IGIHE

Tag: HomeNews

  • Olivier Costa wins Nyamata Car Rally

    {{Residents of Bugesera district were treated to a thrilling weekend Car Rally championships code named Rally de L’Est in which Olivier Costa emerged the champion.}}

    The rally was organized Rally Automobile Club. The competition started at about 1PM at Nyamata at Black and White. The competitors had to go through 3 rounds at Rilima-Mwogo circuit.

    The final results indicated performances of competitors where Oliver Costa came in the first position.

    1. Costa Olivier

    2. Mayaka Felekeni

    3. Kwizera Claude

    4. Giancarlo Davite

    5. Johnny Murengezi

    6. Cyarangabo A.Francois

    7. Serge Rusagara

  • Mushikiwabo: Rwanda Not Involved in War in Eastern DRC

    {{The Government of Rwanda has rubbished accusations in a UN Report that its forces are involved in the ongoing war in the neighbouring vast DRCongo.}}

    Louise Mushikiwabo, the minister of foreign affairs and the government spokesperson said, “Rwanda has no hand in war in Eastern DRC that has been ongoing for several weeks.

    It is a naked lie. Ever since the war broke out, Rwanda has been interested in strengthening cooperation with DRC.

    Instead the UN has been insisting on simple problems rather than the major causes of the conflict in the Great Lakes region”.

    UN has failed to fulfill its mandate considering the tragic history the region has experienced.

    Mushikiwabo refuted allegations that M23 fighters received training inside Rwanda.

    The UN had alleged that it has evidence that a rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being fuelled by recruits and support from neighbouring Rwanda.

    An internal UN report cited defecting soldiers, who claimed they had been trained in Rwanda under the pretext of joining the army, before being sent over the border to fight.

    The report claims the deserters were Rwandan nationals, recruited in Rwanda under the pretext of joining the Rwandan military alleging that they were given weapons and training, and were then sent into DR Congo.

  • Male Contraceptive Pill to Replace Condom

    {{There are high chances of developing a new male contraceptive pill after researchers in Edinburgh identified a gene critical for the production of healthy sperm.}}

    Experiments in mice found that the gene, Katnal1, was vital for the final stages of making sperm.

    The authors of a study in PLos Genetics say a drug, which interrupts Katnal1, could be a reversible contraceptive. A fertility expert said there was “certainly a need” for such a drug.

    Contraception in men is largely down to condoms or a vasectomy. Researchers at the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh were investigating the causes of male infertility.

    They randomly altered the genetic code of mice to see which became infertile. They then traced the mutations that led to infertility, which led them to Katnal1.

    It contains the blueprints for a protein that is important in cells, which support the development of sperm. Without the protein, sperm do not fully form and the body disposes of them.

    Scientists hope they will be able to perform a similar trick in humans to stop sperm developing, without causing lasting damage.

    One of the researchers Dr Lee Smith said: “If we can find a way to target this gene in the testes, we could potentially develop a non-hormonal contraceptive.

    “The important thing is that the effects of such a drug would be reversible because Katnal1 only affects sperm cells in the later stages of development, so it would not hinder the early stages of sperm production and the overall ability to produce sperm.

    He said it would be “relatively difficult” to do as the protein lives inside cells, however, he said there was “potential” to find something else that protein worked with, which might be an easier target.

  • RSE Market Records Lower Turnover

    {{Today the RSE market recorded a lower turnover compared to last Friday’s trading session.}}

    The total turnover for the day was Rwf 14,194,600 from 200 BK shares and 40,800 BRALIRWA shares traded in 3 deals compared to last Friday’s trading session which recorded a turnover of Rwf 402,268,300 from 3,218,000 BK shares and 2,000 BRALIRWA shares traded in 22 deals.

    Bralirwa shares traded at Rwf 350 and 346 then closed at Rwf 346, registering an increase of Rwf 4 compared to last Friday’s closing price while BK shares traded and closed at Rwf 125, unchanged from last Friday’s closing price.

    KCB and NMG shares last transacted at Rwf 135 and Rwf 1,200 respectively.

    At the end of formal trading hours, there were outstanding offers of 220,900 BK shares at Rwf 125 and no outstanding bid.

    On BRALIRWA counter, there were outstanding Bids of 193,100 shares between Rwf 326 and 345 and outstanding offers of 64,500 shares at Rwf 350.

