IGIHE

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  • Nigeria’s Interior Minister Says Boko Haram is no threat

    {{Nigeria’s interior minister has said the army is making progress in the war against Boko Haram militants, despite the killing of 44 people in a mosque.}}

    Abba Moro dismissed the attack as “desperate” and “isolated”.

    “The security agencies of Nigeria have been able to push the Boko Haram sect from their major strongholds,” he told media.

    Nigeria has declared an emergency in three states after thousands of deaths in militant attacks in recent years.

    Boko Haram is fighting to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north.

    The mosque attack happened during dawn prayers on Sunday, although news only emerged on Monday, as communications have been disrupted by the state of emergency.

    It took place in the town of Konduga, 35km (22 miles) from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was established in 2002, launching its first attack seven years later.

    Twelve further civilians were killed at Ngom village, closer to Maiduguri, reports say.

    Boko Haram has not commented on the mosque attack but news of it came as a video emerged of the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, saying his followers had carried out recent attacks including some that targeted the police and the military.

    {BBC}

  • Libya’s ethnic Berber minority Storm Parliament

    {{Members of Libya’s ethnic Berber minority have forced their way into the parliament building in Tripoli, smashing windows and destroying furniture, in a demonstration to push for greater recognition, an assembly spokesman said.}}

    The protest occurred on Tuesday during a break in a regular session at the assembly, General National Congress spokesman Omar Hmaiden said.

    There were no immediate reports of casualties, but Hmaiden said furniture had been smashed and some documents belonging to assembly members were missing.

    Violence and lawlessness, much of it involving former rebel groups, has hobbled governance in the country since the war that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

    The indigenous people of North Africa, known to others as Berbers and among themselves as Amazigh, were brutally suppressed under Gaddafi, who considered the teaching of their language and culture to be a challenge to Arab dominance.

    They were among the mainstays of the rebellion, with their stronghold in the Nafusa Mountains southwest of Tripoli emerging as one of the main fronts.

    Berber was the main language of North Africa before Arabic arrived with the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. It is still spoken in the Sahara and in mountainous parts of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia as well as Libya.

    Source: Reuters

  • Concern Over Stadium Delays in Brazil

    Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo has said he is worried about delays at five stadiums still being built for next year’s football World Cup.

    Mr Rebelo said the pace of construction must be accelerated if the venues are to be ready by this December.

    Brazil has seen two months of protests against corruption and overspending in the preparation for the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

    Only one of the six stadiums under construction is on schedule.

    The opening match venue in Sao Paulo is 84% built and is expected to be ready by the end of the year, as demanded by the World Cup organisers, Fifa.

  • Palestinian prisoners freed on eve of peace talks

    {{Israel on Tuesday began releasing 26 Palestinian political prisoners, on the eve of renewed Mideast peace talks that have faced challenges even before they started.}}

    Buses carrying the prisoners and bound for the Palestinian territories left the Ayalon
    jail in central Israel late Tuesday, according to the Israeli prison service.

    The prisoners were expected to receive a hero’s welcome in the West Bank and Gaza.

    The release of the prisoners, most of whom were jailed in connection to deadly attacks, has been painful for some Israelis. They were freed late at night to prevent a media spectacle.

    The move was part of an agreement brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the peace table after a five-year freeze in negotiations.

    In all, 104 Palestinian convicts are to be released in four batches, although their freedom is contingent on progress of the talks that get underway in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

    agencies

  • Italy’s President says Berlusconi Conviction ‘Definitive’

    {{President Giorgio Napolitano on Tuesday ruled out any reversal of a tax fraud conviction against Silvio Berlusconi and issued a stern warning to his party against trying to bring down the government over the issue.}}

    Napolitano’s statement that the law must take its course dashed hopes in Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party that the head of state would find a way to allow the former prime minister to continue his leadership of the centre-right without restriction despite a jail sentence.

    The party says that curtailing Berlusconi’s political activity would rob the 10 million people who voted for him in February’s election of their democratic choice. Several of its leading members had pressed Napolitano to find a way out.

    “Any definitive sentence, and the consequent obligation of applying it, cannot but be taken into account,” Napolitano said in a statement, warning against any “fatal” crisis in Enrico Letta’s fragile left-right coalition government at a time when Italy is stuck in its worst postwar recession.

    Earlier, Berlusconi’s oldest daughter Marina, 47, who heads his 6.6 billion euro business empire, flatly dismissed speculation that she could become the PDL figurehead to run the party while her father was out of circulation.

    {wirestory}

  • French Sex-toy Market Seduced by Green Appeal

    {{Sex sells, but French entrepreneurs are discovering that so does organic.}}

    Eager to please environmentally-conscious consumers, French manufacturers and retailers of sex toys and other adult products are going green, and reportedly finding the unexpected liaison is good business.

    It is the case of Divinextases, a brand specializing in organic erotic cosmetics that was launched two years ago. The company sells an array of products including edible perfumes, massage oils and even a post-spanking balm.

    The company claims on its website that all its products are made from 98% to 99.5% organic ingredients, are palm oil-free, and bottled and packaged in recycled glass and cardboard.

    Divinextases president Frederic Donnat told media that sales tripled to 450,000 euros once he refocused the brand around the eco-friendly spirit. The cosmetics pioneer has even secured a quality label from France’s national organic federation.

    Claude Laboratoires is another French business who has seen profits rise on the success of its “100% organic, 100% made in France” erotic supplements.

    It markets its so-called “Virile Virgil” pills as a completely natural alternative to erectile-dysfunction drug Viagra. The company’s line of sex-enhancing products includes tablets to naturally increase vaginal lubrication, promote anal sex and boost stamina.

