IGIHE

Category: Lifestyle

  • Italian named world’s top pasta chef for recession-inspired dish

    {{Giorgio Nava, an Italian chef based in South Africa, won the World Pasta Championship in the Italian city of Parma on Saturday with a low-cost recipe that he said suited Italy’s deep economic crisis.}}

    Nava, who has won awards for his work at the Cape Town restaurants ’95 Keerom’ and ‘Carne SA’, wooed the public and the jury with a simple plate of cavatelli – small pasta shells – broccoli and oregano flowers.

    “Simplicity was the key. I presented a recipe that is very cheap but very tasty,” Nava told Reuters after his victory.

    “Others competed with expensive fish-based recipes but right now, given the economic situation in Italy, it did not seem right to come forward with extravagant dishes.”

    The pasta championship, which was held for the first time last year, took place at the Barilla Food Academy in Parma, considered Italy’s food capital and best-known for Parmesan cheese and cured Parma ham.

    Twenty-four carefully selected cooks, including Hong-Kong born John Leung, competed in the two-day championship.

    Participants were given 40 minutes to complete their dish in the first round of the championship on Friday and only 30 minutes during the final on Saturday.

    “My dish is something easy to make, anyone can cook it a home,” said Nava. “After all, simple things are often the best.”

    Last year’s award went to Japanese chef Yoshi Yamada.

    {agencies}

  • Kim Kardashian Gives Birth to Baby Girl

    {{Kim Kardashian gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.}}

    Kardashian, 32, had West, 36, by her side as they welcomed their daughter into the world.

    “Kim got sick last night and had the baby early,” a hospital source was quoted saying “They’re all doing great and amazing!”

    Despite reports that their baby was due in July, the date was always mid-June.
    “Kim told friends and family in weeks leading up to the birth that the name ‘will start with a K.’”

    West and Kardashian — both first-time parents — have been dating since April 2012. On December 30, 2012, West announced that his girlfriend was pregnant during his Atlantic City concert.

    “Stop the music and make some noise for my baby mama,” West said onstage, pointing to Kim, who was in the audience.

    The high-profile couple kept the gender of their baby quiet until June, when Kardashian revealed she was having a girl on the season 8 premiere of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

    “Who doesn’t want a girl?” Kardashian said, adding that West was hoping for a daughter as well.

    Although their baby’s gender was revealed on national television, Kardashian has vowed that her child will not appear on her hit reality show.

    And who can blame her? It certainly hasn’t been an easy nine months for Kardashian.

    {wirestory}

  • Swazi Kingdom Bans Public Kissing

    {{Kissing in one town in the kingdom of Swaziland could now land you in a bit of trouble.}}

    Love birds locked in spasms of romance in the town of Siteki have been forewarned: their amorous embrace may cost them a $12 fine.

    “Public kissing that is to the extreme and causes other people to be uneasy will be covered by our by-laws. It will be regarded to be public indecency,” town clerk Mzwandile Ndzinisa told media.

    A peck on a baby’s cheek doesn’t fall in the punitive category, he added.

    Swaziland, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarchy, already has tough public order laws.

    Cities forbid indecencies like urinating in public, street vending and littering.

    But Siteki goes a step further.

    “What is done in private should be done in private, not in public. The law addresses public issues in public places,” said town treasurer Sthembile Simelane.

    Siteki resident Thembi Mdlovu agreed that smooching in the open is unacceptable.

    “Kissing in public is not practised in our culture. I think we should respect our culture,” she said.

    “I have my teenage boy, but I can’t kiss him in public. I can only hug him, because I’m not used to kissing in public,” she added.

    {agencies}

  • World’s oldest person dies at 116 in Japan

    {{The world’s oldest person, 116-year-old Japanese man Jiroemon Kimura, died on Wednesday, Japanese media said.}}

    Kimura, who lived in Kyotango near Kyoto in western Japan, had been hospitalized for pneumonia since last month.

    He became the world’s oldest person on December 17, 2012, after the former title holder, a 115-year-old woman from Iowa died, according to Guinness World Records.

    Kimura was born in 1897 the same year as aviator Amelia Earhart and the year Queen Victoria marked her Diamond Jubilee. He worked as a postal employee and as a farmer at his home.

    On his 115th birthday, Kimura told reporters he was keeping his mind fit by learning English. He attributed his longevity to getting out in the sunlight.

    “I am always looking up towards the sky. That is how I am,” Kimura said then.

    Kimura is survived by seven children, 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 15 great-great-grandchildren, Japanese media said.

