BURUNDI :
RWANDA
Rwanda: Agathe Habyarimana Arrested for Genocide The former First Lady, and one of the most prominent Genocide fugitives living in France, was arrested by French authorities yesterday, but later released and put under judicial control. Sources in the French capital – Paris, confirmed the development to The New Times, noting that Habyarimana was arrested in the morning by French police and immediately taken for questioning over her alleged involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, in Rwanda. France-based activists – “Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda” (CPCR), filed a lawsuit against her and CPCR’s Dafrose Mukarumongi noted that it was “certainly an arrest” and that they were waiting to see what comes out of her interrogation. Justice Minister, Tharcisse Karugarama, was the first to express delight yesterday, although he remained cautious. “We can only say that the long arm of the law is taking its due course and, we are encouraged by that development,” Karugarama said. “We are trying to put the pieces together – she was summoned by the judicial police to respond to the charges – you know Rwanda has already issued an international arrest warrant against her to the French authorities. We are waiting to see what is going to happen”. During a press conference yesterday, Prosecutor General, Martin Ngoga, reminded the media that her arrest was a result of an arrest warrant, and after French judges had visited Rwanda to investigate. “It is all these (recent developments) that have resulted into her arrest today and, what we can say is that we appreciate the development,” Ngoga noted. “We don’t question why it was not done earlier. Now that she has been arrested, it is good,” he added, noting that government, as ever, is ready to cooperate with the French justice system. Habyarimana’s battle for refugee status came to an end last October, when the Conseil d’Etat, the top most court of appeal in France, threw out her quest, a decision that cannot be appealed. Before going to France in 1998, she had crisscrossed Africa, especially the former Zaire (now DRC) and Gabon, using a Gabonese passport. Uganda landslides kill 70 Updated: Wednesday, Mar. 03, 2010/www.bradenton.com BUDUDA, Uganda — Rivers of mud swamped houses, stores and at least one school after heavy rains in this Central African country, killing at least 70 people with some 250 still missing, officials and survivors said Tuesday. Rains that began Monday evening continued through the night, triggering landslides in the Bududa region, 170 miles east of Kampala. Pakistani army wraps up combat operations in Bajur DAMADOLA, Pakistan — Pakistan’s army said Tuesday that it has wrapped up military operations in a former Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold in northwestern Pakistan that it declared free of militants a year ago only to see violence continue. Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan, commander of the paramilitary Frontier Corps, said the latest offensive launched in late January meant that militants in Bajur were no longer able to cross over into Afghanistan to join the fight against U.S. and NATO forces and would find it more difficult to stage attacks inside Pakistan. New austerity measure to be announced in Greece ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s finance minister says the government will announce new austerity measures today and expects an “immediate” assessment of the cuts from the European Union. An EU endorsement of the austerity measures could help calm jittery markets and bring down the cost of borrowing for Greece ahead of a planned bond sale. Ukrainian PM’s Orange coalition dissolves KIEV, Ukraine — Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s pro-Western Orange coalition dissolved Tuesday as her former allies turned against her, setting her up to be ousted in a no-confidence vote. The development spells the final repudiation of the Orange Revolution Tymoshenko helped lead in 2004, and paves the way for Ukraine’s new Kremlin-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych, to consolidate his power. French officials arrest widow of Rwandan leader PARIS — French authorities Tuesday briefly detained the widow of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, who is being sought by Rwanda on charges related to the nation’s 1994 genocide, officials said. Agathe Habyarimana was taken into custody at her home in Courcouronnes, south of Paris, on a Rwandan warrant, said a judicial official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and could not be named. She was released on condition that she remain in France and check in with local police every month. — Herald wire services UGANDA
Ugandan gov’t dispatches rescue team to search for landslides victims 2010-03-03 /news.xinhuanet.com/English.news.cn KAMPALA, March 2 (Xinhua) — The Ugandan government on Tuesday dispatched a specialized team to assist in the rescue operations and search for victims of the Monday night landslides that struck a hilly area in eastern part of the country. Tarsis Kabwegyere, the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees told the country’s Parliament that a team including police officers and doctors flew to the landslide sites in Bududa district in the morning to assist the civilians in the rescue efforts. “Rescue operation is going on. The rescue team flew to the site by helicopter this morning to provide first aid and clean water for the survivors,” said Kabwegyere. Rescue workers have recovered 55 bodies as of noon on Tuesday after a mudslide covering an area of 200 meters wide came down and buried three villages, said Kabwegyere. The landslide following torrential rains occurred at about 21: 00 PM, local time (18:00 GMT) on Monday, destroying 85 homesteads in Nametsi, Kubehwo and Namangasa villages, Bukalasi sub-county, Bududa district. “Over 307 people are still missing. Only 31 survivors have been accounted for,” said Kabwegyere. The rescue operation is currently being hampered by the poor terrain in the area which is barely accessible by vehicles. “Currently even a caterpillar cannot reach the disaster site. The place can only be reached by foot,” said Kabwegyere. The minister told MPs that landslides have also affected the neighboring districts of Bukwo, Sironko, Mbale, Manafa and Kapchorwa. “Assessment teams are in each of the affected districts. The comprehensive report will be issued,” he said. He said the districts of Butaleja, Amuria, Mbale in eastern Uganda and Bundibugyo, Kabarole and Kasese in western Uganda are currently affected by floods. “Most parts of the country have experienced above normal rains and it is the same El Nino conditions which are still active now reaching its peak,” said Kabwegyere. “We need to cooperate. Everybody should be on watch out,” he said. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is scheduled to visit the landslide sites on Wednesday, has ordered to vacate all the residents still endangered by possible following disasters, according to the local media. Experts have warned that global climate change has been changing the rainfall pattern in the East African country from regular and moderate to more unexpected and extreme, raising risks of natural disasters like floods, landslides and prolonged draught. German lizard thief jailed A German man who tried to help smuggle native lizards out of New Zealand has been jailed. Manfred Bachmann, 55, was caught in Christchurch last month with 16 rare jewelled geckos in his backpack. He told police he was going to give the geckos to someone else to take out of the country. The German man, who lives in Uganda, has been sentenced to 15 weeks in prison. Two other men will also appear in court today in Christchurch in connection with the crime. In January, another German tourist was jailed for three-and-a-half months. He was caught trying to leave New Zealand with 44 lizards in his underpants. TANZANIA:
CONGO RDC :
Metorex in profit as it produces more metal Metorex posted adjusted headline earnings a share for the six months to December of 11.8c, compared with an adjusted headline loss of 0.7c a share in the comparable period. Metorex said copper output during the six months rose to 24 840 tons from 13 563 tons the previous year, while cobalt production rose to 1 501 tons from 135 tons. The company expected to produce 12 500 tons of copper in the coming quarter, compared with 12 634 tons in the second quarter, while cobalt output was seen dropping to 750 tons from 823 tons in the three months to December. Metorex said quarterly copper production continued to be affected by higher than normal rainfall at its Ruashi mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it would address the problem through stockpile management. The company also expects electrical problems at Ruashi to reduce copper output by about 950 tons in the present quarter. “We believe there is a lot of potential to improve our operations and we are focusing on our projects at Ruashi,” said Terence Goodlace, the chief executive of Metorex. Metorex said production at its Chibuluma copper mine in Zambia was expected to rise on the back of restored recoveries and volumes. “We will need to leverage ourselves for more exploration projects at Chibuluma and Ruashi, but that will depend on appetite from shareholders,” Goodlace said. Metorex, which said in January it had embarked on a $100 million (R760m) capital raising programme and revised a debt package for the Ruashi mine, said the capital raising would be completed in April. This would reduce the company’s debt to R1.2 billion from R2.1bn in June last year. Metorex shares were up 9.6 percent at R4.24 yesterday. KENYA :
