tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58190774669347808752024-02-18T22:38:10.924-08:00AFRICA DAILY LATEST NEWSGet daily latest news from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, South Africa, Botswana, Liberia, Mali, Malawi, Football, CAF, Africa Union, ECOWAS, Sports, et al.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-34451470958872262772016-02-10T07:48:00.000-08:002016-02-10T07:48:13.151-08:00Agbakoba: 90% of Nigeria's problems are from Abuja<div>
The former chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (S.A.N) says 90% of Nigeria’s problems are from the nation’s capital, Abuja.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.onthe.io/vllkytaHR0cDovL2kuY2RubmFpai5jb20vby9CMlpMeDdwenc5aDQyeDRJME9aWGdzWEkuanBn.prx.546f3509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkytaHR0cDovL2kuY2RubmFpai5jb20vby9CMlpMeDdwenc5aDQyeDRJME9aWGdzWEkuanBn.prx.546f3509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
Agbakoba stated this while he was reviewing the book of his colleague and renowned lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), at the Yar’adua centre, Abuja yesterday, February 9. <br />
<br />
The book titled Zoning to Unzone: The politics of power and the power of politics in Nigeria, seeks to address several pressing historical and contemporary national issues about Nigeria.<br />
<br />
<br />
According to Agbakoba: ”90% of our problems are located in Abuja constitutionally, because our politicians have been unable to manage our diversity.” <br />
<br />
He continued: ”Our diversity is not a curse. The United Kingdom is as diverse as Nigeria, but as it is, Nigeria is not a nation.” <br />
<br />
Agbakoba also berated politicians in the country for not getting it right, even as he called on the legislature to ”repair the federation.” <br />
<br />
He said that Nigeria is not a federation which is why zoning to unzone is a major issue in the country. He also called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration to look into the 2014 National Conference organised by the Goodluck Jonathan government. <br />
<br />
According to him, every National Conference held till date in Nigeria has addressed the issue of federation adequately. <br />
<br />
”We need to unbundle Nigeria to make the federating units stronger. If we can emulate the structure of religion, we will have a better country,” he said.<br />
<br />
<br />
Among those who graced the event yesterday were the governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, who was the chief host; the former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, who represented the chairman of the occasion, Senator Ken Nnamani, a former Senate president; the minister of science and technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and Abia state deputy governor, Sir Ude Okochukwu, who represented his boss. <br />
<br />
Other eminent personalities present were the former minister of justice, Ms Olajumoke Akinjide; Senator Bode Olajumoke, a former minority whip at the House of Representatives, Honourable Samson Osagie; senior lawyers, Chief Wole Olaonipekun and Chief Awa Kalu. <br />
<br />
Agbakoba in a recent interview with a national newspaper said <a href="https://www.naij.com/672698-biafra-nigeria-consider-changing-name-former-nba-president.html">Nigeria needs to see a new federal system.</a> <br />
<br />
He recommended that President Muhammadu Buhari propose a bill for an act or set up a small technical committee on national order.</div>
<img src="goog_415375389" /><br />
<div>
<img src="goog_415375389" /><img src="goog_415375389" /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-7949923646820312262016-02-10T07:43:00.001-08:002016-02-10T07:43:50.382-08:00Does Nigeria’s 2016 budget exemplify transparency or corruption?Yesterday, the Nigerian National Assembly <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201602100294.html">announced the suspension of the deadline date</a> initially set for the passing of the 2016 budget appropriation bill. The budget, which has been deliberated upon by the National Assembly for the past week, contains different anomalies and inconsistent figures. The integrity of the budget, and the people who prepared it, has been questioned as an indictment on the “change” mantra promulgated by Nigeria’s present administration. The deadline for passing the budget was the 25th of February, but now that it has been suspended, it seems <a href="http://venturesafrica.com/accountability-vs-competence-which-do-we-really-want-from-buhari/">the original fear that its implementation</a> would be delayed is looking quite likely. It would appear that every sector represented in the budget will now have to review its allocations.<br /><br />This latest furore surrounding Nigeria’s budget is the latest in a long list of related issues. The <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35292464">“lost but found” budget</a> episode in January this year was quickly followed by <a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2016/01/18/Nigerias-Buhari-requests-withdrawal-of-2016-budget-to-make-changes-sources">its withdrawal and re-presentation</a> to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari. Then hot on the latter’s heels was the issue of the National Assembly’s decision to keep its allocation in the 2016 budget a mystery, <a href="http://venturesafrica.com/the-nigerian-national-assembly-needs-to-disclose-the-provisions-of-its-budget-allocation/">an act which made Nigerians cry out</a> in protest, lending more strength to the hashtag #OpenNASS on twitter. It seems that, finally, Nigerians have woken up to one of their rights in a democracy i.e. the close monitoring given to the openness of the budget.<br /><br />However, this latest problem seems to trump the others because it questions the competence and credibility of President Buhari and his appointments (that <a href="http://venturesafrica.com/the-nigerian-national-assembly-needs-to-disclose-the-provisions-of-its-budget-allocation/">took him months to make in the first place</a> because, ironically, he wanted to choose credible and competent people). There were <a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198208-special-report-inside-massive-fraud-buharis-2016-budget.html">inflated budget allocations for some ministries</a>, while some figures were repeated so many times some Nigerians began to wonder if there was an actual Ministry of Budget and National Planning in the country. Buhari’s acclaimed 2016 ‘budget of change’ has now been termed a ‘budget of corruption.’<br /><br />President Buhari, through his spokesperson, called the budget manipulation the work of <a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/198079-presidency-blames-budget-mafia-controversial-allocations-2016-budget-vows-sanctions.html">the “Budget Mafia”</a>, whatever that means. However, <a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/197827-2016-budget-buhari-to-spend-more-on-state-house-clinic-than-on-all-federal-teaching-hospitals.html">the state clinic for President Buhari’s presidential villa</a>, Aso rock, will receive more allocation than the Federal Hospitals in the rest of the country, which means the president’s inner caucus is not excused from blame. There’s also the case of the “house rent” for the Aso Rock in the budget.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://venturesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://venturesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/6.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /><br />If Buhari claims non-complicity in the inconsistencies in the budget, perhaps he should sack everyone working with him in the State house. Similarly, ministers of sectors like Health and Education, when asked to defend their federal allocations in the budget at the National Assembly, disowned the content of their ministries allocation claiming that was not what was written down originally. This has left many wondering if it was done by a ghost bent on indirectly revealing the deep, deep rot in Nigeria’s public system. <br /><br />Since there has never been any confusion with budget implementation in Nigeria’s democratic history, is this present misunderstanding fueled by the peculiarity of the present time? To many, President Buhari has become a some sort of anti-corruption ‘punisher’ since his inauguration. Are these present budget revelations a result of the transparency promised by the reformed democrat, exposing the still corrupt officials scattered in Nigeria’s public system, the ones he didn’t know about? Or have Nigerians just been pawned? It is yet to be seen how President Buhari will redeem his image in the eyes of Nigerians, because, despite his stance on corruption, it appears that Nigerians have been sold dreams.<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-21450347863750208572016-02-10T07:24:00.000-08:002016-02-10T07:24:04.890-08:005 Tips How to Stay Safe Online<div itemprop="description">
With a rapid surge in the number of Indian users coming online, Google India today announced its support towards Safer Internet Day. Google India says it will be providing its consumers a safer Internet experience and rolled out some new features and resources designed to protect users online. From simple initiatives like simplifying security settings to making trustworthy messages easier to spot in Gmail, Google will be driving multiple initiatives to drive awareness about online safety among Indian Internet users. Users can take a quick Security Check-up, to review and manage your Google Account’s security settings and initiate a step towards safe Internet experience.</div>
<ol>
<li><div itemprop="description">
Use a strong, unique password made up of a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.</div>
</li>
<li><div itemprop="description">
Don’t reuse the same password for important accounts.</div>
</li>
<li><div itemprop="description">
Set up two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security, in addition to your password.</div>
</li>
<li><div itemprop="description">
Check your account recovery information and add a phone number or other contact info. This enables us to help you in case you get locked out.</div>
</li>
<li><div itemprop="description">
Do a Security Checkup to make sure your Google account’s security settings are up to date: g.co/account checkup. Sunita Mohanty Director, Trust and Safety, Google India, said, “With an increase in the number of users coming online and the rise in the penetration of smartphone users in India, we at Google are committed to offering users a safe Internet experience. We are adding five million new users a month taking the user base of ‘connected’ Indians to 500 millions online by 2018-2019. It’s more important now than ever before to ensure the data and profiles of these users is safe online. Thus Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity to focus on online safety and drive awareness for a better Internet." </div>
</li>
</ol>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-70017930277445798642016-02-10T07:14:00.001-08:002016-02-10T07:14:05.876-08:00What i love about BlackBerry Priv, First BB Android Phone Review Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/02/blackberrypriv-main.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></div>
Recently
a colleague asked my advice on a smartphone he wanted to buy. But he
had a specific request: the phone should have a full keyboard like his
Blackberry 8520 which was well past its prime. That was exactly a week
before BlackBerry announced the launch of Priv in India. I would not
have suggested this premium phone to my colleague anyway, but his
specific requirement might just be what makes the BlackBerry Priv and
the next generation of devices that follow it the redeemer for the
beleaguered Canadian smartphone maker.<br />
I have used this new phone for a week and will tell you why I love
this new phone from Waterloo. I will also tell you what I don’t love
about the Priv in the next part of this review.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/02/blackberrypriv-pic-big.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></div>
Priv runs near stock version of Android 5.1 Lollipop and is one of the most secure smartphones available right now.<br />
Before you start comparing it to QWERTY old Blackberry, let me tell you that
this is not a phone for everyone. It is clearly meant for top
management, which has for many years been BlackBerry’s favourite
clientele. It is priced to take on the top-end flagships like the iPhone
and the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+. The price means even BlackBerry does
not expect it to be a mass product.<br />
