Author: IGIHE

Morocco protests: Thousands demand release of Nasser Zefzafi

{Thousands of people have demonstrated in the northern Moroccan city of Al-Hoceima, demanding the release of a well-known activist.}

Reports say riot police were involved in a tense stand-off with protesters, but later retreated.

Protesters rallied after Nasser Zefzafi was arrested on Monday charged with threatening national security.

Mr Zefzafi has organised months of protests against unemployment and corruption.
Morocco has been gripped by demonstration since the death of a fishmonger in Al-Hoceima in October.

According to AFP news agency, protesters chanting “We are all Zefzafi” filled streets in Al-Hoceima on Tuesday evening and riot police were deployed in a square to stop their advance.

A stand-off ensued but police eventually backed down without incident.

Marches have also taken place in Casablanca and in the capital, Rabat, AFP reports.

The mass protests were triggered last October by the death of fishmonger Mouhcine Fikri, who was crushed to death by a rubbish truck as he tried to rescue his stock that had been confiscated by the police.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets accusing the authorities of corruption, abuse and injustice.

His death drew parallels to that of a Tunisian fruit seller in 2010 which helped spark the Arab Spring uprisings.

Source:Police

June 1, 2017
Nigeria policemen ‘killed by navy’ in Calabar

{Three Nigerian police officers have reportedly been killed after clashes with members of the navy in the south-eastern city of Calabar.}

It is unclear what sparked the clashes but a senior police officer told the BBC that a police station had been set on fire.

One media report says that a policeman had confronted a navy officer for failing to stop at some traffic lights.

The police and the navy have not officially commented on the incident.

Images of burned cars and building were shared on the Nigeria police Facebook page but they have since been removed.

Another media report says that a navy officer who had been involved in a minor accident with a motorised rickshaw had been angered by the policeman’s behaviour.

Shortly afterwards, a group of armed naval officers are said to have attacked and burnt down a local police station.

The BBC’s Martin Patience in Lagos says the attack highlights the often lawless behaviour of the country’s defence forces.

Source:BBC

June 1, 2017
‘Al-Shabaab’ abduct 2 teachers in Fafi, Garissa

{Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have burned down a school and abducted two teachers in an overnight attack in Fafi, Garissa.}

The militants, armed with small arms and explosions, also vandalised a mobile communication mast in the area.

{{Hours }}

The attackers destroyed telecom masts during their attacks to disrupt police communication.

Northern and coastal Kenya have experienced a sharp rise in attacks linked to the Somalia-based terror group, in which security officers have been killed and security equipment destroyed.

The attacks came hours after nine security officers and a civilian died on Wednesday when their vehicles ran over explosive devices in separate terror incidents in Lamu County.

The first explosion happened at 8.30am, between Baure and Milimani, killing all seven police officers on board an armoured vehicle and the civilian passenger.

{{Patrol }}

The officers from the Rural Border Patrol Unit of the Administration Police were travelling on the Kiunga-Hindi road.

Military reinforcements were immediately dispatched and were heading to the scene when another explosive went off along their way, killing two Kenya Defence Forces soldiers and injuring another.

Yet another explosive device went off between Kiunga and Ishakani later at 3pm.

Initial investigations show the third explosion was aimed at a military lorry but it went off just before the vehicle arrived at the spot.

Source:Daily Nation

June 1, 2017
Shower and flushing toilets now luxuries in Cape Town

{As Cape Town suffers its worst drought in a century, residents have been told to restrict showers to two minutes and flush toilets only when “absolutely necessary”.}

The city — South Africa’s biggest tourist hotspot — and the surrounding Western Cape Province have been declared a disaster area by the local government, with just 10 percent of usable water left in the dams supplying the area.

{{Desert }}

Two hours from the city, Theewaterskloof Dam, the main source of water for Cape Town, has been reduced to a flat and sandy desert, with the petrified remains of orchards flooded when the dam was built in the 1970s standing starkly under the sun.

At the local watersports club, exposed moorings reveal where sailboats once floated.

The long slipway now ends about 30 metres (100 feet) from the water’s edge.

“I’ve worked here for about 20 years and I’ve never ever seen the dam this low,” club secretary Lise Wheeler told AFP.

For Cape Town residents, the drought has led to a gradual escalation of restrictions, from the limits on splashing at public pools earlier this year to the current complete ban on topping-up swimming pools or watering gardens.

The newest restrictions limit residents to 100 litres (22 Imperial, 26 US gallons) per person per day and rule out its use for anything other than cooking, drinking and essential cleaning.

