GUARDIAN AFRICANA: May 2013

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

(Must watch)Lion vs Crocodile

An old video I decided to share on my blog...its still my favourite youtube video of all time.

An incredible video of elephants working together to save a baby from drowning.

Female Elephants Rescue A Drowning Baby - YouTube

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Mum Spends £20,000 On Designer Clothes For Her 8-Year-Old Son

He is only eight but this trendy kid is already a step ahead of most of us in the style stakes – with a £20,000 designer wardrobe.

Little Zak is covered from head to toe in top brands, including D&G, Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Prada.

The only child owns more than 200 pairs of shoes and even his swimming trunks are Armani.

Yesterday his mum Vicky Antonia, 31, said: “I know it must sound like I am spoiling him, but I just want him to look his best.

“What is wrong with making your son look good?

“He is lovely and if these clothes make him more popular at school I think it is money well spent.”

Glamour model Vicky, who is separated from Zak’s businessman dad, has so far spent £5,000 on her son’s shoes, £10,000 on clothes and another £5,000 on accessories.

Most parents spend around £11,000 on children’s clothing up to the age of 21, a recent LV poll found, but by the time Zak is an adult, Vicky will have spent more than £50,000 on him.

Her family have begged her to cut down on her spending, but Vicky, of Epping, Essex, believes it all stems from almost losing Zak when he was a baby.

He was born at 27 weeks and spent two months in intensive care with bacterial meningitis.

She said: “He is my wonder child and I don’t think it is a bad thing to want to treat your son.

Sunday, 19 May 2013

Wizkid wins African Artiste of the year at Ghana music awards

Wizkid wins African Artiste of the year at Ghana music awards - Premium Times Nigeria
Another award recipient was R2Bees who carted six prizes.

Multiple award winning pop sensation, Wizkid, showed he can give the big boys a run for their money when he beat Psquare, D’banj, Flavour, Davido and Iyanya to win the ‘African Artiste of the Year’ award at the Ghana music awards which held Saturday, May 19, 2013.

Hip-life duo, R2Bees, emerged the stars of the night, carting home six awards – ‘Song of the year’, ‘Hiplife song of the year’, ‘Hiplife/Hiphop artiste of the year’, ‘Best group of the year’, ‘Hiplife song of the year’ and the biggest of the night ‘Artiste of the year’.

Rapper, Sarkodie was another big winner of the night as he went home with HipHop artiste, while M.Anifest beat Sarkodie to win the ‘Best rapper of the year’ award after carting ‘Hiphop song of the year’ award.

Check out the list of winners below…

Artiste of the Year

R2Bees – Winner

D-Black

VIP

Kwaw Kese

Cwesi Oteng

4X4

Song Of The Year

Bye-Bye – Asem Ft. Kwabena Kwabena

Life (Walahi) – R2Bees - Winner

Vera – D-Black

Ole Seke – Dr. Slim and Dobble

Aluguntugui – Keche

Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie and Kesse

Zaphanat Panea – Nicholas Omane Acheampong

Antenna – Fuse ODG

Best Collaboration Of The Year

Bye-Bye – Asem and Kwabena Kwabena

Ka No Seyaa – Herty Bongreat and Trigmatic -Winner

Ole Seke – Dr Slim and Dobble

Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie and Kesse

Sika – Okyeame Kwame and Kesse

No Away – Becca and MI

Hip Life Song Of The Year

Kaalu – E.L.

Life (Walahi) – R2Bees - Winner

Ole Seke – Dr Slim and Dobble

Aluguntugui- Keche

Vera – D-Black Ft Joey B

Azonto Fiesta – Appietus, Sarkodie and Kesse

Mokoni – 4X4

Bye-Bye – Asem Ft Kwabena Kwabena

Azonto Ghost – Bisa

Pampanaa – VIP

Gospel Artiste Of The Year

Herty Bongreat - Winner

Nicholas Omane Acheampong

Cwesi Oteng

Cynthia Mccauley

Obaapa Christy

Afro Pop Song Of The Year

Antenna – Fuse ODG - Winner

No Away – Becca and MI

So High – Fatural Face

Best In Me – Efya

Papa – Jay Ghartey

Stone Bwoy Ft Irene Logan – Ghetto Love

Hip Life/Hip Hop Artiste Of The Year

R2Bees - Winner

D-Black

Keche

4X4

VIP

E.L.