Mudslides Bury Villages in Eastern Uganda By JOSH KRON/www.nytimes.com/Published: March3, 2010 Three landslides sent mounds of earth hurtling toward villages in the district of Bududa along the slopes of Mount Elgon near the Kenyan border, destroying houses and other buildings. The local community council said that 320 people were missing, government relief officials said, and so the death toll was expected to rise. “Many are missing,” said Musa Ecweru, a state minister for natural disasters, who was in Bududa. “Members of local government are dead. A rich businessman was killed. Members of my own family are missing.” Most of the buildings that were destroyed were mud-grass huts, Mr. Ecweru said, but a medical clinic constructed with cement also collapsed. “It was washed away,” he said. “Portions of the lands just broke off from the tops of hills, carrying cattle and goats. Many of these animals are now lying around.” A church where people were seeking refuge was also swept away. The local news media reported that the rains had lasted for seven hours on Monday night. The Ugandan Red Cross is surveying the area and assessing the damage, with help from the police and the army, Mr. Ecweru said. Even though this is typically the start of the region’s traditional dry season, Uganda has been hit by heavy rainfall recently. Underdevelopment in the isolated part of eastern Uganda has exacerbated the damage, he said. “Without proper vegetation, the land is too soft,” Mr. Ecweru said. Meteorologists are warning of more heavy rain. Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano and Uganda’s second largest mountain, at nearly 14,000 feet, serves as a catchment for a number of nearby rivers. Barbara Wybar, a teacher from Montreal who runs a vocational school in Bududa, said the rains were the worst she had seen. “As it kept raining I thought, ‘This is going to be a disaster, there’s going to be a landslide,’ ” she said. Ms. Wybar, who said she lived on the other side of the district, away from where the landslides occurred, said she had heard relief helicopters throughout the night. Ms. Wybar has been visiting Bududa since 2003 and living there since 2007, and she said that poverty had played a major role in the disaster. In the past, she said, people did not live on the area’s steep slopes. “But they are so poor here, and the population is exploding,” she said. “People live and farm everywhere.” Alliance tops in Kenya March 3, 2010/www.borglobe.com/By Sam Otieno and Dorothy Otieno, The Standard Alliance High School took the biggest number of slots of top performers in the top 100 positions of the 2009 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. Overall national schools continued to dominate among the top performers with Maseno School in Nyanza, and Moi Girls, Eldoret, each placing six candidates in the top 100 nationally. Central Kenya’s Mang’u High School’s Master David Ndung’u Gathuku is the national champion of last year’s Form Four examinations. The best girl in the examination was Grace Wambui Njung’e of Rift Valley’s Moi Girl’s High School, Eldoret, who scored 87.16014 and was ranked 11 nationally. Gathuku had a mean score of 87.26857, and was followed by Maseno School’s Trevor Mokaya Omangi who had a mean score of 87.25143. The top score was a slight improvement over last year’s best mark of 87.26757 by Alliance School’s Mark Nyauma Maugo. Njung’e was followed by Eastern Province’s Precious Blood Secondary School, Kilungu, girl, Doris Mbabu Mwendwa who was ranked 13, with a mean score of 87.15414. It was a dismal performance for girls as boys literally ran away with the top ten slots nationally. “I became more serious when I got into high school,” said Gathuku who was ranked 18 nationally, in KCPE four years ago. “I am very happy that my prayers for David have been answered,” said Gathuku’s mother Teresia Nyambura. She added: “We had a lot of hope in him and he has not disappointed us. ” Switching places from the previous year, Alliance High had 19 candidates, and Nairobi’s Starehe Boys Centre 11. In the 2008 Form Four examination Starehe had 24 candidates and Alliance 15. “This is unbelievable. Who ever thought something good would come out of Dandora? This is all God’s miracles,” said top girl Wambui’s mother Jemimah Wairimu as tears streamed down her face. Wairimu, a casual labourer who cleans clothes, was overwhelmed by the media attention and could not hold her tears back as she praised God. She wished her triumphant daughter, who was away on Christian mission in Embu was home. The Standard caught up with Wambui in Kuriri in Embu where she was on a two week Christian Evangelism mission with the African Inland Church. “The news came as a shock and I thank God for everything. I did not expect to perform this well although I was a good student,” said Wambui. Announcing the results at the Kenya Institute of Education, Education Minister Sam Ongeri said there was an overall improvement of 24.27 per cent over the previous year. Improved Discipline The minister linked the good performance to improved discipline in most schools. “Teaching and learning is no longer being interrupted in many schools since the students have realised indiscipline, rioting, and burning of schools is a waste of time and resources,” said Prof Ongeri. A total of 337,404 sat for KCSE, last year, compared to 305 candidates in 2008. Reports from the examiners in last year’s examination indicate poor performance by some schools was due to overstretching of a few teachers. There is also over-distribution of the few available mathematics and science teachers across the country. The minister promised to rectify the anomaly next year. The number of candidates who took examinations in hospital rose to 115, from 80 in 2008. He said the main reason being admission in maternity wings following sexual molestation. “We will not spare any effort to deal with errant teachers involved in this,” he said. Ongeri said while there was improvement in the overall performance, the ministry had outlined several strategies to ensure better quality. Some of the action points will include improving secondary school science laboratories through targeted grants for construction and equipment, institutionalisation of in-service training to upgrade skills of science and mathematics teachers, provision of capacity building for field officers and head teachers and recruitment of more quality assurance officers. The Government will also conduct skills upgrade courses for teachers involved in subjects in which students perform poorly, improve accountability and mainstream the use of computers in secondary education. Girls’ performances plummeted, with no girl featuring in the top 10 nationally, with only 27 in the top 100. But girls dominated in only Coast and Eastern provinces, with Bahati Girls, Nakuru, leading in Christian Religious Education. Moi Girls Eldoret did its best to salvage the reputation of girls by not only placing six candidates among the top 100 performers, but also dominating the top 100 in Rift Valley. Ongeri said 81,048 scored mean grade C+, the minimum university entry grade. This year the Joint Admissions Board selected 20,000 to join public universities. Miss Admission Going by that number, over 60,000 are likely to miss admission to public universities. Announcing the intake of candidates who sat KCSE in 2008 JAB said next year’s cut-off point will be 65 down 66, this year. Last year, female candidates with C+ and above were 30,939 while the number was 28,339 in 2008. There was also a notable high performance by national schools compared to district and provincial schools. No girl made it into the top ten candidates and the minister said gender disparity was still a major concern, as he urged parents to keep their daughters in school. Only Central Province had the highest number of girls at 51 per cent. In subject performance, candi dates improved in 11 subjects, including English, Kiswahili Geography, History and Government, Home Science, Agriculture, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Computer Studies, French and German. There was a remarkable drop in Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, CRE, IRE, Arts and Design and Business studies. “Despite the drop in performance in mathematics and biology, the highest number of candidates attaining the distinction level (A-) was the highest,” said Ongeri. Ongeri added there was a general drop in performance in sciences, in spite of various interventions by the Government. For the first time, Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) issued a list of shame bearing schools and districts that had candidates who engaged in examination irregularities. A total of 1, 106 candidates cheated in the examination down from 1,419 in 2008. With regard to provinces, Central took the lion share among the top performers nationally with 32 candidates followed by Nairobi 24, and Rift Valley 20. Nyanza had 12, Eastern and Western three each, and North Eastern nil.