<strong>Specs:</strong> 5.4-inch WQHD AMOLED display (2560 x 1440
pixels) | Snapdragon 808 processor | 3GB RAM | 32GB storage space
(expandable to 200GB) | 18MP rear camera with OIS + 2MP front camera |
3410 mAh battery | Android 5.1 Lollipop<br />
<strong>Price: Rs 62,999</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>It’s different: </strong>All the buzz so far about this phone has centred around how this is the first Android phone from BlackBerry which has been pushing its own operating system for many years. I choose to look at this phone differently. For me, this is the best Android phone with a keyboard at the moment and that is a pretty place to be in for BlackBerry, a very lonely place too. I am very adept at typing really fast for long durations on the smartphone and tablet. But I’m still in a minority. There are lots of people who do it because they don’t have an option and the handful of Android devices with keyboards are low-end devices not really meant for power users. With BlackBerry stating that it’s going to roll out more Android devices that play to its strength of keyboards and security, this could be a niche the company can really tap into.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/02/blackberrypriv-keyboard.jpg" div="" gt="" height="177" width="320" />
</div>
<strong>Who has better keyboards:</strong> The keyboard is clearly the USP of this phone. It is both functional and practical like any BlackBerry QWERTY. But it also gives you full options to use just the virtual keyboard and not slide out the physical keys. I have used a blackberry phone for a few years, moving on from a Nokia E series business phone. So I am very used to physical keyboards on phones and have been filing and editing copies on phones for close to a decade. But the last BlackBerry phone I used was well over a year back and I now realise that I’m more comfortable using the virtual keyboard instead of the physical keys. So BlackBerry will have a challenge getting people who have moved on from physical keys to adjust them again. However, it will be able to cash in on the thousands who have not been able to adjust to virtual keyboards. And yes, like in the Q10 the surface of the keypad can be used as a trackpad too.<br />
<strong>The right tweaks: </strong>BlackBerry has been good enough to retain most natural elements of Android while adding their bits as add-ons and not as a wrap like other manufacturers have tried. I found the BlackBerry hub to be a great productivity app given that it plugs all my incoming messages into a single app with fewer chances of missing out on stuff. The gestures from BB10 OS have been added in a way to conjure what you need when you need it. Smart widgets work a bit like 3D Touch and are innovative, helping keep the home screens clean and clutter-free. I loved the shortcuts on the home screen to things you need the most like battery percentage, compose mail and so on. You will need to curate them a bit, but these are again very practical. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/02/blackberrypriv-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/02/blackberrypriv-big.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>Design:</strong> The design is nothing revolutionary, certainly not for BlackBerry. But it seems to be the most natural way to add physical keys without making them look like an appendage. The overall size of the phone is very handy and if no one told you, there is no way to figure out that this phone has a slide out keyboard.<br />
<b>Call quality:</b> One BlackBerry goodness that people take for granted is the overall call quality. If you are the sort that value your business then these calls are important enough for you to be able to communicate effectively in the traditional ways too. This phone has one of the best call quality I have experienced in recent times, both on the handset and on speaker phone.<br />
Before you think I have sold out to BlackBerry, please note that this is my first blackberry device and I am just appreciating a good work done.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-16963725166752945022012-05-05T01:23:00.000-07:002012-05-05T01:23:03.210-07:00Al Ahly and Sunshine Stars finally leave Mali<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
An Egyptian military plane airlifted Ahly out of Bamako on Thursday afternoon headed for Cairo.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The six players and two officials from Stars left on Friday to return home via Benin.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The two teams were stranded after Monday's attempted counter-coup caused the airport to be closed.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Ahly's flight after their 1-0 loss in the African Champions League to Stade Malien was initially delayed by bad weather.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Stars had battled to a 1-1 draw with Djoliba in the Champions League on Saturday.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Some members of the Nigerian party left after the game but a small group remain trapped.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
On Thursday the Nigerian Football Federation said it was "deeply concerned" for those trapped.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The NFF were reacting to reports that their hotel had been "stormed" by armed men wearing military uniforms as the ruling junta in Mali cracks down on an attempted coup.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The federation added a player's hotel room had been ransacked. There were no reports of injuries.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mali has been in turmoil since March when a group of soldiers toppled the country's democratically elected president.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The junta leaders then handed power over to an interim government in April, but they still wield power.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-33258663006487342532012-05-05T01:16:00.000-07:002012-05-05T01:16:34.786-07:00Zambian FA confirms Fifa playing ban for match-fixers<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" itemprop="description" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.11; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The Football Association of Zambia (Faz) has stepped in to ensure that nine convicted match-fixers honour their global playing bans.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
All the players were found guilty of taking bribes in Finland last year and then given a two-year ban by that country's football association.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
World football's governing body, Fifa, extended all the bans to apply globally, but two of the players - Donewell Yobe and Francis Kombe - have unwittingly violated the ban by playing back home in Zambia.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Yobe's sanction was made a worldwide one on 9 January and Kombe's on 23 March but both men have played since then, having been given a temporary registration by Faz.</div>
<h2 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.538em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -16px; margin-right: -16px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Zambian players affected by global ban</h2>
<ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 16px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Godfrey Chibanga</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Chileshe Chibwe</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Stephen Kunda</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Christopher Musonda</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Chanda Mwaba</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Nchimunya Mweetwa</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Francis Kombe</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Dominic Yobe</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Donewell Yobe</li>
</ul>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Donewell Yobe scored on his return to action in April as National Assembly beat Zanaco, while Kombe has turned out for Power Dynamos this season.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The club was subsequently told by Faz not to field him for their game on 2 May against Nchanga Rangers.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A third player, Donewell Yobe's brother Dominic, who was convicted at the same time as the other two, has also had his ban extended.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
He was registered to play for Zambian club Zanaco but has not made an appearance so far this season.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Faz says that before allowing their registrations, it told both the clubs and players that they could be revoked once there was official communication from Fifa.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"As an association, we have powers that grant us the authority to register the players temporarily for a year after 14 days of not getting the players ITC's from their club associations," Faz media and communications manager Erick Mwanza told media.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Fifa told the BBC that initially only the Football Association of Finland and Europe's governing body, Uefa, with whom the players were registered, were informed of its decision to ban the players globally.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
It is then down to those bodies to inform the players, according to Fifa.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A statement from Fifa added that when it is "informed/aware through the Transfer Matching System that a player has been transferred internationally, we inform the new association and its confederation, which shall forward the information to the player."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"Furthermore, we have asked the Zambia FA to provide us with information regarding all the players to which the ban has been extended."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The other six Zambians found guilty of match fixing in Finland, who lost their appeals against their convictions, were banned for two years by the Finnish FA last month.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Those sanctions against Godfrey Chibanga, Chileshe Chibwe, Steven Kunda, Christopher Musonda, Chanda Mwaba and Nchimunya Mweetwa<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17910411" style="color: #5e789b; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">were extended globally by Fifa on 30 April.</a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Their bans are set end on 5 April 2013.</div>
<div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px 0px 12px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-83219555587138809592012-05-05T01:11:00.000-07:002012-05-05T01:11:27.300-07:00Akufo-Addo Endorses Kennedy Agyapong’s Call For Slaughtering of Gas & EwesAkufo-Addo, the Leader and Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), has at long last opened his mouth on the reckless genocidal
statement made by NPP MP, Kennedy Agyapong. <br />
<br />
After a long silence, and quietly supporting the war cry and the call
for Ashantis to slaughter Gas and Ewes, Akufo-Addo has finally openly
thrown his weight behind Kennedy Agyapong.<br />
<br />
Speaking in an “exclusively” orchestrated manner with one of Joy FM’s
NPP reporters, Sammy Darko, the NPP flagbearer made his thoughts known.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Hiding behind the fact that the case is in court, Akufo-Addo failed to
condemn Kennedy Agyapong for calling for the annihilation of Gas and
Ewes. <br />
In a vexed tone, and sounding very frustrated because his warlord,
Kennedy Agyapong, is the grips of the law, Akufo-Addo justified the
reckless statement of the Assin North MP. <br />
According to Akufo-Addo, Kennedy Agyapong did no wrong and that;
President Atta Mills should be the one who should be blamed for Kennedy
Agyapong’s statements. <br />
Sounding like the uneducated NPP serial callers, Akufo-Addo said that
Kennedy did nothing wrong and that if there is anybody to be blamed for
Kennedy Agyapong’s war cry, it is the President. <br />
Indeed, Akufo-Addo said he saw no sense in the call for him to condemn Kennedy Agyepong.<br />
Akufo-Addo did not only support Kennedy Agyapong’s call for the
slaughtering of Gas and Ewes, but also supported his supposedly sex
mate, Ursula Owusu’s hurling of insults at Gas. <br />
According to Akufo-Addo, Ursula did nothing wrong when she went around Odododiodoo, insulting and taunting Gas. <br />
Instead, Akufo-Addo took a swipe at the Police for not protecting Ursula