Gospel Song Of The Year

Ka No Seyaa – Herty Bongreat Ft Trigmatic

Nkomhye – Cynthia Mccauley

Zaphanat Panea – Nicholas Omane Acheampong - Winner

Se Me Wo Nkwa Daa – Joe Dee Owusu Ft Amy Newman

God Dey Bless Me – Cwesi Oteng

African Artiste Of The Year

Iyanya

P-Square

Davido

Flavour

D-Banj

Wizkid - Winner

Best Group Of The Year

R2Bees - Winner

Keche

VIP

4X4

Highlife Song Of The Year

Odo – R2Bees - Winner

Love Of My Life – Afriyie Wutah

Lovi Dovi – Raquel

Paradise – D-Flex

Treat Her Royal – Kesse Ft Sarkodie

Highlife Artiste Of The Year

Afriyie - Winner

D-Flex

Kesse

New Artiste Of The Year

Lousika

Cynthia Mccauley

Natural Face

Kaakie - Winner

Reggae Dance Hall Song Of The Year

Shatta City – Bandana

Our Africa – Blakk Rasta Ft Jay Anber

Go Go Wild – Eazzy Ft Jupiter

House Of Pain – Knii Lante

Toffee Pon Tongue – Kaakie - Winner

Time Bomb – Samini Ft Wizkid

Album Of The Year

Something Else – E.L. - Winner

Mercy Project – Cwesi Oteng

Mr. Versatile – Okyeame Kwame

The Revelation – D-Black

Solid Ground – Asem

Best Male Vocal Performance

Muggez (R2Bees) – Odo

Chase – Lonely

Kwabena Kwabena – Bye-Bye

Knii Lante – House Of Pain - Winner

Afriyie – Love Of My Life

Best Female Vocal Performance

Becca – No Away

Raquel – Lovi Dovi

Efya – Best In Me - Winner

Yaa Yaa – Kae

Celestine Donkor – Me Nim Nguase

Adina – Let Me Go

Best Rapper

Sarkodie – Azonto Fiesta

E.L. – Kaalu

Asem – Bye-Bye

M.Anifest – Makaa Maka - Winner

Edem – Heyba

Okyeame Kwame – Mr. Versatile

Hip Hop Song Of The Year

Falling – D-Black Ft. Mo’Chedda

Heyba – Edem

Pizza and Burger – Sarkodie and Jayso

Makaa Maka – M.Anifest - Winner

Bayla – R2Bees

Song Writer Of The Year

Mugeez Abdul Rashid – Odo

Nana Wiafe Asante-Mensah and George Kwabena Adu – Bye-Bye

Kwame Nsiah Apau – Sika

Akwaboah – Best In Me

Frank Osei Afriyie – Love Of My Life

Kwame Tsikata –Makaa Maka

Nana Yaw Oduro – Not Alone

Video of the Year -

Chase – Lonely

(Premium times)

King of Swaziland wants to make me his (14th) virgin bride... so you must let me stay in the UK: Woman's plea for asylum after fleeing African monarch .

King of Swaziland wants to make me his (14th) virgin bride... so you must let me stay in the UK: Woman's plea for asylum after fleeing African monarch | Mail Online

King of Swaziland wants to make me his (14th) virgin bride... so you must let me stay in the UK: Woman's plea for asylum after fleeing African monarch

Tintswalo Ngobeni, 22, fled to England from Africa as a teenager Caught attentions of King Mswati III - monarch notorious for lavish lifestyle Began contacting her at school when she was just 15 Wants asylum saying she could be arrested or even killed if she returns

Read more : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2326680/King-Swaziland-wants-make-14th-virgin-bride--let-stay-UK-Womans-plea-asylum-fleeing-African-monarch.html#ixzz2TWX05cnJ

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Honouring Small Things: Smallest Manhood Contest Holds In New York Bar.