Last week Virgin Active, a health club operator, said it would close saunas and steam rooms at its gyms across the province.

“The best strategy to manage a drought effectively is to manage demand, which is what we are doing,” city councillor for water Xanthea Limberg told AFP.

Earlier this year, the city published a name-and-shame list of the worst water offenders in Cape Town, and it says it is issuing fines and notices to appear in court.

But officials themselves have faced criticism for failing to implement usage restrictions sooner, and have been accused of ignoring warnings by experts in the years before the drought.

{{Quality }}

Some Capetonians have taken to collecting their own water at a natural spring outside a brewery in the city.

Many are convinced that with dam levels so low, the quality of tap water has declined — a rumour that the city has been battling for months.

“This is the only drinkable water I can get,” one resident told AFP.

University of Cape Town climate scientist Peter Johnston said officials faced a long-term problem.

“What we’ve had now is three seasons in a row where the rainfall has been low, and that’s a one-in-a-hundred-year occurrence,” Johnston told AFP.

{{Summer }}

Strong summer rains have seen much of southern Africa recover from a drought induced by El-Nino.

But Mediterranean-like Cape Town receives most of its rain in the southern hemisphere’s winter — and scientists warn there is no guarantee of a good rainy season.

“Even if we get a real wet winter, those dam levels are only going to go up by about 40 to 50 percent,” Johnston said.

“If we get regular good rainfall, we’re still going to be pretty much in the same position this time next year. That’s the scary bit.”

Many climate models point to a hotter and drier Western Cape, with high pressure systems blocking rain-carrying fronts more frequently.

{{Recycling }}

“This means that even if the situation stays the same in terms of population size and water usage, the long-term future is for less water falling out the sky,” Johnston said.

Meaning that Cape Town will have to find its water elsewhere.

In the short term, that involves recycling waste water and drilling into aquifers under the nearby Table Mountain landmark.

The city is also looking at accelerating plans to build two desalination plants, a move already adopted by some of the driest towns in the region.

“Restrictions are going to be a reality for the foreseeable future,” Limberg said.

Source:AFP

June 1, 2017
Uganda probes Chinese diplomats over ivory trafficking

{Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has ordered an investigation into possible collusion between.}

Poaching has risen sharply in recent years across Africa, fuelled by rising demand in Asia for ivory and rhino horn, coveted as a traditional medicine and a status symbol. Uganda is a major transit country for the illegal trade.

The Chinese embassy officials are suspected of colluding in the movement of ivory from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan, using Uganda as a transit point, a government official said.

Ali Munira, spokeswoman for the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) ombudsman, did not name the Chinese diplomats but said the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) was under suspicion.

The Chinese embassy could not be reached for comment.

{{Theft of Ivory }}

Museveni has also ordered a new probe into the theft of ivory worth more than $1-million in November 2014.

“The president’s directive to the IGG is to have all these accusations investigated and if there is a prima facie case, the executive director (of the UWA) should be suspended alongside other officials,” said Munira.

Five top officials were suspended from the UWA after the disappearance of the 1,335 kilogrammes (2,943 pounds) of ivory from supposedly secure stockpiles.

The outcome of the initial investigation, which involved Interpol, was never made public, although the international police network did carry out sting operations on trafficking networks throughout East Africa in 2015.

A police source involved in earlier investigations said it appeared Museveni was not pleased with the prior probe and that new intelligence showed the likely involvement of Chinese officials.

More than 35,000 elephants are killed across Africa every year for their tusks.

Source:AFP

June 1, 2017
Kenya:Raila and Nasa chiefs join Uhuru in Madaraka Day fete

President Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga are sharing a podium for the first time since they were cleared by the elections agency to vie for the top job during Madaraka Day celebrations in Nyeri.

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony – the first to be held in Mt Kenya region since independence – at Kabiru-ini stadium.

{{Happy day }}

Both leaders were earlier this week cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to run for the presidency in the August elections and have not shared a platform ever since.

Mr Odinga on Wednesday told journalists that he would attend the national celebrations marking the 54th year since Kenya attained self-rule.

“Madaraka Day is a very important day in our political calendar and we celebrate it whenever and wherever we are…We wish everybody else a very happy Madaraka Day,” he said in Nairobi.

In his message ahead of the celebrations, President Kenyatta asked politicians to shun violence before and after elections.

“There are forces who wish to return us to the more unsavoury chapters of our nation’s past. Our independence is incomplete if our disagreements are settled not in court or in the voting booths but on our streets with the threats of violence and intimidation,” wrote the President in a message sent to newsrooms.

{{Tribalism }}

He also asked Kenyans to shun tribalism and embrace the spirit of democracy.