when she was given a well-deserved beating for unwisely going to the
heart of Ga Land to insult and taunt the Ga people.<br />
Indeed, it is not surprising that Akufo-Addo will fully support Kennedy
Agyapong’s call for the slaughtering of Gas and Ewes; after all, it was
Akufo-Addo who first beat the war drums with his “All die be die”
statement calling on NPP supporters to use all unacceptable means to
ensure that he becomes President “at all cost”.<br />
History has a way of repeating itself and from the look of things, just
as Victor Owusu has not been forgiven for referring to Ewes as “Inward
looking people”, right-thinking Ewes and Gas will never forgive
Akufo-Addo for fully endorsing the call by his warlord Kennedy Agyepong,
for calling for the total slaughtering of Gas and Ewes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-55738993985293222102012-05-05T01:08:00.004-07:002012-05-05T01:08:52.099-07:00Ghana: Lawyer In Dramatic U-Turn…Now ‘Fighting’ for Arhur Paes against His Ex. Client<br />
<br />
Lawyer Nana Oppong, of Due Diligence Chambers, has made a sharp u-turn
from his client, Eunice Wubbling, whom he was defending in a defilement
case and is now defending Arthur Paes, the man at the centre of a civil
case in an Accra High Court, for allegedly defiling a minor since she
was eight years old.<br />
<br />
Nana Oppong was the counsel for Eunice Wubbling all these years until
recently, due to what Eunice called “strange straits” exhibited by her
attorney, the two parted ways following Eunices’ suspicions that her
lawyer may be dealing with her opponent in the defilement case.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Eunice Wubbling is the guardian of the alleged defiled minor (name
withheld) and Nana Oppong at all times had been defending Eunice
Wubbling against Arthur Paes.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, lawyer Nana Oppong Muslim; also a registrar at KNUTSFORD
University, affiliated to the University of Ghana, has currently filed
an affidavit opposing a motion filed by his ex. client, for the court to
dismiss an action by Arthur Peas.<br />
<br />
However, the New Crusading GUIDE, in an attempt to publish the events
that led to the two parting ways was served with a writ by Nana Oppong.<br />
<br />
In one of the said publication that provoked Nana Oppong’s anger, this
paper produced a bank statement of the alleged minor who Nana Oppong
deposited GH¢2,000 into her account as compensation.<br />
<br />
According to the girl in an interview to reveal the motive for the
transfer of the money, Nana Oppong called her into his office to start a
counseling section with a physician so she could get over her trauma.<br />
<br />
Whilst in the office, the girl said the lawyer locked the door and
there stood three strong men, one with a video camera ready to roll, and
with Nana Oppong, in the room directing what should be said and not,
the minor allegedly withdrew all the allegations she leveled against
Arthur Paes. She said “He lured me to sign a document I did not know the
content”.<br />
<br />
He followed it up with an exparte injunction for the paper to stop the
publications. The injunction lasted for nine days after which he
followed up with another writ praying the court to extend his
injunction, and the court will move on the injunction application on May
28, 2012.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Eunice has file a complaint to the General Legal Council on the conduct of her former lawyerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-10100565386718986322012-05-05T01:06:00.001-07:002012-05-05T01:06:41.882-07:00Ghana: NPP must take blame for Volta alienation said Nana Addo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photos.myjoyonline.com/photos/news/201203/880953969_707298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photos.myjoyonline.com/photos/news/201203/880953969_707298.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="story_text_1">The presidential candidate of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) says the party is partly to blame for the seeming
hostile attitude by residents of the Volta Region towards the NPP.<br /><br />Nana
Akufo-Addo said the posture and attitude by some party officials have
largely contributed to the dwindling fortunes of the NPP in the Volta
Region.<br /><br />The flagbearer was speaking during a meeting with the Volta Region House of Chiefs on Friday.<a name='more'></a><br /><br />The
meeting comes at a time when relationship between the NPP and residents
of Volta Region have further been strained following the ethnocentric
comments made by the NPP Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy
Agyapong.<br /><br />One of the Chiefs in an angry reaction to the comments
by Agyapong said the people in the Volta Region will start no war or
throw cudgels, machetes but will live to read the obituaries of their
enemies.<br /><br />But Nana Addo told Volta Regional House of Chiefs: “I
want to state here with all the emphasis at my command that I have no
ethnic agenda or condone any such agenda.”<br /><br />He said he supported the decision by the party to dissociate itself from the comments made by the Assin North MP.<br /><br />He would not comment on the details of the statements, preferring rather to have the courts deal with the matter.<br /><br />Nana
Addo however admitted his party has not done enough to mend the
strained relationship between the NPP and people from the Volta Region.<br /><br />He
said beyond the programmes of the NPP for equitable development across
all regions in the country, the party has failed to communicate well
with the people in the Volta Region.<br /><br />A journalist who was present
during the meeting told Joy News the chiefs appeared impressed with the
frank discussion with Nana Addo.<br /><br />According to him, the chiefs
asked series of questions with one asking Nana Addo’s personal opinion
on the controversial comment made by Kennedy Agyapong.<br /><br />The
journalist reported Nana Addo as saying he would not support any
ethnocentric comment by any member of his party and backed the court to
continue with its job of prosecuting the case.<br /><br />The NPP Campaign
manager, Boakye Agyarko described the meeting as fruitful, explaining it
was to lay before the House of Chiefs the vision of the NPP for the
country and for the region.<br /><br />Agyarko said the people of Volta
Region, like all others, will be looking for progress and opportunities
to make life better for themselves and their families and that will play
a major role in choosing which party to vote for.<br /><br />A Political
Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampoh applauded
the move by Nana Addo to dissociate himself from the comments of the MP
and to take steps to patch strained relationship with the Volta Region
House of Chiefs.<br /><br />He was however skeptical the move would change the voting patterns of the people in the Volta Region.<br /><br />If anything, it will rather convince floating voters,” he said.</span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-59888849711111718822012-05-04T23:36:00.000-07:002012-05-04T23:36:02.514-07:00Arsenal to play pre-season game in Abuja Nigeria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60036000/jpg/_60036730_140784129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60036000/jpg/_60036730_140784129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
According to the organisers, DanJan Sports, Arsenal's opposition are likely to be a leading African national team.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
It will be the first time the Gunners have played in Nigeria.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"We are working on the opposition and once that is finalised we will announce it to the public in conjunction with the London club," David Omigie of DanJan Sports said.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and the club with arguably the biggest fan base in the country is visiting in August."</div>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
On their official website Arsenal said: "The club last visited Africa during a tour to South Africa in July 1993, and is returning as a result of the fantastic support which exists for the team, not only in Nigeria, but across the entire continent."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The club traditionally hosts an annual pre-season tournament at the Emirates Stadium, but they opted to postpone the event for a year because of the 2012 London Olympics.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The visit to Nigeria will conclude Arsenal's pre-season tour after playing in both China and Malaysia in July.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In July 2008, DanJan Sports brought two other English clubs,<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7527748.stm" style="color: #5e789b; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Manchester United and Portsmouth, to the Nigerian capital Abuja for a pre-season friendly.</a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
As well as the match between the two, Portsmouth also played against Nigeria Premier League side Kano Pillars.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
But DanJan Sports plan to go a step further this time around.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"We learned a lot from the 2008 tour and this one is going to be bigger," Omigie told BBC Sport.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"Arsene Wenger wanted a detailed plan and information. Facilities and other areas were well covered by the club.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"This is the beginning of big things between the club and the continent of Africa."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The organisers are confident the stadium in Abuja will be able to host the game adding Arsenal are happy with the venue after recent visits.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
This despite the Nigeria Football Federation saying Thursday that Abuja will not be hosting the Super Eagles' 2014 World Cup qualifier against Namibia on the opening weekend of June nor its 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier second leg against Rwanda a fortnight later.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
According to speculation in the local media Ghana, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Egypt are all among the potential opponents for the Gunners.</div>
<div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px 0px 12px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-4119682044434155022012-05-04T23:18:00.000-07:002012-05-04T23:18:23.343-07:00Africa Cup of Nations 2013 South Africa revealed cities after delay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59748000/jpg/_59748846_fnb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59748000/jpg/_59748846_fnb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" itemprop="description" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.11; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
South Africa has named Nelspruit, Rustenburg, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg are the host cities for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The decision means that Cape Town Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup, will not be used for the tournament.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Johannesburg's FNB Stadium, formerly known as Soccer City and the venue for the World Cup final, will host only the opening match and the final.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Bloemfontein and Polokwane had also made bids to host.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The host cities should have been announced at the beginning of April but the news was delayed by negotiations over financial issues.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A news conference to make the announcement was postponed from Thursday, with the decision being revealed on Friday by the South African minister of sport and recreation, Fikile Mbalula.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"Rather than using the whole of the republic we have reduced to a total number of about four, five stadiums so that they are close to each other," Mbalula said.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The South African government has committed to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17773227" style="color: #5e789b; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">helping with covering the costs of the host cities.</a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"On relieving the financial burden for host cities, there's a joint task team... which will meet with the host cities individually to allay fears," the minister said.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"I don't want to speculate on what the budget would be, but I can guarantee that the government and other private sections will come to the party and we will pursue negotiations with Caf [the Confederation of African Football] to make sure local private sector come on board as sponsors."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Cape Town will host matches during the 2014 African Nations Championship, the tournament for national teams of locally-based players, along with Bloemfontein, Polokwane and Kimberley.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-85826321108494462732012-05-04T23:14:00.001-07:002012-05-04T23:14:30.607-07:00Overnight curfew imposed after Egypt mass prrotest clashes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60051000/jpg/_60051227_jex_1398465_de49-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60051000/jpg/_60051227_jex_1398465_de49-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Egypt's ruling military council imposed an overnight curfew in the area around the defence ministry in Cairo after one soldier was reported killed and hundreds wounded in clashes there.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas against protesters on Friday.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Dozens of people were arrested. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