March 3, 2010/ www.bu.edu After nearly a decade of research in the tea fields of Kericho and western Kenya, a team from Boston University’s Center for Global Health and Development can now prove a heartening point: HIV-infected workers who are treated with antiretroviral drugs return to full productivity, and a full life, within a few months. So a study that began by measuring the decline to death caused by AIDS has proved that when the death sentence is commuted, investing in good health care for people with HIV is sound business practice, ensuring a stronger, more stable workforce. In part three of this documentary series, those lessons are put into broad context. Are the conditions and demands of Kenyan tea fields unique, or do these findings offer a new model for business practice everywhere? ANGOLA :
ARGENTINA’S PRESIDENT CRISTINA KIRCHNER MAY VISIT ANGOLA SOON — AMBASSADOR NAM NEWS NETWORK Mar 3rd, 2010 LUANDA, March 3 (NNN-ANGOP) — Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner may visit Angola soon during the course of a proposed tour to some african countries, the new ambassador of the South American country says. Ambassador Juan Augustin Caballero said here Tuesday that President Kirchner’s visit to Angola was aimed at strenghtening bilateral co-operation and to pay hommage and acknowledgement to black Africans, mainly those of Angolan descent, who took part in the battles for the independence of Argentina in 1816. The diplomat arrived in Luanda Tuesday to present his credentials to the Angolan Head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, as the new head of the argentine diplomatic representation in Angola, replacing his predecessor, Eduardo Suguiglia. — NNN-ANGOP SOUTH AFRICA:
ArcelorMittal, Aspen, Santam, TCS: South African Stock Preview March 3 (Bloomberg) — The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in South Africa. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names and prices are from the last close. South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index rose for a third day, gaining 345.90, or 1.3 percent, to 27,371.92 at the close in Johannesburg. ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd. (ACL SJ): Shares of the unit of the world’s biggest steelmaker may restart trading following the company’s Feb. 26 request that its stock be suspended due to a contractual dispute with its biggest iron ore supplier. The stock last traded at 116.67 rand. Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. (APN SJ): The largest producer of generic drugs in the Southern Hemisphere releases first-half earnings. Aspen’s stock rose 2.11 rand, or 2.8 percent, to 77 rand. Queensgate Hotels and Leisure Ltd. (QHL SJ): The leisure group said it expects to record a loss of as much as 22.18 cents per share for the six months to end February, according to a stock-exchange filing. Queensgate’s stock was unchanged at 2 cents. Santam Ltd. (SNT SJ): South Africa’s largest property and casualty insurer releases full-year earnings. Santam’s stock fell 2.05 rand, or 1.9 percent, to 104.20 rand. Total Client Services Ltd. (TCS SJ): The technology and software provider said Executive Director Abdul Shaheed Mohamed resigned, according to a stock-exchange statement. The company’s stock was unchanged at 7 cents. UCS Group Ltd. (UCS SJ): The computer-services company said it is still involved in unspecified talks. The Johannesburg- based company’s stock was unchanged at 1.85 rand. Shares or American depositary receipts of the following South African companies closed as follows: Anglo American Plc (AAUKY US) increased 2.3 percent to $18.86. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (AU US) gained 2.4 percent to $36.98. BHP Billiton Plc (BBL US) rose 0.5 percent to $63.53. DRDGold Ltd. (DROOY US) gained 2.7 percent to $6.39. Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI US) advanced 3.6 percent to $11.97. Harmony Gold Mining Co. (HMY US) rallied 3.4 to $9.75. Impala Platinum Holdings (IMPUY US) declined 0.1 percent to $24.75. Sappi Ltd. (SPP US) declined 3.6 percent to $3.80. Sasol Ltd. (SSL US) increased 0.1 percent to $37.60. –Editor: Ana Monteiro. South Africa Leader Zuma Jets Into UK South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has arrived in the UK for a busy three-day state visit. The aims of the trip are to strengthen trade and political ties between the two countries – but there’s likely to be just as much said about which wife the five-time married polygamist has decided to bring along. Just two world presidents a year get invited to make a state visit to the UK and that invitation affords them all the pomp and ceremony Britain has to offer. President Zuma will receive a ceremonial welcome to London on Horse Guards Parade, he will be formally greeted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh before reviewing the Guard of Honour, taking part in a state carriage procession along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, and later taking centre stage at a state banquet. The visit will also see Mr Zuma visit the site of the 2012 Olympics in east London and Wembley Stadium as Britain pitches to stage the World Cup in 2018. President Zuma is also expected to have a kick-about on the Wembley turf as his country prepares to host the World Cup. At the 67-year-old’s side will be his third wife – 37-year-old Tobeka Madiba Zuma who he married in January. And reports in South Africa suggest he already has another fiancée and acquiring a fourth wife may not be far off. Having more than one wife is common practice in South Africa and, Mr Zuma would argue, is in-keeping with Zulu tradition. But much more controversial back home is the fact that he fathered a child to a woman that was neither his first, second, third or even prospective wife. The daughter of a World Cup chief gave birth to a baby last year believed to have been fathered by Mr Zuma. He is already believed to have at least 19 children. Aside from his personal life, after just nine months in office Jacob Zuma is facing criticism as a ‘lame duck’ president. There’s unrest in the townships for failing to make any real headway over South African’s problems of high unemployment and poverty. But colourful and controversial as he may be, none of that clouds the decision to give him the red carpet treatment. And the reality is that some 200 businessmen and women and ten government ministers are travelling with Mr Zuma – his country is big business both in term of trade and tourism. His critics have sarcastically dubbed him Father of the nation – a play on the title Nelson Mandela earned for all the right reasons. But a successful trip could give birth to all sorts of benefits for Britain and South Africa. And on top of that Zimbabwe remains one other crucial issue for discussion over the next few days. South Africa is seen a one of the few countries that can bring any real influence on its neighbour. Shark attacks worldwide: bites are up, fatalities down Next time you visit the beach, bear in mind that shark attacks are up virtually everywhere in the world – mainly a result of the fact that so many more people are frolicking on sharks’ home, uh, turf. On the bright side: If bitten, you’re much less likely to die as a result. Worldwide, the number of shark attacks has been growing by leaps each decade, according to a University of Florida study released Monday. But as attacks have steadily climbed during the past century, fatalities are quickly dropping. Researchers recorded some 646 shark attacks in the past decade, up from 493 attacks in the 1990s. The increase in attacks since 2000 has more to do with human population and behavior than with sharks, says George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida, a group that tracks shark attacks around the world. (See the group’s map of shark attacks here.) “Frankly, we’re swamping the waters with humans relative to sharks,” says Mr. Burgess. “It says more about human patterns and behavior than shark patterns.” Shark attacks are dictated by the number of people and sharks sharing the same space, says Burgess. As world populations rise and people spend more hours in the ocean, attacks are bound to rise. (The Monitor puts the likelihood of a shark attack into perspective here.) The study highlights another important trend: