Author: Publisher

Italy: Nun Gives Birth To Baby Boy

A Salvadorean nun who said she had no idea she was pregnant gave birth in Italy this week after she felt stomach cramps in her convent and was rushed to hospital, Italian media reported on Friday.

The 31-year-old mother and her baby boy, who weighs 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds), are doing well and other new mothers in Rieti hospital have begun collecting clothes and donations for her, the reports said.

“I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain,” the nun was quoted as saying at the hospital, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

La Repubblica said she gave birth on Wednesday.

ANSA said the nun had named her baby Francesco (Francis) — also the pope’s chosen title and one of the most popular names in Italy, where St Francis of Assisi is the much-loved national patron saint.

The hospital could not be reached for comment.

The nun belongs to the “Little Disciples of Jesus” convent in Campomoro near Rieti, which manages an old people’s home and reports said she would keep the baby.

Her fellow nuns were quoted saying they were “very surprised”.

January 20, 2014
How a Glass of red wine a day ‘treats diabetes

{{Healthy tipple }}

{A small glass of red wine every day could keep adult diabetes under control, scientists believe}.

A new study found that the drink contains high concentrations of chemicals that help the body regulate levels of sugar in the blood.

Just a small glass of red contained as many of these active ingredients as a daily dose of an anti-diabetic drug, the researchers found.

Although the study didn’t look at the effects of wine on people, its authors believe moderate drinking as part of a calorie controlled diet could protect against type 2 diabetes.

However, their conclusions angered Diabetes UK who accused the researchers of making ‘astonishingly bold suggestions’ based on ‘limited research’.

The charity warned that wine was so high in calories it could lead to weight gain – outweighing any benefit.

Around 2.6million people suffer from type 2 diabetes in Britain. The disease occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin – the hormone that regulates blood sugar – or when its insulin does not work properly.

High levels of sugar in the blood can cause tiredness, heart disease, strokes, blindness, nerve damage and kidney disease.

Past studies have shown that natural chemicals found grape skin and wine called polyphenols can help the body control glucose levels, and prevent potentially dangerous spikes or dips in blood sugar.

The new study compared the polyphenol content of 12 different wine varieties. The team, from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, found that levels were higher in red wines.

The scientists then studied how these polyphones interact with cells in the human body, focusing on a particular ‘receptor – or molecule that sits on the surface of cells – called PPAR-gamma – involved in the development of fat cells, energy storage and the regulation of blood sugar.

The authors showed that polyphenols in wine bind to the receptor and that a small glass of wine contains enough to rival the activity of the potent diabetes drug Avandia.

{{Claims}}

The study’s authors believe moderate drinking as part of a calorie controlled diet could protect against type 2 diabetes

The researchers who report the findings in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Food and Function believe moderate red wine consumption could have benefits for diabetics

‘You could derive a natural extract from grape skins for the treatment of diabetes,’ Professor Alois Jungbauer said.

‘Also, this is further scientific evidence that a small amount of wine really is beneficial for health.’

Previous research involving thousands of people has shown that moderate drinking of alcohol can reduce the risk of diabetes type 2, he said.

‘Moderate is the equivalent of a small glass each day for women, and two for men,’ he added. ‘Our big problem is to convey the message of a healthy lifestyle because too much wine will cause diabetes and obesity.

‘If you have wine then you must reduce your intake of calories from food by the same amount.’

But Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK was critical of Prof Jungbauer’s conclusions.

‘It is very difficult to see how this limited research will have any benefit to people with Type 2 diabetes. It is a basic study into the chemistry of red wine and has no clinical relevance at this stage,’ he said.

‘The researchers have made an astonishingly bold suggestion based on the results of their research suggesting that a very small glass of red wine may be beneficial to people with Type 2 diabetes. This assumption is fundamentally wrong based on the evidence presented from this research.

‘Previous studies have demonstrated potential health benefits from chemicals isolated from red wine.

However the alcohol in wine is high in calories and can lead to weight gain, which can outweigh the benefits of these chemicals.’