On Wednesday, unidentified assailants attacked protesters outside the ministry, leaving at least 20 dead.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The protesters, who were demonstrating against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), accused the government of orchestrating the attack.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The curfew was in force from 23:00 to 07:00 (21:00 to 05:00 GMT)</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The BBC's Jon Leyne, who was at Friday's demonstration, said trouble flared when protesters ignored army warnings not to approach the ministry.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
They tried to break through a protective ring of barbed wire and soldiers responded with water cannons and tear gas.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Both sides threw rocks at the other in clashes that lasted several hours.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Later the health ministry said one soldier had been killed and about 300 people wounded. It says about 130 are being treated in hospital.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60052000/jpg/_60052017_014668940-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60052000/jpg/_60052017_014668940-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The army says proceedings against those arrested have already started in military courts.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The unrest comes just three weeks before presidential elections are due to be held - the first since Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Islamists blamed</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Earlier on Friday, thousands once again gathered in Tahrir Square - the focus of the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 - to protest against the Scaf.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The crowd expressed their anger at the generals' failure to protect the demonstration on Wednesday and reiterated the demand that they hand over power to a civilian administration immediately, rather than after the presidential election.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In the afternoon, protesters began walking from Tahrir Square to the defence ministry in the capital's Abbasiya district.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The protesters started throwing stones and clashes then broke out.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
State television blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the trouble, despite the fact that the Islamist movement has been urging its supporters to stay away.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Clashes also occurred between protesters and security forces in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on Friday.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
-BBC NEWS </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-59154967795642567562012-05-04T23:05:00.000-07:002012-05-04T23:07:35.830-07:00Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir rejected for Malawi's Banda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/56054000/jpg/_56054244_bash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/56054000/jpg/_56054244_bash.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Malawi's new President Joyce Banda has said she does not want Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, accused of war crimes, to attend a summit in July.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
She says she fears the "economic implications" if Mr Bashir attends the African Union meeting in Malawi.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, who died last month, last year defied calls to apprehend Mr Bashir.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan's leader, over the Darfur conflict.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mrs Banda is trying to improve relations with donors, who had cut aid to Mr Mutharika's government, accusing him of political repression and economic mismanagement.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The African Union has urged its members to ignore the warrant issued by the ICC, accusing it of only targeting African leaders.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
After Mr Bashir visited Malawi in October 2011, the ICC referred the country to the UN Security Council.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mrs Banda said she had asked the AU to urge Mr Bashir not to attend the July summit.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"Let the AU decide on his position. He [Bashir] should forgive us this time as we are struggling to fix the economy," the Reuters news agency quotes her as saying.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mr Bashir was the first head of state to be indicted by the ICC, which accused him of genocide and war crimes in Darfur.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
He denies the charges, saying they are politically motivated.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Chad, Kenya and Djibouti have also been referred to the UN Security Council for refusing to arrest Mr Bashir, even though they recognise the ICC.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Some 2.7 million people have fled their homes since the conflict began in Darfur in 2003, and the UN says about 300,000 have died - mostly from disease.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Sudan's government says the conflict has killed about 12,000 people and the number of dead has been exaggerated for political reasons.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-59497150113760546092012-05-04T22:33:00.000-07:002012-05-04T22:33:21.195-07:00Tanzania President sacks ministers amid corruption scandal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60050000/jpg/_60050493_kikwetecabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60050000/jpg/_60050493_kikwetecabinet.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
He has been under pressure to deal with the scandal following a report by a body overseeing public finances.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The inspector of the government's accounts noted the rampant misuse of funds in at least seven ministries.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The ministers who have been dropped from cabinet all hold high-profile portfolios: Finance, energy, tourism, trade, transport and health.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="cross-head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">'Taken to task'</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In November, the ruling CCM party promised to implement anti-corruption measures, but there have been heated calls from the opposition for heads to roll.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Announcing the cabinet reshuffle, President Kikwete said that accountability would be taken seriously and ministers' subordinates and even executives working for state-owned companies would also be held responsible over any embezzlement.</div>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"It is not enough for a minister to take responsibility alone but the new approach is that even those who caused the mishap will be taken to task as well," Mr Kikwete told journalists at State House in Dar es Salaam.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The BBC's Hassan Mhelela in Dar es Salaam says the ministry of energy, which oversees the lucrative mining sector, and ministry of tourism - two of the major revenue generators for the government, were criticised most in the Controller and Auditor General's annual report.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
There have been mixed reactions to the sackings, our reporter says.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Many are pleased that the government has acted at last but some feel there should be prosecutions too, he says.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mr Kikwete was re-elected in 2010 for a final five-year term.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
His government has struggled to tackle corruption which has adversely hampered economic growth in Tanzania where the rate of inflation rate stands at 19%.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Last year, donor countries cut funding pledges to Tanzania after expressing concern about corruption and the slow pace of reforms.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-78623748011494779442012-05-04T22:28:00.001-07:002012-05-04T22:28:13.996-07:00Soldier killed, many injured and arrested in fresh Egypt clashes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.france24.com/en/files/imagecache/france24_ct_article_169_group_main_thumbnail/article/image/EGYPT-DEMO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.france24.com/en/files/imagecache/france24_ct_article_169_group_main_thumbnail/article/image/EGYPT-DEMO.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
One soldier is reported to have been killed and hundreds of people hurt in fresh clashes between Egyptian security forces and protesters in Cairo.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas outside the defence ministry.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Dozens of people have been arrested and a night-time curfew is now in force. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
On Wednesday, unidentified assailants attacked protesters outside the ministry, leaving at least 20 dead.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The protesters, who were demonstrating against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), accused the government of orchestrating the attack.</div>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The BBC's Jon Leyne, who was at Friday's demonstration, said trouble flared when protesters ignored army warnings not to approach the ministry.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
They tried to break through a protective ring of barbed wire and soldiers responded with water cannons and tear gas.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Both sides threw rocks at the other in clashes that lasted several hours.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Later the health ministry said one soldier had been killed and about 300 people wounded. It says about 130 are being treated in hospital.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The army says proceedings against those arrested have already started in military courts.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The unrest comes just three weeks before presidential elections are due to be held - the first since Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Islamists blamed</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Earlier on Friday, thousands once again gathered in Tahrir Square - the focus of the uprising that ousted President Mubarak in February 2011 - to protest against the Scaf.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The crowd expressed their anger at the generals' failure to protect the demonstration on Wednesday and reiterated the demand that they hand over power to a civilian administration immediately, rather than after the presidential election.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In the afternoon, protesters began walking from Tahrir Square to the defence ministry in the capital's Abbasiya district, several kilometres to the north-west.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The protesters started throwing stones and clashes then broke out.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60049000/jpg/_60049842_014666827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60049000/jpg/_60049842_014666827.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