“Elections should be a great celebration of hard won democracy and liberty a time when the nation speaks and elects a leader who will serve the people and their interests,” added the President.

The meeting with opposition leaders today also comes two days after an opinion poll showed that President Kenyatta is still the favourite among voters with 47 per cent indicating they would vote for him compared to Mr Odinga’s 42 per cent.

Today’s event is also the first time the President will be visiting the central region since the chaotic Jubilee nominations last month where some of his key allies were kicked out by voters.

The theme for this year’s celebrations is “Our unity is our shield.”

This is the third time the celebrations are being held outside Nairobi after Nakuru and Machakos counties hosted the 53rd Madaraka and Mashujaa Day last year respectively.

But the choice of Nyeri is significant since most Mau Mau fighters who fought for independence came from there and used the nearby Aberdare forests as their hideout.

From Dedan Kimathi University named after the liberation hero to Mau Mau squatters and veterans, the region is a repository of the country’s history.

As part of the celebrations, a Sh418m stadium in Nyeri will be commissioned today and will be ready in eight months.

Source:Daily Nation

June 1, 2017
More 250 households connected with solar energy in Musanze and Gakenke

{At the age of 62 years, Antoinette Ntaweranaryo, a resident of Nyundo, Rusasa Sector in Gakenke District has used kerosene and firewood as the only source of light. This is, however, no more.}

Ntaweranaryo is among 100 households that Rwanda National Police (RNP) has connected with solar home system in Nyundo Village.

“Our President gave us hope, and a reason to work hard. When he gave us Gir’inka (one cow per poor family), medical insurance, VUP, clean water and roads, he was telling us to work hard for more. But that didn’t stop him because today, he has given me solar energy and saved me from 64 years of candles,” said a joyful Ntaweranaryo.

Equally, Godeliva Nyirampotore, also a beneficiary from Ruhehe Village, Cyanya Cell in Cyuve Sector, Musanze District couldn’t hide her joy.

“My children will no more hustle with candles and the fear of its side effects like burning the house and inhaling its hazardous smoke. I thank God for delivering us and giving us good leadership that understands and responds to the needs of the people,” said Nyirampotore.

Nyirampotore is also among 151 other households that were connected with solar energy in Ruhehe in Musanze District.

While inaugurating the solar systems in Musanze, yesterday, prior to presiding over the similar event in Gakenke, the Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka called for improved hygiene and fighting drug abuse.

He also warned against early marriages which are said to be still common in Musanze and urged parents to send children to school and sustain the solar energy to serve the purpose including improved performance of their children in school and security.

As part of the Police Week 2017 community development activities and anti-crime awareness, RNP also constructed 400 toilets and paid insurance premiums for 400 residents in Musanze.

While addressing thousands of residents in Nyundo Village later in the day, Minister Kaboneka also called for collective approach against gender based violence.

“Gender based violence is not a Rwandan culture and undermines the Rwandan values. It is demeaning to humanity and hinders general development,” the Minister said.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana, while speaking in Gakenke, also urged beneficiaries of the solar to protect and use them in development activities.

“Where there is light there shouldn’t be crimes. The Police Week is the time to reflect on your contribution to security in the general development agenda,” IGP Gasana said.

“This is a time to renew our commitment to serving the community and even better while also counting on the community’s collaboration,” he added.

The event was also attended by the Governor of Northern Province, Jean Claude Musabyimana and district mayors, among others.

In Gakenke, Police also rehabilitated 14 bridges that connect different sectors, and constructed two kraals for the vulnerable Gir’inka beneficiaries.

Similar activities were also held in Ruhango and Rulindo districts where 200 households were connected with solar energy as well as offices of Rwesero cell, Kabagali sector in Ruhango.

Source:Police

June 1, 2017
Game changing strategy for pain relief developed

{Researchers from Monash University have developed a new drug delivery strategy able to block pain within the nerve cells, in what could be a major development of an immediate and long lasting treatment for pain.}

More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and this figure is expected to grow, driven by the increased life expectancy, increasing incidence of diabetes and cancer, combined with better survival rates, often leaving patients with severe and poorly treated pain. The global market for nerve pain treatments is over US$600 billion and yet current pain therapies are not completely effective and often suffer from unwanted side effects.

Research published in the journal, Science Translational Medicine, reveals how a target protein, long known to be associated with both chronic and acute pain, works within the nerve cell. This protein is the NK1 receptor, the receptor of the neuropeptide substance P, which mediates pain transmission. Because of its association with pain and other diseases of the nervous system, many drug development attempts have focused on inhibiting this receptor, but the efficacy of these treatments has been very limited. This new work shows that such ineffectiveness could be in part because the treatments targeted the protein on the surface of the nerve cell.