Fatalities from attacks are dropping. About 61 percent of attacks were fatal a century ago, at the start of the 1900s. Today, fatalities per attack are at about 7 percent. “That’s a huge change, reflective of the advances we’ve made,” says Burgess “We’ve got better medical response, emergency care personnel are closer to sea now, lifeguards are on beaches. And we like to think our advice is beginning to have an effect on people making good choices about where they go and when.” (Read here about shark attack survivors who want the US to strengthen shark-protection laws.) The US and Australia lead the world in shark attacks. In 2009, the study recorded 61 attacks worldwide, up slightly from 2008. With 28 incidents, the US had the most shark attacks last year. Australia followed with 20. South Africa had six attacks. (To meet South Africa’s top shark spotter, click here.) But attacks have been down in the US during the past three years, dropping from 50 in 2007, to 41 in 2008, to 28 in 2009. Burgess says the down economy may be one explanation for the atypical downward trend. “To get people in the water, you’ve got to get people to beaches,” he says. “In harder economic times, not as much money is allowed for holidays to the beach, so one wonders whether the economy is a factor.” The study reported five shark attack fatalities in 2009, four of which were in South Africa’s white shark-rich waters, and all of which involved people who were boarding: bodysurfing, paddle boarding, or surfing. “Surfers are the No. 1 target group involved in shark attacks worldwide,” says Burgess. “Their activities – splashing and kicking of feet – are provocative to sharks, who react especially well to movement or splashing at the water’s surface.” Surfers are also more vulnerable because they tend to be in areas with good wave action, where there’s a concentration of sharks. And, says Burgess, surfing is a solitary sport, leaving people farther offshore and away from help, if trouble arises. The best advice, he says, is to remember the ocean is a wild environment, not an expansive swimming pool. “Every time we enter the sea, it’s a wilderness experience,” says Burgess. “We need to remember that and accept a certain amount of risk going to sea, much as we do going hiking in the Rockies or wandering through the Serengeti in Africa.” Nigerian Supersport cameraman escapes ransom demand still awaited An official from the M-Net channel has confirmed that Alexander Effiong, a Nigerian cameraman, took a big risk and ‘ran away from them and he is now back to us in Lagos’. Felix Awogu, M-Net Supersport general manager in Nigeria, declined to give details of Effiong’s escape but said he is optimistic that both South African television production engineer Nick Greyling and Nigerian sports commentator Bowie Attamah would also be released soon. In confirmation thereof he said that acting president of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Imo state police command and other ministers are all involved in efforts to secure their release. Awogu also confirmed that he had spoken to the two captives who were “fine” and that they are currently in discussions with the kidnappers but thus far no ransom for their release had been submitted. The three SuperSport journalists, one South African and two Nigerians, were kidnapped by gunmen in the oil-rich Niger Delta who ambushed the bus carrying them to the airport in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, which neighbours the oil hub of Rivers State. The crew were apparently returning from covering a football match in the nearby city of Enugu, 150 kilometres (94 miles) away. According to a report from iAfrica the “attackers ordered out more than 20 people inside the bus and took away the three and the bus.” This would suggest that the three were targeted for kidnapping and ransom. Attacks against journalists aren’t uncommon in Nigeria, a country where corruption pervades government and business. A political reporter and editor for a Nigerian newspaper was killed by gunmen at his home in September and beatings happen during elections and police actions. However, an attack on sports journalists remains something unique in a country where soccer reigns supreme. On Tuesday state police spokesman Linus Nwaiwu told AFP that police in the state said they were investigating the kidnapping. “Investigations into the case have commenced. Our detectives are on the ground and after these investigations I believe in the next few days you will have a different story,” he added. M-Net Multichoice Africa spokeswoman Caroline Creasy in Johannesburg said that the channel had entrusted the matter to a specialist security company in Nigeria to handle while working closely with the government. SuperSport, a channel of M-Net, are the South Africa-based television sports network which distributes its programmes via satellite throughout Africa. The Niger Delta is currently the scene of ongoing conflict which has its origins in the early 1990s over tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta’s minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited. Competition for oil wealth has also fueled violence between innumerable ethnic groups, causing the militarisation of nearly the entire region by ethnic militia groups as well as Nigerian military and police forces. Kidnapping in southern Nigeria had fallen since July 2009, following a lull in the wake of a government amnesty which led to thousands of militants laying down their arms. This was however rudely interrupted in January when three British oil workers were kidnapped and later freed after their ransom was paid. Militants fighting the government for what they claim to be a fairer share of Nigeria’s oil wealth use kidnapping for ransom as a means of raising funds. Ransom demands in Nigeria range from several hundred thousand dollars to millions depending on the wealth and status of the hostage, although kidnappers will often accept lower sums. In 2008 armed oil rebels in the Niger Delta released unharmed two South African workers taken hostage by sea pirates. More than 500 people were kidnapped in the first six months of 2009, of whom 10 were killed, according to official statistics. Most of those kidnapped were foreign oil workers. Nigeria is the second largest economy in Africa and it’s fastest growing yet despite £60 billion in annual revenue from oil the vast majority of its people still live in poverty. AFRICA / AU :
AU’s Mbeki panel optimistic on holding fair and free elections in Sudan “Holding free and fair elections after so many decades of division and destruction is a huge task. The columns of newspapers are filled with the writings of skeptics who say that it cannot be done” said the former Burundian president Pierre Buyoya who is a member of the AU High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) said in his opening remarks at the summit meeting of Political Parties in Southern Sudan. “Those skeptics are wrong. It can be done. It was done in my country, Burundi. It was done in the country of the Chairman of our Panel, President Thabo Mbeki. It can be done here” he added. The purpose of the summit was to primarily discuss the upcoming elections scheduled for April and adopting a code of conduct and a Declaration Common Commitment that governs the activities of the parties during the elections period and prevents any outbreak of violence or hostilities. The SPLM and other parties contesting in South Sudan signed both documents following the conference held under the auspices of the AUHIP. AUHIP was tasked with implementing all aspects of the AUPD recommendations and assist the Sudanese parties in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and other related processes, as part of the democratic transformation of Sudan. “The parties undertake to ensure that the forthcoming elections are free, fair and inclusive,” the document read. “The democratic political process must be protected from any form of violence or intimidation.” Buyoya said that the panel its report submitted to the AU last year “identified free, fair and inclusive elections as a necessary precondition for the resolution of the conflict in Darfur”. “We recommended that everything possible should be done to ensure that Darfurians have the opportunity to vote in