IGIHE

Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

  • Musanze assesses security situation

    {The mayor of Musanze District, Jean Damascene Habyarimana has called upon leaders to be vigilant and “security sensitive” in their duties.}

    He also urged them to sensitise and involve the people in issues of security and development.

    The mayor made the call on January 29 while officiating at a district security meeting that had been convened to review the security status as means to draw further strategies to

    The mayor made the announcement January 29, during a security review meeting in Busogo Sector.

    It was attended by representatives of security organs, and local leaders.

    He noted that the role of local leaders and that of security organs compliment each others in making the people safer from all sorts of crimes, and poverty.

    “If people are venturing their money in trafficking and selling narcotic drugs, they are actually admitting poverty and insecurity in their families when the drugs are seized or when children become drug addicts and dropout of school, and engage in other criminal activities,” the mayor said.

    He also noted that excessive drinking can as well be a factor that retards family development because of being “economically unproductive.”

    Mayor Habyarimana emphasized the need for strong collaborative efforts to prevent occurrence of crimes rather than dealing with the consequences.

    “This is possible where leaders, security organs and the people work together through information sharing.”

    Inspector of Police (IP) Viateur Ntiyamira, who commended the existing partnership with different stakeholders, called for proper records of new members in their respective communities, which helps to locate suspected criminals.

    The meeting resolved to strengthen community policing initiatives like night patrols, and real time information sharing on individuals suspected to be involved in unlawful acts, among others.

  • 7 tips that will make you appear more attractive

    {The little things you do everyday matter if you want to appear more attractive and irresistible.}

    Here are tips that will make you appear more attractive

    {{1. Smile more }}

    You can’t appear attractive if you always frown. You lighten up your face instantly when you smile.

    {{2. Eat fruits and vegetables}}

    Eating fruits and vegetables daily is important if you want to appear more attractive. Several studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables daily gives the skin a healthy glow.

    {{3. Be kind}}

    Being kind will also make you more attractive. You will appear more attractive when you are willing to help people around you through your kind words and gestures.

    {{4. Relax}}

    Too much stress isn’t good for the body and it also makes us appear less attractive. You appear more attractive when you relax more.

    {{5. Be confident }}

    You appear less attractive when you aren’t confident. Being more confident in yourself and abilities will make you appear more attractive.

    {{6. Drink water }}

    Drinking enough water is important to avoid dehydration. You appear more youthful and restore elasticity to your skin when you drink enough water.

    {{7. Maintain a good hygiene }}

    You can’t appear attractive when you always look dirty and unkempt. Trim your beards, smell good, take good care of your hair and always make sure you maintain a good hygiene.

  • We are still focused on top spot, says coach Seninga

    {Police Football Club winded up the first round of Azam National League tightening their third place with a 2-0 win over Marine FC on Sunday.}

    Goals from strikers; Justin Mico in the 27th minute and league top scorer Danny Usengimana in the 70th minute took the law enforcers tally to 31 points, five behind league leaders Rayon Sport and three behind second placed APR.

    Usengimana has so far scored 12 goals in 15 with Mico, who joined Police at the start of the season from AS Kigali netting eight times.

    The league resumes on February 12.

    “It’s been a promising and brilliant first round to which we should build on in the second round to put more pressure on the league leaders,” said Police coach, Innocent Seninga.

    Out of 15 matches in the first round, Police won 9; drew 3; lost 3; scoring 24 goals and conceding 12.

    “Our biggest challenge in the first round has been injuries which affected our performance, the latest causality being the captain and centre defender Fabrice Twagizimana, who is out for almost the rest of the season. We have also played without experienced players like Anderson Neza and Robert Ndatimana both with torn ligament. That was our biggest setback,” said Seninga.

    He added: “We have, however, had strong support from our mother institution – Rwanda National Police – that continued to lift the morale in the camp, coupled with the discipline and team spirit of the players.”

    “We hope to sign a defender in this transfer window to fill the void and overcome the defensive crisis. The focus remains unchanged; to win the trophy, and that’s which we are working for.”

  • Don’t ‘bee’ worried: Researcher says endangered bumblebee populations will rise again

    {The rusty patched bumblebee, Bombus affinis, recently became the first U.S. bumblebee species to be placed on the endangered species list, but a Kansas State University entomologist says bumblebee endangerment is nothing to be bugged about.}

    Jeff Whitworth, associate professor of entomology, said bumblebees are not headed for extinction. However, their populations have decreased in some states, so inclusion in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Register may help keep them and other bee species at healthy population levels.