    Japan has more than 50,000 centenarians, 2011 government data showed, reinforcing its reputation for longevity.

    {reuters}

  • Can a Woman be Accused of Raping a Man?

    {I received a lot of feedback on last week’s topic: Is there rape in marriage?}

    {{A lot has been said and documented about this topic. Interestingly, many women shared about the reality of rape within marriage. Their stories were amazing, and I will certainly share them in the near future.}}

    From the discussion, something interesting came out — men felt that women were also guilty of this sin. Which brings me to this week’s topic, “can a woman be accused of raping a man?” or in simple terms “can a woman rape a man?”

    {{Guilty as charged}}

    An interesting story was shared, “Two women abducted a young man, kept him in seclusion and repeatedly raped him for a week. He was lured, drugged and sexually abused. As a result, he had a psychological disorder and physical injuries — his genitals were bleeding and he could hardly walk”. How is this possible? one wonders.

    This topic has always attracted heated arguments and the debate continues. But can a wife rape her husband?

    Rape is defined as a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person’s consent.

    Interestingly, studies indicate that women too, can commit rape. Wow! How can a woman commit rape? One would ask. According to these studies, both men and women can experience sexual violence and coercion within relationships.

    Although rape is usually viewed from a male perspective, many argue that women too, are abusers and do lure men into committing the offence.

    Marital rape is non- consensual in which the perpetrator is the victim’s spouse. I must admit that rape within a marriage context remains an elusive concept, especially in the African culture.

    Generally, the perception is that when a man marries his wife, then consent to sexual intercourse is deemed to be granted.

    Interestingly, marital rape remains alien. According to the scripture, spouses should not deny one another sex.

    {{Stoned to death}}

    Deuteronomy 22:13-29 condemns rape. This command was meant to protect women. In Deuteronomy 22:25-27 the punishment for a man who raped a woman is mentioned in the Mosaic Law.

    The man was to be stoned to death while the woman was considered innocent. Though the Mosaic Law was for the nation of Israel during the time of Moses, the principle is clear that rape was sinful in the eyes of God, and led to the most extreme punishment possible — death.

    Interestingly, there is no mention of any woman raping a man and the consequences thereof.

    Rape within marriage is rarely reported because it is difficult to prove, and is socially tolerated. Many abused individuals, both male and female, are afraid to report the violence because of stigma associated to it. Others feel unable to speak out due to fear and humiliation.

    What is important is to remember that marriage is a gift of God and sex is a by-product of the union, so whatever you do, you ought to enjoy the union of marriage and the benefits thereof.

    {adapted from Standard}

  • ‘Dating a Celeb Challenging’

    {{Baby mama to P-Square’s Peter Okoye, Lola Omotayo, says having a relationship with a musician is one of the most challenging situations to be in.}}

    The mother of two opened up to PM News in an interview about how challenging dating one half of the award-winning singing duo has been.

    “There are things you have to deal with, a lot of women, intruders, fans. You have to appreciate and respect the fans, but you also have some of them who are thinking of other things. I think it is one of the most challenging relationships one can have,” she said.

    The half Nigerian-half Russian also added: “You will not even spend much time with your partner because he is on the road most of the time doing shows and concerts, even during holidays like Christmas, Easter and New Year, they are not around.”
    Peter and Lola have two kids – four-year-old Cameron and four- month-old Aliona.

    Net

  • President Putin & Wife End their Marriage

    {{President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Lyudmila, told Russians on Thursday that their 30-year marriage was over, confirming longstanding speculation that they had separated.}}

    In a rare appearance together on state television, Putin was asked about rumors that they no longer lived together and answered: “That is true.”

    The announcement removes a big question mark about the private life of a president who has increasingly touted traditional values and championed the conservative Russian Orthodox Church as a moral authority.

    Politically, Putin may have calculated that it was better to be seen coming clean about a separation many Russians have long taken as fact than to be suspected of hiding the truth or living a secret second life.

    The couple looked nervous as they stood side by side in the Kremlin, speaking to a lone reporter. They referred to each other formally by first name and patronymic, adding a respectful but uncomfortable touch.

    Putin smiled woodenly and nodded as Lyudmila spoke, though they both appeared more relaxed after making the announcement.

    Lyudmila, a former airline stewardess five years younger than the 60-year-old president, said it had been “our common decision”.

    “Our marriage is over due to the fact that we barely see each other,” she said. Putin also said it had been “a joint decision”.