January 20, 2014
Bor retaken, but fighting still rife in South Sudan

{The army may have retaken the South Sudanese flashpoint town of Bor, but fighting continues elsewhere in the country.}

Bor has been heavily fought over since clashes broke out in South Sudan in December.

Uganda deployed troops to the country shortly afterwards. Its army has claimed credit for the operation, while a spokesman for the rebel forces said its troops had made a tactical withdrawal.

At first, Uganda said its armed forces were in South Sudan to assist stranded Ugandans. It has since declared its role in combat.

The UN estimates thousands of people have died and more than half a million driven from their homes as a result of fighting in the world’s newest nation.

Conflict erupted when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup – something he denies.

Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire have been ongoing in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for several days.

{{ euronews}}

January 20, 2014
EX- AFC Leopards’ coach in talks with Rayon Sport

{Former AFC Leopards’ coach Luc Eymael has exclusively revealed to Goalthat Rwandese champions Rayon Sports have sought for his services. }

Eymael currently in Belgium says he will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, on Wednesday to finalize his move to the club. “It is very true that Rayon Sports have sought for my services. We must now meet on Wednesday in Kigali and find an agreement.

“The deal is not done yet. I am always in Belgium…I am now waiting for the opening of the embassy here in Belgium so that I process my visa to Rwanda. I am also waiting for my plane ticket but by Wednesday I should have left for Rwanda.”

The Rwandese champions want the Belgian to replace Didier Gomes da Rosa, who resigned last week. Eymael has previously coached Vita Club of DRC and Kenya’s AFC Leopards’.

There had been speculation regarding the next coach for the league champions, with names such as former Atraco coach, now at Sofapaka, Sam Timbe, former APR coach, now with Don Bosco FC of DRC Andy Mfutila, former Police coach Goran Kuponovic and another ex-APR coach Ernie Brandts, who was sacked by Yanga last month.

{{Goal.com}}

January 20, 2014
DRC army attacks Islamist rebels

{Beni – Democratic Republic of Congo forces attacked Ugandan Islamist rebels in the lawless east on Friday, launching a UN-backed offensive to clear insurgents from the mineral-rich zone.}

Reuters correspondents outside the town of Beni, in North Kivu province, heard heavy gunfire as government troops moved in on positions held by ADF-Nalu rebels who have been based in Congo for years and are seen as a major obstacle to peace.

Another rebel movement, M23, that had operated to the south of Beni was defeated late last year, highlighting how Kinshasa and UN forces have begun to take the fight to gunmen that have plagued eastern Congo for nearly two decades.

“The Congolese army has launched operations against ADF-Nalu in Beni and as usual [UN troops] will support the army to neutralize these rebels, who have been very active recently in this zone,” said UN forces spokesperson Colonel Felix Basse.

A Reuters reporter said that Tanzanian troops from a specialist UN “Intervention Brigade”, which is mandated to go after Congolese rebel groups, had deployed near Beni but it was unclear if they had joined the fighting.

ADF-Nalu is an alliance of groups opposed to the Ugandan government that has operated from bases in eastern Congo since the mid-2000s, undermining Kinshasa’s grip on the area and handing Uganda a pretext for intervening there.

Earlier this week, Ugandan and Congolese army officers held a high-level planning meeting in Beni but Ugandan officials were not immediately available for comment on Friday.

Rocky relations

Kampala has previously said it would share intelligence and capture fleeing rebels but not intervene directly in operations on the ground in Congo.

Congo and Uganda have long had rocky relations and UN experts have accused Kampala and fellow neighbour Rwanda of backing M23. Both nations denied the charges.

ADF-Nalu has been blamed for a spate of recent attacks and kidnappings around Beni, including the deaths of some 40 civilians in an attack on Christmas Day.

The rebel group is believed to number up to 1 400 fighters and has abducted about 300 Congolese civilians over the past year, according to a UN report.