    “Being on the endangered species list is not bad,” Whitworth said. “It helps people have more awareness and information about bees, and it leads to regulations and programs that help keep bees alive.”

    Some people fear bees because they occasionally sting, but Whitworth said bees will not bother people if people do not bother them. He said bees are beneficial because they pollinate flowers, citrus crops and vegetables, and they serve as food sources for other insects, birds and fish.

    “If bees go away, other organisms go away, too,” Whitworth said. “It’s a domino effect.”

    Bee declines are attributed to a variety of factors, including parasites, pesticides and urbanization, as well as fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. They also are affected by the introduction of non-native plant species and natural disasters, from floods to drought.

    Whitworth said bee populations could be protected by areas of native plants and grasses, conservation-focused farming and gardening methods, and the hobby of beekeeping, which is growing in both rural and urban areas. These protective practices help turn one’s backyard — even a little piece of it — into a natural ecosystem.

    To boost a backyard’s “natural factor,” Whitworth advises less frequent mowing and tree trimming. Less mowing means less soil disturbance, which is critical for bumblebees because they nest in the ground in mouse and gopher holes. Less tree trimming provides pollinators with more of a natural habitat, which is especially helpful for honeybees because they create colonies in trees.

    Growers can help sustain bumblebee populations through no-till farming and gardening, as well as participation in the Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program, which provides landowners with rental payments in exchange for their commitment to abstain from agricultural production on a portion of their property.

    Whitworth predicts bee populations will continue to experience cycles of increase and decrease because of fluctuations in agriculture prices and year-round temperatures.

    Bee populations change every year because when crops are more valuable, farmers will use more land for growing crops, but when crops are less valuable, farmers will leave more land to its natural state, Whitworth said. Similarly, when temperatures are colder for several years, bee populations decrease, but they increase again in hotter periods.

    “Weather and prices vary from year to year, which is simply part of the way systems work,” Whitworth said. “I foresee bee populations staying fairly steady for the foreseeable future.”

    Jeff Whitworth, associate professor of entomology, says endangered bee populations can be revived through simple practices like growing native plants.

  • Over Rwf 2 million stolen from a Huye Sacco

    {Unidentified robbers have raided a Sacco in Rwabayanga, Ngoma sector in Huye district and made off with over Rwf 2 million. }

    The information about the robbery has been confirmed by the police spokesperson in Southern Province, CIP André Hakizimana. “It is true, we have learnt about the theft. We are going to investigate how the Rwf 2, 250, 000theft took place,” he has told IGIHE.

    The robbery follows yesterday’s incident when police shot dead a man who broke into a Sacco building in Ruhango district of Southern Province equipped with a machete to rob the facility.

  • Former Minister Imena arrested

    {Evode Imena, former Minister of State in charge of Mining at the Ministry of Natural Resources has been arrested over alleged mismanagement when he served in the government. }

    The information has been confirmed by Rwanda National Police spokesperson, ACP Theo Badege.

    “It is true that he has been under custody since Friday over preliminary evidence pinning him on poor decisions while he served the government in his former position. The evidence linked him to favoritism and illegal issuance of official documents,” he said.

    He has however declined to reveal what the documents are about.

    Evode is jailed with two former workers at the ministry.

    He joined the government of Rwanda in 2013 aged 28 when he served as the Minister of State in charge of Mining at the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    He was removed from the position following the government reshuffle by President Paul Kagame in November 2016.

  • Burglars raid Ruhango Sacco, one shot dead

    {Police in Southern Province has shot dead a man identified as Habarugira Mathias suspected of conspiracy to rob Sacco Ingenzi in Byimana of Ruhango district. }

    According to police sources, the suspect was shot after failing to respond to security orders at the site.

    His identity shows he is a resident of Nyaruguru district,Southern Province.

    The police spokesperson in Southern Province, CIP André Hakizimana has told IGIHE that “a gang of three raided the Sacco in Byimana and broke roofing tiles in the dead silence of the night. Residents hears the noise and raised alarm. Security personnel went there and shot dead one of the suspects who remained inside the building with a machete attempting to fight them.”

    The mayor of Ruhango district, Mbabazi François Xavier said that nothing was stolen from the Sacco.