At one point, soldiers broadcast a message on loud-hailers saying the defence ministry would only be stormed over their dead bodies, and that reinforcements were on the way.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A senior general later appeared on television to announce a night-time curfew around the defence ministry.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
State television blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the trouble, despite the fact that the Islamist movement has been urging its supporters to stay away.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Clashes also happened between protesters and security forces in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on Friday.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
-BBC NEWS </div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-92224273061736901062012-05-04T22:22:00.001-07:002012-05-04T22:22:39.777-07:00Despite UN sanctions deadline, South Sudan keep 'bombing'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60039000/jpg/_60039710_014591975-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60039000/jpg/_60039710_014591975-2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The two Sudans have swapped accusations of continuing to fight as a UN deadline has passed for them to cease hostilities or face sanctions.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
South Sudan says Khartoum is continuing to bomb its territory - charges it denies.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Sudan says that until the South withdraws from territory it has occupied it has not "stopped hostilities".</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Both sides have promised to comply with a UN Security Council resolution.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The two-day UN ultimatum was passed on Wednesday and expired at 15:00 GMT on Friday, amid fears of an all-out war between the neighbours.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The Security Council backed an African Union plan called for a written commitment by both governments to stop fighting, and threatened sanctions, such as asset freezes and travel bans, if its terms were not met.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
South Sudan has already said it accepts the terms of the roadmap.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Under the roadmap, the two countries have until next Tuesday to restart negotiations and three months to reach an agreement.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has confirmed that the Sudanese government has extended the deadline for the return of thousands of South Sudanese refugees to their home country until 20 May - they had been given until 5 May.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">High tension</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In a statement, Sudan's foreign ministry spokesman said Sudan would "fully commit to what has been issued in the resolution about stopping hostilities with South Sudan according to the time limits issued".</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
But Sudanese army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad said that the South must withdraw from areas it had occupied otherwise "this means they haven't stopped hostilities", reports the AFP news agency.</div>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
South Sudan's army (SPLA) spokesman Philip Aguer told the BBC the border state of Unity had again been shelled on Friday morning, after first being attacked on Thursday afternoon.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A woman and child are now in a critical condition in Bentiu hospital after being wounded when an Antonov plane dropped 12 bombs in Lalop, he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Army base Teshwein was also shelled - and again on Friday morning with shells hitting "deep into SPLA positions", he said.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Sudan's information ministry denied the allegations, Reuters news agency reports.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Col Aguer said the forces would only react and break the ceasefire if they faced a ground offensive.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"We'll protect ourselves if we're attacked," he said. "Only Jesus Christ didn't react, but human beings like us will react."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"We'll see in the next 48 hours whether Khartoum will be credible this time."</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The BBC's James Copnall in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, says Sudan pointed out in its statement the numerous ways in which it considers it has been attacked by South Sudan in the last few days.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
But our reporter says both sides appear to have been brought back to the negotiating table by committing themselves to the roadmap, despite the high tension.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Travel by air</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Some 15,000 South Sudanese people are stranded in the Sudanese border town of Kosti in White Nile state.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Last month, Khartoum told South Sudanese living in the north - estimated to number about 500,000 - to either regularise their residency papers or leave the country, so thousands of them began their journey home.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
But they have become stuck at the river port of Kosti as the authorities refused to allow barges to go and take them across the river because of concerns that the boats would carry military equipment or militia northwards.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A spokesman for the IOM in Geneva, Jean Philippe Chauzy, told the BBC that the deadline had been extended to give the IOM time to organise a land and air bridge for those stranded.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Mr Chauzy said he expected the first transports by bus to Khartoum and then by air on to Juba, to begin "quite soon".</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The rights of each other's citizens is one of a number of issues still to be resolved by both countries since South Sudan became independent in July last year.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Sharing the oil revenue is the biggest one, which has led the two countries to the brink of all-out conflict.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The crisis came to a head in April, after months of border skirmishes, when South Sudan seized an oil field at Heglig, which is internationally accepted to be in Sudan, saying the area was being used as a base for Sudanese attacks on its territory.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
South Sudan took most of the oil reserves when it seceded, but relies on pipelines to seaports in Sudan for distribution.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In January, it decided to shut down oil production, which provides 98% of the government's revenue, after Khartoum impounded South Sudanese oil shipments amid a dispute over transit fees.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Last year Southern Sudanese voted overwhelming in favour of independence from Sudan in a referendum promised as part of a peace deal in 2005 which put an end to the 22-year civil war in which some 1.5m people died.</div>
<div id="toggle-title" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 8px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Sudan: A country divided</div>
<div id="toggle-controls" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; visibility: visible; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<ul id="selector-menu" style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li id="state1" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="eighty selected" id="anchor-state1" style="background-color: #d1700e; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 80px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over1" id="anchor-state1" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Oil fields</a></span></li>
<li id="state7" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="ninety" id="anchor-state7" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 90px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over7" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Geography</a></span></li>
<li id="state2" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="hundredten" id="anchor-state2" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 110px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over2" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Ethnic groups</a></span></li>
<li id="state3" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="hundredtwenty" id="anchor-state3" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 120px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over3" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Infant mortality</a></span></li>
<li id="state4" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="hundredthirty" id="anchor-state4" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 130px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over4" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Water & sanitation</a></span></li>
<li id="state5" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="ninety" id="anchor-state5" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 90px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over5" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Education</a></span></li>
<li id="state6" style="background-image: none; background-position: -1200px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #505050; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"><span class="hundredten" id="anchor-state6" style="background-color: #404040; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center; width: 110px;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805#over6" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Food insecurity</a></span></li>
</ul>
<div id="label-toggle" style="color: #505050; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 6px;">
<input id="overlay" name="overlay-toggle" style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" type="checkbox" value="" /><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Show regions</div>
</div>
<div id="toggle-images" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; clear: both; color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="tog-content" id="over1" style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; visibility: visible;">
<img alt="Map showing position of oilfileds in Sudan, source: Drilling info international" height="564" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/world/10/sudan/img/sud_oil.gif" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 16px;" width="464" /><div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">
<div style="background-color: #ededed; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-rendering: auto;">
Both Sudan and the South are reliant on their oil revenues, which account for 98% of South Sudan's budget. But the two countries cannot agree how to divide the oil wealth of the former united state. Some 75% of the oil lies in the South but all the pipelines run north. It is feared that disputes over oil could lead the two neighbours to return to war.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helmet,Freesans,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-70366031282006833272012-05-04T01:21:00.000-07:002012-05-04T01:21:11.027-07:00Nigeria: Edo state governor 'Oshiomhole's aide shoot dead'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ipaidabribenaija.com/images/stories/adams_aide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ipaidabribenaija.com/images/stories/adams_aide.jpg" /></a></div>
Mr Olaitan, the personal secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, was assassinated this morning.
