the wounded away from the wreckage.

Reveling one minute in the dying moments of the final between Spain and Netherlands, the bombings left shocked survivors standing among corpses and scattered chairs.

“We were watching soccer here and then when there were three minutes to the end of the match an explosion came … and it was so loud,” witness Juma Seiko said outside the Kampala Rugby Club.

In Mogadishu, Somalia, Sheik Yusuf Sheik Issa, an al-Shabab commander, said early Monday that he was happy with the attacks in Uganda. Issa refused to confirm or deny that al-Shabab was responsible.

“Uganda is one of our enemies. Whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. May Allah’s anger be upon those who are against us,” he said.

On Sunday, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the U.S. was prepared to provide any necessary assistance to the Ugandan government.

“The president is deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks, and sends his condolences to the people of Uganda and the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured,” Vietor said.

Twin coordinated attacks have been a hallmark of Al Qaeda and groups linked to Osama bin Laden’s militant network.

Police said it was possible those behind the attacks on the Ethiopian Village and rugby club were targeting foreigners.

Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia in 2006 to oust an Islamist movement from Mogadishu. That sparked the Islamist insurgency which still rages.

Uganda, east Africa’s third-largest economy, is attracting billions of dollars of foreign investment, especially in its oil sector and government debt markets, after two decades of relative stability.

But investors in Uganda and neighbouring Kenya, which shares a largely porous border with Somalia, often cite the threat from Islamic militants as a serious concern.

“The information we have indicates the people who have attacked the Ethiopian Village were probably targeting expatriates,” Kayihura said.

“We have evil-minded characters who have been warning us, like the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces), al Shabab and the Lord’s Resistance Army.”

The Lord’s Resistance Army waged a two-decade-old war in northern Uganda before crossing into Sudan and further afield into central Africa. In May, Uganda said the ADF could be regrouping along the western border with the Democratic Republic of
Congo.

On Saturday, Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed told Reuters he was worried by the growing number of foreign jihadists joining the ranks of Islamic insurgents and said they posed a growing threat to regional security.

Regional allies are preparing to send an extra 2,000 peacekeepers to Somalia, bringing the total number of African Union troops to around 8,100. Al Shabaab responded by urging Muslims to join a jihad and pledged to attack before being
attacked.

Uganda: We May Delay But Shall Not Fail in Karamoja – Gen. Nyakairima
Risdel Kasasira/The Monitor/12 July 2010

interview

As the focus remains on Karamoja, alleged widespread human rights abuse by soldiers and the Army’s conduct of the disarmament exercise, some journalists were this week embedded with the troops and are currently travelling around parts of the sub- region. Risdel Kasasira caught a moment with Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima. Excerpts:-

What would you call UPDF achievements in Karamoja in the context of disarmament and restoring sanity?

There are many parameters to show great improvement in the region. One; the enduring parameter is the security in neighbouring communities.

As long as the people of Sironko, Bukwo and Sebei can have peace, then that’s achievement number one. There were camps that had existed for 25 years in Teso because of [armed] cattle rustling but they are no more. You can go to Lango, Teso
and investigate this. People will tell you, there is peace. Parameter number two, is the safety on roads. Karamoja roads had completely closed but now, you drive from Moroto to Soroti without seeing any gun. All Justice Law and Order elements have
been established in Karamoja. You have prisons, police, and courts operating. This had never happened before.

The nearest magistrate’s court to Karamoja was in Mbale. But as we sit here now, the courts are sitting and trying suspects arrested by police, which had never happened. Previously, you would hear humanitarian agencies, development partners leaving this place because of insecurity on the roads but all roads leading to and out of Karamoja are secure and open.

Some years back, the only government face in Karamoja was UPDF. However, schools have been built. We have 14 secondary boarding schools.

The installation of medical facilities is going on. We have divided Karamoja into two parts for us to easily stop the raids and the proliferation of small and light weapons. We now have North East Karamoja under the watch 5 Division because the area
was too big to be under 3 Division alone. Under this area, we have sealed-off the routes at the border with Southern Sudan to stop the Topotha and Didinga from bringing in guns. We seal the borders to make sure that there is no or less inflow
of guns and recover those that are already in the hands on these criminals. I can confidently tell you that Karamoja will soon start exporting food to Kenya.

Ultimately, what would be the final solution to this problem of armed cattle rustling?

I can say: take away the gun, take away the gun and take away the gun from the region. If there is no gun, there will be peace. Naturally, what follows peace is development because peace is a permanent ally of development. No gun means
development. Less guns means more children going to school, it means business and investment in the area. Government is not doing disarmament alone, there are other programmes going on. What I can guarantee Ugandans is that UPDF efforts in the
region to bring peace are irreversible. If we had not been delayed by the Lord’s Resistance Army, if we had not been delayed by UPA of Peter Otai, if we had not been delayed by Alice Lakwena and ADF — all supported externally, the remaining guns in
Karamoja would have been taken away.

Is the army facing geographical challenges like terrain and weather in the region?

No, no, no. we, who have been fighting in Rwenzori Mountains, Imatong Hills [in south Sudan], Napak Hills [in Karamoja] cannot be a problem. This is our terrain, we know it; it cannot be a problem to us. We can delay in ending this hooliganism but
we cannot fail to end.

Does it make security sense, as the President recently directed, to recruit and arm Local Defence Units from a group of people who have a history of rustling?

Everything has its own time. But this time, they are going through real training in political education, marksmanship and others. They will be under strict and robust command and control of UPDF. It will be teamwork and I’m confident that they will
come out of training better and changed. Intelligence will be tracking them down. We will train a limited number of LDUs to complement UPDF operations to complete the mission. I want to assure the neighbouring communities that there should not be any fear because they will be working under UPDF. Before they are recruited, there will be vetted by our own. They will train with our soldiers and they will eventually be part of the mission. We want to give confidence to the neighbours [of Karamoja] that
none of these LDUs will disturb them.

There have been allegations that soldiers are not vigilant at night when rustlers commit the crimes?

No. That is not true. The soldiers are alert 24 hours. If they are doing that, let the warriors attack them. That’s not true because soldiers are required to operate 24 hours.

Say something about the regional efforts to end the proliferation of small and light weapons?

For us, we are doing part to make sure that Karamoja is free of the gun. We coordinate with Kenyan authorities on the other side of the border. But recently during the meeting of Defence Forces Council, the Commander-in-Chief, said we should
look for “medicine” to this problem, which is stop inflow of the guns which has tremendously reduced. When 10 guns come in, we recover eight. When five come in, we recover three. With reduced inflow and constant disarmament, the gun in Karamoja
will be history.

A final word on the strategy to pacify Karamoja?

We are not doing disarmament alone. There are other government programmes going on. Recently, the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister was here to tour 13 schools funded in collaboration with Uganda and Irish government. Water scarcity, which has been an endless debate, is being fixed. Government has constructed a dam with capacity of 10 million litres of water.

The other day [Uganda Peoples Congress deputy chairman for national mobilisation David] Pulkol was saying that the president abandoned Karamoja when LRA attacked Teso. I don’t know whether he wanted Kony to continue killing.

Q&A: Who are Somalia’s al-Shabab?
Monday, 12 July 2010/news.bbc.co.uk

Islamist insurgents from Somalia’s al-Shabab group are suspected of carrying out twin attacks on people watching the World Cup final in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, which have left at least 64 people dead.
Who are al-Shabab?

Al-Shabab is a group of hardline Islamists which has admitted having links to al- Qaeda. There are numerous reports of foreign jihadists going to Somalia to help al- Shabab.

It emerged from other Islamist militant groups who have been fighting in Somalia since 2006.

They want to impose a strict version of Sharia law in Somalia, where they control most of the south and centre of the country, while the fragile UN-backed government only runs a few parts of the capital, Mogadishu.

In areas under al-Shabab control, the group has carried out punishments such as stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves.

Why would al-Shabab attack Uganda?