    The Putins married in 1983 and have two daughters, both in their 20s. The announcement came 13 months into a third presidential term for Putin, who came to power in 2000 and has not ruled out seeking re-election in 2018.

    wirestory

  • Kigali City a ‘Wonder at all Times’

    {A View of a busy Street in Kigali city .Photo by : Faustin Nkurunziza}

    {{The great American writer Ernest Hemingway said that Paris is a permanent party. Kigali I discovered after an absence of three years is a wonder at all times. One thing is clear: Kigali is no longer an African city. }}

    Coming from Burundi, you get two kinds of feelings once in Kigali. The first is to glare at cleanliness, beauty and development. The second type is the bitter conclusion that Burundi is never dropped by his twin brother also Akanyaru.

    {{Kigali Better than Athens, Rome and Lisbon}}

    At the end of my stay in Kigali in 2010, I was a broke my article “civilizing mission in Rwanda.” A story that has sparked a heated debate among Rwandan online community. I am comforted in what I said then.

    I persist and sign, this country is a model for all Africans. The wonder strikes all visitors. A Zambian colleague says that all the mayors of Africa should be dispatched to Kigali to see how an African city can be clean and embellished.

    A Sudanese said Kigali is cleaner than Athens, Rome and Lisbon. Nothing less! Better, he argues that the city has better safety.

    In Saudi Arabia, safety is unclear. Indeed, from 3PM, the army and police are deployed in every corner, immaculate uniform, shiny boots, new weapons, the communications antennas and wind look fawn.

    Thus, citizens and tourists can walk in peace until daybreak. A Kenyan architect based in Kigali said he fled insecurity in Nairobi where he escaped death three times. Now he lives alone in Kigali.

    An Egyptian is not to praise both ornate beauty and manicured lawn. My taxi teaches me a Polish customer told him that even in Poland it is not as nice. I’m curious to know the opinion of the Congolese delegates. “Are you impressed by that country as me? “I ask. “Absolutely awesome! “Replied one.

    “This country should be a model for all of Africa,” adds another. I dare not report about them that kept me a young Congolese totally dazzled: “I regret that the Rwandan army has left the Congo without having taught us the cleanliness and discipline” A Djiboutian puts a discordant note in the stream of superlatives: I sincerely hope that the forces of evil will not destroy the work.

    {{Hatred }}

    Do not be fooled, this danger fears Djibouti does exist. An American diplomat, Richard Johnson, has produced a fascinating analysis of the Rwandan paradox where he criticizes Western lobbyists who continue to support the proponents of the ideology of genocide while Nazism was fought ruthlessly repressed.

    A businessman I met in Malawi told me, eyes bulging with hatred, the next genocide will be worse than the last. Like what hatred is refractory to all logic. As if the Apocalypse 1994 is not taught.

    The lesson should be that peace and human coexistence are the most precious assets for all communities. All groups can flourish by living in peace and mutual respect as the war destroyed both by the assertion of Martin Luther King: “We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

    “President Obama told the Arabs in his famous Cairo speech:” Prove your worth by what you build, not what you destroy. “The statement applies perfectly to the merchants of hate and Rwandan Genocide.

    It would require political strength and strategy from the negative forces that threaten Rwanda realism. Just as Israel has vowed not to be exterminated, I do not believe they can still happily destroy their hated countrymen.

    It is possible that they succeed but at the risk of mutually assured destruction. Hatred is stronger than logic.

    {{Rwandan model available}}

    Rwanda’s development model is an example accessible. Indeed, we can no longer follow the old Europe is now crippled by rheumatism and lack of imagination. We also can not imitate Asian working like ants.

    Only Rwanda challenges us to change the African who is not condemned to live by atavism in the dirt, mediocrity and poverty. Tony Blair, from its heyday, said that Africa is a scar on the conscience of humanity.

    Today he is an adviser to President Paul Kagame on investments because he saw an African country carrier.

    A nation born from the ashes of the horror to become the flagship of the whole of Africa.

    It is not a coincidence that President Kagame emulates the Singapore model, a small country in a generation developed by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew engineering. As for Sarkozy, he dared to proclaim in Dakar that Africa has not yet entered into history.

    We have Rwanda that proves otherwise.

    {{Prestige}}

    Cleanliness and beautification of Kigali are not an end in itself. This is proof of the passion for excellence that drives the leaders of this country.

    Once the culture of excellence located in mentality, everything else: growth, innovation and ambition of the great adventures follow as if by magic. Maintaining the cleanliness and beautification that is very expensive but is big.