Having helped the Congolese army vanquish M23, the 3 000-strong UN Intervention Brigade had been widely expected to turn its attention on ADF-Nalu and Rwandan Hutu FDLR rebels who are also roaming Congo’s east.

The Ugandan government has said ADF-Nalu is allied with Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab movement but analysts say the nature of these ties is not clear, despite the ADF-Nalu’s clear Islamist ideology.

January 20, 2014
Thousands of couples reap rewards from ‘Tigo Bonane’ edition 2013

Kigali, January 20, 2014,{ Tigo Rwanda, this weekend, marked the end of its end-of-year-promotion -Tigo Bonane edition 2013- by rewarding the final week winners with different prizes. Crowds witnessed the event that took place at Tigo headquarters in downtown Muhima.}

Tigo Bonane kicked-off in mid-November 2013 to reward loyal customers throughout the festive season. Hence, during the eight weeks of the promotion, over twenty thousand (20.000) couples emerged winners of prizes of all dimensions. Bonane winners would come with their parents and friends. The weekly rewards included, android smartphones, cash prizes ranging from twenty to fifty thousands Rwandan francs paid electronically through Tigo Cash. In addition, 16 premium winners were presented with five hundred thousand Rwandan francs cheques.

According to Tongai Maramba, General Manager at Tigo Rwanda: “Bonane is one of the ways to show appreciation to the over 2 million people on the Tigo network”. He also added that the philosophy behind the promotion was to ensure everyone can smile during the festive season together with his or her loved one.

Winners as shown by some of their testimonies have positively received the promotion:

For instance, Mwavita Agnes Aisha from Kayonza district who once won the five hundred thousand Rwandan francs prize and then chose her husband Musoni Jean d’Amour to receive the other half to make a million, was quick to reveal her joy:

“There is none I love like I do my husband and so upon winning, TIgo asked for who my partner would be and I naturally said him. However, I also felt like I wanted to show that I still loved him so much, even after three years down the road”. Mwavita expressed.

To participate in the promotion, Tigo users needed to simply dial the USSD code (*250*) followed by a friend number # then Yes/ok. Winners collected their prizes weekly In different districts of the country and were allowed to choose one friend to be rewarded equally

January 20, 2014
Internet could add $300 billion to African economies by 2025 – study

(Reuters) -{ Africans spending time on the Internet could add $300 billion to the continent’s economy by 2025, a new study by consulting firm McKinsey & Co showed on Wednesday.
}

Only 16 percent of the one billion people in Africa are on the Internet, McKinsey estimates.

The sector could grow to at least 5 to 6 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) but if it follows the take-up rate set by mobile telephony in Africa, McKinsey reckons it could add 10 percent, or $300 billion, to African GDP by 2025.

The economies of Senegal and Kenya draw the most from the Web at 3.3 and 2.9 percent respectively, levels comparable to France and Germany. But South Africa and Morocco could emerge as the digital leaders, McKinsey said.

January 20, 2014
Kigali: 25 year old fears to be the next target after mom’s death

{Remy Ugirase Mujigiti, 25, is calling for massive protection after Mukankundiye Josephine, 60, her mom, was strangled to death by unknown gang last week in her way to Church.}

The incident took place in Nyamugali Cell, Gatsata Sector in the very early morning hours on 16th January 2014.

Ugirase, one of the four children left by Mukandutiye, is concerned of his security and that of a family as murderers are not yet arrested, hence the family has decided not to live in their formal house.

“I am not safe because I can’t assure that what happened to my mom is not predicting me at next. I mean that I can’t stay at my proper home. I became homeless because of this double orphanage…” says Mujigiti.

Mukandutiye was left as their only parent and she was looking after him and his young sister. Up to now he is not suspecting anyone who could lay behind the crime.

Ugirase deduces that his mother could be the victim of social jealous and hate because the gang didn’t even check her bag after finishing her.

“My mom was killed the time I was celebrating to be nominated as a third Coordinating Ambassador of Africa representing Rwanda in the One Young World initiative throughout different African countries,” he says.

