IGIHE

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  • Russian President Scores 6 in All-Star Rout

    Russian President Scores 6 in All-Star Rout

    Russian President Vladimir Putin helped hand out a thrashing as he starred in a one-sided All-Star Ice Hockey exhibition match in Sochi.

    AP-RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service 1 of 10

    Putin scored six and set up five of his team’s goal in a 21-4 win, according to Russia’s state broadcaster.

    His star performance on ice came a day after he made a controversial first visit to Crimea since its annexation from Ukraine for a Victory Day celebration – marking the Soviet victory in World War Two.

    Putin played down his team’s celebrations on ice, though, saying there are “no winners or losers here” despite the whopping result suggesting otherwise and his own apparent delight at showing off an enormous trophy for the win.

    MSN

  • China to Help Repatriate Somali Refugees from Kenya

    China to Help Repatriate Somali Refugees from Kenya

    {{Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang has assured Kenya that his government will assist in the repatriation of Somali refugees, as part of their efforts to boost security in the region.}}

    The premier who spoke after a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi said China is committed to assist Africa, and Kenya in particular to be stable economies.

    “China supports the efforts of Kenya in safeguarding state sovereignty and stability, developing the economy and improving people’s lives,” Li said during a joint press conference on Saturday.

    “Just as I said to Mr President in our talks, China is prepared to provide supplies of assistance through Kenya for the repatriation for the Somali refugees.”

    Kenya has recently vowed to repatriate all Somali refugees back to their law-less country, following insecurity challenges posed at the border points, and the in capital Nairobi and Mombasa.

    Although some of the international humanitarian organizations are opposed to the move, the Kenyan government has vowed to carry on the exercise.

    During the press conference, Li said China will also play a part in ensuring stability in South Sudan which also contributes to the region’s economy, especially in providing humanitarian assistance.

    On Friday, South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar signed a peace deal vowing to end the nearly five months of civil war that has left thousands killed and millions more displaced.
    “China has provided humanitarian assistance to South Sudan and we will continue to do so in the future,” Li assured.

    On his part, President Kenyatta acknowledged China’s support in regional peace and stability, saying the intervention by AMISOM has stabilised the situation in Somalia and has limited the acts of piracy along the East African coast.

    “We seek a deeper engagement with China on matters of peace and security. Our talks centered on issues of critical importance and particularly on Somalia and South Sudan,” the President said.

    He maintained that Kenya was ready to work with China as the latter possesses political, diplomatic and financial assets that would be a game-changer in the regions’ peace and security effort.

    “IGAD recently achieved substantial success in South Sudan, when the leaders of the main contending parties, President Kiir and Machar, reached a peace deal,” the President said.

    Li is in Kenya on his final leg of a tour of four African nations, during which he will seal deals on key development projects with President Kenyatta, to boost trade ties with the World’s second largest economy.

    The two leaders have already witnessed the signing of 17 new deals by Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers from China.

  • Sierra Leonean Troops in Somalia Demand to Exit AU Mission

    Sierra Leonean Troops in Somalia Demand to Exit AU Mission

    {{Sierra Leonean government’s effort to put out a brave face of its military involvement in Somalia has run into headwinds following reports that troops are demanding a return home.}}

    This follows on the heels of a dispute over the soldiers’ pay last year.

    According to Sierra Leonean media, the current claims centre around a demand that Freetown observe its practice of rotational deployment.

    About nine members of the west African country’s 850-strong contingent deployed last year say they have overstayed their one year tour of duty.

    They claimed that the depression and frustration caused by the hard times experienced in Somalia had led to the death of one of their colleague, independent media reported.

    Lance Corporal Alusine Yorpoi died at a Nairobi hospital 10 days after admission following an undisclosed illness, the bi-weekly Politico newspaper said.

    Since deploying its troops to Somalia, Sierra Leone has received several threats of domestic repercussion by the Al-Shabaab militant group, which in September attacked Nairobi’s up-market Westgate shopping citing retaliation for Kenya’s military involvement in the Horn of Africa country.

    There have also been several reports of attacks on Sierra Leone troops, who are serving alongside other foreign soldiers under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) in the restive southern region of lower Juba.

    The Sierra Leone Defence ministry has engaged in a media campaign aimed at reassuring the public following what it says are unfavourable reports in the independent media.

    The government policy in peacekeeping operations has been of rotational deployment, in the past a thorny topic was it was a dream for serving soldiers to go abroad, in part due to the increased pay.

    But apparently, the combatant experience forced on these troops by the Islamic Al-Shabaab has changed this view.

    “They (Sierra Leonean troops) were not expecting this level of resistance and many of them have apparently come to see that it`s no point dying and leaving behind money,” a military analyst who spoke to Africa Review on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, said Saturday.

    Defence ministry spokesman, Col Michael Samura, was quoted saying replacement of the current group of soldiers was due for June.