    Thousands of jobs are created, especially women. All those hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to the land as cleanliness, beauty and overall security of the city that contrasts with the rest of Africa.

    Tourism has become the first industry before coffee and tea. At this point the Kenyan tourism giant feels threatened. All those who follow international conferences are also attracted to the garden city.

    Thousands of Kenyan professionals who bring their expertise are also seduced by a beautiful, safe, clean and full modernization point feed an unprecedented prestige in Kenya.

    Following the adoption by referendum of the new Kenyan constitution, a prominent columnist for the “Daily Nation” there is not pull his punches: “Finally! we will become a civilized country like Mauritius and Rwanda.

    “Nothing less! I still remember hearing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga declaring that Kenya if not careful could be delight economic hegemony in the region by Rwanda.

    I am convinced that the Rwandan model will inevitably “infect” neighbours starting with Burundi. The Rwandan example will create emulation across Africa. For once we have in Africa in progress model accessible. Unless we may not yet be entered history as claimed Sarkozy.

    {{Sunday Mass at the Church Regina Pacis}}

    Sunday morning, I attended Mass in the vast and beautiful Regina Pacis Church Remera. She throne parallel to the landing Kanombe International Airport runway. I always wondered how Rwandans can still perform when the Church was involved in the 1994 genocide and hate speech for 30 years until a colleague and friend gives me an uplifting response ” This is the same church that welcomed us in Tanzania and given an education. ” Like what you should never throw the baby out with the bath water. Must be qualified convictions.

    The altar was beautifully decorated with white and gold colors with baskets of roses even dyeing. I sit in a strategic position close to the choir. I am absolutely blown away by the beauty of the songs.

    The Kyrie, the Gloria, the Sanctus and Agnus Dei are sung in Latin, which takes me to paradise of childhood. At the consecration, the celebrant sings the beautiful song of the ascension in Kinyarwanda but I sing in Kirundi aloud: “Umwami Wacu Yezu yatwikebanuye, yasubiye mw’ijuru ngwaturorereyo iwe, iwe yasubiye mw’ijuru, ngwaturorereye.”

    I did not know we had the same songs. I am again surprised to hear that the beautiful prayer of peace that I particularly like is sung to the same melody in Burundi: “Mukama turakuzamvye udutabaze amahoro, muri iyi Minsi turimwo.”

    I go from one surprise when I heard the beautiful choral singing start a Burundian after Communion. I thought it was only in Burundi we love Rwandan songs. I did not know there was reciprocity. The choir literally transports you into a deep fulfillment.

    My week stay in Kigali beautiful that began with the glare as to cleanliness, beauty and progress in ending the enchantment voice of angels. After Mass, I go visit the Retreat Centre Christus I discovered the shocking book “Left to Tell” (miracle in French) of the now called “prophet of modern times”: Immaculée Ilibagiza.

    A girl survivor of genocide by divine miracle and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and managed to overcome the evil without a name that has been subjected to his decimated family to become a best-selling author known worldwide.

    Immaculate Ilibigiza is a prime example of the transformation of Rwanda: a spectacular resurrection of the dead. Better: the transformation of evil and horror unprecedented triumph of life, beauty and progress.

    It is the Centre Christus once saved by a miracle, Immaculée Ilibagiza would be locked on Friday evening until Sunday evening to connect to his Lord and God who had saved to testify. Hence the title of his great book translated into 13 languages “Left to Tell” Spared in order to testify.

    The American who published the book “Left to Tell,” Dr. Wayne Dyer says he has read thousands of books for 50 years but “Left to Tell” is the most significant work he ever read.

    All these dozens of books written by survivors (there are only women who write) who say the Rwandan innocent suffering and that move the world are just as much evidence of the triumph of life over the horror.

    The latest Scholastica Mukasonga who lost 35 members of her family never find their graves took the prestigious Renaudot in 2012 with a superb book, “Our Lady of the Nile.” Another triumph of horror.

    It’s a little too successful in Burundi since the woman was a refugee, studied and worked in Burundi. Where survival while all hers perished.

    Finally, to the dazzling transformation of Rwanda, one thing has not changed since my last visit in 2010: Rwandan girls are always beautiful to die for even a holy man like me.

    {Author is Burundian journalist }

  • Spain Police Smash Nigerian Prostitution Network

    {{Spanish police said Sunday they had broken up a ring that smuggled in women from Nigeria and forced them into street prostitution by burning them with irons and using voodoo rituals.}}

    Police arrested six Nigerian nationals, including the suspected woman ringleader, as part of an investigation launched last year after one of the prostitutes filed a complaint with the authorities.

