Wednesday 29 February 2012

JOURNALIST STILL WAITING FOR MALEMA'S VERDICT


With their cameras and recorders Journalists were by 8pm still waiting outside Luthuli House for news on the outcome of ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema's mitigation hearing.

Malema who claimed to be with his sick grandmother  had not arrived and it was unclear whether a statement on the outcome would be released by the ANC's national disciplinary committee, as promised earlier.

Policemen were stationed at the door to the ruling party's headquarters. The streets surrounding Luthuli House, in central Johannesburg, remained open to traffic, and there was no sign of Malema supporters.

Journalists were ordered not to stand near the building and told to go across the road.
Parked at the corner of the building, on Sauer Street, was a police van and a Nyala.

On February 4 the African National Congress's national disciplinary committee of appeals announced it had upheld the conviction of Malema and five ANCYL officials for bringing the party into disrepute and sowing divisions.

Malema was suspended for five years. League spokesman Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi were suspended for periods ranging from 18 months to three years.

Their appeal against their sentences was dismissed. They were then allowed to present evidence in mitigation. The sentences were suspended pending the outcome of this hearing.
Sapa

AL-QAEDA TOP COMMANDER ARRESTED IN EGYPT


High-ranking Al-Qaeda commander and explosives expert Saif al-Adel, an Egyptian by nationality, has been arrested at Cairo airport, according to Egypt security officials.
Born in 1960 or 1963, Saif Al-Adel is also known as Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi, Seif Al Adel and Ibrahim Al-Madani. The man is ranked high on the most wanted FBI list. 
This undated picture released 10 October 2001 by the FBI shows Egyptian Saif al-Adel. Al-Adel is on the US list of 22 "most wanted" suspected terrorists released three days ago. AFP Photo / HO-FBI)
aif Al-Adel is charged with conspiracy to kill US citizens, and destroy buildings, property and national defense utilities of the US. He is also wanted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya.
As well as being a top Al-Qaeda commander, Al-Adel is allegedly affiliated with the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, an affiliate of Al Qaeda under worldwide embargo by the UN.
The reward for information leading to his capture is set at $5 million.

Sunday 26 February 2012

MANDELA TO LEAVE HOSPITAL ON MONDAY


Without elaborating, South Africa Defense Minister  Lindiwe Sisulu  has said Nelson Mandela is looking health and happy, a day after officials said the ailing anti-apartheid icon underwent treatment for an abdominal ailment at undisclosed hospital

Sisulu said Mandela underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy and  the  procedure involves inserting a camera into the body to allow doctors a look in a patient's abdomen or pelvis.
Nelson Mandela

A family member had said Saturday that Mandela had hernia surgery, but a government spokesman described it as a "planned procedure" without providing details.

According to a Mandela relative the 93-year-old will likely be discharged by Monday however he declined to name the hospital where he was recuperating.

South African President Jacob Zuma said Mandela is conscious and recovering.

Mandela's surgery 'not at emergency'
"The doctors are satisfied with his condition, which they say is consistent with his age," Zuma said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

NO ACCESS TO SICK MANDELA


 As  journalists are fighting   to see sick Nelson Madela  South Africa  president  Jacob Zuma  has called upon  the media to respect   Mandela’s privacy

The call comes after  government issued a statement  that  the 93 – year – old beloved anti-apartheid icon  has been hospitalized  with a stomach ailment.

Zuma said Mandela has had a long-standing abdominal complaint and doctors feel it needs proper specialist medical attention and his privacy need to be respected.
Nelson Mandela
Not well 

Three days ago a rumor was spread on social network “Twitter” that Mandela is dead  and government is hiding it 

Journalist from all over the world are in the county to cover the story however no one is allowed to see him

However up its not disclosed  which hospital Mandela was being treated. In 2011, he was hospitalized for a few days with an acute respiratory infection.

Mac Maharaj, Zuma's spokesman, said he could not immediately elaborate but that he would be issuing regular updates.

The South African military, which had taken charge of Mandela's health care after he was hospitalized last year, and a spokesman for Mandela's office said he would have no statement

Mandela has taken up permanent residence at his home in Qunu, in the southwestern region of South Africa where he was raised.

Saturday 25 February 2012

MANDELA ADMITTED INTO HOSPITAL


Two days after a rumor was spread on a social network Twitter that Nelson Mandela is dead the South African government has disclosed that Mandela is sick and has been admitted to  hospital on Saturday for treatment for a "long- standing abdominal complaint"
  According to a statement  the 93-year-old anti-apartheid leader needed specialist medical treatment. However the statement did not provide further details on his sickness 

Former South African President Nelson Mandela listens to the State of The Nation address being delivered by the current  President Jacob Zuma at Parliament in Cape Town June 3, 2009.    REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
Not feeling well 

Through the statement South Africa government wished him a speedy recovery, 



Mandela, who is known to be in frail health, spent several days at Johannesburg's Milpark hospital just over a year ago with respiratory problems.

Since then he has not appeared in public, and has spent his time between Johannesburg and his ancestral village of Qunu in the impoverished Eastern Cape.

