{The Red Cross Society governing body has suspended the Vice President and Acting President, Dr Zainab Gama, the Arusha Regional Chairperson, Mr Christopher Nzela, and revoked membership of five others.}
The five whose membership has been revoked are Mr Sufian Juma, Ms Ashura Nyagongo, Mr Omari Tokolyabe, Mr Nassoro Said and Mr Mawazo Halfan, all from Mzizima branch. The governing body has at the same time appointed Mr Mwadini Jecha as Acting TRCS president with effect from September 16.
According to TRCS, recent series of attacks from press and social media of fabricated stories have been misleading the general public and damaging the reputation of the society and its leadership.
“For the benefit of the well being of the Society, our esteemed public and partners, the governing Board of the Society has been forced to take these actions in order to address this most disturbing situation,” an advert in one of the local media read in part.
The TRCS cautioned the general public that it will not be responsible for any business transacted by Dr Gama, Mr Nzela and the other five members.
TRCS was established in the country by a parliamentary Act of 1962 No. 71, as an auxiliary organ with the mandate to supplement public authorities in humanitarian work.
The society is an independent, voluntary humanitarian organisation which is affiliated to the world wide Red Cross Movement-the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC.
Last month, some members of the TRCS sought audience and intervention of President John Magufuli, alleging embezzlement, maladministration and misuse of the humanitarian organization’s properties.
Apparently, the members blame the organisation’s leadership for laxity and failure to punish officials involved in the misappropriation of funds and properties of TRCS.
They alleged that the institution’s top brass was also selling the institution’s properties without the members’ consent and appointing consulting firms without following proper procedures
On 21 September, the Republic of Rwanda, Italy and the Kingdom of the Netherlands co-hosted the 9th Annual Ministerial Roundtable Discussion on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), “The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians and the Responsibility to Protect,” in association with the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.
A cross-regional group of ministers representing seven governments contributed to the discussion. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Italy, H.E. Mr. Vincenzo Amendola, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Bert Koenders, and the Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Dr. Simon Adams, opened the meeting before an interactive discussion among participants.
The event served as a platform for participants to reaffirm their support for the Kigali Principles, to announce and encourage new endorsements, and to discuss how the application of the Kigali Principles in current mass atrocity situations can help improve the response to populations at risk. H.E. Mr. Bert Koenders, emphasized the importance of the Kigali Principles, noting, “The increase in civilian casualties, displacement, and human suffering we see in today’s conflicts cannot become the new normal. We need to take action to improve UN peacekeeping. The Kigali Principles bring together political commitment to protect civilians from atrocities including the use of force, accountable and well-prepared military and civilian leadership, well-trained and disciplined troops, and a zero tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.
H.E. Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, noting the difficult decisions that were made regarding sending troops into situations experiencing ongoing mass atrocity crimes, including Darfur, South Sudan and Central African Republic, asserted that “we decided to act so we could make a difference” and commended the Kigali Principles as providing “practical and prudent ways to protect civilians today.”
H.E. Mr. Vincenzo Amendola discussed the significance of R2P in addressing the causes of the refugee crisis in Italy’s region, noting, “Italy has supported since its initial formulation the principle that Governments in the first place must answer to a Responsibility to Protect their own civilian population, that the international community must commit to internationally mandated efforts to supplant Governments when they are unable or unwilling to step in. This is what Italy is doing on a daily basis in the Mediterranean. Since the beginning of 2016, we have rescued over 60.000 desperate women, children and men from near-certain death as they were fleeing from war and truly unfathomable sufferance and desperation.”
Dr. Simon Adams, Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, remarked: “Peacekeepers are often at the frontlines of protecting civilians and stabilizing conflicts in the world today, sometimes paying the greatest sacrifice as they do so. However, despite the presence of sizeable peacekeeping operations, the UN continues to struggle to protect civilians from mass atrocity crimes in the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.”
The main objective of the discussion was for UN Member States to identify concrete ways of implementing the Kigali Principles, both individually and jointly, and to exchange best practices and identify challenges in improving Protection of Civilians by UN peacekeeping missions. Participants were also encouraged to examine the role of the Kigali Principles in effectively upholding the responsibility of the international community to protect populations from mass atrocity crimes.
The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, and the President of International Crisis Group also participated in the discussion.
{{Background on the Kigali Principles:}}
The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians are a set of eighteen pledges for the effective implementation of the protection of civilians in UN peacekeeping. The principles emanated from the High-level International Conference on the Protection of Civilians held in Rwanda on 28 and 29 May 2015. The Kigali Principles address the most relevant aspects of peacekeeping, including assessment and planning, force generation, training and equipping personnel, performance and accountability. While they are framed around the protection of civilians, the principles address broader deficiencies that undermine the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations conducted in volatile situations, including peacekeeper abuse.