Life, they say, is about learning to appreciate the small things.

For proof, look no further than the first-ever “Smallest man-hood Contest” at King’s County Bar in Brooklyn, New York, on July 20.

According to a Craigslist ad seeking “less endowed men” to prove that “good things can come in small packages,” the contest will be “pageant style” and involve “talent, evening wear, and swimsuit elements.”

And this won’t be just another pissing contest, either. As the Village Voice notes, winners will be selected by a “small members expert panel.”

Entrants must be 21 or older and must be present the day of the contest (no photos or remote entries), the ad states. They also “should be comfortable getting hosed down while wearing only skimpy underwear.”

Competitors scheming to get ahead with a Borat-style man thong (or worse), take note: Promoters will level the playing field by handing out standard-issue undies for all contestants to wear.

According to Gothamist, the victor will receive a crown, the dubious title of “2013 Smallest man-hood in Brooklyn” and a cash prize, which —should the winner choose —can be donated to charity.

Presumably there will be no large trophies.

The Huffington Post reached out the bar for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

A similar contest, held online by a Danish er*tica website, hopes to raise awareness of what it says should not be a sensitive subject.

“It’s incredible how the media has frightened people from showing themselves as they are,” Morten Fabricius, the website’s owner, told the Agency France-Presse.

Friday, 17 May 2013

Death toll rises to 24 in Bay of Bengal capsized boat disaster

Police have recovered 24 bodies, mostly children, after a ship believed to be carrying Myanmar nationals capsized off the coast of Bangladesh, officials said on Friday.

“We found 18 children aged between two and 12 among the bodies floating in the Bay of Bengal,” the acting district police Chief of Cox’s Bazar, Babul Akhter, told dpa on Friday.

The rest of the victims were women, he said.

The bodies were decomposing when they were found off Teknaf, which lies on the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, indicating they died before Cyclone Mahasen hit the region on Thursday, said Ruhul Amin, chief district administrator.

(premium times)

Nigerian Terror group members may face war crimes charges - UN

The UN office stated this in New York.

Members of Boko Haram and other extremist groups in Nigeria, could face war crimes charges for deliberate acts leading to ethnic and religious cleansing, the United Nations, UN, has said.

Rupert Colvile, the spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said this in a statement made available at the UN Head quarters in New York on Friday.

He reiterated calls on Boko Haram and other extremist groups in Nigeria to cease their “cowardly attacks” against civilians, members of government institutions, security forces and foreign nationals.

“The High Commissioner noted that members of Boko Haram, if judged to have committed systematic attacks against a civilian population on grounds such as religion or ethnicity could be found guilty of crimes against humanity.

“Deliberate acts leading to population `cleansing’ on grounds of religion or ethnicity could also amount to a crime against humanity,” Mr. Colville stressed.

In recent weeks, more than 220 people have been killed in violent clashes between military forces and the Islamist group, Boko Haram.

OHCHR has urged the Nigerian government to abide by human rights principles during security patrols.

The rights body also said it was concerned about the large number of casualties, reportedly including many civilians, and massive destruction of houses and property.

Mr. Colville urged the government to ensure that international human rights law was respected during its emergency operations.

Similarly the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon had said he remained very concerned about the ongoing instability in the country.

He underscored the need for all concerned to fully respect human rights and to safeguard the lives of all Nigerians.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday declared a State of Emergency in three North Eastern states most prone to Boko Haram attacks. The military has already deployed more troops including, reportedly, fighter jets to dislodge the insurgents who have been blamed for the death of hundreds of people in various violent operations across Nigeria.

(NAN)

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

President Jonathan's speech declaring a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states

President Jonathan’s speech declaring a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states

Dear compatriots,

It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states. These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already,some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence

Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

- President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR MAY 14, 2013

Breaking news :Nigeria President declares state of Emergency in three states

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States in response to the rampant bombings and escalating violence in the states.

