  CONGO: Seeking a way out of food insecurity
BRAZZAVILLE, 1 May 2009 (IRIN) - Congo has abundant natural resources, but attempts over the years to revitalise agriculture and improve food security and nutrition have been unsuccessful.
The country’s huge agricultural potential is largely untapped: only 200,000 of its eight million arable hectares are under cultivation. Congo also boasts good precipitation as well as capital-generating oil resources.
Congo is still a net importer of food, despite agricultural potential
An estimated 50 percent of the country’s four million people are living below the poverty line on the equivalent of US$1 a day.
The calorie intake of 39 percent of households is lower than the minimum daily recommended level of 2,000-2,500. Twenty-six percent of children under five years of age are chronically malnourished; 33 have iron deficiency. Some 13 percent of the population have an iodine[ Read the rest ... ] villageguruonSunday 03 May 2009 - 14:05:43  comment: 0
 Malawi could play their next three home games outside the countryFifa Warns Malawi Malawi has become the latest country in Southern Africa to receive a warning on its stadiums from world soccer controlling body, Fifa, who ordered Lilongwe to improve security at its stadiums ahead of their upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Malawi could play their next three home games outside their country if several structural and maintenance issues with the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre are not resolved by May 15.
The football governing body told the international media that since no other stadium in the country has been approved to host 2010 World Cup qualifying matches, " Malawi might be forced to play in neighbouring countries".
This comes as Fifa calls for its members to do everything possible to prevent stadium tragedies such as the most recent one in Ivory Coast.
Just last month, 19 fans died as Ivory Coast beat Malawi 5-0 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier.[ Read the rest ... ] villageguruonFriday 01 May 2009 - 15:57:00 comment: 0
 Liberia senators snub USHenry Flomo, AfricaNews reporter in Monrovia, Liberia The US Embassy in Liberia has threatened Liberia lawmakers for delaying the passage of a threshold bill aimed at re-demarcation of constituencies pending national elections by 2011. The legislators sharply reacted to the communication, requesting the US to stay away from Liberian politics.
The US Charge d’Affaires, Brooks Robinson, this week wrote the heads of the bi-camera Legislature expressing US dismay over the delay in the passage of the draft Bill. The correspondence noted that unspecified consequences would be metered out to lawmakers who renege on the passage of the Bill.
The Threshold Bill was several months ago sent to the lawmakers by the National Elections Commission of Liberia for passage into law. The draft Bill is based on the national census report of 2008 conducted by the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services- LISHIS, the first of its kind in 28 years.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonThursday 30 April 2009 - 08:05:19 comment: 0
Zuma is the Man as ANC wins a LandslideANC scores landslide win in South Africa According to News reports The African National Congress secured an expected landslide victory in this week's South African general elections, paving the way for party leader Jacob Zuma to become president, according to official results released Saturday.
But the ANC, which has convincingly won every election since the end of apartheid in 1994, fell just short of retaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority that would have given it a mandate to change the constitution.
It also lost control of Western Cape province to the opposition Democratic Alliance, although it won comfortable majorities in South Africa's remaining eight provinces.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonMonday 27 April 2009 - 15:57:36 comment: 0
 Malaise of fear as South Africa election nearsFor the first time after apartheid, more worry about the direction of the country. By Shashank Bengali McClatchy Newspapers JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — It's easy to look around this proud, polyglot city and think that the favorite slogan of the new South Africa — a "Rainbow Nation" of races striving together for prosperity — is becoming a reality.
Blacks and whites mingle in buzzing bars and restaurants, in state-of-the-art business parks and shopping malls, and in tree-lined suburbs that recall Southern California more than southern Africa. A blossoming black middle class fills the boardrooms and back offices of a diverse economy that's the engine and envy of the continent.
In the 15 years since Nelson Mandela won the first democratic elections here, finally closing the book on four decades of white apartheid rule, a lot has gone right with South Africa. Yet days before a new election, a deep malaise has taken hold, a creeping fear that the next decade and a half won't be as good as the first was.Read More ...eltasonSunday 19 April 2009 - 11:43:16 comment: 0
Chad: Fugitive legionnaire capturedSolomon Tembang Mforgham, AfricaNews reporter in Limbe, Cameroon Chad is reported to have captured a fugitive foreign legionnaire in the Chadian desert after he was overcome by thirst. The fugitive had gone on the run after killing four people; killed two legionnaires of Ghanaian and Romanian origin, including his superior, then a Togolese UN soldier inside their military camp.
According to French army chief of staff in Paris said French military authorities had identified the legionnaire of French Guyana origin -while in Chadian custody.
Lieutenant Colonel Francois-Marie Gougeon confirmed that he was arrested by Chadian gendarmes in the Abeche region.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonThursday 16 April 2009 - 07:43:28 comment: 0
 South Africa: Thabo Mbeki attackedMernat Mafirakurewa, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa Former South Africa president Thabo Mbeki has come under serious attack from a national executive committee member of the ruling African National Congress, Fikile Mbalula. He said he doubted the conspiracy against ANC president Jacob Zuma would have been exposed if Mbeki was still in office.