[The Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians and the Responsibility to Protect->http://reliefweb.int/report/world/kigali-principles-protection-civilians-and-responsibility-protect]
{A Rwandan entrepreneur is hoping to open her country’s first craft brewery and give most of the jobs there to women, and an Ottawa-area brewery has stepped in to help.}
Fina Uwineza, a restaurateur who hails from Kigali, has been spending time at Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill, Ont., to learn more about beer-making after the brewery offered to help Uwineza get started.
“Right now there’s none, there’s no craft beer. We have only two breweries, which are international — Heineken and Skol — so this is going to be amazing and the first craft beer in Rwanda,” Uwineza told CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning on Wednesday.
The brewery, if it comes to fruition, would employ about five to 15 people. But Uwineza hopes the company will grow everything it needs for the beer locally, which would employ a great deal more people.
Uwineza hopes they’ll mostly be women.
“That’s the main idea so that we can help the women in the village, the women who are less fortunate. That’s my passion, actually … If we can grow all the raw materials in Rwanda, that means I can go to the village and the women will be growing the ingredients, and from there we can really see the impact,” she said.
‘This won’t be a Beau’s brewery’
Steve Beauchesne, co-founder and CEO of Beau’s, became involved after the Ontario Craft Brewers organization — of which he is a member — heard a pitch for help. He said Wednesday his company doesn’t have a financial or ownership stake in the project.
“Just to be very, very clear, this won’t be a Beau’s brewery. This is going to be Fina’s brewery. We’re helping her get the project off the ground,” Beauchesne said.
“Not only is it not going to say Beau’s on the bottle, we’re not going to take any ownership, we’re not going to take any profit. We’re doing this purely to help.”
Beauchesne said he became more interested after learning about growing co-ops in Rwanda, where health and education are provided for.
“It really becomes a sort of family support system, and it’s helping rural families. The brewery itself will probably have, I’m guessing five to 15 people employed, which is great, but the real impact here is going to be the dozens, if not hundreds of women and families that will be benefiting because of the agricultural side of this,” he said.
His brewing team in Vankleek Hill has been working on recipes using traditional ingredients, including bananas and sorghum.
“A lot of what has been cool in craft [brewing] has been rediscovering these kind of lost traditions and reviving them, so that’s got our brewing team really excited, obviously,” he said.
[Entrepreneur taps into local know-how for help with Rwanda’s 1st craft brewery->http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/beaus-beer-rwanda-brewery-1.3771917]
{The chairperson of European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Iratxe Garcia Perez has said that states and institutions should give much value and response to incidences of gender based violence.}
Garcia was speaking on September 21 in an exclusive interview at Isange One Stop Centre at Kacyiru District Hospital, where she led a delegation from FEMM to witness how Rwanda National Police and partners work together to respond to gender based violence.
“We speak a lot about gender based violence, it’s an issue world over…in my country Spain, in Europe and other countries; there are still many women who still suffer gender based violence,” Garcia said.
“This morning we went to the centre of widows and orphans of the genocide and we can now witness how this building [Isange] supports victims of gender violence. To have such tools to support the victims, for us, it’s very important. We want to congratulate Rwanda for this initiative.”
“We are very impressed by Rwanda’s policy on equality and services offered to women, all my recognition for your work; Isange reflects a good example in the fight against gender based violence,” she noted.
Supt. Shafiga Murebwayire, the coordinator of Isange One Stop Centres, who received the delegation, noted that the idea to create Isange was born to bring together services that were previously scattered, costly and inconveniencing to the victims of GBV.
“This is a multidisciplinary and holistic approach that binds various institutions responsible for fighting and preventing GBV including the ministries of Gender and family Promotion, Health, Justice and Internal Security,” said Supt. Murebwayire.
“We have doctors, psychologists, social workers, judicial police officers and this helps a victim to acquire all the necessary services in one place and free of charge,” she added.
“Where necessary, we accompany the victims back to their homes to make sure that they are fully reintegrated in their families because some of them sometimes feel rejected. We work with various entities on grassroots to ensure that they are fully rehabilitated,” Supt. Murebwayire said.
Isange, which started as a pilot project in 2009, has since been expanded to 28 other district hospitals across the country.
It offers free medical, psycho-socio and legal services to victims of GBV and child abuse and has facilitated the public with easy means of communication with a toll-free line – 3029 – which has been essential in getting information from the affected for immediate response.