In a broadcast to the nation, the president said he acted in line with section 305 of the Constitution which requires him to declare a state of emergency when there is severe threat to peace and stability of any part of the country.

The four states have remained the hub of the deadly activities of the extremist Boko Haram sect, which has been blamed for the spate of bombings across the country.

More later…

Friday, 10 May 2013

Ex-CNN Reporter: I Received Orders To Manipulate News On Syria And Iran

Campaign to nominate midwife for Nobel Prize

Esther Madudu is a midwife extraordinaire, fighting to save the lives of mothers and babies in a continent where 200,000 women die every year from complications during pregnancy or childbirth. For her efforts, she’s been nominated by one African NGO for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize

Click on the link below to read the full story Campaign to nominate midwife for Nobel Prize

Egypt release teacher accused of blasphemy

A Coptic Christian teacher detained in Egypt on charges of “defamation of religion” must be immediately released and the criminal case against her dropped, said Amnesty International today, ahead of her appearance in court on Saturday. Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour, 24, has been in custody since 8 May, when she went to the public prosecution’s office in Luxor to respond to charges of “defamation of religion”. The case against her is based on a complaint lodged by the parents of three of her students alleging that she insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad during a class. The alleged incident took place at the Sheikh Sultan primary school in Tout, Luxor Governorate, on 8 April during a lesson on “religious life”. Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour has been teaching at three schools in Luxor since the beginning of this year. “It is outrageous that a teacher finds herself behind bars for teaching a class. If she made some professional mistake, or deviated from the school curriculum, an internal review should have sufficed,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International. “The authorities must release Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour immediately and drop these spurious charges against her.” According to the information available to Amnesty International, some of the students alleged that Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour said that she “loved Father Shenouda”, the late Patriarch of the Egyptian Orthodox Church, and touched her knee or her stomach when she spoke about the Prophet Muhammad in class. She has denied the charges, and maintained that she stuck to the school curriculum. After a number of parents allegedly made verbal complaints, the school and the local Department of Education apparently launched their own internal investigations. At the Department of Education, Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour was told to refrain from teaching in schools, pending the outcome of the investigation. Until her detention, she continued going to the Department of Education and receiving a salary. In recent months, Amnesty International received numerous reports of individuals accused and convicted of blasphemy in Egypt. In some instances, accusations are levelled against bloggers or media professionals whose ideas are “deemed offensive”. On 25 January, a Cairo court upheld a lower court’s verdict against another Coptic Christian, Alber Saber Ayad, sentencing him to three years’ imprisonment for “defamation of religion”, in relation to videos and other material he posted online which the court deemed “offensive”. In other cases, in particular in Upper Egypt, blasphemy accusations have been levelled against Coptic Christians, including several other teachers. On 11 May, another Coptic Christian is due to appear in court in the Governorate of Assiut on charges of “defamation of religion”, allegedly based on a conversation he had with a group of Muslims, who later accused him of insulting Islam. On numerous occasions, Amnesty International has called on the Egyptian authorities not to prosecute individuals based on blasphemy laws which criminalize criticism of or insult to religious beliefs. SOURCE : amnesty.org

Jay Z To Perform in Lagos

Jay Z will perform in Nigeria on October 9. Popular hip hop singer, Jay Z, announced his world tour on Thursday, which includes stops in seven Africa cities, including Lagos. According to Billboard, the tour kicks off on September 9 in Poland and will see the rap legend perform at Accra, Lagos, Cape Town and Dar Es Salaam, among other African cities. Jay-Z is scheduled to perform in Lagos on October 9.

Ohio kidnap victim Michelle Knight is discharged from hospital.