such an election. At the same time, we did not consider that elections alone would be a sufficient condition for resolving the Sudanese crisis in Darfur. There are still vital issues to be negotiated and agreed among the parties to the conflict” the panel member cautioned. The Darfur rebel groups have instructed their members and IDP’s alike to boycott the census and voter registration process which throws into doubt whether Darfuris will have a significant level of participation in the first general elections held in the country since 1986. The AU panel headed by former South African president Thabo Mbeki asserted that the Darfur conflict must be resolved prior to the elections though it is unlikely that this goal is a realistic one. Last month, the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese government signed a framework agreement in Doha which includes power sharing clauses and a temporary ceasefire. Khartoum has said it hopes to conclude negotiations with JEM by March 15. But the rebel group downplayed the deadline and further said it wants the elections delayed because most people in Darfur and Kordofan are displaced with no interest to take part in elections. JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim said that there needs to be time for peace to be realized and refugees can return home after which participation in elections can be evaluated. Ibrahim warned that holding the general elections in April will exclude 4 million people making it meaningless for the Darfur population. Sudanese opposition parties have complained about the credibility of the National Elections Committee (NEC) and restrictions imposed on political associations and gathering by the authorities. Furthermore, the parties contest that they are not treated fairly in comparison to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) candidates. The Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) presidential candidate has boycotted a recording at the state media for what he described as bias and control by the NCP over coverage of their activities. Today the opposition parties issued a joint statement announcing their withdrawal from the Joint Media Council for Elections saying they were not consulted in its formation and that it does not have fair representation. The statement said that they have submitted their recommendations on the improving its work but were ignored by the NEC prompting their decision today. Today Human Rights Watch (HRW) sent a letter to the European Union (EU) urging its electoral observes heading to Sudan to “look at entire human rights situation and how it is affecting the elections environment”. In the letter, HRW described patterns of human rights abuses in the pre-elections period that researchers documented in November and December 2009. The rights group said that during the voter registration period and afterward, security forces in northern Sudan violently suppressed peaceful demonstrations and restricted public rallies, political party gatherings, and other events. “Authorities harassed, assaulted, and arbitrarily arrested political party observers and human rights activists, including Darfuri students who have spoken out about elections and other sensitive topics such as the role of international justice in Darfur. Southern Sudanese authorities were also responsible for human rights violations, arbitrarily arresting and detaining members of the northern ruling National Congress Party and political parties seen to be in alliance with it”. HRW also stressed that ongoing armed clashes between government and rebel forces in Darfur, and increasing inter-ethnic violence in Southern Sudan, could impair freedom of movement for people to reach polling places. In his speech, Buyoya highlighted the important role played by the electoral observers which includes those from the AU. “An important aspect of the Electoral Code of Conduct is the role of election observers. The coming election in Sudan will be one of the most closely scrutinized in the world, as well as being the most intensely watched electoral contest in Sudanese history” Buyoya said. “The African Union will be sending a team of observers, not only for polling day, but to monitor the campaign as well. Part of the function of the observer team is to support the mechanisms for receiving complaints and adjudicating disputes” he added. Sudan is preparing for April presidential and legislative elections, set up under a 2005 peace accord that also promised the south a referendum in 2011 on whether to split off as an independent country. (ST) Strike halts Platinum Australia mine March 3, 2010 /news.smh.com.au/AAP Strike action at Platinum Australia Ltd’s Smokey Hills mine in South Africa has halted almost all work there. Most employees of the mining contractor, Redpath Mining, have refused to go underground since Monday, Platinum Australia said in a statement on Wednesday. “It has resulted in the stoppage of almost all operations at the mine,” Platinum Australia said. “Scheduled maintenance work in the plant has been brought forward to assist in minimising the impact of the stoppage. “The company is unsure how long the action will impact operations at Smokey Hills, but at this point expects normal operations to recommence by the end of this week or the beginning of next week.” The employees have been advised they face dismissal if they do not return to work. “The contractor has measures in place to deal with this situation in the event that employees are dismissed,” Platinum Australia said. Shares in the company were down 3.5 cents at 96.5 cents at 1252 AEDT. UN /ONU :
By Holly Gilbert, CNN/March 3, 2010 United Nations (CNN) — Suksma Ratri separated from her husband after suffering ongoing domestic violence. But four years ago, the young mother from Indonesia found out her ex-husband had become extremely ill, and possibly had AIDS. Ratri immediately went to her doctor to be tested. The results were what she says she largely expected at that point — she was HIV-positive. Ratri told her story to a gathering of journalists at the United Nations Tuesday, in a press conference to announce the launch of a new campaign by UNAIDS, the U.N.’s joint program on HIV/AIDS. The organization is launching a five-year program to help fight the growing number of issues surrounding women becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. Their initiatives include curbing violence against women, increasing available preventative care and treatment, and better enforcing human rights on an international scale. By focusing on those issues, the campaign hopes to effectively battle to the high rate of HIV infection among females around the world. Like many women, Ratri became a victim in a global epidemic that is the leading cause of death and disease among those between the ages of 15 to 49 worldwide. The disease has been disproportionately affecting women for several years, a change in the trend that once applied to men when the virus became well-known in the early 1980s. Now separated from her husband, Ratri serves as an activist for the rights of migrants in Asia to reduce their vulnerabilities to HIV. She lives openly with her disease, a decision she says allows her to overcome the stigma concerning people who are HIV-positive. Ratri says she was lucky to be able to accept her status as HIV-positive as quickly as she did. “I needed to fight the stigma,” she said. “I needed to be open.” She is well aware that people are taken aback when they find out she has HIV. She often hears people comment on the fact that she seems “normal” despite the presence of infection. “It’s just I have the virus and you don’t,” said Ratri. “That’s the only difference between us.” UNAIDS is also receiving some star-studded support for the program. Internationally renowned singer Annie Lennox was on hand at the United Nations to voice her support. At the invitation of former President Nelson Mandela, she visited South Africa, where HIV prevalence among women ages 15 to 24 years is three times higher than that of men of the same age. The high rate of sexual violence against women in that country is believed to contribute to the growing number of HIV/AIDS cases. Every ten minutes, a woman is raped in the country, totaling more than 54,000 attacks per year, according to authorities. After