    “It is true that the burglary happened. The thieves broke through the roof and descended inside the Sacco through the ceiling. One of the thieves was shot dead while others escaped,” he said.

    “Guards were not affected because police rushed to the scene and suspects were demobilized before robbing anything from the bank,” he added.

  • Quebec City mosque attack: Six dead and eight injured

    {Canadian prime minister decries shooting at mosque that killed at least six as two suspects are arrested.}

    At least six people were killed in a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers, police said.

    Gunmen fired on about 50 people inside the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre on Sunday at 8pm local time (01:00 GMT).

    “Six people are confirmed dead – they range in age from 35 to about 70,” Quebec provincial police spokeswoman Christine Coulombe told reporters, adding that eight people were wounded and 39 were unharmed.

    Police said two suspects had been arrested, but gave no details about them or what prompted the attack.

    The mosque’s president, Mohamed Yangui, was not inside the mosque at the time of the shooting. He received frantic calls from worshippers.

    He said: “Why is this happening here? This is barbaric.”

    Speaking to Al Jazeera by phone, he said: “One of the administrators called me and said there was a shooting at the mosque. I am still in shock. I ran to the mosque … I was told that one attacker was arrested at the scene while another one was arrested nearby.”

    {{‘A terrorist attack on Muslims’}}

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the shooting as a “terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge”.

    “Muslim Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country,” he said in a statement.

    The shooting came on the weekend that Trudeau said Canada would welcome refugees, after US President Donald Trump suspended the US refugee programme and temporarily barred citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the country.

    Philippe Couillard, premier of Quebec, said on Twitter that Sunday’s attack “is a terrorist act”, and called for “solidarity with Quebecers of the Muslim faith”.

    The mosque leader Yangui added that the centre had not received any threats immediately before the attack.

    “The neighbourhood is very peaceful. We have a good relationship with the government, the mayor of Quebec. We have no problem whatsoever,” he said.

    Writing on its Facebook page after the attack, the centre said: “All of our thoughts are with the children to whom we must announce the death of their father”.

    The mosque was previously targeted in an Islamophobic attack. In June 2016, during Ramadan, a pig’s head was left on the mosque’s doorstep along with a note that said “bon appetit”. Pork is forbidden in Islam.

    “We are not safe here,” said Mohammed Oudghiri, who normally attends prayers at the mosque in the middle-class residential area, but did not on Sunday.

    Speaking to Reuters, Oudghiri said he had lived in Quebec for 42 years but was now “very worried” and thinking of moving back to Morocco.

    Basem Boshra, managing editor of the Montreal Gazette, told Al Jazeera that the centre is the city’s biggest mosque of six, with some 5,000 members.

    “There’s a pretty strong Muslim community in Quebec City,” he said, adding that there were plans to lower flags at the national assembly as a mark of respect for the victims

    Ralph Goodale, Canada’s public safety minister, said on Twitter that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life and injuries.

    Greg Fergus, an MP in Quebec, described on Twitter the attack as “a terrorist act – the result of years of demonizing Muslims”.

    New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said police were providing additional protection for mosques in that city following the Quebec shooting. “All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something,” he tweeted.

    {{Islamophobia in Quebec}}

    Incidents of Islamophobia have increased in Quebec in recent years.

    The full-face covering became a big issue in the 2015 Canadian federal election, especially in Quebec, where the majority of the population supported a ban on it at citizenship ceremonies.

    In 2013, police investigated an incident in which a mosque in the Saguenay region of the province was splattered with what was believed to be pig blood.

    In the neighbouring province of Ontario, a mosque was set on fire in 2015, a day after an attack by gunmen and suicide bombers in Paris.

    “It’s a sad day for all Quebecers and Canadians to see a terrorist attack happen in peaceful Quebec City,” said Mohamed Yacoub, co-chairman of an Islamic community centre in a Montreal suburb. “I hope it’s an isolated incident.”

  • Americans raise $600,000 to rebuild burned Texas mosque

    {Though it is unclear how the mosque caught fire, an online fundraiser seeks to raise $850,000 to rebuild Islamic centre.}

    A Texas community has rallied behind its Muslim residents after their mosque burned to the ground shortly after President Donald Trump signed into effect a “Muslim ban” on refugees and others from seven Muslim-majority countries.