The man accused of holding three women hostage for a decade or more fathered the child who was also rescued from the house, authorities have confirmed. Ariel Castro, 52, has been charged with the kidnapping and rape of Amanda Berry, 27, Gina DeJesus, 23 and Michelle Knight, 32. A DNA test proved Ms Berry's six-year-old daughter, born in captivity, was his child, investigators said. The four were rescued on Monday when Ms Berry escaped and raised the alarm. Ohio prosecutors have also said they plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty against Mr Castro. The charges relate to alleged forced miscarriages suffered by one victim. 'Torture chamber' On Thursday, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty said the murder charges were based on evidence from Ms Knight that Mr Castro had impregnated her, then physically abused and starved her in order to induce five miscarriages while she was being held captive in his house in Cleveland. Lillian Castro: "My son is sick and I have nothing to do with what my son did" "This child kidnapper operated a torture chamber and private prison in the heart of our city," Mr McGinty said. Earlier in the day, Mr Castro appeared in court in Cleveland, handcuffed and dressed in blue overalls. He did not enter a plea. He is charged with four counts of kidnapping, covering the three initial abduction victims and the young girl, named Jocelyn, who was apparently conceived and born in captivity. The former school bus driver also faces three counts of rape, one against each woman. 'Sick son' Bail was set at $8m (£5.1m), meaning he will remain in custody. He has been placed on suicide watch and will be kept in isolation, his court-appointed lawyer Kathleen DeMetz told reporters. According to CBS News, Mr Castro confessed to his crimes in a long, hand-written letter found in the house, which investigators believe may have been intended as a suicide note. Prosecutor Brian Murphy: "Mr Castro stands before you a captive" In the 2004-dated letter he said he had been raped as a child by his uncle and was also abused by his parents, a law enforcement source told the US network. Mr Castro reportedly called himself a "sexual predator", but he also asked to donate all his money to his victims after his death. Meanwhile, Mr Castro's mother asked for forgiveness from her son's alleged victims. "I have a sick son who has committed something very grave. I'm suffering very much," Lillian Rodriguez told reporters on Thursday. "May those young ladies forgive me." Ariel Castro's two brothers, Pedro and Onil, also appeared in court on unrelated charges. They had been arrested, but police found no evidence linking them to the crime. Pedro Castro was fined $100 for public drinking, while two minor counts against Onil Castro were dropped. On Thursday, Mr Castro's daughter, Arlene, who was one of the last people to see Gina DeJesus before she disappeared in 2004 aged 14, wept during a TV interview. Describing herself as "disappointed, embarrassed, mainly devastated", she apologised to Ms DeJesus. Nancy Ruiz, Gina DeJesus's mother: "We just grabbed each other and held on" The three women were all abducted after accepting rides from Mr Castro, according to a leaked police report. They told officials they could only remember being outside twice during their time in captivity. Cleveland City Councilman Brian Cummins said the women had told police they had only gone as far as a garage on the property, disguised in wigs and hats. Mr Cummins, citing police information, said the victims had been kept apart inside the house until their captor felt he had enough control to allow them to mingle. Ms Berry, whose disappearance in 2003 the day before her 17th birthday was widely publicised in the local media, returned to her sister's home on Wednesday. A few hours later, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004 at the age of 14, was also brought home. Ms Knight, who was 20 when she disappeared in 2002, remains in hospital, in a good condition.

CULLED FROM BBC.COM

Thursday, 9 May 2013

30 Policemen Killed in Lawless Nigeria.

At least 30 police officers in Nigeria have been killed in an ambush by a local militia in the central Nasarawa state, officials have said.They were on their way to arrest the leader of the outlawed Ombatse "cult" when gunmen opened fire, a state spokesman told the BBC.Sani Musa Mairiga said they were forcing local villagers to swear an oath of allegiance to the group.The state police chief said that 17 officers were still missing.One source at the hospital where the bodies were taken told the BBC dozens more policemen were killed in the attack.Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has cut short his visit to South Africa and cancelled a state visit to Namibia to oversee the response to the latest violence. BBC

How Grow Change Africa could be a game changer for African farming and business.

ONE US Policy Manager David Hong and ONE Africa Deputy Director Nachilala Nkombo look at the progress made by Grow Africa in the last year.