witnessing the effects of HIV/AIDS on South African women for herself, Lennox says she was moved to help the dire situation. “There were not enough things being done to address a very urgent chronic endemic situation,” said Lennox. “Many mothers who could have been alive to take care of their children were not there anymore.” Lennox released her fourth solo album, “Songs of Mass Destruction,” in October 2007, including a song that launched a campaign to raise awareness and support South African women affected by the HIV virus and AIDS pandemic. “Women are the face (of HIV/AIDS) now. Stigma runs from the very top echelons of society, all the way down to the poor,” said Lennox. “(The women) have to be able to come out of the shadows, and we must represent them,” she said. Climate negotiations: UN can do the job – if used well Looking back on Copenhagen, commentators have questioned whether the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) has the capacity to carry such a complex negotiation forward. Arguments have been advanced for shifting the action into smaller forums, such as the G20 or the Major Economies Forum. These are easy but risky arguments. Imagine their being advanced in the 1980s: they could have resulted in negotiations on climate change being undertaken in the OECD, with China on the outside. A similar risk would apply today to Africa, which is in aggregate a potential “major emitter” of the future. We now have a universal instrument to address a quintessentially global challenge. As has been proven, action in smaller and specialized forums can contribute to broader outcomes. But the argument for a global framework remains. We need a forum that contains the interests of the countries and communities whose very survival is at risk from climate change, as well as the interests of countries that are “minor emitters” and want to stay that way as they prosper. We also need a common framework of accountability and accounting rules, all the more so as market mechanisms take root and spread. The instrument at our disposal took a beating in Copenhagen. Participants and analysts have perceived different signs of dysfunction from their respective standpoints: •the decision of the Conference President to convene the back-room negotiation which produced the Accord, without seeking the authority of the Conference; •the ability of another handful to block the adoption of the Accord by the plenary. Of course, all that can be done to improve the instrument must be done. Agreement on voting rules for all categories of decisions – substantive and financial – is overdue. But what is needed above all is the political and procedural skill to use the instrument well. As the proverb goes: A good workman does not blame his tools. Michael Zammit Cutajar chaired the Ad Hoc Working Groups on Long-term Cooperative Action (2009) and on the Kyoto Protocol (2006). He was the first Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC (1995-2002). These views are personal. USA :
US ‘extremely concerned’ by Darfur attacks WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department is “extremely concerned” by reports that Sudan government forces have launched an offensive against rebels in Darfur, displacing and injuring civilians and forcing the evacuation of humanitarian groups, a spokesman said on Tuesday. Hundreds of civilians are feared dead in fighting between the Sudanese army and rebels in the turbulent Darfur region, a U.N. source told Reuters on Monday, though a Sudan army spokesman denied any fighting in the mountainous Jabel Marra region and accused rebels of attacking local residents. “The United States urges the Government of Sudan and SLA/AW (the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdel Wahid) to refrain from further violence and to allow the Joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur access to Jebel Marra to assess the humanitarian situation and restore stability,” department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement. Crowley said Washington is “extremely concerned about reports that Government of Sudan forces are conducting offensive operations against … (SLA/AW) positions in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur that have reportedly caused significant civilian casualties, displacement, and the evacuation of humanitarian organizations.” Reports of clashes throughout last week have marred Khartoum’s announcement of a new peace push in the region and come just over a month ahead of national elections. Crowley said a February 20 ceasefire signed by the Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement offers a chance to reduce violence in Darfur but needs to be broadened to include other groups. “We see any violence on the ground as undermining the spirit of the peace process,” Crawley said. He also called on all parties to commit to the peace process mediated by the United Nations and the African Union (Updates share price in ninth paragraph.) By Edward Klump March 2 (Bloomberg) — Anadarko Petroleum Corp., the second-largest producer of natural gas in the U.S., said output may rise as much as 5 percent this year as capital spending climbs to more than $5 billion. Sales volumes will be in the range of 226 million to 231 million barrels of oil equivalent in 2010, The Woodlands, Texas- based company said today in a statement. Volumes totaled 220 million barrels last year. Anadarko, which is looking to areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and Africa for growth, said capital spending will be $5.3 billion to $5.6 billion this year. That’s up from 2009, when the company’s expenditures were $4.56 billion. Anadarko said 42 percent of this year’s spending will go to U.S. onshore projects, 28 percent to international, and 18 percent for the Gulf of Mexico. The company projects it can surpass 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves by the end of 2014, Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett officer said in today’s statement. Hackett said Anadarko sees an annual production growth rate of 7 percent to 9 percent over a five-year period. The company said it had an estimated 2.3 billion barrels of crude equivalent of proved reserves at the end of 2009. Anadarko said it wants to add to its three so-called mega projects which include Caesar/Tonga in the Gulf of Mexico, El Merk in Algeria and Jubilee off the coast of Ghana. By 2012, these three will bring about 60,000 barrels of oil a day net to the company, Anadarko said. About 22 percent of this year’s capital budget is set for mega projects. New Projects “We also remain focused on transitioning our world-class deepwater discoveries into the next generation of mega projects, with a target of six new mega projects on line by 2016,” Hackett said in the statement. The company said about 10 percent of its capital budget will go toward shale formations. Anadarko said it has about 600,000 net acres in such formations as the Marcellus, Haynesville, Eagle Ford and Pearsall areas in the U.S. Anadarko rose 47 cents to $70.88 in composite trading on the New York stock exchange. Before today, the stock had climbed 13 percent this year. BP Plc was the largest producer of gas in the U.S. in the first half of last year, according to the Natural Gas Supply Association. (Anadarko began a broadcast of a conference for investors and analysts at 8:30 a.m. New York time. To listen, go to www.anadarko.com.) –Editors: Kim Jordan, Charles Siler. CANADA :