    NMG

  • Expedia & Fastjet Enter Partnership

    Expedia & Fastjet Enter Partnership

    {{African airline Fastjet has signed a partnership agreement with online travel company Expedia, to extend flight information to travellers that shop and book travel via Expedia’s brand portfolio.}}

    Expedia group’s extensive brand portfolio includes brands such as full service online travel agency, Expedia, Hotwire, a discount travel site, as well as Egencia, a travel management company serving business travellers, according to the company.

    “We are so pleased for the opportunity to expand our selection of flight offerings with the addition of Fastjet content to our network of leading travel sites,” said Greg Schulze, senior vice-president of Global Tour and Transport, the Expedia group.

    “Global travellers are increasingly exploring Africa and we can now provide Fastjet flights as part of our broad selection of travel products and services.”

    Fastjet’s head of commercials, Ellis Cain-Jones, said their partnership with the Expedia group was a giant leap in the implementation of their digital distribution strategy.

    He said, initially they focused on increasing internet usage to book Fastjet flights within Africa, the second phase of the strategy is dedicated to increasing yields by accessing international markets.

  • Sierra-Leonean Arrested in UK over Female Circumcision

    Sierra-Leonean Arrested in UK over Female Circumcision

    {{A woman has been arrested at Heathrow Airport in UK on suspicion of conspiracy to commit female genital mutilation (FGM).}}

    The 38-year-old was arrested at 18:30 BST on 8 May after she arrived at the west London airport on a flight from Sierra Leone.

    A 13-year-old Sierra-Leonean girl travelling with the woman was taken into the care of social services.

    The woman, who was born in Sierra Leone, is being held in custody at a west London police station.

    Officers said the teenage girl was a relative of the arrested woman, but they were not disclosing how they were related.

    A Nigerian woman, who officers believe could be a victim of trafficking, was also taken into the care of social services. Her age has not been established but she is believed to be about 18 or 19 years of age, police said.

    An investigation has been launched by the Border Force into the suspected trafficking, which is not related to the FGM offences.

    {{‘Child abuse’}}

    The arrests follow a week-long initiative by the Met Police, Border Force and National Crime Agency at Heathrow Airport aimed at preventing and detecting FGM.

    BBC

  • Ghana to Name World Cup Squad on Monday

    Ghana to Name World Cup Squad on Monday

    {{Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah is preparing to name his World Cup squad on Monday, having already said he has a fair idea of the players he intends to take to Brazil.}}

    Yet that has not stopped intense debate in the country over who should be on the plane to Brazil and the factors that should influence those choices.

    Appiah is in a unique position. He is heading to Brazil as the first Ghanaian coach to take charge of a Black Stars squad at a World Cup, joining a select group of African coaches to have managed on the biggest stage in world football.

    He has risen to that level after assisting Serbian Milovan Rajevac in 2010, when Ghana reached the second round, and says he has learned enough lessons from that tournament to influence the choices he makes ahead of Brazil 2014.

    One of those lessons, inevitably, will be creating the right blend of old and new for this year’s campaign.

    Ghana’s previous World Cup squads have featured some experienced and strong characters. Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan are all key figures and will be prominent members of the squad in Brazil too.

    But some of the veterans of the last two World Cups are sweating over their places and are likely to be disappointed.

    Veteran goalkeeper Richard Kingson is one of them. His brother, the former Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston reckons his elder brother must be part of the squad. He is unlikely to get in.

    Aside from Kingson, the debate has focused heavily on what to do with former captain John Mensah and his fellow defender Isaac Vorsah. It is a debate fuelled by a consensus that Ghana’s defence is its major weakness.

    The former Bayern Munich defender Samuel Osei Kuffour has claimed that there is a lack of leadership at the centre of the Black Stars’ defence and reckons the inclusion of Mensah and Vorsah would solve that problem.

    The problem is that the regular centre back pairing have been heavily short on match practice and fitness over the last year.

  • Militants ‘Kill 20 Iraqi Soldiers’

    Militants ‘Kill 20 Iraqi Soldiers’

    {{Militants have killed 20 Iraqi soldiers in an attack on a base near the northern city of Mosul, officials say.

    Many of the soldiers had been shot at close range. Some of the dead had their hands tied behind their backs, a medical worker told media.

    Insurgents in Sunni-dominated parts of northern and western Iraq have been fighting security forces under the command of the Shia-led government.

    Violence has peaked again since the sectarian conflict of the last decade}}

    The UN says more than 8,000 people were killed in Iraq last year, the highest figure since 2007.

    The government has blamed the rising bloodshed on Sunni militants, linking it to the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

    But many analysts and diplomats say the government, led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, has contributed to the unrest by alienating the Sunni minority.

    Iraq held a parliamentary election earlier this month. The result has not yet been announced.

    agencies

  • South Sudan Ceasefire Violated

    South Sudan Ceasefire Violated

    {{The army and rebels in South Sudan have accused each other of breaching a ceasefire, only hours after it was meant to come into effect.}}

    The army said rebels attacked government positions in the early hours of Sunday in the town of Bentiu in oil-rich Unity State.