Today, five African heads of state, four G8 development ministers, and over 100 private sector companies will meet in Cape Town, South Africa at the World Economic Forum on Africa to assess Grow Africa’s work in 2012, the partnership’s first full year in business.

First, here’s a little background. Two years ago, the African Union Commission, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) agency, and the World Economic Forum combined forces to create a new partnership, Grow Africa, which aims to reduce poverty by accelerating private sector investment in African agriculture.

The partnership is led by the organisations above, and includes eight member countries and various stakeholders such as host governments, companies involved in investment, civil society, research institutions, and farmer organisations.
Here are the headlines:

97 commitments from 62 companies, of which 39 based are in Africa

More than $60 million invested in activities that incorporate smallholder farmers

270,000 metric tons of commodities sourced within partner countries

Equivalent of around $300 million in sales from these farmers

Almost 800,000 smallholders reached with a mix of training, sourcing, and service provision

Obviously, there is a lot to commend here. Thousands of smallholders are being incorporated into commercial food supply chains where they’re growing more food and generating more income for their families. If Grow Africa adds further measures to increase transparency and expand reporting of poverty reduction indicators, the partnership could change the game for farmers and businesses.

(Strange world) Man slaughters ex-girlfriend, then have sex with her corpse

A 25-year-old man in Ogun state,south west Nigeria has been accused of slaughtering his 21-year-old girlfriend because she broke up with him.

Rafiyat Akinyemi, a Lagos State Polythenic graduate was at home last week Wednesday, when her bricklayer ex-boyfriend Akinloye Anuoluwapo came around at about 8.30am.

He was said to have tried to have sex with Akinyemi and it was during the struggle that slit her throat with a knife.

Anuoluwapo, who has been arrested by the police, cofessed to the crime; “I don’t know what came over me, I just wanted us to reconcile and continue our relationship,” he said.

“Each time we break up, I am always severely affected; I converted from Christianity to Islam because I wanted to marry her.”

“I even moved from my one-room apartment to self-contained accommodation so that she would be more comfortable. My visit was meant to be for a discussion but it degenerated into a quarrel.

“Akinyemi was not even aware that I had a knife on me when I forcefully had sex with her.”

Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said, Anuoluwapo had gone ahead and had sex with the corpse.

A police source told reporters that;

“It was later, someone gave an anonymous tip to the police that Akinyemi had broken up several times with Anuoluwapo.

“He said each time; Anuoluwapo would get people from her community or the mosque where she worshipped to plead with her.”

“A team of police detectives went to the company to arrest Anuoluwapo, but were initially refused entry. Eventually the Divisional Police Officer, SP. Toyin Afolaogun, had to come with the Divisional Crime Officer before Anuoluwapo could be arrested,” the source said.

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Woman Eaten By Vultures In 45 Minutes After Falling Off Cliff

The body of a woman who died after falling off a cliff in France was devoured by vultures in just 45 minutes, before rescue workers were able to reach the body.

The 52-year-old woman was hiking with two friends in the French Pyrenees on April 14 when she fell off a cliff and plunged more than 980 feet to her death, according to France’s TF1. The woman’s body was eaten by vultures in minutes.

“There were only bones, clothes and shoes left on the ground,” Major Didier Pericou told The Times of London. “They took 45 to 50 minutes to eat the body.” Adding, “When we first went out in the helicopter looking for the body, we saw numerous vultures without realizing what they were doing.”

The Times notes this incident may ignite the cries of area farmers who want permission to shoot the griffon vultures, a protected species. Farmers claim the ban has led to a swell in the vulture population and their livestock is being threatened. The birds have been deprived of animal carcasses due to a European law that requires farmers to burn the bodies of dead animals.

Approximately 42 claims have been been made to local authorities for compensation for animals lost to vultures, according to Metro. Farmer Alain Larraide claimed hehas seen vultures carry off live animals.

“You can’t imagine what it is like to see an animal eaten alive,” he said.