<br />
Eye witness accounts state that the governor's aide was shot by gunmen who broke into his house early Friday morning.<br />
The state's police command has confirmed the killing, though the state government is yet to react as the time of this report.<br />
More to follow.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-77045754660817277522012-05-04T00:46:00.001-07:002012-05-04T00:46:24.926-07:00Obama invites President John Evans Atta Mills to G8 Summit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photos.myjoyonline.com/photos/news/201205/994736243_595248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://photos.myjoyonline.com/photos/news/201205/994736243_595248.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="story_text_1">President John Evans Atta Mills together with
three other African leaders has been invited to attend the upcoming
summit of the group of eight industrialized countries in the United
States of America. <br /><br />Chairperson of the African Union and
President of Benin Yayi Boni, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi,
Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete and President Mills will be
attending the Group of Eight (G8) Summit at Camp David in the United
States of America. <a name='more'></a><br /><br />A statement signed by White House spokesman Jay Carney says the leaders will be part of a session to discuss food security. <br /><br />“President
Obama has invited [four] African Leaders to join Leaders at the G-8
Summit at Camp David on May 19 for a discussion session on accelerating
progress towards food security in Africa,” the release stated.<br /> <br />Deputy
Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa told Joy News the
invitation is indicative of the high regard the country is held.<br /><br />“What
is important is that Ghana is continuously being given its due respect
and accorded the attention it deserves. Ghana remains a success story in
Africa… this invitation should encourage all of us, especially in this
election year to remain committed to our democratic aspirations and
ensure that we do not derail the path that we have set for ourselves.”<br /><br />This
will be the second such an invitation has been extended to a Ghanaian
President. President Kufuor in September 2008 also attended the group’s
meeting in Berlin, Germany. <br /><br />The G8 countries are France, Britain, Italy, Germany, Canada, Japan, the US and Russia.</span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-42072327988775270742012-05-03T22:08:00.002-07:002012-05-03T22:08:57.443-07:00Sudan vows to end fighting with South Sudan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60022000/jpg/_60022389_014652502-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60022000/jpg/_60022389_014652502-2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Sudan has promised to cease hostilities with South Sudan and comply with a UN Security Council resolution.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
However the foreign ministry also said that Khartoum reserved the right to respond to "aggression" from the South.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The statement came hours after Juba alleged fresh bombing by the Khartoum government's forces.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
A UN resolution on Wednesday backed an African Union plan demanding both sides cease hostilities, amid fears of an all-out war between the neighbours.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The Security Council called for a written commitment by both governments within 48 hours, and threatened sanctions if its terms were not met.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The South has already said it accepts the terms of the roadmap.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The BBC's James Copnall in Khartoum says that both sides appear to have been brought back to the negotiating table, but tension is still high.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
In a statement, a foreign ministry spokesman said Sudan would "fully commit to what has been issued in the resolution about stopping hostilities with South Sudan according to the time limits issued".</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
</div>
<div id="story_continues_2" style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
It added that it hoped the "other party will commit to stop the hostilities completely and withdraw its troops from the disputed areas so as not to put SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] in a situation where it has to defend itself".</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Under the roadmap, the two countries have until next Tuesday to restart negotiations and three months to reach an agreement.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Our correspondent says that while both countries have now committed themselves to the roadmap, they have also accused each other of new attacks.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
In its statement, he says, Sudan pointed out the numerous ways in which it considers it has been attacked by South Sudan in the last few days.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Meanwhile, South Sudan said that Sudanese warplanes had bombed a military position in Unity state, and said that there had also been a ground attack.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The latest crisis began last month when the south seized a disputed oil field at Heglig.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Disputes over the sharing of oil revenue is a major cause of conflict between Juba and Khartoum.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
South Sudan took most of the oil reserves when it seceded in July 2011, but relies on pipelines to seaports in Sudan for distribution.</div>
<div style="clear: left; font-size: 1.077em; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The South seceded from Sudan as part of a 2005 peace treaty following two decades of civil war in which some 1.5m people died.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-45332121311029731752012-05-03T22:06:00.001-07:002012-05-03T22:06:29.838-07:00Africa's share of foreign direct investment largest ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60020000/jpg/_60020765__mg_1636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60020000/jpg/_60020765__mg_1636.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Africa received its largest ever share of global foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, an Ernst and Young survey has said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
FDI projects grew by 27% in 2011, pushing Africa's share of the world's investment to almost a quarter.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
FDI inflows, now about $80bn (£50bn), should reach $150bn by 2015, according to the global consultants.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
But potential investors still see Africa as "the least attractive" destination, the report finds.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">'Story of progress'</span><div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Investment is close to levels last seen before the financial crisis, the firm said in its 2012 Africa Attractiveness Survey.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
There have been significant inflows into the manufacturing, infrastructure-related and services sectors.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Ernst and Young found there was a "stark contrast" between those who had already invested in Africa and those who had not, with the latter concerned about corruption and political instability.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
"In fact, for those respondents with no business presence in Africa, the continent is viewed as by far the least attractive investment destination in the world," the report said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
"There are challenges, but we need to start having a different conversation about Africa where we focus on the positive stories," Michael Lolar, head of Africa Business Centre at Ernst and Young's Johannesburg office told the BBC.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
"For us, the story of Africa is a story of progress, growth, a story of political and economic vibrancy," Mr Lolar said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
He said Zambia saw a 93% rise in investments over the past year - a result of a well-managed economy and a peaceful handover of power.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Ghana, Botswana, Tanzania, Cape Verde and Mauritius also attracted high FDI inflows.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Africa itself is also helping to push up investments.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
"Intra-African investment has grown substantially, more so than any other category in the last four years, being led by South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria," Mr Lolar said.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-41713896455850140962012-05-03T22:04:00.000-07:002012-05-03T22:04:00.425-07:00Zimbabwe 'male rape' charge dropped case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60007000/jpg/_60007280_condom3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60007000/jpg/_60007280_condom3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Zimbabwean prosecutors have dropped charges against three women arrested in connection with male rapes.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
They were charged last year with 17 counts of aggravated indecent assault - as Zimbabwean law does not recognise the act of a woman raping a man.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
At least two of them will face charges of prostitution instead, officials say.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Police believe there is a nationwide syndicate of women raping men, possibly to use their semen for use in rituals that claim to make people wealthy.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Correspondents say there have been reports over the last year of men being lured into cars, drugged and forced to have sex using a condom.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The three women in this case were detained last November in the central town of Gweru, 275km (170 miles) south-west of the capital, Harare, after officers found 31 used condoms in the car in which they were travelling.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
They denied the charges, saying they were prostitutes and were too busy at the time to dispose of the condoms.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