Although there is no proof yet of al-Shabab involvement, there are several reasons to believe they could be involved.

Ugandan troops provide the bulk of the 5,000 African Union peacekeepers who are the only reason Somalia’s government has not been driven out of Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab has previously threatened to stage revenge attacks inside Uganda.

Just last week, the African Union agreed to boost its presence in Somalia with an extra 2,000 troops. Uganda said it would bolster its troop numbers – but only if it was allowed to have a stronger mandate, allowing it to carry the fight to al-Shabab.

The UN is considering taking over the peacekeeping mission in Somalia but few countries have volunteered to send their troops to the lawless nation.

Such an attack would also serve as a powerful reminder of the dangers involved to any countries considering sending troops to Somalia.

Furthermore, one of the targets in Uganda was the Ethiopian Village restaurant. Ethiopian troops ousted a previous incarnation of al-Shabab from power in Mogadishu and installed the UN-backed government there.

If al-Shabab involvement is confirmed, the authorities in Burundi – the other country which has sent AU peacekeepers to Somalia – and Kenya – seen as closely allied to the Somali government and with a large ethnic Somali population – would no
doubt be very worried.

Last week, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula warned that East Africa was vulnerable to terror attacks by Somali insurgents.

What is happening in Somalia?

Somalia is pretty much a failed state. It has not had an effective national government for about 20 years, during which much of the country has been a constant war-zone.

This has made it fairly easy for al-Qaeda to establish links with local Islamist groups.

There are reports of terror training camps in Somalia while foreign jihadists are believed to have travelled to Somalia to help al-Shabab.

Previous terror attacks in East Africa have had links to Somalia.

The 2002 twin attacks on Israeli targets near the Kenyan resort of Mombasa were allegedly planned in Somalia by an al-Qaeda cell, while the US believes some of the al-Qaeda operatives who carried out the 1998 attacks on its embassies in Nairobi and
Dar es Salaam then fled to Somalia.
 

Uganda could feed EAC if WB $120m utilised effectively
Monday, 12 July 2010/www.busiweek.com

DAVID MUWANGA

KAMPALA,UGANDA- The country could become the food basket for the East African region if the funds provided by the World Bank and other development partners are used effectively.

The bank’s board of executive directors recently approved a $120m International Development Association (IDA) credit to increase agricultural productivity and incomes of participating households in Uganda.

Over 2.5m Ugandan farmers are expected to access more services from the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) and new products to be developed by the national research organisation.

However media reports last week quoted President Yoweri Museveni saying he suspended the NAADS programme after it was discovered that officials were misusing the money.

But the five-year Agricultural Technology and Agribusiness Advisory Services Project (ATAAS) supported by the World Bank will also benefit from a $7.2m Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant to address land degradation and climate risk
issues.

The bank’s financing is only part of the larger total project cost amounting to $665.5m, of which the bulk of $497.3m will be contributed by the government.

The remaining $41m will be financed through development partners including International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which will contribute $14m, $20m from the EU and $7m from the Danish International Development Agency (Danida).

World Bank Uganda Country Manager Kundhavi Kadiresan said the project represents the next step in the bank’s long-standing engagement in the agriculture sector in Uganda which is among the top five priority sectors for public investment under the
National Development Plan (NDP).

“Over 1.7m Ugandans are expected to benefit from this project directly, and an additional 850,000 indirectly, making this operation of key importance for the structural transformation of the economy through value addition, export growth, and
employment,” she said in a statement issued last week.

Over the past 18 years, the World Bank, through the IDA has invested in and provided technical support for the institutional development of National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and tNAADS.

This project seeks to further improve performance of agricultural research and advisory services that would contribute to increased agricultural productivity in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner.

“Uganda is increasingly seen as a potential breadbasket for East Africa and this project is very timely because it coincides with regional integration initiatives,” said Madhur Gautam, World Bank Task Team Leader for the Project.

“If Ugandan farmers can increase the quantity of their agricultural produce and address quality issues, they can tap into the East African market and raise greater revenues,” he explained.

TANZANIA:

Tanzania ruling party backs president for 2nd term
(AFP)/12072010

DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzania’s ruling party has endorsed incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete to run for a second term in an election this year.

The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM – Revolutionary Party) held a conference in the commercial capital Dodoma on Sunday.

Delegates chose Mohamed Gharib Bilal, a former chief minister in the semi-autonomous Zanzibar island, to be Kikwete’s running mate in the October 31 election.

“My priorities include economic development, delivery of better education and health services as well as good governance,” said Kikwete, who will seek his second and final term in office.

Current vice president Ali Mohamed Shein was chosen to run for president in Zanzibar. The October election will be Tanzania’s fourth since the re-introduction of multi-party politics in 1992.
 

Tanzania likely to delay free labour movement — EAC
Monday, 12 July 2010/thecitizen.co.tz/By Zephania Ubwani

Tanzania may not open its doors for free movement of capital and labour instantly under the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol which came into force on July 1 this year.

The second largest economy in EA is likely to delay the implementation of provisions of the protocol on free movement of labour and capital to a later date. EAC secretary-general Juma Mwapachu said Tanzania’s position should not be seen as
compromising its commitment to the EA integration process.

Under Article 24 of the protocol, EAC partner states are required to remove restrictions among them on the movement of capital belonging to persons resident in the community.

Upon coming into force of the protocol, member countries are also required to remove any discrimination on the nationality or on the place of residence of the persons or on the place where the capital is invested.

Restrictions relating to payments connected with the movement of goods, persons, services or capital between the partner states have also to be removed.

But Mr Mwapachu said Tanzania and Burundi would have to delay the implementation of the free movement of capital segment of the protocol because the two states were yet to liberalise their capital accounts.

Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have opened up their capital accounts while Tanzania and Burundi expect to do so between this year and 2015.He said Kenya and Rwanda had spearheaded the free labour movement by eliminating work permits between them.

In the case of Rwanda, the elimination of work permits is extended to all citizens of the EAC partner states. Unlike all its four fellow countries in the bloc, Tanzania would not allow recruitment of foreign workers instantly.

Implementation would be in process ranging from July 1 to 2015 and would only involve the professionals, technicians and associate professionals.For Kenya, doors will be opened for the managers professionals, technicians and associate professionals and craft and related trades workers from today.

Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda were expected to do the same from July 1although for Burundi, which joined EAC in 2007 alongside Rwanda, the list would initially be restricted to the professionals. Mr Mwapachu lauded Kenya and Rwanda
for scrapping work permits among their nationals.

He said with the protocol having been enforced, Tanzania and Burundi have committed themselves to allowing free movement of capital in phases and not instantly like three other partner states.

He said the consolidation of regional economic blocs had always been a process and that it was no wonder implementation of the EAC Common Market protocol would be undertaken “in a progressive manner”.He cited the UK which had refused to abandon its currency for euro overnight and France which is yet to allow free movement of labourers into its territory fearing its nationals would lose jobs.

CONGO RDC :

Judges Issue Warning To Prosecutors As Lubanga’s ICC Trial Is Halted
By Wairagala Wakabi/www.lubangatrial.org/July 12, 2010

This week saw judges at the war crimes trial of Thomas Lubanga suspending the proceedings and declaring that they would issue warnings to senior officials of the Office of The Prosecutor (OTP) for misconduct before the court.

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday halted the proceedings in the trial of the former Congolese rebel leader, citing abuse of the court’s process. The judges also said they planned to send a formal warning to senior OTP officials
“for a deliberate refusal to implement our unequivocal orders”.

When presiding judge Adrian Fulford asked Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda who the warning should be addressed to, she said it should be to herself and ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

According to the judges, the immediate cause of the stay of proceedings was the prosecution’s “unequivocal refusal to implement the repeated orders” made by judges for the disclosure of the identity of ‘intermediary 143’ to the defense.