A 2011 report published in the science journal Nature revealed that the griffon vulture had turned from scavenger to predator in regions of southern France and Spain. Between 2006 and 2010 there were 1,165 reports of the bird of prey killing domestic livestock.

Algeria Islamist Party Picks New Leader (All Africa)

Algeria's Movement for a Peaceful Society (MSP) voted in Abderrezak Mokri as head of the Islamist party on Saturday (May 4th), replacing Bouguerra Soltani.

In choosing Mokri as party leader, activists followed the hard-line wing of the party and sealed the split with the government that began with the outbreak of the Arab Spring.

The fifth MSP congress, which was held over the week-end in Algiers, brought together Islamist leaders from several nations, including Tunisia, Libya, Syria and Egypt, and even Palestinian movement Hamas.

MSP leaders said they wanted to send a clear message to the Algerian government about the movement's determination to follow the path of opposition.

The election of Mokri as MSP leader symbolised the decision made by the party's grassroots, which had accused the leadership of making too many concessions to the government.

According to Liberté, "MSP has chosen a leader known for his radical attitude towards the government. This will move the party even further away from the policy of entryism which it espoused until it withdrew from the coalition in December 2011."

"By an overwhelming majority -177 votes to just 65 for the former chairman of the party's advisory council, Abderrahmane Saidi, the party has opted for a radical path by advocating a complete break with the government," El Watan editorialised.

"And the symbol of this movement is, of course, Abderrezzak Mokri, who has worked for several years already to bring the MSP back to its original position," the paper added. "He was the man responsible for the party's split with the coalition government (RND, FLN and MSP) that was created just before the 2004 presidential election, which has been the main victim of the Arab Spring."

In response to these criticisms, the new MSP leader countered that he was "on a mission of peace, not war or revolution", adding that those who feared him were "either incompetent or corrupt".

Mokri claims that under his leadership, the party will be "clearly and candidly" in opposition "We don't want a revolution, because that is dangerous for the country. We want to bring about a peaceful change by keeping up the pressure on the government," Morki said.

Yet the ambitions expressed by the MSP's new leader are at odds with the climate on the streets of Algeria. Many young people do not regard Islamist parties highly and believe that they have no chance of taking power in Algeria.

"Do they (the Islamists) think that a revolution can be imported from elsewhere and that all they have to do is grow a beard, wear a kameez and recite a few verses of the Qur'an to get round us?" asked Amine Larab, a management student. "They're fakes. They are in the business of politics, like all the other parties, and in politics, everyone lies, everyone makes promises and fails to keep them."

His friend Reda Bouhali burst out laughing when he read the press reports about the MSP congress, saying: "It's a party that can't make up its mind: one day it's in government, the next it's in opposition. What credibility does it have left now?"

Older people were even more wary, as they lived through the days of the now-dissolved Islamic Salvation Front.

"We will never let these men with beards come back and create problems for us. We've suffered enough because of them," said teacher Nadia Guermadi.

Kenya's Catholic Church condems condom advert.

Kenya's Roman Catholic Church has condemned a Catholic group for a billboard and newspaper advertising campaign promoting condom use.

The US-based Catholics for Choice was planting "negative attitudes" that could destroy the nation's "moral fibre", church leaders said.

Catholics for Choice defend it, saying it could curb the spread of HIV.

Around 1.6 million people out of Kenya's population of 41.6 million are living with HIV, according to the UN.

Catholics are heavily divided over the use of condoms.

A television advert urging married women to use condoms was recently pulled from Kenyan television following an outcry from religious groups.

'Sexissacred'

Catholics for Choice has said its "condoms4life" campaign shows "an authentically Catholic message".

The group has run advertisements in newspapers and billboards in Kenya showing a smiling couple with the slogan: "Good Catholics Use Condoms".

"We believe in God. We believe that sex is sacred. We believe in caring for each other. We believe in using condoms," the advert reads.

But Cardinal John Njue, chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the church promoted pro-life, not pro-choice.