    In the mean time, Bralirwa ltd. has announced a final and last dividend of Rwf 16.90 per share to be paid on June 29th, 2012 subject to the AGM approval that will take place on June 12th, 2012.

    The book closure date will be June 8th, 2012

  • WHO Sets Target to Cut Chronic Illness Deaths

    {{The World Health Organization announced (Friday) it was set to approve a new target to reduce premature deaths from chronic illnesses such as heart disease by a quarter by 2025.}}

    Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory conditions are known in medical terms as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and represent the world’s biggest killers — accounting for 63% of all deaths.

    About a quarter of victims die prematurely, between the ages of 30 and 70.

    WHO member states meeting in Geneva has made a “landmark” decision to fix the 25% reduction target which is expected to be formally adopted on Saturday, the UN health agency said.

    It was agreed along with a raft of measures to address the prevention and control of NCDs, which have rocketed in developing countries in recent years.

    About 80% of premature deaths from NCDs now occur in low and middle-income countries.

    “The focus of attention of the world community on the largest killer is now on course,” said Douglas Bettcher from the WHO’s chronic diseases unit.

    “The architecture to support developing countries in addressing NCDs and their risk factors is now in place.”

    NCDs also constitute a massive financial burden. A recent Harvard study found that left unattended they could result in lost productivity in low and middle income countries worth $7 trillion up to 2025.

    “This is something that would, in an era of globalisation and ongoing financial crisis, have major effects for the entire world,” said Bettcher.

    In the resolution adopted by WHO member states but yet to be formally approved, countries also backed further work aimed at producing targets on NCD risk factors, namely tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

    They called for a formal meeting to be held before the end of October to conclude work on a “global monitoring framework” to prevent and control NCDs.

    The World Heart Federation said the adoption of the target would be a “significant milestone” but much work remained to be done.

    “Although we applaud the progress made at the World Health Assembly this week, the global target in isolation is not enough to tackle one of the most complex health challenges facing the world today,” said chief executive Johanna Ralston.

    “Further targets are needed to shape a framework for action against NCD risk factors, and we urge world leaders to agree on these targets promptly.”

  • Bashir Wont Meet Gen. Kiir Unless Pending Issues are Sorted

    {{Sudan President Omar El Bashir has ruled out holding a summit meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan before security dossiers between the two countries are tackled and common understandings are reached.}}

    The head of government negotiation team Idriss Mohammed Abdulgadir announced the readiness of the delegation to embark on negotiations on the pending issues on Tuesday.

    He pointed out in an interview with Sudan Radio on Saturday 26 May to the discussion of the main points which come at the top of the negotiation table.

    He stressed the importance of deciding upon the security dossier and the related arrangements first, indicating that the political, security and military committee headed by the Minister of Defense Lt. General Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein will look into the issues of security dossier in an accurate manner in order to decide upon them and finally settle them in order to move to other dossiers.

    Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Rahmtallah Osman Ahmed ruled out holding of a summit between President Al-Bashir and President Salva Kiir before understandings are reached on the contentious issues particularly the security dossier.

  • Displaced Congolese Get First Relief Assistance

    {{Internally displaced Congolese refugees have begun receiving their food assistance from the Congolese government. The distribution began at Mugunga 3, at the outskirts of Goma on Sunday.}}

    The relief assistance is expected to benefit about 36,000 displaced Congolese that fled fighting between rebel factions and the FARDC in the territory of Masisi in North Kivu.

    Supplied items including hundreds of tons of food and non-food items for IDPs living in the seven sites identified in North Kivu will cater for 3225 displaced families.

    “We agree to humanitarian assistance, but we want peace to return to our villages,” said some of the beneficiaries.

    Congolese government Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and National Solidarity, Charles Nawej Mundele says that government policy is not to maintain the displaced in camps.

    “There was the water problem that arose including the problem of hygiene latrines, there are food problems. The ultimate goal is to help all our people to regain their places of origin. We have it all: the government will assist all displaced people.”

  • Nairobi Bomb Injures 30

    At least 30 people have been injured in a Lunch hour- 1:10pm East African time explosion that rocked Assanands House next to Mt Kenya University Campus in Nairobi city.

    “There was a huge bang followed by people screaming and shouting,” said one witness who declined to be named.