{Dinner should be eaten at least three hours before you go to sleep and it should be the lightest meal of the day.}
Here are 4 reasons why you should eat dinner early
{{1. Eating dinner late increases your blood sugar }}
Eating dinner too close to bed time isn’t good for your health as it increases your blood sugar and insulin, which makes it harder to sleep.
{{2. Weight loss }}
If you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, it’s important you eat dinner early. When you eat your dinner at least three hours before going to bed, you give your body more time to digest the food. Your body stores excess calories as fat when you eat late.
{{3. Prevents problems with digestion }}
Eating dinner early gives your body enough time to digest the food properly thereby lowering the risk of digestive issues like acidity and acid reflux. Sleeping after a meal slows down your digestion, causing you to feel bloated and uncomfortable.
{{4. Better energy levels }}
Eating dinner early will help you wake up feeling smart and energised. When you eat dinner late, you wake up drained.
{Eighty-eight people suspected of being behind series of cattle theft in the Eastern Province have been arrested in varied police operations.}
The suspects were on September 21 paraded before about 3000 residents in Kabarole Sector of Gatsibo District, during a meeting that was presided over by the Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka.
The community security meeting that brought together residents of Nyagatare and Gatsibo was also attended by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K Gasana, Prosecutor General Richard Muhumuza and representatives of other security organs.
The paraded suspects were arrested in varied joint operations conducted in the past one month in response to the recent spate of cattle rustling especially in the districts of Gatsibo, Nyagatare and Kayonza.
In a similar security meeting held early last month, authorities pledged to break the chain and bring suspects to book, calling for reinforcement of community policing.
According to police records cattle rustling is not a security threat so far, but even if small must be prevented and fought decisively.
“As we promised you, anyone who attempts to destabilise our country in whichever way will not be tolerated. This is why all concerned institutions worked together tirelessly to deliver on your request of bringing to book those suspected of cattle theft,” Minister Kaboneka told the residents.
He further pledged government support in ensuring their welfare but appealed for more partnership in ensuring that security is preserved.
“The Government is committed to seeing you accumulate wealth but that can only be achieved if you take it upon yourselves to have safe and secure communities…You should condemn and confront anyone who stands in your way to prosperity. Confront them with realities and facts on the ground and you will win,” Minister Kaboneka said.
IGP Gasana said that investigations and operations are still going on to track and arrest anyone connected to cattle theft.
“This is the success of good existing partnership with you through community policing and it’s the power of information sharing that led to the arrest of these suspects and recovery of the stolen cows,” IGP Gasana said.
He hastened to add that Rwanda is safe and secure today because of collaboration between citizens, security organs and other institutions.
“To preserve this safety we enjoy today, we must strengthen cooperation and collaboration and develop a sense of ownership.”
Prosecutor General Richard Muhumuza assured residents that such cases will no longer be handled by village mediators but instead prosecuted and tried in courts of law.
Available statistics indicate that from November last year to August this year, about 100 cows had been stolen Nyagatare alone of which majority have been recovered.
At least all the 17 cows that were stolen in Kayonza in this month alone have been recovered and seven people arrested in connection with the act.
Police said files of all the suspects have been completed and forwarded to prosecution.
{An international research team co-led from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the University of North Dakota studied the aerobic fitness levels of children and youth across 50 countries.The results are available now in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.}
“Kids who are aerobically fit tend to be healthy; and healthy kids are apt to be healthy adults. So studying aerobic fitness in the early years is very insightful to overall population health,” said Justin Lang, lead author, Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) research group, CHEO and PhD student, University of Ottawa. “It’s important to know how kids in Canada or America fare on the world stage, for example, because we can always learn from other countries with fitter kids.”
The study involved analyzing 20-meter shuttle data, also called the beep test, from 1.1 million kids aged 9 to 17 years old from 50 countries. The beep test is the most popular field-based test of aerobic fitness levels of children and youth. It is also standardized and commonly used around the world.
“If all the kids in the world were to line up for a race, the average American child would finish at the foot of the field,” said Dr. Grant Tomkinson, senior author, associate professor, University of North Dakota. “Canada, on the other hand, fared moderately well placing just above middle of the pack. This study is the largest of its kind so it’s exciting to have this evidence at hand.”
Another key finding of this study is that income inequality — the gap between rich and poor as measured by the Gini Index — is strongly correlated with aerobic fitness. Children and youth from countries with a small gap between rich and poor appear to have better fitness.
Study collaborators include co-authors from the University of Montreal and University of South Australia.
Ranking highlights:
* Top 5 fittest countries:
Tanzania
Iceland
Estonia
Norway
Japan
* Canada placed 19 out of 50
{There is this popular saying that ‘you’re what you eat’ and this saying has a lot of truth in it. Your immunity levels, fertility, IQ, height, weight and a whole lot of things can be affected directly and indirectly by what you eat. So everyone should take what they eat seriously.}
Infertility is a big issue for men; being unable to impregnate a woman is probably every man’s worst nightmare, and just as there are foods that can boost fertility, there are also foods that can harm fertility.