According to the Associated Press news agency, their male companion at the time was also arrested.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Prosecutors decided to withdraw the charges after DNA evidence cleared the women.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
"The police arrested the wrong people. We have always been saying that and the prosecution was buying time to delay the trial because they knew they lacked any evidence," their lawyer Dumisani Mthombeni told the AFP news agency.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
He said his clients were planning to sue the police for unlawful arrests and parading them on television as "female rapists", the agency reports.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The lesser charge of "loitering for the purposes of prostitution" was punishable by a fine, Mr Mthombeni said.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-76535345754672171772012-05-03T21:59:00.000-07:002012-05-03T21:59:54.819-07:00EU imposes sanctions on Guinea-Bissau coup leaders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59945000/jpg/_59945709_137093901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59945000/jpg/_59945709_137093901.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The European Union has imposed targeted sanctions on six coup leaders in the West African country of Guinea-Bissau.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
They include a freeze on assets and a travel ban on the leaders who took power in a 12 April coup.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The move comes as the West African regional bloc Ecowas meets in Senegal to discuss what other actions to take against junta leaders in Guinea-Bissau and Mali.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Ecowas had already imposed sanctions on Guinea-Bissau earlier this week.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The country has seen many coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">'Constitutional order'</span><div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
An EU statement confirming the sanctions said they included "a ban from entering the EU as well as an asset freeze on six persons that threaten the peace, security and stability of Guinea-Bissau".</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Condemning the coup, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the bloc demanded that "constitutional order be immediately restored".</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The military junta led by General Antonio Indjai - who took power between the two rounds of a presidential election - had previously said polls to return the country to constitutional rule would take place within two years.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
No elected leader in nearly 40 years of independence has finished their time in office in Guinea-Bissau.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The country has also become a haven for drug cartels who use it as a transit hub for cocaine sent to Europe.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Meanwhile, leaders from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) are meeting in the Senegal capital, Dakar.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
They are discussing further measures against coup leaders in Guinea-Bissau and Mali - including the use of force.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The 22 March coup in Mali was led by soldiers who accused former President Amadou Toumani Toure of failing to combat an insurgency by rebels in the north of the country.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
However, fighting broke out in the capital Bamako earlier this week in what is thought to have been a counter-coup.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-30601146028480468992012-05-03T21:55:00.000-07:002012-05-03T21:55:20.980-07:00Sierra Leone trial: 80 years urged for Charles Taylor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59890000/jpg/_59890128_014602617-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59890000/jpg/_59890128_014602617-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Prosecutors in the trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor have said he should be handed an 80-year sentence following his war crimes conviction in The Hague last week.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
In a <a href="http://www.sc-sl.org/CASES/ProsecutorvsCharlesTaylor/tabid/107/Default.aspx" style="color: #4a7194; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">brief</a>, the team told the Special Court for Sierra Leone the "extreme magnitude" of the crimes he committed warranted the long-term sentence.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
The 64-year old was found guilty on 11 counts, including rape and murder, relating to the Sierra Leone civil war.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
He will be sentenced on 30 May.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
During the 1991-2002 civil war Charles Taylor, who was president of neighbouring Liberia, backed Revolutionary United Front rebels who killed tens of thousands of people.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
In return, he received "blood diamonds" collected by slaves.</div>
<span class="cross-head" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">'Instrumental' in crimes</span><div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
In their sentencing brief, the prosecution team stated Taylor "was not a simple weapons procurer or financier".</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Instead, they say he "planned the bloodiest chapter in Sierra Leone's war - the Freetown invasion" and was instrumental in supporting the rebels in their strategy of "murders, rapes, sexual slavery, looting, child soldiers... and other forms of physical violence and acts of terror".</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
An 80-year sentence, the prosecutors claim, would reflect the severity of the crimes and the central role he had in facilitating them.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
After a five-year trial, Taylor became the first former head of state convicted by an international court since the Nuremburg trial of Nazis after World War II when he was found guilty last week.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
A sentence hearing is expected be held on 16 May, with the sentence to be handed down on 30 May.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-rendering: auto;">
Taylor has a right to appeal against the conviction, but if he loses that appeal he is expected to serve his sentence in a British prison.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-55648570926417872982012-05-03T07:45:00.000-07:002012-05-03T07:45:21.048-07:00Bosco 'Terminator' Ntaganda wanted over DR Congo mutiny<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
<br /></div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
Renegade general Bosco
Ntaganda is to be arrested for leading a recent mutiny in the east of
Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities have said.</div>
"He is implicated in this case of indiscipline, and he is wanted for that," said North Kivu governor Julien Paluku.<br />
Thousands of people have been displaced by recent fighting in North Kivu between mutinous troops and the army.<br />
Gen Ntaganda is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).<br />
<span class="cross-head">'Wanted man'<a name='more'></a></span>
The BBC's Thomas Hubert in eastern DR Congo says the
governor's statement shows a growing momentum by the authorities to
arrest Gen Ntaganda - known locally as the "Terminator" - who was until
last month in charge of a large contingent based in the North Kivu
provincial capital, Goma.<br />
In early April, President Joseph Kabila also called for his arrest, following the defections of up to 500 Congolese troops.<br />
Our correspondent says that earlier this week members of the
mutinous militia said that Gen Ntaganda was not responsible for their
defection - blaming the government instead.<br />
The soldiers, former rebels and loyal to Gen Ntaganda were integrated into the national army in 2009. <br />
But both men say that the general will not be handed over to
the ICC, which indicted him five years ago, for allegedly recruiting
child soldiers during DR Congo's bloody five-year war.<br />
"As a wanted man, if our units get their hands on him, he
must be presented first to the Congolese judiciary to answer his
actions," Mr Paluku said.<br />
Fierce fighting between Gen Ntaganda's men and the Congolese
has displaced nearly 5,000 people - with half of them crossing over into
Rwanda, the UN refugee agency says.<br />
People in and around the town of Goma blame them for
persistent unrest - including looting and rape - since the formal end of
DR Congo's war in 2003.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819077466934780875.post-52898779166324476662012-05-03T05:10:00.000-07:002012-05-03T05:10:16.864-07:00Nigeria: Azazi’s bold position and America’s evasive posturing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Rockets-Azazi-visit.jpg?9d7bd4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Rockets-Azazi-visit.jpg?9d7bd4" width="320" /></a></div>
General Andrew Azazi’s speech at the just concluded South-South
Economic summit was spot on. Albeit too many analysts and political
masquerades have tried to deconstruct the speech into components that
suit their selfish political objectives, the keynote of the NSA was
clear – that political discontent engendered by the outcome of the 2011
presidential elections, created conducive nesting environment for the
escalation of the Boko Haram Jihad.<br />
The deeper meaning of his speech is the absolute response to United
States’ posturing that economic alienation is the principal motor of
Boko Haram. The NSA did not completely disagree with Ambassador Johnny
Carson, but he delivered a didactic talk.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
General Azazi questioned the logic of a party constitution that
seemingly closed the door on President Goodluck Jonathan, when in fact
the constitution which made him president clearly said: ‘hey man, you
can run’.<br />
<strong>Disgruntled</strong><strong> politicians</strong><strong></strong><br />
He indicted disgruntled politicians in the North, who have resorted
to playing dirty, for sponsoring the terrorist organization and
suggested that the rhetoric of these political elements in the build up
to the 2011 elections catalyzed the resurgence of the Boko Haram Jihad.