    The rebels said their positions were targeted by ground attack and artillery in Unity and Upper Nile states.

    A deal to end the five-month conflict was signed on Friday in Ethiopia.

    At the signing ceremony in Addis Ababa, President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar met face-to-face for the first time since hostilities broke out and agreed to halt fighting within 24 hours.

    But in a statement issued on Sunday, rebel military spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said the reported violations showed “that Kiir is either insincere or not in control of his forces.”

    For the army, spokesman Philip Aguer said the rebel attacks in Bentiu had been repelled.

    There has been no independent verification of either side’s claims.

    A previous deal, made in January, collapsed in days, with each side accusing the other of breaching terms.

    Earlier, the UN called on both sides to facilitate deliveries of emergency aid to a population in danger of mass hunger.

    The UN estimates that some five million of its citizens are in need. At least 1.5 million have been displaced.

    Toby Lanzer, the UN’s top aid official in the region, said roads and rivers must be opened for emergency relief.

    The hope had been that the ceasefire would pave the way for the creation of a transitional government, the drafting of a new constitution and fresh elections.

    {{‘Mass killings’}}

    The UN has accused both the South Sudanese government and the rebels of crimes against humanity, including mass killings and gang-rape.

    The violence began when President Kiir accused his sacked deputy Mr Machar of plotting a coup.

    Mr Machar denied the allegation, but then marshalled a rebel army to fight the government.

    The battle assumed ethnic overtones, with Mr Machar relying heavily on fighters from his Nuer ethnic group and Mr Kiir from his Dinka community.

    The UN has about 8,500 peacekeepers in South Sudan. However, they have struggled to contain the conflict.

    South Sudan gained independence in 2011, breaking away from Sudan after decades of conflict between rebels and the Khartoum government.

    {President Salva Kiir (left) and rebel leader Riek Machar signed the deal in Ethiopia on Friday}
    wirestory

  • Austria Wins Eurovision Song Contest

    Austria Wins Eurovision Song Contest

    {{Austrian drag act Conchita Wurst has been crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.}}

    The singer, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, won with the song Rise Like a Phoenix, collecting 290 points.

    The Netherlands finished second with 238 points, with Sweden in third place with 218 points.

    The UK’s Molly Smitten-Downes came 17th, with 40 points for her song Children of the Universe.

    It is the first time Austria has won the contest since 1966, and only the second time the country has competed in the final in the past 10 years as it either did not participate or qualify.

    Wurst had been the second favourite to win behind Sweden going in to the competition, with many predicting the act could be too divisive among voters.

    However she was the clear winner, with her victory announced after 34 of the 37 countries had submitted their scores.

    Collecting her trophy on stage the singer said: “This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are – we are unity and we are unstoppable.”

    Speaking backstage later, Wurst said she felt Europe had taken a stand by voting her the winner.

    “I dream of a world where we don’t have to talk about unnecessary things like sexuality, who you love. I felt like tonight Europe showed that we are a community of respect and tolerance,” she said.

    Smitten-Downes, who closed the performances, had been tipped to score highly with bookmakers placing her in the top five.

    She received points from only nine countries: San Marino, Denmark, Malta, Iceland, Norway, Ireland, Spain, Belgium and Georgia.

    Her result was still better than the UK’s entry last year, when Bonnie Tyler finished 19th on the final scoreboard with 23 points.

    The evening’s events were overshadowed by the current events in Ukraine, with Russia’s entry – The Tolmachevy Sisters – receiving boos from the audience during the results when countries including Azerbaijan awarded them the highest number of points.

    When Russia’s delegate appeared on screen to announce its votes – seven points of which were for Ukraine – more booing could be heard. Ukraine gave four points to Russia in return.

    Russia ended the night in seventh place with 89 points, behind Ukraine with 113.

    The Tolmachevy Sisters received points from 13 countries, compared with last year’s Russian entrant who received votes from 27 countries.

    The contest featured the usual mix of pop tunes and ballads, accompanied by spectacular stage performances.

    Ukraine kicked off the show with a man in a giant hamster wheel, while Greece included a trampolinist and Poland offered a number of busty performers who suggestively churned butter and washed laundry on stage.

    Some 26 countries performed at the B&W Hallerne arena for an expected television audience of more than 120 million fans.

    BBC

  • David Cameron Supports “Bring Back Our Girls” Campaign

    David Cameron Supports “Bring Back Our Girls” Campaign

    {{Prime Minister David Cameron has promised Britain “will do what we can” to help find more than 200 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.}}

    He made the comments as he held a sign bearing the “#Bring Back Our Girls” slogan on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show.

    Mr Cameron is the latest high-profile supporter of the social media campaign after US First Lady Michelle Obama was pictured with a similar poster.

    The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has claimed the abductions.

    During the programme, fellow guest Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent, handed Mr Cameron the sign and asked if he would like to join the campaign.

    Taking it from her, he replied: “Happily.”

    Mr Cameron later tweeted: “Proud to support #BringBackOurGirls.”