    However, Kenya’s Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said it was too early to determine the cause of the blast. He said blackened wires inside the trading centre indicated a possible electrical fault but did not rule out a bomb.

    Dense black smoke billowed from the badly damaged building and sirens blared as emergency service crews rushed to Moi Avenue, a major road running through the city centre.

  • Youth Jobs Key To Economic Growth, Social Cohesion

    {{Countries across Africa should boost job creation and help young people acquire new skills, according to the African Economic Outlook 2012 -the number of youths in Africa set to double by 2045.}}

    “Creating productive employment for Africa’s rapidly growing young population is an immense challenge but also the key to future prosperity”, say the authors in the foreword.

    Co-written by the African Development Bank, the OECD Development Centre, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the report says youth are an opportunity for future economic growth.

    Between 2000 and 2008, despite world-topping economic growth rates, and a better educated youth, Africa created only 16 million jobs for young people aged between 15 and 24.

    Today, youth represent 60 percent of the continent’s unemployed, and of these 40 million youths, 22 million have given up on finding a job, many of them women.

    “The continent is experiencing jobless growth”, said Mthuli Ncube, Chief Economist and Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB). “That is an unacceptable reality on a continent with such an impressive pool of youth, talent and creativity”.

    The report argues youth unemployment figures will increase unless Africa moves swiftly to make youth employment a priority, turning its human capital into economic opportunity.

    Youths can present a significant threat to social cohesion and political stability if they do not secure decent living conditions.

    High growth alone is not sufficient to guarantee productive employment. Youth employment is largely a problem of quality in low-income countries and one of quantity in middle-income countries, the report says.

    “In low-income countries, most young people work but are poor nevertheless. In African middle-income countries, on the other hand, such as South Africa or the Northern African countries, despite better education, more youth are inactive than working”, said Mario Pezzini, Director at the OECD Development Centre.

    The report recommends that African countries design better coordinated strategies to effectively tackle youth employment, focusing on job creation in the private sector while providing the right conditions for businesses of all sizes to grow and expand their work force.

    In addition, given the small size of the formal sector in many African countries, the report finds that a government focus on the informal sector and rural areas, which contain immense entrepreneurial talent, can serve as engines for inclusive growth since they can absorb higher numbers of unemployed youths.

    It also advocates for policies focused on creating the skills that are necessary for youths to compete in the job market, for instance by improving the quality of education in agriculture and new technologies.

    Increased policy focus on youth employment must be coupled with measures to boost investments in social and economic infrastructure and diversify the continent’s economy.

    “Export diversification beyond raw material and private sector development are important to mitigate the continent’s susceptibility to external shocks, but that takes time”, said Emmanuel Nnadozie, Director of Economic Development at UNECA.

    With the right policies in place, the continent could capitalize on its recent economic growth to achieve a development breakthrough.

    “Youth employment is an investment in the future. It contributes to reducing poverty, wealth creation, well-being and social cohesion,” said Pedro Conceição, Chief Economist at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa.

    The African Economic Outlook presents a comprehensive analysis of the economic, social and political developments in the region. The report includes in-depth country notes on 53 of the continent’s 54 economies, a macroeconomic overview.

    The document also offers a chapter on human development which focuses this year on the importance of reversing capital flight to achieve sustainable human development.

  • AfDB Annual Meeting Opens Today

    {{The African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings kick off in Arusha, Tannzania today with a host of activities, including the launching of the 2012 African Economic Outlook.}}

    According to the meeting programme a report about the private sector development in the continent will be inaugurated.

    AfDB President Dr Donald Kaberuka, was expected to visit the recently repaved 105-kilometre Arusha-Namanga road.

    Economic experts and financial analysts from across Africa and other parts of the world are already in Arusha for the event to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the financial crisis in the continent.

    The heads of state segment of the annual meeting of Africa’s premier bank will take place on Thursday and Friday and will be opened by President Jakaya Kikwete on Thursday.

    At least six heads of state from a number of African states have confirmed to attend the meeting.

    Among the delegates would be central bank governors, ministers, economic experts and CEOs of regional banks and financial institutions.

    Main speakers today will include the AfDB chief economist and Vice President Mthuli Ncube, Marrio Pezzini, director of the OECD development centre, the director of the regonal integration and trade division of the UN Economic .