    “The control exercised over women was total, involving verbal threats as well as physical violence and various voodoo ceremonies to terrorise them,” police said in a statement.

    “The ring caused them serious injury through bites or by using an iron to cause second-degree burns.”

    The ring recruited women in Benin City, a run-down Nigerian port, whose husbands and fathers had died and who were struggling to raise their children.

    They transported the women overland to Morocco and then smuggled them on small wooden boats into Spain where they were forced to work as street prostitutes in Barcelona and Malaga.

    Spanish police have swooped several times in past years on similar prostitution rings that used the threat of voodoo curses to frighten their victims into obedience.

    Before leaving Nigeria, the rings often take their victims to shrines where they swear to pay their debts to the group and not to denounce them to the police.

    The women leave fingernails, hair, underwear and other personal items at the shrines which they are told will give voodoo priests the power to harm them wherever they are in the world.

    {NMG}

  • Nigeria’s Gay & Lesibians Go Underground

    {{As Nigeria’s lawmakers intensify efforts to criminalise homosexuality in the west African country, investigations have revealed that gays and lesbians in the country have gone underground for fear of being used as scapegoats. }}

    Unlike before when some of them freely identified themselves as homosexuals, The Guardian learnt that most homosexuals now keep mute on their gay status.

    While a church, House of Rainbow, solely dedicated to the interest of gays in Nigeria was forced to relocate from Lagos where it had two centres and several followers to the United Kingdom some years ago, most of the known clubs and relaxation centres often patronised by gays in Lagos have practically dried up.

    But sources told The Guardian in confidence that gay practice is still secretly thriving in the country. BBC had reported about a gay club in Lagos early this year.

    And House of Rainbow founder, Rev. Jide Rowland, told The Guardian early this year that his church, though operating underground now, has at least three cells in Lagos, making Nigeria where the church has the highest members in Africa.

    Chief Researcher/HOD (Head of Department) of Clinical Sciences Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Dr. Oliver Ezechi, however, said that the subterranean method of operation of gays would worsen the fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Nigeria.

    Ezechi said over a dozen homosexuals had approached NIMR for HIV counseling and treatment before the passage of the nations’ anti-gay bill by the Senate in 2011. He added that for fear of being punished, the homosexuals have since gone underground.

    “Anti-gay bill will affect the fight against HIV in Nigeria because homosexuals would go underground. We were discussing with them on HIV-prevention service before the onset of the law. But once the bill came up, the homosexuals were not ready to talk to us because they were afraid they could be picked up.

    Once you criminalise any medical service, people would go underground. That might not solve the problem of HIV. Therefore, we need to dialogue and see how to provide assistance to them,” Ezechi said.

    Lawmakers in the House of Representatives joined their Senate counterparts on Thursday when they voted to ban gay marriages, outlawed any group actively supporting gay rights and endorsed a measure that also calls for 14-year prison sentence for any “public show” of affection by same-sex people.

    The Senate had passed the law in 2011 despite pressures from foreign countries where gay marriage is acceptable. Senate President, David Mark, insisted that the bill prohibiting same sex marriages “is irrevocable”.

    “We will not compromise on this. I want to invite you all to join the crusade of decency in our society. There are many good values we can copy from other societies but certainly not this one (same-sex marriages).

    We have to prove to the rest of the world, who are advocates of this unnatural way, that we Nigerians promote and respect sanity, morality and humanity. Every individual is a product of the union of a man and woman,” he said.

    Coordinator of Justice for Gay Africans Society, Mr Godwyns Onwuchekwa, a gay and a UK-based Nigerian, had said that the Nigerian government should leave the fight against gays to God.

    “If God hated gay people, let God himself destroy them as you said he did to Sodom and Gomorrah. Or is your God powerless? Why are you fighting for the one who is supposed to be most powerful? If God is against homosexuality, what is he waiting for? It is either there is no God or God doesn’t hate gay people,” Onwuchekwa said.

    Speaking in the same vein, Rowland said the bill would be detrimental to the work of his church in Nigeria.

    “Any negative effect on the anti-gay bill will have detrimental effect on the work and mission of House Of Rainbow in Nigeria.

    The lives of LGBTI people and their friends, families and allies will be further frustrated with fear and prejudice. We need to pray and stand up against injustice,” he said.

    {NgrGuardian}