The morning after the cerebration of Remy and his country win of Africa Youth Leadership of 2014, he received the devastating news that his mother was killed.

Ugirase works with the new initiative between US and Rwanda Ministry of Health called Clinton Health Access Initiative aimed to support Human Resources in Health Sector across the country.
He won this post after graduation in 2012 at the National University of Rwanda.

Aftermath, he went to represent the country in Johannesburg, South Africa, and in Kampala where he met other East Africa Alumni delegates from the Global Health Corps.

He gave effort in the Nutrition initiative that was implemented by the World Food Progra- WFP and the Clington Health Access Initiative-CHAI.

Ugirase did numerous volunteering acts with different NGO working in east and central Africa since 2010.

The Kigali Police Spokesperson, SSP Urbain Mwiseneza, Advises Ugirase to report the case to his nearest police in order to get secured eventually.

{{ntawiclaude@igihe.com}}

January 20, 2014
Gasabo launches construction of houses for Rwandans expelled from Tanzania

{The District of Gasabo has launched the construction of 40 houses for Rwandans who have been expelled from Tanzania last year. Each house worth is about Rwf 12 Million. }

The move follows the recent Government Decision that by the end of this year each family among those who have been expelled must have its own house rather than living in the camps.

Expelled families will be dispatched around the country where they will have their permanent residence.

40 families made of 107 people were relocated from the camp to Gasabo District in Jabana sector where houses are being constructed to accommodate them. There are so many other families who were dispatched in other Districts.

According to Munara Jean Claude in charge of the Economic Development in Gasabo, the first help to Rwandans expelled from Tanzania is to give them shelter and there after they will start receiving other types of support for their social economic development.

The construction of this houses will be participatory where residents of Gasabo, through a community work commonly known as “Umuganda”, will be able to play his/her role throughout the whole action of building these houses.

{{From more on the article, contact
angedelavictoire@igihe.com}}

January 20, 2014
Ex-PM to run for Algeria presidency

{Former Algerian prime minister, Ali Benflis, has announced his candidacy for April’s presidential election, the only bid so far that can reap enough support if incumbent President Abdelaziz Bouteflika decides not to join the race.}

Benflis, 70, who lost a presidential vote to Bouteflika in 2004, announced his presidential candidacy on Sunday in which he pledged to make combating corruption and youth empowerment his government’s key goals.

Algeria, the OPEC-member whose population of 38 million has avoided the region’s political turmoil brought on by the 2011 Arab Spring, has opened campaigning last week.

Ali Benflis, a former leader of Algeria’s ruling FLN party, made his announcement at a hotel in Algiers where he hit out at a series of corruption scandals that have stained the ongoing government, and have involved officials seen as Bouteflika’s close allies, including former energy minister.

“The problem is not just administrative corruption, but also political corruption, the one that guarantees impunity,” he told reporters. “This country of youngsters should put its destiny in the hands of its youth.”

Bouteflika, 76, has reigned for three five-year terms and has not yet confirmed plans to seek a fourth. He returned from a trip to Paris last week where he conducted a number of check-ups following a stroke early last year, and critics say he is too ill to join the race.

However, Bouteflika’s candidacy, if confirmed, would wipe out Benflis’ chances of garnering enough votes to presidency, as he is backed by ruling parties, unions and other key groupings.

Bouteflika’s inner circles say he is the best guarantor of security and stability in Algeria, and that they are confident he will go for another five years.

Since independence from France in 1962, analysts say Algeria has been governed from behind the scenes by a cadre of older-generation FLN party chiefs and military veterans known as the “Le Pouvoir” or “The Power”.

Analysts say any transition is likely to be steady, with the “Pouvoir” keeping its power struggles under wraps and avoiding any turmoil that might threaten vested interests.

Despite its huge oil wealth, Algeria’s economy needs reforms and liberalisation to attract more foreign investment after years of centralised state control and bureaucracy.

While most of its leaders belong to the generation that fought France from 1954 to 1962, statistics show that 70 percent of the population of 38 million are under 30.

Aljazeera

January 20, 2014