Africa Competes by the Palme dOr in Cannes

Prensa Latina - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Paris, May 22 (Prensa Latina) African cinematography enters today in competition for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Festival through the filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun from the Republic of Chad, who projects his film "Grigris", in the French resort. Haroun tells the struggle of a young man for become reality his dream of being a dancer of a shows company, despite suffering from ...

Libyan guns may be killing Central Africas elephants

Yahoo - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

TRIPOLI: Armed groups in central Africa are using powerful weapons, some of which may be left over from the civil war in Libya, to kill elephants for their ivory, the United Nations ...

Striking Kenyan truckers block east Africas main trade route

Reuters - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Mombasa (Reuters) - Kenyan truckers blocked the only highway from the port city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi on Wednesday, threatening to choke the main trade artery to east Africa unless officials reverted to the old way of weighing ...

Venezuelas ties with Africa

Pravda - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

At the third Summit Africa - South America (ASA)held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 63 countries participated, including Venezuela, which was represented by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Elas Jaua. He read a letter written by President Hugo Chvez to the ASA members in Malaba. The Venezuelan President highlighted the ties between both ...

Polio cases found in Kenya and Somalia officials say

WHP CBS 21 - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The World Health Organization says the Horn of Africa is experiencing an outbreak of polio with cases confirmed in Kenya and Somalia.WHO said Wednesday that a 4-year-old girl near the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and two of her contacts tested positive for polio, the first confirmed cases in Kenya since July 2011. A case in Somalia was confirmed earlier this month.In ...

Fitch Sub-Saharan Africa Has Gradual Upgrade Potential

Reuters - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Wed May 22, 2013 2:17pm EDT Link to Fitch Ratings' Report: Sub-Saharan African Sovereigns: Higher Ratings Depend on Continued ReformsLONDON, May 22 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings says in a newly-published report that targeted reforms and policy initiatives could see Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) sub-investment grade ratings gradually upgraded, despite per capita income falling well short of ...

Chinese vice premier calls for stability in Zimbabwe

West Australian - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

HARARE (AFP) - Chinese vice premier Wang Yang on Wednesday urged Zimbabwe to ensure peace and political stability ahead of elections this year, to safeguard economic growth."A peaceful and stable political environment is the prerequisite for economic development," Wang told journalists after meeting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare during a business visit to ...

Congo fighting persists as UN chief arrives

San Diego Union-Tribune - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

FILE -In this Nov. 29, 2012 file photo, Congolese government troops patrol near Minova in eastern Congo. Fighting between M23 rebels and the army continued for a second day Tuesday, May 21, 2013, near Congo's eastern provincial capital of Goma, in clashes that have so far killed 20 people, all of them either soldiers or rebels, officials said. Peace talks reached a dead end in recent weeks, ...

UN Secretary General Visits Africas Great Lakes Region

Prensa Latina - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Kinshasa, May 22 (Presa Latina) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon began a 48-hour visit today to ...

Africa Outlines Strategy to Eradicate Hunger in 50 Years

Prensa Latina - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Addis Ababa, May 22 (Prensa Latina) Africa must transform its agricultural sector through a combination of traditional and advanced methods if it is serious about eliminating hunger on the continent by 2063, an expert on the subject pointed out today. The alert was issued by the African Union (AU) commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rhoda Tumusiime, as a guideline for the discussion ...

Kenya - Kenyan courts interpretation of citizens limits access to information

IFEX - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

ARTICLE 19 welcomes a High Court decision that citizens have the right to access the information held by public and state owned corporations, but is highly concerned by the court's continued narrow interpretation of "citizens" that would prevent NGOs, media organisations, and informal associations from making requests."This ruling is important for its recognition of ...

Congo-Kinshasa UN Force Must Speedily Deploy in Eastern DR Congo - Ban

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Maputo - The deployment of a rapid UN intervention force in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo should be speeded up in view of this week's fresh unrest, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday. "Considering what has happened I think we must expedite the deployment so they will be fully responsible as soon as possible," said Ban during a visit to Mozambique. Rebels from the M23 ...