The individual referred to as ‘intermediary 143’ worked as an agent of prosecution investigators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in identifying persons who testified against Mr. Lubanga. In hesitating to comply with the judges’ orders,
prosecution staff yesterday submitted that revealing the identity of ‘intermediary 143’ before protective measures were put in place for him would have put his life at risk.

“The evidence that has come out demonstrates that there is a risk in Bunia that you can be killed, or one can be killed if the Hema community considers you to be a traitor, and the persons who are witnesses against Lubanga or who assist witnesses
against Lubanga are regarded as traitors,” Sara Criscitelli, the prosecution coordinator, told judges on Wednesday.

However, on the same day the judges ruled twice that they did not have reason to believe that ‘intermediary 143’ would be in danger if his identity were revealed to the defense team, including their “resource person” based in Congo, and to no one
else.

Prosecutors said the intermediary needed to be relocated and for other protective measures to be offered to him before it was safe to reveal his name, even to the few people the judges had proscribed.

“It is the duty of the Office of The Prosecutor, as well as the court, to protect persons who may be at risk because of interaction with the court, and that is a fundamental, absolute duty of protection,” argued Criscitelli. “It’s not flexible.
It’s not one that can be weighed against other factors.”

While announcing the stay of proceedings on Thursday, judge Fulford said the prosecution had declined to obey the order issued by judges.

He said that the court would on July 15, 2010 hear submissions regarding the continued detention of Mr. Lubanga, who has been held in The Hague by the ICC since March 2006. He added that the judges were ready to receive an application from
prosecutors for appeal of the stay of proceedings decision.

Otherwise, Judge Fulford stated, proceedings against Mr. Lubanga were being halted in their entirety. “There are to be no filings, no submissions, no applications on any issues other than those which I have just indicated,” judge Fulford said,
referring to the readiness of judges to receive application for leave of appeal and regarding Mr. Lubanga’s continued detention.

“That means that the court officer currently in the DRC should return. We do not propose to hear any further evidence. Witness 38 should receive our apologies if he has been inconvenienced as should the other witnesses whose evidence we had intended
to hear by way of a video link,” Judge Fulford stated.

Mr. Lubanga, whom prosecutors allege was the founder of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), is accused of enlisting, conscripting and using child soldiers in armed conflict during 2002 and 2003. The ICC’s prosecutors also charge that Mr.
Lubanga was the commander-in-chief of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC), an armed group allied to the UPC which used child soldiers in inter- ethnic fighting in Congo.

Mr. Lubanga’s trial started on January 26, 2009, with the prosecution resting its case on July 14, 2009. The defense case started on January 29 this year, its opening having been delayed as judges considered an application from representatives of
victims taking part in the trial for inhumane treatment and sexual crimes to be added to Mr. Lubanga’s charge sheet.

Mr. Lubanga’s defense has claimed that prosecution intermediaries bribed and coached witnesses to provide false testimony to court. This prompted judges to order prosecutors to produce two intermediaries to testify, and to disclose the identity
of ‘intermediary 143’. Three prosecution investigators have also been ordered to take the witness stand although none has appeared yet.

Mr. Lubanga’s defense has indicated in recent days that it was on the verge of filing an application for judges to consider throwing out the case against Mr. Lubanga, on the grounds of the abuse of process perpetuated by the intermediaries.

In their written decision on Thursday, judges stated that they were at the time hearing evidence on the allegation that the prosecution knowingly employed, or made use of, intermediaries who influenced individuals to give false testimony, thereby
abusing its powers. “Failure to disclose information which is relevant for the examination of witnesses testifying in this context is likely to be relevant to [the] defense abuse [of process] application,” stated judges Adrian Fulford, Elizabeth Odio Benito, and René Blattmann.

The judges stated that the prosecution had declined to be checked by judges. In these circumstances, it was necessary to stay the proceedings as an abuse of the process of the court because of the material non-compliance with the judge’s orders
of July 7, 2010 related to disclosure of the identity of ‘intermediary 143’.

“Whilst these circumstances endure, the fair trial of the accused is no longer possible, and justice cannot be done, not least because the judges will have lost control of a significant aspect of the trial proceedings as provided under the Rome
Statute framework,” the judges stated.

The defense said on Tuesday that it could not proceed with the cross-examination of ‘intermediary 321’ if were unaware of the identity of ‘intermediary 143’.

Next Thursday the judges will hear submissions about whether Mr. Lubanga should be released.

KENYA :

Twin blasts kill scores of World Cup watchers in Uganda
By Sudarsan Raghavan/Washington Post Staff Writer /Monday, July 12, 2010

NAIROBI — Two explosions, minutes apart, tore through two venues in the Ugandan capital where crowds were watching television broadcasts of the World Cup final late Sunday, killing at least 64 and wounding scores, Ugandan police said. At least one American was killed and several wounded, according to the U.S. Embassy in Kampala.

The bombings unfolded at a rugby club and at an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala where hundreds of boisterous and cheering soccer fans, including clusters of foreigners, had gathered to watch Spain beat Netherlands in the final in South Africa.

Ugandan Police Chief Kale Kaihura immediately pointed blame at Somalia’s al-Shabab, a hard-line militia with growing ties to al-Qaeda that has perpetrated several bombings in recent months in Somalia. But as of early Monday, no group had claimed responsibility for the attacks in a city widely considered to be among the safest on the continent.

Last week, the militia’s top leader, Mukhtar Abdurahman Abu Zubeyr, accused African Union peacekeeping forces in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, of committing “massacres” against Somalis. Ugandan and Burundian troops comprise the peacekeeping force. Abu Zubeyr warned that his forces would take revenge against the peoples of Uganda and Burundi.

Uganda, a key U.S. ally, is also a training ground for soldiers for Somalia’s transitional government, which al-Shabab is seeking to overthrow. The training program is backed by the United States and European nations. The United States officially considers al-Shabab a terrorist organization.

The militia, which seeks to create an Islamic emirate and has imposed Taliban-like dictates, has banned playing soccer in many areas and prohibited broadcasts of the World Cup, describing the sport as “a satanic act” that corrupts Muslims.

If the militia carried out Sunday’s attacks, the bombings would represent a significant escalation in its efforts to sow chaos in the region. The militia controls much of southern and central Somalia. In recent months, it has staged cross-border raids into neighboring Kenya, but it has never attacked another nation on a scale seen on Sunday. Nevertheless, Somalia’s neighbors have long feared that Somalia’s civil war could spill across their borders.

Foreign jihadists trained in Afghanistan are gaining influence inside al-Shabab and inspiring the militants to import al-Qaeda’s ideology and tactics from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to Somali intelligence officials, former al-Shabab fighters and analysts. Last month, two New Jersey men were arrested in New York and charged with planning to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabab.

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the United States was prepared to assist the Ugandan government in any manner, as both President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the attacks and offered their condolences.

“The United States stands with Uganda,” Clinton said. “We have a long-standing, close friendship with the people and government of Uganda and will work with them to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.”

 

Man shot, as Kenya by-election begins
Written By:Ann Mburu/KNA /www.kbc.co.ke/ Mon, Jul 12, 2010

Matuga constituents are currently voting to elect their representative in Parliament.

The residents Monday morning turned up at the 101 polling centres that opened at 6am to cast their votes.

Four candidates, Chirau Ali Mwakwere of PNU, ODM’s Hassan Mwanyoha, United Democratic Movement’s Kassim Tandaza and Labour Party of Kenya candidate Isaac
Mutula are battling it out for the seat.

Tension is high in the area after a former Malindi councillor was shot and his four -wheel car set ablaze by unknown people.

The civic leader who was shot in the leg was rushed to Palm beach hospital. Another councillor is reportedly missing after he was attacked at Shimba hills.

According to Kwale nominated Councillor Fatuma Salim, they were on their way to Kwale town when they were attacked.

The incident occurred at 2am at Kwale junction along the Likoni-Lungalunga road.

Kwale OCPD Richard Muguai confirmed the incident and said police had launched investigations into the incident. Security has been tightened following the incident.