    Following the news that their house of worship in southeast Texas was completely destroyed early on Saturday, the Islamic Centre of Victoria set up an online donation drive via GoFundMe to rebuild. It has raised more than $600,000 of its $850,000 goal in 24 hours.

    “We were very shocked Saturday morning when we saw the mosque burning,” Shahid Hashmi, president of the Islamic Centre, told Al Jazeera.

    According to local reports, the building caught fire shortly after 2am local time.

    Now, the outpouring of monetary and moral support has shocked Hashmi again: “It’s incredible. We are very grateful.”

    Hashmi had just come from a meeting with representatives from the local synagogue and churches, as well as laypeople. “Muslims came from Houston, Dallas, which is four hours away … It was really heartwarming, everything has been good.”

    But the mosque’s destruction has sent ripples throughout the community. The Victoria police and fire department are working with the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to determine the fire’s cause.

    “I hope it wasn’t a hate crime,” Hashmi continued. The doctor has lived in the so-called “Bible Belt,” one of the most conservative parts of the United States, for 40 years. The mosque was constructed in 2000, just a year before the September 11 attacks.

    READ MORE: US protests grow against Trump’s immigrant ban order

    When asked how the political climate after President Trump signed the “Muslim ban” compared to the times after September 11, which saw a massive spike in hate crimes, Hashmi said it’s “about the same”.

    He added: “Nothing hateful has been expressed locally. Nationally, obviously, there are many more voices that are anti-Muslim.”

    The Victoria Fire Department told Al Jazeera an investigation is ongoing.

    Although it remains unclear if the mosque was burned down deliberately, John Esposito of the Bridge Initiative, a research project that connects the academic study of Islamophobia with the public square, explained that hate crimes have risen since Trump’s inauguration.

    Some of the hate crimes targeting Muslims seemed to be inspired by the new president, Esposito told Al Jazeera. “We see with the number of hate crimes – not all [of them] – people are saying lines that Mr Trump has used,” he said.

    ‘No community should lose its home’

    Saturday evening, a federal judge in New York blocked deportations stemming from the order.

    Commenters on the GoFundMe page are speaking out against a perceived national wave of discrimination and the Trump administration.

    Benjamin Tamber-Rosenau, who donated $100, wrote that his ancestors fled to the US from Europe due to persecution of Jewish communities.

    “Now we are watching another community become victims of baseless hatred here in the United States, with the complicity (at minimum) of a depressingly large part of our government, including our president … whatever the cause of this fire, no community should lose its home,” he wrote.

    Martin Wagner, another donator, had one of the highest-rated comments: “I’m an atheist and I am deeply saddened and disgusted by what was done to you. Religious freedom and freedom from persecution are fundamental rights!”

    With so many donations coming in, Hashmi happily commented there might be enough funds to rebuild by the end of the weekend. He is in contact with the original builder of the mosque who is ready to help, and the next step is to clear the debris and attain building permits.

    “God willing, we will celebrate Ramadan in the new mosque,” Hashmi concluded.

    The mosque burned hours after Trump's executive order targeting Muslims went into effect

  • Bullfighting’s return sparks protests in Bogota

    {Animal-rights activists take to the streets after the Colombian capital hosts its first bullfight in four years.}

    Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of the Colombian capital for the second successive week, protesting against the return of bullfighting to the city.

    Bogota hosted its first bullfight in four years last Sunday, with animal-rights protests ending in violence.

    Some 3,000 policemen have now been deployed and barricades set up outside the bullring to separate protesters from spectators.

    “We are talking about peace in the country and in the meantime, there are people who get together to slowly kill an animal as if we are still in the 18th century,” Natalia Parra, a protester, told Al Jazeera, referring to reconciliation efforts between the government and the country’s FARC rebels.

    Bogota’s previous mayor outlawed bullfighting in 2012. But the constitutional court later overturned the ban, ruling that it was part of Colombia’s cultural heritage and could not be blocked.

    The current Mayor Enrique Penalosa has said that while he sides with animal-rights activists, he has no choice but to enforce the High Court’s ruling.

    A new case is expected to be heard in court that could see the sport banned nationwide.

    Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti, reporting from Bogota, said that the court battle could continue for months as it has become a political as well as a class struggle between mostly young leftist people protesting against the sport, and what is seen as a rich elite that supports the old tradition.

    Every year, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights worldwide, according to US-based Humane Society International.