Fluor Awarded Debswana Contract for Diamond Mine Expansion in Africa March 3, 2010/ www.marketwatch.com IRVING, Texas & JOHANNESBURG, Mar 02, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Fluor Corporation /quotes/comstock/13*!flr/quotes/nls/flr (FLR 42.75, -0.12, -0.28%) announced today that the company won an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract from Debswana Diamond Company Ltd, a joint venture of the Government of Botswana and De Beers, to execute the Jwaneng Cut 8 mining project in Botswana. After successfully completing the feasibility study for Debswana earlier in 2009, Fluor was awarded the procurement and construction management phases of the project valued at approximately $450 million in the last quarter of 2009. Jwaneng Cut 8 is at the forefront of a number of projects being developed by Fluor as part of a portfolio which includes a new diamond processing plant at the Orapa Diamond Mine and the expansion of the Morupule Coal Mine. The project name “Cut 8” refers to the current open pit mine being expanded to facilitate access to the kimberlite ore at a greater depth. This expansion includes relocating and rebuilding portions of existing surface infrastructure that are impacted by the pit expansion. “Fluor has a long and successful track record of providing both technical and EPCM services to the diamond industries in Botswana, South Africa, Australia and Canada,” said Dwayne Wilson, group executive of Fluor Corporation. “This award is indeed a major step in continuing our strategic relationship with one of our key clients as well as enabling Fluor to position itself for future mining projects in the region.” To facilitate the successful development of all projects in the region, Fluor has registered an office in Botswana. The Cut 8 project alone will generate employment for approximately 1,400 Botswana citizens supported by Fluor’s Johannesburg, South Africa office. About Fluor Corporation Fluor Corporation /quotes/comstock/13*!flr/quotes/nls/flr (FLR 42.75, -0.12, -0.28%) designs, builds and maintains many of the world’s most challenging and complex projects. Through its global network of offices on six continents, the company provides comprehensive capabilities and world-class expertise in the fields of engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance and project management. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Fluor is a FORTUNE 200 company and had revenues of $22 billion in 2009. For more information visit www.fluor.com. SOURCE: Fluor Corporation Fluor Corporation Frogs: Clues to how weed killler may feminize males By Janet Raloff Web edition /www.sciencenews.org/March 3, 2010 Atrazine, a widely used agricultural herbicide, not only can alter hormone levels in developing frogs, but also perturb their physical development — and lead to an excess number of females, researchers report. Their new findings may help explain observations reported by a number of other research groups that at least in frogs, fairly low concentrations of atrazine can induce a feminization — or demasculinization. Industry scientists have charged that lab studies with non-native frogs are poor models of what to expect in the environment. (Among such studies is one conducted by Berkeley scientists and reported yesterday in a paper that will appear online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.) With such criticisms in mind, a Canadian team did its best to model atrazine’s likely impacts in the wild. They now report a host of new subtle and potentially deleterious impacts. The atrazine concentrations triggering these changes — an average of 1.8 micrograms per liter of water — is a value that has been measured in surface waters. It’s also well below Canada’s recommended drinking water limit of 5 µg/l for this pollutant. The findings appear in Environmental Health Perspectives (published online, ahead of print). Valérie Langlois, Amanda Carew and Vance Trudeau of the University of Ottawa teamed up with colleagues at Environment Canada and Health Canada (two federal agencies) to study atrazine’s effects on young northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). They collected fertilized eggs from local ponds and incubated them until they hatched. Then they transplanted little tadpoles into mesocosms — 378-liter polyethylene tanks of water that were left outdoors to weather the elements. The biologists supplied each pool with 150 pollywogs, together with leaves, twigs, and other debris to simulate a natural pond. They also threw in tadpole snacks — water fleas (Daphnia magna) acquired from a nearby creek. Clean groundwater was added to one mesocosm. The researchers doctored with atrazine the groundwater added to two more — either with 0.1 or 1.8 µg/l of the chemical. Rain water entering the tanks was analyzed to see if it added any additional atrazine (it didn’t) and supplemental atrazine was added to the herbicide-treated mesocosms a couple times to keep treatment concentrations in them fairly uniform over several months. Even at the relatively low and environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine present in the higher-treatment group, a number of fairly surprising changes occurred, Trudeau notes. For instance, there was an apparent 20 percent increase in the number of females within this group. Ordinarily the sex ratio averages roughly 50:50. In fact, there was a surfeit of apparent males in all of the mesocosms — except the one with the higher concentration of atrazine. The supposition, Trudeau says, is that some males in the 1.8 µg/l treatment pool were in fact genetic males that merely gave the outward appearance of being female. That’s what the Berkeley group found in some new studies, including one reported yesterday (and based on exposures in the same ballpark as those in the Ottawa study). Unfortunately, Trudeau notes, easy genetic fingerprinting of frogs — at least from a gender point of view — remains unavailable. So his group had no way of confirming the number of true females versus sex-reversed males (bearing the internal and external appearance of females). Animals in the higher-atrazine exposure group also developed a 2.5-fold increase in their brains of receptors for estrogen — a change that could render these frogs more susceptible to the effects of their own internally produced estrogen or to effects of any of the hormone’s environmental mimics. Aggravating the animals’ hormonal perturbations, notes Caren Helbing of of the University of Victoria in British Columbia, was an observed change in the activity of a liver enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to a more active form. This was diminished in atrazine-exposed males. Females also produce this enzyme, but far less of it, she says. “So when you compare girl frogs to boy frogs, you can normally tell them apart by how much of this enzyme is around.” The Ottawa team now shows that “atrazine is removing another thing that differentiates a boy [frog] from a girl.” Finally, animals in the higher-atrazine treatment group were slower to metamorphose. After a while, the researchers just gave up waiting for the hold-outs to do so and ended their experiment. Around three-quarters of the animals raised in clean water successfully transformed from pollywogs to hopping frogs. In contrast, no more than half from either atrazine-exposure group did. And one explanation for reduced metamorphic success, Trudeau notes, is a change in thyroid hormone levels that his team witnessed in atrazine-exposed animals. This change is one that particularly intrigued Helbing. “Thyroid hormone is what causes the legs to form and a tadpole to metamorphose into a frog,” she explains. If thyroid hormone values aren’t normal, metamorphosis may not occur on time if at all. Helbing also expressed concern that what the Ottawa group saw in frogs may indicate risks to other species as well. “The ways that our bodies — frogs and people — respond to hormone signals is very, very similar,“ she says. So something that changes levels of estrogen receptors or alters thyroid hormone levels in frogs may exhibit a related change in people. At a minimum, she argues, such findings “are certainly a wakeup call that we’d better look.” The new Ottawa study also points to another issue — the value of getting out of the lab, argues Louis Guillette, a herpatologist and wildlife endocrinologist. “When you do a study in a real-world mesocosm,” he says, “you’ll find some of the same effects that have shown up in the lab. But you’ll also find some new and different things because you won’t have the same water, the same temperatures, or even the same genetics within a studied species.” All can alter how animals — like people — will respond to their environment. He’s also not surprised to see that atrazine appears to have effects through multiple pathways, such as increasing estrogen sensitivity, altering testosterone metabolism and changing thyroid hormone levels. Guillette concludes: “I think it’s a really powerful statement that even in a real-world scenario, where you have all of these natural variables and you have [low] ecologically relevant concentrations, you can still see atrazine’s having an effect.” AUSTRALIA :