Despite the attacks, Mwakwere who cast his vote at 9.30am at Ziwani primary school said he is hopeful that he will recapture the seat.

His opponent Hassan Mwanyoha voted at around 7.45am at Msufini in tiwi ward. Voting closes at 5pm.

The seat fell vacant after Mr Mwakwere lost an election petition filed by voter Juma Mwakwesi.

The election of Mr Mwakwere who was the Transport Minister was annulled after the High Court found that the 2007 election was marred by electoral irregularities.

ANGOLA :

4000 Angolans get exemption
By Charles Tjatindi/ www.southerntimesafrica.com/12-07-2010

Windhoek – Namibia will exempt over 4 000 Angolan nationals from usual citizenship requirements and grant them Namibian citizenship.According to a media release from Cabinet, the group will be granted citizenship by way of naturalisation after having been granted permanent residence permits.

Cabinet instructed the ministry of home affairs to exempt a group of 4 949 Angolan nationals from normal citizenship requirements after it found that the group – which came to Namibia in the period between 1930 and 1977 , would be unable to satisfy
some of the requirements of applications.

Initially, cabinet sought to grant the group permanent residency in Namibia as an interim measure while their applications for Namibian citizenship was being considered. The ministry however found the process to be futile as it would not help
the group, of which 2 273 are unemployed elderly, to access social grants as such grants are only applicable to Namibian citizens.

The Immigration Control Act, No.7 of 1993, requires an applicant o submit a police clearance certificate stating that he has not committed any criminal offence in his country of origin.

It also transpired that due to the economic status of most of the applicants, they were unable to pay the N$12 173 required for the documents. Similarly, the Angolan government does not have records of these people.

a large number of Angolans came to Namibia during the said period and largely include those of pension age, and have since settled within communities living along the Namibia/Angola border due to family ties, cultural and customs linkages.

The ministry of home affairs will accord the group unconditional exemption from requirements of the Immigration Control Act, Act No.7 of 1993, which would imply that they won’t be required to provide police clearance or pay the stipulated amount
of N$12 173.

Cabinet also directed the ministry of labour and social welfare to make budgetary provision of N$ 17 718 million annually from 2010/2011 financial year onwards to allow the payment of pension grants for the group.

SOUTH AFRICA:

AngloGold, BHP, Sasol, Telkom: South Africa Equity Preview
July 12, 2010/Bloomberg/By Ron Derby

July 12 (Bloomberg) — The following is a list of companies whose shares may be active in South Africa. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names, and prices are from the last close.

South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index rose for a fourth day, climbing 211.12, or 0.8 percent, to 27,272.31.

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (ANG SJ): The world’s third-largest gold producer said a government-ordered suspension on some production at its Tau Lekoa mine in South Africa remained in place after an accident on July 8.

Separately, gold declined in Asia on speculation that investor demand for the precious metal is slowing on signs that the global economic recovery is strengthening. AngloGold climbed 5.48 rand, or 1.8 percent, to 312.18 rand.

Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. (APN SJ): Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd., the Australian drug company that has lost more than half its market value this year, said it wants Aspen to improve its takeover offer, a week after the South African suitor cut its bid. Africa’s largest drugmaker gained for a fourth day, increasing 35 cents, or 0.5 percent, to 77.20 rand.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (BIL SJ): Rio Tinto Group, the world’s third-largest mining company, said “resource nationalism” may spread as governments around the world seek to boost their share of mining profits, potentially constraining supply. BHP, the largest mining company, advanced 4.77 rand, or 2.3 percent, to 213.27 rand. Anglo American Plc (AGL SJ), which makes up 10 percent of South Africa’s benchmark stock index, rose 2.15 rand, or 0.8 percent, to 279.15 rand.

Sasol Ltd. (SOL SJ): Oil fell in New York for the first time in four days as traders sold contracts to lock in gains following a rally to a one-week high above $76 a barrel. Sasol, the world’s biggest maker of motor fuel from coal, gained 1.10 rand, or 0.4 percent, to 281.40 rand.

Telkom South Africa Ltd. (TKG SJ): Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on Africa’s largest fixed-line operator to “equal-weight” from “overweight” and reduced its share-price estimate to 38 rand from 60 rand after Morgan Stanley lowered its fiscal 2011 earnings estimate for Telkom by 31 percent. Telkom slid 6 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 37.60 rand.

The following shares begin trading without the rights to their latest dividends:

Fairvest Property Ltd. (FVT SJ), Famous Brands Ltd. (FBR SJ), ISA Holdings Ltd. (ISA SJ), Medi-Clinic Corp. Ltd. (MDC SJ), Telkom SA Ltd. (TKG SJ) and Tongaat Hulett Ltd. (TON SJ).

Shares or American depositary receipts of the following South African companies closed as follows:

Anglo American Plc (AAUKY US) rose 0.1 percent to $18.37. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (AU US) increased 0.7 percent to $40.96. BHP Billiton Ltd. (BBL US) gained 1 percent to $56.38. DRDGold Ltd. (DROOY US) rallied 1.4 percent to $4.34. Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI US) advanced 1.4 percent to $13.12. Harmony Gold Mining Co. (HMY US) added 0.8 percent to $10.58. Impala Platinum Holdings (IMPUY US) climbed 0.8 percent to $24.50. Sappi Ltd. (SPP US) increased 0.7 percent to $4.28. Sasol Ltd. (SSL US) rose 0.3 percent to $37.62.

–With assistance by Janice Kew in Johannesburg. Editors: Ana Monteiro, Paul Richardson.

 

World Cup in South Africa concludes as a success, ends with 1-0 Spain victory over the Netherlands
www.nydailynews.com/Filip Bondy/Monday, July 12th 2010

After far too many clumsy finishes, the more elegant soccer team won. Better still, Andres Iniesta spared us all the debacle of a scoreless championship match that might have driven the sport’s defenders here in America deep underground for another
four years.

Iniesta went far post with a right-footed rocket, just four minutes from the end of extra time. Spain walked off with its 1-0 victory over Holland Sunday, and we can now reflect on a World Cup that made considerable history even as it shed its
biggest stars and best plot lines along the way.

There was a lot to like about this tournament in South Africa, though much of it occurred long before the frustrating final.

In that last match, it was hard Sunday to watch and not scold these players with a bit of coaching advice: “Just chip the ball!” A simple flick upward from the foot of either Arjen Robben or Cesc Fabregas on outright breakaways would have ended things
much earlier. Instead, these men kept blasting away, never quite clearing the flailing feet of desperate goalkeepers.

That is now all water under the parched savannas. Spain not only won its first title, it also set two other precedents: It became the first European team to win the trophy at a non-European World Cup, and the first side to capture the championship after dropping its first match.

All fine and good, a well-earned celebration for a nation that has played pretty, fleet, possession soccer for as long as anybody can remember. But really the Spaniards are not the whole tale of this Cup, only the ending.

Before this, we had the U.S. side, battling two officiating errors to win its group over vaunted England, advancing on that 11th-hour, added-time goal by Landon Donovan.

We had the early brilliance of Brazil and Argentina, featuring the very best players in the world performing fancy ball tricks.

We had the run of little Uruguay, and its genius attacking midfielder (or withdrawn forward) Diego Forlan, who Sunday was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Now, there is a man who can chip the ball.

And most of all, we had the host, South Africa, which pulled off a tournament that many once thought was headed for disaster. As recently as a few months ago, organizing committee CEO Danny Jordaan was still trying to convince skeptics his
World Cup would, in fact, be held with no major setbacks or delays.

“Wherever I go, people ask, ‘Is the World Cup really going to happen?'” Jordaan said. “I thought it was important for me to answer the public with a resounding ‘Yes.’ It will happen, and it will happen very, very well. You will see it with
crowds and with an atmosphere that will rival any competition we’ve seen.”