In an explosive 1800-word open letter to Mbeki, Mbalula said Mbeki’s legacy was tainted with “shame” and “disgrace” as he presided over a period of gross abuse of state institutions. “I doubt if today you were president this conspiracy that has come to light would have been uncovered,” Mbalula said. [ Read the rest ... ] eltasonTuesday 14 April 2009 - 06:39:48 comment: 0
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 SOMALIA: Safer water in SomalilandHARGEISA, 30 April 2009 (IRIN) - The availability of water purification tablets, digging of shallow wells in rural areas as well as privatisation of water services have resulted in more people in Somalia's self-declared republic of Somaliland gaining access to clean water and proper sanitation, officials said.
At least 45-50 percent of the Somaliland population now has access to safe water, compared with 35 percent in 2000, according to Ali Sheikh Omar Qabil, director of environmental health in the Ministry of Health and Labour.
"Most of the urban centres such as Hargeisa [the capital], Borama, Berbera, and Gabiley have central water supply systems and chlorine is routinely mixed into the water provided," Qabil said. [ Read the rest ... ] villageguruonSaturday 02 May 2009 - 14:44:48 comment: 0
Malawi: US pledges to support agric sectorPrince Jamali, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, MalawiThe American government has said it will consider providing massive support to Malawi towards the improvement of commercial agriculture so that the country could become a breadbasket in that region.
The United States Ambassador to Malawi, Peter Blodde was speaking in Blantyre on Thursday when he toured the International College of Business and Management (ICBM) which is run by Bilal Trust, an Islamic Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
Blodde noted that Malawi has the capacity to become the breadbasket in this part of Africa, therefore, there was need to invest much towards commercial farming, an area he said not much has been done.[ Read the rest ... ] villageguruonFriday 01 May 2009 - 15:47:23 comment: 0
 Swine flu scare hits EgyptAfricaNews editors Egypt is considering culling about 400,000 pigs as a precautionary measure as swine flu nears its borders. The move is not expected to block the H1N1 virus from striking, as the illness is spread by people and not present in Egyptian swine.
However, media reports say acting against pigs, largely viewed as unclean in the most populous and conservative Muslim country could help quell a panic. Reuters news agency reported that pigs are mainly raised by Egypt's Christian minority.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonWednesday 29 April 2009 - 14:30:15 comment: 0
Malawi: Madonna appeals case in MaySam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, MalawiUS pop singer Madonna's appeal case of adopting a second child in Malawi Mercy Chifundo James will be held on May 4. Three judges of the country's Supreme Court are expected to hear the appeal case on May 4 to overturn a High Court ruling that ruled that she cannot adopt Mercy. Modonna is not expected to appear.
The High Court in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe earlier this month rejected Madonna’s wish to adopt Mercy citing among others that she did not fulfill the requirement in the Adoptions of Children Act of 18 months residency and foster care.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonTuesday 21 April 2009 - 23:15:30 comment: 0
European Union deploys Election Observation Mission to MalawiLILONGWE, Malawi, April 17, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The European Commission will deploy an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the next Presidential and Legislative elections in the Republic of Malawi scheduled to take place on 19 May 2009. The EU EOM will consist of 55 observers, led by Ms Luisa Morgantini, Vice-president of the European Parliament and represents a further contribution by the European Commission to support democracy in the Republic of Malawi.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, said: [ Read the rest ... ] eltasonSaturday 18 April 2009 - 14:09:43 comment: 0
Malawi: Ex-leader’s case adjournedSam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, MalawiMalawi's High Court in Blantyre has adjourned a corruption case involving former president Bakili Muluzi to April 17 after his defence asked for enough time for preparations.
Muluzi was arrested recently and dragged to court by the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) allegedly for diverting about $ 11 million (1.7 billion Malawi Kwacha) donor money to his personal account.
The former president who was also dwelt the biggest blow last month when Malawi Electoral Commission(MEC) ruled that he was not eligible to stand in next month’s elections, has since asked the court to drop the corruption case.[ Read the rest ... ] eltasonTuesday 14 April 2009 - 06:42:54 comment: 0
what is President Obama promising to do on immigrationThe lead story in the New York Times Thursday indicated that Obama is about to launch a big drive to pass an immigrant legalization bill. Within hours of the article's publication, my email box began to fill up with releases from proponents of so-called comprehensive immigration reform hailing Obama's bold stand.
"As the New York Times reported today, the Obama administration has reiterated its intention to tackle comprehensive immigration reform this year," the Immigration Policy Center said in a statement. "The White House has taken the first step today and we stand committed in supporting their efforts towards achieving sensible and comprehensive reform this year." [ Read the rest ... ] eltasonFriday 10 April 2009 - 04:10:07 comment: 0
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