As South Africa's first black president, Mandela occupies a central position in the psyche of a country that was ruled by the 10 percent white minority until the first all-race elections in 1994.

Earlier this month, President Jacob Zuma and the central bank issued a new set of bank notes bearing his image.

Mandela has long since withdrawn from active participation in politics and public life in Africa's biggest economy, having stood down at the end of his first term in office in 1999.

His last major public appearance was in July 2010 at the final of the World Cup in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium.

Thursday 23 February 2012

Somali Twitter users angered by London conference




The Somali Twitter community hit back as international delegates met in London on Thursday to discuss piracy, poverty, famine, and armed conflict plaguing the country. Somalis around the world were enfuriated by what they perceived as a disproportional focus on piracy and terrorism during the talks and an under-representation of Somali voices. Many expressed doubt about the aims of the conference, believing that foreign interests were the main motivation behind the talks. Delegates from 40 countries including Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the prime minister of Somalia’s Transition Federal Government, attended the conference. The radical Islamic group Al Shabab, who are fighting the government and control large parts of Somalia, were not represented but reportedly warned of any “unwanted interference”.
Out of all the speakers during the morning session Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s words were the only ones to reverberate with many Somalis.
"We cannot hold conferences away from Somalia .. we have to be there," Turkey's foreign minister says #ldnsomalia
Ali Mohamoud@AliMohamoud
Turkish Foreign minister's speech touches the Somali soul truly. #LDNSomalia
Mina Abdi@geekinthejungle
having a conference on the future of Somalia outside of Somalia is stupid. #LDNSomalia
Davutogli also urged other countries to follow Turkey’s example and show support for Somalia by sending diplomatic missions to Mogadishu.
Turkey's For. Min. "We have to be present on the ground...this is psychologically important." Open embassies like us, he says. #LDNSomalia
During the public morning session the Somali prime minister was not given a chance to speak fueling the impression that Somalis had been sidelined in the debate. However, Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed had been the third person to speaker, after British prime minister David Cameron and UN general secretary Ban Ki Moon.
when is Silaanyo gona have a say? Bet they will let him speak in the end when everyone switches of #JustCurious to hear his view #LDNSomalia
UKinSomalia@UKinSomalia
President Sheikh Sharif: In order to find permanent solutions for problem of piracy we have to support all areas of Somalia #LDNSomalia

Young Somalis speak out

Youth group Young Voices of Somalia published five YouTube videos the day before the conference showing young Somalis living abroad deliver their message of what they believe would help their home country:
Ahead of the conference Somalians on Twitter urged their countrymen and others to set the hashtag #realsomalia24 trending. The campaign hoped to counter the pervasive image of a war torn country in peril.
Rahma Ahmed@RahmaToosooy
#realsomalia24 Somalia has the longest and most beautiful coastline in Africahttp://t.co/Q51tELwu
Photo: With 20 yrs of civil war & ruins, Somalia's architecture remains distinct & glories.#realsomalia24 #LDNSomalia http://t.co/bOm8xyIo
During the conference this cartoon was circulated on Twitter depicting the view that the conference is little more than a new ‘Scramble for Africa’ with foreign countries looking to protect their own interests in the region.
Sam@CynicalZam
Why do they keep referring to 'stakeholders' of 'Somalia' ? Somalia is a country not a bloody company! #LDNSomalia
For some the talks reminded of Somalia’s colonial past, where it had been divided between French, British and Italian rule
Claire Provost@ClaireProvost
Something v uncomfortable about Italy's non-elected technocrats saying they'll help 'strengthen authorities' in Somalia #LDNSomalia
Taji Mustafa@tajimustafa
#Somalia needs home grown solutions, not more colonial intervention frm Westhttp://bit.ly/w3wanu #LDNSomalia
Sayid Ali@newsflick
As a #Somali myself, the LDN #Somalia conference worries me. #RealSomalia24
Cameron did acknowledge that ultimately only Somalis would be able to change the situation in their own country, in his opening address:
UKinSomalia@UKinSomalia
David Cameron: "The problems in Somalia can only be solved by the Somali people"#LDNSomalia
It seemed Cameron had dressed for the occasion with a colour co-ordinated tie:
Just in case you didn't believe me about Cameron's tie. That is spot-on #Somalia's flag blue.#LDNSomaliahttp://twitpic.com/8nl5zd
US foreign secretary Hillary Clinton’s address honed in on Al Shabab:
UKinSomalia@UKinSomalia
Secretary Clinton: We must keep up the pressure on Al Shabaab so that their grip on Somalia continues to weaken #LDNSomalia #SecClinton
While the French foreign minister tackled the issue of piracy in the Gulf of Aden:
UKinSomalia@UKinSomalia
Minister Juppe of France reinforces the need to tackle the issue of maritime security in Somalia.#LDNSomalia
President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also commented on the issue of piracy, while Kenya’s president Mwai Kibaki said his country was struggling to support the large number of refugees as a result of Somalia’s instability.
UKinSomalia@UKinSomalia
President Museveni speaks about why controlling the Somali mainland is where efforts to prevent piracy should be focused. #LDNSomalia