Then he delivered. That is not to say this was the best World Cup ever. The venues were far apart and mass transit was sometimes nonexistent. The airfares and hotel prices were exorbitant, bordering on ripoffs. And there was a haunting whisper in
the background, reminding tourists that these giant stadiums were not really the right answer to the economic, racial and political problems facing South Africa.

Yet there is much to be said for the image makeover that took place. Too many people believed for too long that the continent of Africa was incapable of staging such a grand event, demanding both infrastructure and security.

South Africa managed just fine, even if the players on the field did not always provide enough goals or thrills. This will be remembered as an ordinary World Cup on the field, and an extraordinary tournament outside the arenas.

Brazil is next in 2014, and in December, FIFA’s executive committee will decide whether America gets another slice of this adventure, possibly in 2022.

It’s a lot of trouble to go through, considering these matches sometimes produce all of one goal in 120 minutes. In South Africa Monday, or in Spain, they will tell us it’s worth every headache.
fjbondy@netscape.net

AFRICA / AU :

Uganda bombings kill at least 64 people watching World Cup final at club, restaurant
Monday, July 12, 2010/www.nj.com

KAMPALA, Uganda — Explosions tore through crowds watching the World Cup final at a rugby club and an Ethiopian restaurant, killing at least 64 people. Police feared an al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group was behind the attacks, as Uganda’s president declared today “we shall get them wherever they are.”

The blasts came two days after a commander with the Somali group, al-Shabab, called for militants to attack sites in Uganda and Burundi, two nations that contribute troops to the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.

A California-based aid group said one of its American workers was among the dead. Police said Ethiopian, Indian and Congolese nationals were also among the injured and dead, police said.

Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot said today there were indications that two suicide bombers took part in the late Sunday attacks, which left nearly 60 others wounded.

Blood and pieces of flesh littered the floor among overturned chairs at the scenes of the blasts, which went off as people watched the game between Spain and the Netherlands. The attack on the rugby club, where crowds sat outside watching a large-screen TV, left 49 dead, police said. Fifteen others were killed in the restaurant explosion.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni toured the blast sites today and said that the terrorists behind the bombings should fight soldiers, not “people who are just enjoying themselves.”

“We shall go for them wherever they are coming from,” Museveni said. “We will look for them and get them as we always do.”

Ugandan army spokesman Felix Kulayigye said it was too early to speculate about any military response to the attacks.

Kampala’s police chief, Kale Kaihura, said he believed Somalia’s most feared militant group, al-Shabab, could be responsible for the attack. Al-Shabab is known to have links with al-Qaida, and it counts militant veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan conflicts among its ranks. Simultaneous attacks are also one of al-Qaida’s hallmarks. The U.S. State Department has designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization.

If those suspicions prove true, it would be the first time that al-Shabab has carried out attacks outside of Somalia.

Invisible Children, a San Diego, California-based aid group that helps child soldiers, identified the dead American as one of its workers, Nate Henn, who was killed on the rugby field.

“From traveling the United States without pay advocating for the freedom of abducted child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s war, to raising thousands of dollars to put war-affected Ugandan students in school, Nate lived a life that demanded explanation. He sacrificed his comfort to live in the humble service of God and of a better world, and his is a life to be emulated,” the group said in a statement on its website.

Kony heads the Lord’s Resistance Army, which has waged one of Africa’s longest and most brutal rebellions, in northern Uganda.

Several Americans from a Pennsylvania church group were wounded in the restaurant attack including Kris Sledge, 18, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. He said from a hospital bed afterward that he was “just glad to be alive.”

Uganda’s government spokesman said the first blast occurred at the Ethiopian Village restaurant at 10:55 p.m. Two more blasts happened at the rugby field 20 minutes later, he said.

Officials said the attacks will not affect the African Union summit being held in Uganda from July 19-27. Many African leaders are expected to attend.

“The summit will go on. The AU and African countries have the resolve to fight terrorism with the international community,” said Ramtane Lamamra, the AU’s peace and security commissioner.

Al-Shabab’s fighters, including two recruited from the Somali communities in the United States, have carried out multiple suicide bombings in Somalia.

Ethiopia, which fought two wars with Somalia, is a longtime enemy of al-Shabab and other Somali militants who accuse their neighbor of meddling in Somali affairs. Ethiopia had troops in Somalia between December 2006 to January 2009 to back Somalia’s fragile government against the Islamic insurgency. Ethiopia later withdrew its troops under an intricate peace deal mediated by the United Nations.

In Mogadishu, Somalia, Sheik Yusuf Sheik Issa, an al-Shabab commander, told The Associated Press early today that he was happy with the attacks in Uganda. Issa refused to confirm or deny that al-Shabab was responsible for the bombings.

“Uganda is one of our enemies. Whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. May Allah’s anger be upon those who are against us,” Sheik said.

In addition to Uganda’s troops in Mogadishu, Uganda also hosts Somali soldiers trained in U.S. and European-backed programs.

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the U.S. was prepared to provide any necessary assistance to the Ugandan government.

President Barack Obama was “deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks,” Vietor said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined Obama in offering condolences and added, “The United States stands with Uganda. We have a long-standing, close friendship with the people and government of Uganda and will work with them to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.”

UN /ONU :

Deadly Blasts Rock Uganda’s Capital
By NICHOLAS BARIYO in Kampala, Uganda, and PETER WONACOTT in Johannesburg/online.wsj.com/JULY 12, 2010

Bomb blasts rocked three establishments in Uganda’s capital late Sunday, a police official said Monday, in an attack targeting crowds that gathered to watch the final World Cup soccer match.

By Monday morning, the death toll from the three nearly simultaneous explosions had risen to 64, according to police spokeswoman Judith Nabakoba. She said 11 foreigners, including one American national, were among the dead.

Several other American citizens were injured, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.

“We offered assistance to the government on the investigation and they’ve accepted,” he said. “We’ll be helping them in coming days.” He declined to provide further details about the dead American, saying that the government had to first inform the next of kin.

The three-pronged attack unfolded around 10:30 p.m. local time, said Ms. Nabakoba, as soccer fans watched the final World Cup match in South Africa between Spain and the Netherlands on television. The blasts occurred at a rugby club, an Ethiopian restaurant and a bar popular with foreign tourists. The police suspected suicide bombers carried out the attacks because some body parts were charred beyond recognition, but said investigations were continuing, she told reporters in Kampala.

Meanwhile, the Islamic militant group al Shabaab in Somalia claimed responsibility for the attack. A senior member of the Somali group said the blasts were aimed at retaliating Uganda for sending peacekeepers to Somalia to support the country’s weak government. He blamed Ugandan peacekeeping forces for “killing Somali civilians.”

“We have reached our objective,” said the senior al Shabaab militant, who declined to be named. “We killed many Christians in the enemy capital (Kampala),” he said in a telephone interview. Other al Shabaab militants, who also declined to be identified, claimed responsibility as well.

Several Americans, part of a church group from Pennsylvania, were wounded at the Ethiopian restaurant where the second blast occurred.

The Rev. Kathleen Kind, a pastor at Christ Community United Methodist Church in Selinsgrove, Pa., said members of the group were injured but declined to provide more information. “We are in touch with the persons involved and their families and holding everyone in our prayers,” she said. Rev. Kind added that the group was scheduled to come home Tuesday.

She the group was scheduled to come home Tuesday.

Scott Kramer of Winfield, Pa., said he received a phone call Sunday night from his wife Pam, 46, who was being treated at a hospital for a broken leg as a result of one of the bombings. Mr. Kramer’s 14-year-old son Thomas was also on the trip and had suffered a leg injury, and was being treated at the time of his wife’s call.

Mr. Kramer said his family had been on missions to Poland and around the U.S. in the past and that his wife, a supervisor of special education for a local school district, had always wanted to go to Africa.

“I was worried until I got a call from my wife. Just hearing her voice is much better because we didn’t know anything,” Mr. Kramer, 49, said. He said he learned few details about the bombing or who else was injured.