"Catholics for Choice are not Catholics in the sense of the one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church," he said in a statement.

Cardinal Njue called for the advertisements to be stopped.

"Remember if the moral fibre of any nation is destroyed, then you have destroyed the nation as well," he said.

Catholics for Choice said it launched its campaign after pressure from religious groups forced the Kenyan government to drop an advertisement in March promoting condom use in marriage.

"The campaign is vital because the bishops' recent activities are not representative of Catholic teachings or beliefs. Catholics do support the use of condoms, and they do use them to protect themselves and their partners," campaign co-ordinator Jon O'Brien said in a statement last month.

The Kenyan bishops' anti-condom remarks contradict the view of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI who stated in 2010 that "where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection" condoms can be "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality", Mr O'Brien said.

Pope Francis was chosen as the head of Catholic Church last month after Pope Benedict stepped down, saying he was too frail to carry on in the job.

The new pope has not commented about the use of condoms since his elevation to the papacy.

(BBC news)

BREAKING NEWS: Sir Alex Ferguson has retired as Manchester United manager. More to follow... #mufc

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

African Women Affairs Ministers hold gender conference

The gender conference will see women talking about new strategies to enhance the economic capacity of women through gender budgeting.

African Ministers of Women and Gender Affairs will on Thursday begin a week-long conference in Addis Ababa, to adopt new strategies to enhance the economic capacity of women through gender budgeting.

The conference will attempt to develop new economic empowerment strategies as a way of curtailing the suffering experienced by some women during crises and conflicts on the African continent.

A statement by the Directorate of Information and Communication of the African Union. AU, Commission on Monday said the conference would be attended by the Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs, their experts, and other invited participants from within and outside Africa.

“The meeting will be expected to adopt various reports, consider the outputs from committees and approve projects under the Theme; Agriculture and Food Security,” it said.

The statement said the Women Affairs ministers would also resolve on new modules to incorporate a multi-dimensional gender mainstreaming approach on the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Rights

of Women in Africa during the meeting.

It said further, that “the Ministers meeting will among other things consider and adopt the Report of the Meeting of Experts, which will focus on Agenda items.”

“They will reflect on Pan- Africanism and African Renaissance as the theme of the OAU/AU 50th Anniversary and contribute as well as influence and shape the vision of the AU-wide strategic plan and the Union’s 2013 development agenda.

“They will also discuss Commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, scheduled for July 11,” the statement added.

According to the statement, the ministers will equally consider the report of an Annual High Level Panel on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment to create space for women scholars, researches, academia, and gender experts

to deliberate on emerging issues including activities of the High Level Panel on Peace and Security convened every October.

“The Women Affairs Minister are also expected to approve projects for the African Women’s Decade (AWD) 2013 theme, through a collaboration with the UN Women at country level in strengthening the AWD National Coordinating Committees,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the AU Commission has concluded arrangements to host the first All Africa Public Relations and Strategic Communications Summit in Addis Ababa.

The Summit, scheduled between May 8 and May 10 is organised by the African Public Relations Association, APRA, with assistance from the Commission.

The Commission’s Directorate of Information and Communication said in a statement that Paul Mutie, President of the African Public Relations Institute; Erastus Mwencha- Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission; John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana; and Haile Mariam Desalegn, Ethiopian Prime Minister; would deliver keynote addresses at the event.

“The summit will find ways of helping to shape or reshape the perception of Africa,” it noted.

It said Public Relations experts and media personnel from within and outside Africa would participate in the summit.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that APRA succeeds the Federation of African Public Relations Associations.

APRA has among its objectives to serve as the clearing house for public relations information in Africa; and set standards of public relations practice through its code of ethics.

The objectives of the association include, fostering the establishment of national and sub regional public relations associations so that the practice could flourish on the continent; and promotion of African unity and cooperation especially as consultant body to the AU and various agencies.

Others are, publishing bulletins and journals on public relations in Africa; and affiliating with similar international professional bodies.

(Premium Times)