Every man should be wary of the following foods:
{{1. Canned foods }}
High consumption of canned foods can pose certain risks to a man’s health and one of them is infertility. Canned foods most likely contain Bisphenol-A (BPA); BPA is an industrial chemical that’s used to make plastics and cans.
Research has shown that men who are highly exposed to BPA have sperm counts that are 23% lower than men without BPA exposure. So, men who consume large quantities of canned foods should be wary of this.
{{2. Alcohol }}
Excessive alcohol consumption can also hamper the quality of a man’s sperm. Zinc deficiency has been associated with men who have low sperm counts, and alcohol is known to prevent the body from fully absorbing zinc.
Zinc is an important element of the sperm cell’s outer layer and tails which helps for good motility. Excessive alcohol intake can harm your sperm quality.
{{3. Caffeinated and Soda drinks }}
Research has also found that high consumption of caffeinated drinks and soda drinks can hamper sperm quality. A Danish study found that the caffeine in soda can also affect a man’s sperm count. The study found that men who drank at least two pints of cola daily have sperm counts almost 30% lower than men who don’t drink cola.
{{4. Junk foods }}
You might have heard about the dangers of junk foods, but you probably don’t know that they can also affect your ability to impregnate a woman. Many junk foods have a high presence of trans-fatty acids and research has shown that men with high concentration of trans-fatty acids in their semen have 96% fewer sperm than men with low concentration of trans-fatty acids.
{{5. Soy based foods }}
A Harvard based study tried to examine the effects of 15 different soy-based foods on men whose partners were trying to get pregnant.
The research found that men who eat large quantities of soy-based foods produce 36% less sperm per millilitre when compared to men who don’t eat soy-based foods.
{{6. Pregnant mothers that eat beef }}
Unfortunately for men, their mother’s diet while pregnant can also affect their fertility rate. Research has found that men whose mothers ate large quantities of beef while pregnant are more likely to have low sperm counts when compared to men whose mothers ate lower quantity of beef.
So it isn’t just the men; pregnant mothers also play a huge role in their son’s fertility or infertility rate.
{You might be able to blame your genes for weighing more and increasing your risk of obesity, but you can no longer blame your genes for failing to lose weight, a comprehensive study has found.}
Carriers of the FTO gene are known to be on average 3 kilos (6.6lbs) heavier and 70% more likely to be obese. However, researchers at Newcastle University, publishing in The BMJ today, report that in a review of eight studies involving over 9,000 people, carrying this gene did not prevent them losing weight.
John Mathers, Professor of Human Nutrition at Newcastle University, who led the study, said: “You can no longer blame your genes. Our study shows that improving your diet and being more physically active will help you lose weight, regardless of your genetic makeup.”
{{Getting the weight off}}
Obesity is a major health problem and, in the UK, more than 25% of adults are obese. For some people, carrying the risk variant of the FTO gene can lead to them being heavier and increasing their risk of obesity. The FTO gene has been shown to have the biggest effect in this area.
In a major collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, the international team used individual data from 9,563 adults who were enrolled in randomised controlled weight loss trials around the world to find out whether carrying the risk version of the FTO gene affects how much weight people lose.
They found that carrying the risk version of the FTO gene had no effect on weight loss as Professor Mathers explains: “We were excited to find that people with the risk version of FTO respond just as well to weight loss interventions as everyone else.
“This is important news for people trying to lose weight as it means that diet, physical activity or drug-based weight loss plans will work just as well in those who carry the risk version of FTO.
“For public health professionals, it means that the adverse effects of the FTO genotype on weight gain are not an impediment to weight loss interventions.”
FTO gene carriers
Importantly, the team found that the response to weight loss interventions for people carrying the risk variant of the FTO gene was similar for men and women, younger and older and people of different ethnicities. However, most people in the studies were Caucasians with smaller numbers of those from Black/ African American and Hispanic backgrounds. The team say future research should explore effects of FTO on weight loss in other ethnic groups. In addition, the effects of other obesity-related genes on weight loss remain to be investigated.
In a linked editorial in The BMJ, Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, says the causes of the obesity epidemic are multiple and complex, but current evidence suggests they have little to do with gene profiles.
She argues that, if we are to turn back the tide of obesity, a focus on personalised interventions based on the genome “may not pay off, at least in the short term.” Instead, she says “a rebalancing of research towards whole systems approaches including environmental drivers may be of greater benefit to the population in the long term.”