The Associated Press reported that one of the members was Kris Sledge, 18 years old. “I remember blacking out, hearing people screaming and running,” Mr. Sledge was quoted by the AP as saying. His right leg was wrapped and he had burns on his face. “I love the place here but I’m wondering why this happened and who did this. … At this point, we’re just glad to be alive.”

The blasts marked a violent end to what had been a largely peaceful World Cup in South Africa. While the host country has been free of major problems during the monthlong tournament, the explosions were a reminder of trouble brewing elsewhere on the continent, namely Somalia, where an Islamic insurgency has lashed out at a government and its African allies.

Earlier in the week, al Shabaab threatened attacks on Burundi and Uganda. Both African countries have dispatched peacekeepers to Somalia in an effort to stabilize the government.

Uganda is scheduled to host a summit of African Union leaders later this month in Kampala, a meeting that if it goes forward will likely touch on ways to curb the threats coming from Somalia.

Al Shabaab has also threatened attacks on Somali citizens who watch televised soccer matches, a practice the militant group has deemed un-Islamic.

In recent days, a grenade was thrown into a crowd watching World Cup games in Somalia. In June, another Somali militant group, Hizbul Islam, was reported to have killed two people and arrested dozens of others for breaking a ban on watching the World Cup on TV.

While al Shabaab for the most part has directed its firepower at the Somali government, it has also publicly proclaimed an allegiance to al Qaeda, the global terror group that has plotted strikes against many Western targets. Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network was blamed for 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed more than 200 people.

War-weary Somalis don’t have the means to fend off al Shabaab, which has sworn to overthrow the government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and the government remains too weak to defeat the militants.

In recent years, Somalia has drawn scores of al Qaeda-linked fighters from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East. And some analysts say the influx has started to reorient the group—or at least part of it—to goals of global jihad and hitting foreign targets.

The flow of foreign fighters has caused concern among Somalia’s allies, including the U.S., who fear the East African nation is becoming a new sanctuary for those intent on striking foreign targets.

On Sunday, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said President Barack Obama was “deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks, and sends his condolences to the people of Uganda and the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement Sunday condemning the attacks and affirming the U.S.’s alliance with Uganda. “At this tragic moment, the United States stands with Uganda. We have a long-standing, close friendship with the people and government of Uganda and will work with them to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.”

—Kathy Chen and Kris Maher contributed to this article.
Write to Peter Wonacott at peter.wonacott@wsj.com

 

Mortality rate higher in male than female – UN report
Pana/ 12/07/2010
.Lagos, Nigeria – As activities marking this year’s World Population Day continues across the world, a United Nations Population facts report said, ‘in most countries, deaths before age of 60 is far more common among males
than among females,’ just as experts in Nigeria stressed the need to step up campaigns on family planning as a way of reducing increasing global population.

‘In most countries, male mortality is higher than female mortality at all ages and male life expectancy is lower than female life expectancy. In all world regions, men have a higher chance of dying before age 60 than women,’ the UN Population Facts on
Sex Differentials in Mortality for April 2010 said in its website.

The World Population Day, which is observed 11 July annually, was set aside by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989 to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.

As a tradition, each year, the United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA) selects a theme for the day. This year’s theme is: ‘Everyone Counts’, to under score the importance of data for development.

‘In Africa, the differences between female and male mortality are smaller and both sexes suffer from very high mortality risks. Communicable diseases are major causes of death before age 60 in most African countries and some of the diseases are major
killers of women. HIV prevalence, for instance, is higher in women than in men in countries of Africa, where overall HIV prevalence is high,’ the report noted.

It also disclosed that in Europe, males are more than twice as likely to die before age 60 as females and in Latin American and the Caribbean, they are 73 per cent more likely to die by age 60.

Major reasons for the high mortality in male have been traced to behavioral factors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, aggressive driving and exposure to occupational hazards, particularly in Europe.

In developing countries, cigarette smoking accounts for a large fraction of the differences in mortality by sex.

Women’s higher survival is also due partly to biological factors, the UN report said, adding that even in early infancy, boys are more likely than girls to die because of respiratory distress and prematurity.

However, even at this, the world population has experienced continuous growth.

On 11 July, 1997, the world population reached the five billion mark and by 2009, the UN put global population at more than six billion.

Africa and Asia accounts for the greater number of world population.

China for example has the highest population, with over one billion people, while Africa’s population is estimated at about 950 million.

The rapid increase in human population over the course of the 20th century has raised concerns whether earth is experiencing over- population and the effectiveness of campaign on family planning.

A medical practitioner in Lagos, south west Nigeria (name withheld), identified some factors responsible for increase in population in developing countries.

‘Population challenges result from lack of information and education. Religious and cultural belief also hamper efforts at recording 100 per cent on the campaign on family planning and child spacing,” he said.

While population is growing, the shared resources are decreasing.

Access to food, education, water, sanitation, health care delivery and housing for many people in Africa and Asia, where the population is much, is posing greater challenges to governments and other stakeholders.

The Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Akin Osibogun believed increased access to health care services on family planning, information and education will help contain increased population.

‘Access to good data is a component of good governance, transparency and accountability. Population data helps leaders and policy-makers to make informed deci sions about policies and programmes to reduce poverty and hunger and advance
education, health and gender equality. Solid data is also needed to effectively respond to humanitarian crises,’ UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in his message to mark the day.

Ban said good demographic data is critical for planning schools, health systems and public transportation, adding that it also assists in designing policies based on future population projections and for monitoring the effectiveness of service
delivery.

For the past 30 years, UNFPA, has played a lead operational role in helping to build countries’ capacities for data collection and analysis.

A current focus of UNFPA support is the successful implementation of the 2010 round of population and housing censuses (2005-2014).

In 2009, UNFPA supported 77 governments’ national population and housing censuses and paved the way for other censuses in 2010.

In Africa, UNFPA is helping to analyze data collected by recent censuses in Chad, Liberia and Nigeria.

All these countries could not complete their censuses in 2000 and Liberia’s successful census ended a period of more than 30 years in which no statistical work could be done.
Lagos

USA :

Helping HIV moms is Dr. Rodney Wright’s mission
Clem Richardson /.nydailynews.com/Monday, July 12th 2010

Thousands of young New York City residents are living with a legacy of the 1990s – HIV and AIDS infections.

It’s a legacy Dr. Rodney Wright is working to end.

One of the by-products of the crack cocaine and Human Immunodeficiency Virus epidemics that ravaged the city in the early 1990s was the birth of hundreds of HIV -infected babies.

In 1990, some 340 HIV-infected babies were born here.

Now many of those babies are grown and having children themselves, as are many HIV- positive women – the majority of them African-American and Hispanic – who do not even know they are HIV-positive until they are tested as part of their prenatal
care.

“Statistically, there definitely is a high racial and ethnic disparity in terms of where the cases are,” Wright said. “African-Americans make up about 14% to 16% of the [U.S.] population, but African-American women make up between 65% and 70% of HIV
cases.”

Wright, HIV program director in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, heads a program that has enjoyed remarkable success in making sure infected mothers do not
pass HIV on to their babies.

“I see just over 100 HIV-positive women a year,” Wright said. “Of the women who have taken their medications and done the things we asked, none of them have had HIV- positive babies.”

That is more than 1,000 women in the 11 years Wright has been at Montefiore, many of whom had natural childbirths. His youngest patient was 14, the oldest45.

“We definitely know how to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” Wright said. “The medications work. There are a couple of other minor things we do during the birth process that are different, there are a couple of things we do for them in
the postpartum period that are different, but we know how to prevent it.”

Patients receive the latest medications and have access to doctors, nurses, counselors, social workers and psychiatrists who help them deal with everything from side effects the medications might cause to personal issues, like how to deal with a
partner who may have given them the disease.

Wright said a third of his patients find out they are HIV-positive after becoming pregnant.

“HIV is a disease that affects everybody,” he said. “No one is immune, whether you are 14 or 74. We have seen people as old as 70 being newly diagnosed as HIV- positive.”