Dr Michelle Halls and Dr Meritxell Canals from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and the ARC Centre for Excellence in Bio-Nano Science (CBNS) at Monash University, have worked with Professor Nigel Bunnett, previously at Monash and now at Columbia University in the US, and Professor Chris Porter from MIPS and CBNS.

Together they have found that the NK-1 receptor controls pain once it is inside the cell — so drugs that merely block it when it is on the surface of the cell have little efficacy. Instead, this new research shows that, in animal models, if the NK-1 receptor is blocked once it enters the nerve cell, it is possible to suppress pain more effectively.

Dr Halls said that the new strategy of “targeting receptors inside the cell represents a new frontier in drug delivery and a novel therapeutic strategy for dealing with pain.”

Working with a multidisciplinary team of cell biologists, pharmacologists, physiologists and drug delivery experts, the researchers developed drugs that specifically target NK-1 receptors within the nerve cell. Animal studies showed that using the drugs — which have an engineered lipid attachment that targets the drug to the NK-1 receptor inside the cell, could block pain for extended periods in several animal models.

Dr Canals said: “This is a proof-of-concept study that shows that we can re-engineer current pain drugs and make them more effective. The challenge is now to translate the technology into human clinical trials. This is a complex and challenging path — but the ultimate benefits to patients with nerve pain are potentially highly significant.”

Source:Police

June 1, 2017
Minister Mukantabana urges Karongi residents on patriotism

{As part of the ongoing Police Week activities, the Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana, on Tuesday joined residents of Karongi District along with officers of Rwanda National Police (RNP) where she handed over solar energy systems to 130 households in Kanyege Cell of Mutuntu Sector.}

During the event, the Minister was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jean Baptiste Seminega, who represented RNP leadership, Karongi District Mayor François Ndayisaba, along with other police officers and local leaders.

After distribution of solar energy power systems, Minister Mukantabana urged residents to be vibrant in crime prevention.

She appealed to them to put up measures geared towards environmental protection as means to prevent environmentally-related disasters.

“One of the drivers of a prosperous country is having citizens who are patriots; if we have to maintain what we have achieved and achieve even more, we must be patriots and be focused to ensuring we move our country to a higher level of sustainable security,” Minister Mukantabana told the residents.

She also spoke at length against school dropouts and human trafficking where she urged parents to always ensure they closely monitor their children so as not to fall victims of the modern day slavery.

Elsewhere, on the same day in Muhanga District, Commissioner for Operations, Commissioner of Police (CP) Emmanuel Butera presided over the handover solar energy systems to 106 households while 112 other homes in Huye District were also connected with solar energy.

The separate events were also attended by district mayors and other local leaders, and residents.

Source:Police

June 1, 2017
Tea consumption leads to epigenetic changes in women

{Epigenetic changes are chemical modifications that turn our genes off or on. In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers show that tea consumption in women leads to epigenetic changes in genes that are known to interact with cancer and estrogen metabolism. The results are published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.}

It is well known that our environment and lifestyle factors, such as food choices, smoking and exposure to chemicals, can lead to epigenetic changes. In the current study, researchers from Uppsala University in collaboration with research groups around Europe, investigated if coffee and tea consumption may lead to epigenetic changes. Previous studies have suggested that both coffee and tea play an important role in modulating disease-risk in humans by suppressing tumour progression, decreasing inflammation and influencing estrogen metabolism, mechanisms that may be mediated by epigenetic changes.

The results show that there are epigenetic changes in women consuming tea, but not in men. Interestingly, many of these epigenetic changes were found in genes involved in cancer and estrogen metabolism. “Previous studies have shown that tea consumption reduces estrogen levels which highlights a potential difference between the biological response to tea in men and women. Women also drink higher amounts of tea compared to men, which increases our power to find association in women,” says Weronica Ek, researcher at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, who led the study. The study did not find any epigenetic changes in individuals drinking coffee.

Results from this study highlight the role of pharmacologically active components in tea being involved in cancer and estrogen metabolism, which can reflect that health effects related to tea consumption might be due to epigenetic changes. However, this study does not show if it is healthy or not to drink tea and further research is needed to understand how epigenetic changes found in this study affects our health. It has previously been demonstrated that tea catechins lead to epigenetic changes in vitro and in cultured cancer cells, arguing that some of the health effects of tea may be mediated by epigenetics.

Source:Science Daily

June 1, 2017