Kenya Dairy Sacco Eyes More Milk Markets

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society, makers of Fresha milk, has laid out plans to cater for the high production of milk. Speaking during an annual general meeting held in Githunguri Stadium at the weekend, chairman Charles Mukora said they are currently producing 200,000 litres of milk per day. He said the society has expanded its horizons to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Garissa where ...

Kenya ERC Rules Out Closure of Mombasa Oil Refinery

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

THE Energy Regulatory Commission has ruled possibilities of closing down the Kenya Petroleum Refinery Limited plant in Changamwe, Mombasa arguing that its role remains key in the petroleum sector. Speaking yesterday during a petrol regulatory awareness workshop in Mombasa, ERC director for petroleum Linus Gitonga termed any push to have the refinery closed as 'impossible'. "This ...

Kenya Students Showcase Kenyas First Tablet

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Jubilee Manifesto to have every class one child have access to a laptop may soon be realised, thanks to a locally made tablet established by a youth group. The tablet dubbed Student with A Goal (Swag) has been made locally except for the screens which are not locally available, according to Innovator Society of Kenya information director, Omar Kochua. The group has 30 members. "We do ...

Kenya Uhurus Pledge to Tea Coffee Farmers

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta has assured tea and coffee farmers they will benefit from both the national and county governments in the near future. Speaking in Karatina yesterday while winding up his four-day tour of Nyeri, Uhuru said both governments will focus on value addition which will in return benefit farmers. "I want both tea and coffee farmers to benefit from their hard work. We ...

Kenya Parastatals Will Not Be Under Counties - MPs

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

MPs yesterday opposed a motion seeking to compel the government to write off debts owed by parastatals and hand their management over to county governments. The lawmakers said county governments should only ensure there is conducive environment for the parastatals to operate efficiently and generate profits for the people. The motion engineered by Sirisia MP John Waluke was seeking to ensure ...

Uganda Government Seeks U.S.$76.5 Million for Roads

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The government is seeking sh200b in supplementary budget for on-going road works, the works state minister, Eng. John Byabagambi has revealed. The request arises from the over performance of contractors yet the funds allotted to the works and transport ministry in the 2012/13 FY were absorbed before the financial year winds-up in June 2012. "The contractors worked ahead of schedule," ...

Kenya One Billion Mandera Airport Plan On Course

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Plans are underway to put up an international airport in Mandera town at a cost of Sh1 billion, the governor Ali Roba has said. He said the main purpose of the facility will be to enhance exportation of livestock products to the traditional markets in the Middle East, North Africa and other emerging outlets in the world. Addresing NGO representatives, Roba said his government has earmarked an ...

Kenya Herders to Lose Jobs Tsavo Park Evictions

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Some 4,500 people are set to lose their jobs following plans to evict Somali livestock farmers from ranches in Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi counties. Coast police boss Aggrey Adoli said the farmers have encroached the Tsavo conservation area. "Domesticated animals cannot graze in a national park," Adoli told the Star yesterday. Two weeks ago, the farmers protested the planned ...

Kenya Be Accountable CDF Team Told

All Africa - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Nambale MP John Bunyasi has asked Constituency Development Fund Committee members to play their role with transparency and accountability. "CDF is taxpayers' money. Therefore, I want the newly appointed CDF Team to exercise transparency and accountability in the utilization of the funds," Bunyasi said. The MP was speaking at a funeral ceremony at Okatekok village at the weekend ...

Kenya Truth Commission Report Links Leaders to Abuses

VOA - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

NAIROBI -- A long-awaited report from Kenya’s Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) has linked several of Kenya’s leaders, including current President Uhuru Kenyatta, to abuses committed throughout the country’s history. The commission has called for further investigation of those responsible for these crimes in an effort to bring ...