Women with high viral levels – the amount of the virus in their blood – can deliver by Caesarean section, Wright said. But women with low levels more often have natural childbirths.

A baby is considered HIV-free if the virus is not found in any of three blood tests after birth.

Wright, who is chairman of the board of directors of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (aidshealth.org) said he chose to specialize in HIV and AIDS patients because “while being here in the Bronx I realized that many of these patients – young women in many
cases – could be my sister, my mother, could be anybody in my family.

“To have, at the end of the nine months, a patient bring back their baby and have them beaming, saying ‘thank you for taking care of my baby,’ that is a huge reward to me.”

crichardson@nydailynews.com

CANADA :

Jamaican singer and producer Sugar Minott has died at the age of 54.
Monday, 12 July 2010 /news.bbc.co.uk

His wife said he died at University Hospital, Kingston, but did not say how he died. He cancelled gigs in Canada in May because of chest pains.

The singer, real name Lincoln Barrington Minott, launched his career in the late 1960s as part of reggae trio The African Brothers.

He had a number four hit in the UK in March 1981 with Good Thing Going, a cover of a Michael Jackson song.

Minott launched a solo career in the 1970s and recorded for the famed Studio One label.

He built a following in the dancehalls of Jamaica and recorded songs including Vanity, Mr DC and House Is Not A Home.

He went on to nurture new talent with his own Black Roots and Youth Promotion labels.

Former Youth Promotion artist Junior Reid said: “Sugar Minott was a man who gave a lot of strength to the music although he got no love from the business.”

A new album from Minott, New Day, is due to be released “soon”, according to his website.

 

Evraz Group S.A. – SWOT Analysis – New Company Profile Published
Newly released report, Evraz Group S.A. – SWOT Analysis, provides detailed company analysis
July 12, 2010/by Press Office/www.officialwire.com

LONDON, ENGLAND

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provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy.

Evraz Group is engaged in steel, mining, and vanadium businesses. The company and its subsidiaries are involved in the production and distribution of steel and related products. The company operates in Russia, the US, Canada, Czech Republic,
Italy, and South Africa, among other countries.

It is headquartered in Luxembourg and employs about 110,000 people. The company recorded revenues of $9,772 million during the financial year ended December 2009 (FY2009), a decrease of 52.1% compared with FY2008. The operating loss of the
company was $505 million during FY2009, compared to an operating profit of $4,254 million in FY2008. The net loss was $1,251 million in FY2009, compared to a net profit of $1,797 million in FY2008.

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AUSTRALIA :

Sigma Seeks Better Deal
By NEIL SANDS /online.wsj.com/JULY 12, 2010

MELBOURNE—Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd. on Monday described a $569 million bid from Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. as “highly conditional” and said it hoped to thrash out an improved deal with the South African company.

Sigma’s lukewarm response comes after Aspen lowered its offer for the debt-laden Australian generic drug maker last week by 8.3% to 55 Australian cents a share and insisted the takeover target comply with a list of more than 10 demands.

Revealing that it had received at least one expression of interest in its generics business, Sigma on Monday refused to extend due diligence to Aug. 2 as Aspen had requested.

It also signaled that it wanted to negotiate other parts of the offer, which values Sigma at 648 million Australian dollars.

“The Sigma board has advised Aspen that it is willing to continue working with Aspen to assist it to improve the proposal for Sigma shareholders, including removal of conditions that had the effect of making the proposal highly conditional,” it said
in a statement.

Aspen’s demands include a conditional break fee, continuation of credit arrangements on existing terms and a commitment from Sigma not to seek out rival bids.

Sigma continued to advise shareholders to take no action on the bid and said its willingness to talk with Aspen shouldn’t be seen as a willingness to recommend the bid.

The Melbourne-based company’s shares have almost halved since March 31, when it reported a A$389 million full year net loss including a huge goodwill write-down on its A$2.2 billion merger with Arrow Pharmaceuticals in 2005.

The company last month said it was unlikely to meet its full year budget. It is also facing an asset fire sale in order to pay creditors A$100 million by March 31 next year.

Aspen’s interest was initially seen as a lifeline for Sigma, but analysts last week described the 55 Australian cents a share offer as “lowball” and “opportunistic.”

The alternative to accepting Aspen’s bid is for Sigma to attempt to continue as a standalone company under incoming Chief Executive Mark Hooper, who takes the reins in September.

Mr. Hooper, a former chief financial officer at Sigma, knows the company and was quoted in Australian media last month as saying he would rather try to turn around its fortunes than accept an offer that didn’t reflect its value.

Sigma said Monday it was considering the best way to take the company forward, including potential asset sales.

It said it had received expressions of interest in a number of the group’s parts “including Sigma’s generics business”.

Sigma shares were steady at 45.5 Australian cents midday.

 

Smith & Nephew Plc – SWOT Analysis – New Company Profile Published
July 12, 2010/www.officialwire.com
Newly released report, Smith & Nephew plc – SWOT Analysis, provides detailed company analysis

by Press Office

(Companiesandmarkets.com and OfficialWire)

LONDON, ENGLAND

The Smith & Nephew plc – SWOT Analysis company profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. Smith & Nephew plc – SWOT Analysis examines the company’s key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy.

Smith & Nephew is a global medical devices business operating in the orthopedics, endoscopy and advanced wound management markets. Smith & Nephew is the parent company of Smith & Nephew Group. The group primarily operates in Europe, the US, Africa, Asia and Australia.

It is headquartered in London, the UK and employs 9,764 people. The company recorded revenues of $3,772 million during the financial year (FY) ended December 2009, a decrease of 0.8% over FY2008. The operating profit of the company was $723 million during FY2009, an increase of 14.8% over FY2008. The net profit was $472 million in FY2009, an increase of 25.2% over FY2008.

Scope of the Report

– Provides all the crucial information on Smith & Nephew plc required for business and competitor intelligence needs
– Contains a study of the major internal and external factors affecting Smith & Nephew plc in the form of a SWOT analysis as well as a breakdown and examination of leading product revenue streams of Smith & Nephew plc
-Data is supplemented with details on Smith & Nephew plc history, key executives, business description, locations and subsidiaries as well as a list of products and services and the latest available statement from Smith & Nephew plc

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EUROPE :

China – Europe: Collaboration
Author: Rodi Kratsa Vice President of the European Parliament/www.neurope.eu/12 July 2010

Two worlds, with different socio-economic and cultural models, with deep roots to the western and eastern civilization respectively, Europe and China are closer than ever now, in the beginning of the 21st century.

The EU relations with China were established in 1975 and are regulated by the 1985 EU-China Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In 2007, to reflect the depth and breadth of today’s strategic partnership, negotiations began to upgrade this to a
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, with numerous sectoral dialogues.
The first EU-China Summit took place in 1998, in London. Ever since, they have been held on an annual basis, alternating between Beijing and the country currently hosting the EU Presidency. In recent years, Joint Statements have been issued,
setting out agreed policy positions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global matters, such as the economic recovery, investment and currency issues, or reducing global imbalances.
China is already the greatest export power in the world, ahead of Germany. European Union is the largest trade partner of China, while China is the second largest partner of Europe. European Union imports amount to more than 215 bn euro, whereas
its exports are valued to 81.6 bn euro, making China the fastest growing market of the EU products. However, Europe still has a negative trade balance, which in 2009 amounted to 128 bn. euro.
This cooperation does not stop at the production and trade of goods and services.
The vast capacity of the Chinese economy has led the country to high fiscal surpluses, which allow it to contribute to the growth of the European economies. Its monetary policy has a global impact, and its sways are much anticipated, as the
recent decision for adjusting the flexibility of the Yuan has shown.
China uses its financial might dynamically, in order to redefine its role in the international diplomatic chessboard. Its involvement to Venezuela’s financial troubles in 2009, to which it lent 20 bn USD in exchange to investments in infrastructure and access to oil rich areas, created new international balances.Earlier, its diplomatic efforts in Africa, an area of strategic European partners,
led to consistent and tactical investments. Especially its involvement in the North African – Mediterranean countries renders China a potential partner of Europe in this area.
It is these elements of the Chinese foreign policy that the previous Greek government and personally the former Prime Minister K. Karamanlis made use of, and created the basis for a strategic and valuable cooperation by the use of a part of Piraeus port solely for Chinese exporters. In this way, it transformed Piraeus from a peripheral port of the European Union to the gate of Southeast Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
The shipping industry followed, with a number of agreements between Chinese officials and Greek stakeholders, showing that in a global economy, there is plenty of space for collaboration between a small country and a world superpower. These
agreements will allow for new ships to be built in Chinese shipyards for Greek owners and financed by Chinese banks, transporting raw materials to China and Chinese products abroad.
The China-Europe collaboration fosters significant synergies for either side, both for business and for people. The dynamic that has been created should and cannot end here. European Union and China should work closer in matters that affect us all
equally, such as the climate change, energy security and sustainability, world peace and human rights, safety, fair competition, resisting protectionist pressures, and global governance.
Rodi Kratsa is Vice President
of the European Parliament