Who mounted pressure on Zakari Biu – the police chief – to free the
Christmas day bomber, Kabiru Sokoto? Common Nigerians need to wake up!<br />
After my thematic audit of the speech, my conclusion is simple: It
was the controversy that the PDP stirred with their overstretched debate
on zoning and the eventual victory of the PDP candidate – in an
election judged as fair – that engendered the momentum for disgruntled
opposition politicians to abet the metamorphosis of Boko Haram.<br />
Furthermore, the careless rhetoric of some eminent citizens from
within the PDP and the opposition – like those who even promised to make
the nation ungovernable- that fertilized the ovary of the new Boko
Haram. An ovary genetically engineered to birth in 2015, I think.<br />
While Gen. Azazi did not rule out the poverty, economic constraints
(economic alienation as US Ambassador Carson puts it) and the dearth of
opportunities in the North as supplementary cause of the new Boko Haram,
I interpreted his speech to mean that, the metamorphosis of Boko Haram
has principally been driven by political interests. The old Boko Haram
has evolved into a political Boko Haram.<br />
What Gen. Azazi perhaps forgot is that his
appointment as national security adviser has in no little way angered
the same elements that have actuated the metamorphosis of Boko Haram.
Perhaps, to validate the pseudo theory that only Nigerians from a
particular part of the country could become NSAs as it has been from the
day the position was established. General Azazi’s appointment like the
2011 election results has also in some way been seen as a deprivation of
some sort.<br />
Forget the posturing of Ambassador Carson, America knows the truth,
they also understand the root. While the United States has a duty to
protect its strategic oil interest in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria,
it also has a duty to protect the interest of the North.<br />
The control of most of the nation’s oil wealth is directly and
indirectly largely still under the big oil moguls of Northern Nigeria.
Also, bearing in mind that almost all of these Northern oil moguls
export their crude oil to the United States of America, and also have
mostly American technical partners, it is safe to suggest that beyond
Nigeria being America’s most important strategic ally in Sub-Saharan
Africa, the United States has a good deal of specific interest in North.<br />
Clearly, the United States’ posturing is that it will be politically
injurious to their strategic interest in the region, if they list the
terrorist sect Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) or
even attempt to support the Federal Government’s military effort
overtly.<br />
The condition for the listing of a terrorist organization like Boko
Haram as an FTO is mostly based on political permutations rather than
its level of viciousness or the threat the organization poses to local
and world peace. For instance, Hezbollah is considered as an FTO by the
United States but not the United Kingdom.<br />
<strong>Downplaying of</strong><strong> Boko Haram threat</strong><br />
To justify their posturing, the US has simply downplayed Boko Haram’s
threat to US strategic interest, blaming it simply on poverty and
chiding the Nigerian government for economic alienation of the North.
Like Nigeria, Indonesia is waging one of the world’s most determined
campaigns against terrorism – and much of the credit goes to the
American trained unit, Detachment 88.<br />
Indonesia is clearly, by virtue of its size, location and status as a
democracy, one of the most important countries to the United States in
Asia. The country has more Muslim faithful than Iran, Iraq, Egypt and
Saudi Arabia combined. The strategic sea lanes that pass through and
along Indonesian territory carry one-third of the world’s sea-borne
trade, and half of the world’s oil passes through the Malacca Strait.<br />
In February, 2012, Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) the terrorist
organization (with lot of similarities with Boko Haram), which seeks to
establish an Islamic caliphate in Indonesia, was added to the Foreign
Terrorist Organization list by the United States, following its attacks
on Indonesian police, government personnel and citizens and churches.<br />
While the audacity of the Bali bombings proved to be an epiphany for
Indonesians awakening them to the home-grown terrorists in their midst
and helping force a national consensus against terrorism, Nigeria still
lacks the needed consensus, as Boko Haram has become an instrument in
the hands of some selfish, desperate and disgruntled politicians, whose
sole aim perhaps, is to embarrass their political adversaries.<br />
Comparatively, Nigerian security agencies have busted more terrorist
cells, explosive factories and training camps than Indonesia; taken out
more terrorists than the Detachment 88; and thwarted more terrorist
plots than Indonesian agencies.<br />
Boko Haram has killed much more police officers than the JAT; they
have bombed much more churches than the JAT (JAT has only successfully
bombed one church, with no death recorded); they have killed more
government officials than the JAT; they have killed more innocent
citizens than the JAT; and even boast of a larger army and potential
recruitment pool than JAT considering the “economic alienation” of the
North as Ambassador J. Carson puts it. They have executed the most
daring kinds of attacks and have a higher horror profile than the JAT
with regards to foreigners killed. Yet, while the United States
considers JAT good for listing as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, it
doesn’t consider Boko Haram enough threat to its strategic interest.<br />
<strong>Apprehensions about</strong><strong> anti-US sentiments</strong><strong></strong><br />
The US is apprehensive about anti-US sentiments not just in Northern
Nigeria, but also in Chad and Cameroun – countries where US protects
major investments and Boko Haram poses a major potential threat. Chad
Basin and Chad Republic have always been potential sources of oil.<br />
The United States definitely has it eyes on the basin. There are
currently four oil prospecting licences in the Chad basin already. Then
just across the Nigerian border, in Chad Republic, an American company
Chevron is pumping out over 3.5 million barrels of crude oil every
month.<br />
In 2000, Chevron became a participant in two major projects in Chad.
The first was the development of the Doba oil fields in the south. The
second involved the construction and operation of a pipeline to
transport oil from those fields to an export terminal facility in
Cameroon. Together, they represent one of the largest industrial
projects in Africa.<br />
Now, that is what they call strategic interest, so do not blame the
USA. They turn their eyes the other way, stay out of the fray and let
Nigeria fight her battle alone. But the US must be told the
metamorphosis of Boko Haram is not yet complete. Yesterday, it was about
Borno State; today it’s about national politics; the Boko Haram of
tomorrow still remains a conundrum.<br />
Security experts agree that our security agencies are beginning to
slice the sect. I am confident that soon, the more organized, more
sophisticated operations of Boko Haram will gradually diminish. However,
security agencies must be advised never to undermine the threat of lone
Boko Haram Jihadists. They must proactively lookout for fresh extremist
tactics such as book bombs and letter bombs, method Indonesian
terrorist cells now use. The intellectual cover Boko Haram has enjoyed
in the past few months has exposed that beyond the ragtag group
patronized by Ali Modu Sheriff, is a newly reformed terrorist
organization working the dictates of experienced political masquerades.<br />
Fighting terrorism in a democracy is difficult – the stakes are high.
The process sometimes may seem slow because the constitution and civil
liberties must be protected. Stanford professor Laura K. Donohue in her
book – The Cost of Counter terrorism: Power, Politics and Liberty- warns
of the risks to fundamental individual rights when democracies
establish counter-terrorist regimes. She discards the logic of
governments framing their initiatives in terms of a choice between
security and freedom and argues that loss of liberty is not necessarily
balanced by gain in safety. General Azazi’s strategy has been grounded
on this principle: he has insisted that our security strategy must first
protect our liberty.<br />
On a final note, no cause justifies terrorism – not poverty, not
politics. Some have terrorized because they want some nations off the
surface of the earth; some have because they want Sharia imposed on
nations; some have terrorized because they want power and freedom. So
should Israel then apologize for her sovereignty? Should America
apologize for her liberty?<br />
Should Indonesia apologize for her secularism? Should Nigeria apologize for her constitution? Hell no.<br />
<strong><em>•Ross Alabo-George wrote in from Lagos</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>-VANGUARD NEWS </em></strong><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516292993421970002noreply@blogger.com0