    The company, which sells its products online and in its own Paris boutique, has said that it projects sales to increase by 300% next year.

    france24

  • Indian Submarine Explodes

    An Indian navy submarine with about 18 sailors on board has caught fire after an explosion and sank at a port in Mumbai.

    Navy spokesperson Narendra Vispute said on Wednesday that efforts were being made to ascertain the safety of the personnel feared to be trapped on board the diesel-powered submarine.

    “There are no reports of casualties at the moment,” he added.

    The cause of the explosion is being investigated, the navy spokesman said. Further details were not available.

    Fire started at midnight and went on till 5:30-6:00am local time, he said.

    The submarine was nearly submerged at its berth in the naval dockyard.

    Indian media reports say the 16-year-old Russian-made submarine, INS Sindhurakshak, had recently returned from Russia after undergoing an overhaul and upgrade.

    wirestory

  • BOOK: The New Rwanda II: Successes &Challenges on Ground

    {{Author Sondra Myers is in Rwanda where she is meeting with several individuals, organisations and institutions to compile data for her new book highlighting the country’s enviable progress and the acruing challenges.}}

    The book will cover components especially; civic responsibilities, Democracy and good governance among others. After publication It will be offered freely to individuals, Organisations and institutions.

    This is her Eighth visit to Rwanda, a place she says has caught her attention more than several destinations around the world she has been to.

    Having interucted with many people about Rwanda, she says she has noticed and felt a dynamic energy that is persuasive in Rwanda and this according to her will be reflected in the new book featuring stories of significant successes on ground achieved in the past five years but also presenting challenges that still exist.

    The book will also feature Kigali Public Library which she chose because of its transformative potential and that it exemplifies both successes and challenges.

    According to Sondra Myers, Rwanda needs to scale up the reading culture to enable the young generation leap into the 21st century and become part of the global community without eliminating Rwandan cultural values.

    Other success stories to be featured in the book will include components such as Education, Information and communication technology,Business, Civic and cultural Life.

    Sondra Myers envisages that the book will be a useful tool for rwandans and perhaps other countries in Africa and beyond demonstrating what people can do who choose and insist upon a future that is committed to both prosperity and public good, who are fiercely independent and embracing a constructive,mutually respective interdependence.

    In her book she will explore the fact that Rwandans have taken the ownership of the heroic project of creating a new Rwanda, artfully blending tradition and innovation.Thus will present specific projects and trends and demonstrate how they are linked in harmonious partnership ensuring political economic and civic Justice.

    The author argues that Democracy does not run on automated pilot but requires the will and skills of informed and engaged citizens that assume responsibility for the public good.

    She also notes one is not born with civic sensibilities, they need to be learned. They are based on trust and hope that efforts and actions of citizens will be respected and validated.

    The book will also accomodate presentations from local Authors including; Meilleur Murindabigwi (experince in business), Edward Kalisa, Ntidendereza William, Bishop Rucyahana John,Chizka Ezeanya among others.

    Journalism and media have been alocated an entire chapter . The Voices of Media practitioners will feature in this chapter since Journalists and media are an important and integral component for the realisation and transformation of society.

    During her stay, Sondra Myers officiate at a seminar on post-genocide psychological disorders. The discussion will include reports from Rwandan mental health experts and guest psychiatrist Laszlo Gyulai, from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. focusing on the effective treatment of people suffering from these disorders.

    Other books published by Sondra Myers include; Democracy Reader, Democracy is a discussion: Civic Engagement in Old and New Democracies, The Interdependence Handbook, The pluralist Paradigm and the New Rwanda: Prosperity and the Public Good.

  • 52 Trained on Community Policing

    {{Fifty two Police Officers drawn from different parts of the country, on August 12, started two day training in Community Policing.}}

    Community policing is a Rwanda National Police concept that brings together police and public to fight and prevent crimes and the latter to solve their localized problems.

    Participants include thirty District Community Liaison Officers (DCLOs) and twenty two officers from Public Relation and Community policing.

    The training will focus mainly on Rwanda National Police image and customer care, planning and performance and the general aspect of Isange one Stop Center.

    Participants will also learn on techniques of news writing and photography, anti-Gender Based Violence (GBV) and drug abuse.

    The course which is part of series of different others, previously conducted by Rwanda National police, aims at giving skills and knowledge, for the officers to perfect in their daily crime prevention activities jointly with the community.

    Chief Superintendent Sam Rumanzi, the Director of Community Policing said that the training is in line with Rwanda National Police’s efforts to effectively prevent crimes by engaging the general public.

    “We want the citizenry to be part of crime prevention strategies through, mainly, sharing information to detect and prevent illegal activities,” he said.

    The public are Police’s major allies as they act as force multiplier in ensuring security in their communities.

    {trainees during a session}
    RNP

  • Govt & Indian Agro Firm in Deal to Cultivate 6000 Ha

    {{The Government of Rwanda and an Indian agro-based company ETC are forging a partnership expected to climax in the cultivation of over 6000 Hectares of land to improve productivity.}}

    The country Manager ETC Mahindra Agro Tractors and Implements Ltd, Chari Viswarupa told a local daily that the land is located in the districts of Nyagatare, Musanze, Karongi, Nyamagabe and Kicukiro, and development starts next season.

    Chari said,“We have been entrusted with the responsibility to till over 6,000 hectares of virgin land into a more productive agricultural land that will support maize, beans, rice, vegetables and sugarcane growing next season.”

    The Indian firm will work in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rwanda Agriculture Board, and farmers.