CHINA :

Cell connections hit 5bn
Article By: Press Release//technology.iafrica.com/Mon, 12 Jul 2010

Last week marked yet another milestone in communications when the 5 billionth mobile subscription added to the count, thanks largely to emerging markets like China, India, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

According to Ericsson, the 5 billionth subscription was added on Thursday, 8 July. This comes just 18 months after the 4 billion mark was reached at the end of 2008.

The main drivers of growth continue to be Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, which together accounted for 80 percent of global subscription net additions in the first half of 2010.

Today there are 450 million mobile subscriptions in Africa as compared to the year 2000, when there were about 16 million subscriptions, less than the amount of users in Ghana today.

Mobile broadband subscriptions are growing at a similar pace and are expected to amount to more than 3.4 billion by 2015 (up from 360 million in 2009). Over 100 million of these will come from sub-Saharan Africa.

Studies show that soon 80 percent of all people accessing the internet will be doing so using their mobile device, this is already the case in Africa.

A useful tool

For some it’s a question of convenience, for others it is a necessity. Mobile subscriptions allow people who don’t have access to a bank or a bank account to transfer money; fishermen and farmers can get quick updates on sudden changes in the weather forecast, villagers can get local medical care, and children can access online education.

In more mature markets, connected devices rather than people, are driving the increase in network traffic. “The use of mobile broadband is growing quickly, especially driven by consumers powered with smart phones and connected laptops and we at Ericsson envision 50 billion connected devices by 2020,” says Lars Lindén, Head of Ericsson Region sub-Saharan Africa.

The communication landscape is changing rapidly and in December 2009, another milestone was reached when the amount of data traffic carried over mobile networks exceeded the amount of traffic generated from voice calls.

 

China’s Sinopec reports Addax unit strikes oil in Nigeria a year after acquisition
By The Associated Press /July 12, 2010

BEIJING, China – State-owned Chinese oil producer Sinopec said Monday its Addax subsidiary has struck oil offshore Nigeria after the unit was acquired last year to expand the company’s African presence.

The UDELE-3 well of Block 137 in the Niger Delta showed a heavy oil flow of 3,365 barrels and 28,300 cubic meters of gas per day in a test, said a statement by the company, also known as China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.

“It showed the a huge oil exploration potential of the block in the future, and also greatly increased its value,” the company said.

The well was Sinopec’s first exploration in Nigeria this year.

Sinopec acquired Addax, a Geneva-based oil and gas explorer, last year for $7.2 billion to add reserves and production capacity in West Africa and the Middle East. It was the biggest foreign acquisition by a Chinese company to date.
Sinopec shares closed up 0.7 per cent to 8.15 yuan on Monday in Shanghai.
———
Associated Press researcher Bonnie Cao contributed to this report.

South African Stocks: Aspen Pharmacare, BHP Billiton, Telkom
July 12, 2010/By Janice Kew/Bloomberg

July 12 (Bloomberg) — South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index decreased for the first time in five days, losing 148.34, or 0.5 percent, to 27,123.97 at 11:57 a.m. in Johannesburg. Equity trading started 1 1/2 hours late after a technical
glitch caused international connectivity problems.

The following are among the most active stocks in the South African market today.

Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. (APN SJ) fell 1.56 rand, or 2 percent, to 75.64 rand, the biggest intraday drop in more than a week. Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd., the Australian drug company that has lost more than half its market value this year,
said it wants to improve its takeover offer, a week after the suitor cut its bid.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (BIL SJ), the largest mining company, dropped 3.51 rand, or 1.7 percent, to 209.76 rand. Anglo American Plc (AGL SJ), which makes up almost 10 percent of South Africa’s benchmark stock index, declined 4.73 rand, or 1.7 percent,
to 274.42 rand. Copper dropped in London as a stronger dollar and falling imports into China added to concerns of a slowdown in demand.

Separately, Rio Tinto Group, the world’s third-largest mining company, said July 9 that “resource nationalism” may spread as governments around the world seek to boost their share of mining profits, potentially constraining supply.

Telkom South Africa Ltd. (TKG SJ) slid for a fourth day, losing 11 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 34.49 rand. Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on Africa’s largest fixed-line operator to “equal-weight” from “overweight” and reduced its share- price
estimate to 38 rand, from 60 rand after lowering its fiscal 2011 earnings estimate
for Telkom by 31 percent.
–Editors: Linda Shen, John Kohut.

 

China’s Rating Agency Grades USA Only With AA
07/12/10/by PrudentInvestor /www.benzinga.com

Debtors beware! China’s only rating agency, Dagong Global Rating Agency, has published its first report on foreign government debt, rating 50 countries that comprise 90% of the global economy. As there has been a perennial discussion about
the ratings of Western agencies it can be expected that China will put high emphasis on its own ratings when lending money to other countries.

Dagong’s report attracts a lot of attention as it has graded the USA only with “AA”. Altogether the rating agency arrived at 27 lower valuations and only a handful of “AAA” risks left.

From the report:
Among the 50 countries, the local currency sovereign credit risk for such countries as Norway, Australia, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Singapore, New Zealand were assigned “AAA” ratings.
China, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany were assigned “AA +”.
The United States and Saudi Arabia got an “AA” rating.
France , the United Kingdom, Korea and Japan got “AA-“s.
The countries that were assigned local currency sovereign credit rating of “A-” level include Belgium, Chile, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Israel, Italy, Portugal and Brazil.
Dagong gave China’s yuan-denominated debt an “AA-plus” rating with a stable outlook — higher than Moody’s “A1” and S&P’s “A-plus” — due to its rapid growth and relatively low debt. China’s foreign currency rating was “AAA” in Dagong’s report.

According to Chinadaily,
Guan Jianzhong, chairman of Dagong, said during a press conference in Beijing to introduce China’s first sovereign credit rating report, that the current Western-led rating system “provides incorrect credit-rating information” and fails to reflect
changing debt-repayment abilities.

“We want to make realistic and fair ratings and mark a new beginning for reforming the irrational international rating system,” Guan said.

Dagong said it rated the 50 countries according to its own credit rating standards for the sovereign entity of a central government, which include “the ability to govern a country, economic power, financial ability, fiscal status and foreign reserve”.

In the report, Dagong rated US government debt AA with a negative outlook, which was lower than the firm’s top AAA rating. It warned that Washington, along with Britain, France and other countries, might have trouble raising more money if they let fiscal
risks get out of control.

“The interest rate on debt instruments will go up rapidly and the default risk of these countries will grow even larger,” the report said.

Dagong was founded in 2007 and had published its rating procedures in 2009.

INDIA :

BRASIL:

 

EN BREF, CE 12 juillet 2010… AGNEWS /OMAR, BXL,12/07/2010