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Adidas Profit Declines 64% on Weaker Sales, Writedowns March 3 (Bloomberg) — Adidas AG, the world’s second- largest sporting-goods maker, said fourth-quarter profit dropped 64 percent because of weaker sales and writedowns in the company’s China business. Net income fell to 19 million euros ($25.9 million), or 9 cents a share, from 54 million euros, or 27 cents, a year earlier, the Herzogenaurach, Germany-based company said today in a statement handed out to reporters. That missed the 27.6 million-euro average estimate of eight analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Sales slid 4.5 percent to 2.46 billion euros. The company wrote down 33 million euros related to its Reebok retail business in China, according to the statement. The sporting-goods maker forecast profit this year will be between 400 million euros and 450 million euros, as currency-adjusted sales will rise at a “low to mid single-digit pace,” boosted by the soccer World Cup in South Africa. “I don’t see much growth potential this year, except from the World Cup,” said Christoph Schlienkamp, an analyst at Bankhaus Lampe in Dusseldorf with a “hold” rating on the stock. A sluggish economic recovery “limits increases for both prices and sales volumes in Adidas’s major business regions,” Schlienkamp said before the figures were released. Full-year profit fell 62 percent to 245 million euros as sales dropped 3.9 percent to 10.4 billion euros, meeting the company’s forecast for a “low-to-mid single-digit” decline. Per-share earnings were 1.22 euros, compared with the company’s guidance of between 1.15 euros and 1.30 euros. Adidas, which will supply apparel to 12 teams at the World Cup, plans to increase marketing spending “moderately” this year to capitalize on the event. The company, which has supplied gear to Olympic champions from Czech runner Emil Zatopek to Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, reduced those costs last year because no major sporting events took place. Gross margins as a percentage of sales narrowed to 46.2 percent in the quarter and to 45.4 percent in the year. –Editors: Paul Jarvis, Jerrold Colten Commercial Property Deals to Hit £318 Bln By REUTERS/Published: March 3, 2010 Skip to next paragraph LONDON (Reuters) – The volume of global commercial real estate deals is forecast to rebound 30 percent to total $478 billion (318 billion pounds) this year, led by surging investments in China and a revival in the United States, a report said on Wednesday. Property consultants Cushman & Wakefield said investment sales are rising after the steep downturn in 2009, when global volumes fell 23 percent to $365 billion, the lowest since 2003, but are still well below the 2007 peak of more than $1 trillion. The United States is forecast to post the biggest percentage rise in sales in 2010 as it, the world’s largest commercial property market, pulls out of recession, boosting volumes in North America by 48 percent to $64 billion, Cushman said. “With many (U.S.) investors sitting on a lot of cash after the recapitalisations, equity raises and inward investment flows of last year, a strong turnaround in activity looks likely … if the economy stays on track, it wouldn’t be surprising to see our forecast beaten,” Janice Stanton, Cushman’s senior managing director of capital markets in the US, said. In China, volumes more than doubled to $156 billion in 2009, making it the world’s most active real estate investment market by far. It is expected to continue growing this year, despite government measures to cool the sector down, Cushman said. Sales growth in China and Japan is expected to boost volumes in the Asia-Pacific region to $258.3 billion in 2010, up 20 percent from last year, making it the most active region for real estate investments. The EMEA region is also forecast to see a strong rise this year, with volumes rising 43 percent to $151.9 billion, led by the continuing recovery in the UK, which is spreading westwards to other core markets such as France and Germany, Cushman said. (Reporting by Daryl Loo; Editing by Andrew Macdonald) INDIA :
.Geneva Motor Show online.wsj.com/MARCH 3, 2010 Dispatches from the Geneva motor show The Tata booth, like its automotive products, is scaled down. No glitz and no girls. Instead, India’s top vehicle maker by revenue has two cars of note on display: a concept electric Nano and the Aria, a crossover with the frame of a small SUV and the curvature of a Minivan. Neither are necessarily sexy or powerful — or any of the other Geneva Motor Show buzzwords. Both the Nano and the Aria are meant to be cars for pragmatists. Tata may be presenting in Geneva — and it built hype around the minuscule Nano in the U.S. with an exhibit at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum — but the car maker is focusing growth in its developing world markets first. “We’re expanding in our 16 markets outside of India,” said Abhay Deshpande, Tata’s deputy general manager, in charge of vehicle integration with the Nano. “The Middle East, Africa and southern Asia are all very strong.” When every other car manufacturer is drooling over the Chinese market, Mr. Deshpande says they’re expanding in Africa instead. “We’re the number one brand in Ghana and have a strong market in South Africa and Senegal,” Mr. Deshpande said. Tata also just launched in Nigeria and Tanzania. By focusing on growth outside the traditional markets of Europe, Asia and North America, Tata wants to build brand allegiance in these areas before they become mainstream. That’s not to say they’re ignoring Europe and the U.S. “The Aria and Nano are good for Europe and I think they will work in America, too,” Mr. Deshpande said. In the emerging markets, the Nano is priced at around $2,500. But when it debuts in Europe later this year, the price will be around $8,000, higher in part to account for additional costs to meet stricter safety standards. The Aria, which should be on European roads by 2011 and in the U.S. by 2012, will likely cost close to $15,000. —William R. Snyder Flat finishes, also called matte paint jobs, are an emerging trend in luxury car design. Mercedes, a customized Lamborghini and another customized Lotus here are all showing off matte finishes, ranging from white to gray. There are at least eight other models touting flat paint jobs, too. Three years ago, Lamborghini designed the Reventn, a $1.4 million limited-run speed freak, whose most noticeable feature was a matte finish that mimicked a stealth bomber’s paint job. The high-profile paint job caught on. “We have a German expression, which says there’s nothing written about taste,” said Jochen Planer, executive sales director at Carlsson, a German car customization outfit. “It’s always evolving.” Flat finishes, he believes, are the next step in car design, at least in the European market. “I think American tastes are still centered around the ‘Pimp My Ride’ style,” Mr. Planer said in reference to the MTV television show, adding American customization tends toward flashier colors and patterns or stripes. Still, orders in the New York market have increased, too, he said. —William R. Snyder Mr. Zetsche plans to ramp up Daimler’s presence in the fiercely competitive segment of compact cars as part of a wider plan to boost annual car sales to 1.5 million by 2015 from 1.13 million cars in 2009. Daimler is in talks with peers, including France’s Renault SA, to forge an alliance on compact cars in a bid to improve the profitability of its smaller vehicles. Analysts regard the ability to create profits with small cars, which usually have narrower profit margins than larger cars, as crucial for auto makers in coming years due to a broader consumer trend toward smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Mr. Zetsche said a final decision on an electric car tie-up with BYD Co. should be reached “pretty soon.” Daimler announced Monday that it plans to develop an electric vehicle together with BYD to be marketed under a new brand in the Chinese market. Mr. Zetsche said the car would be targeted at buyers “above BYD’s customer base and below Mercedes’s customer base. He said Daimler’s investment will be “significant,” but didn’t provide a specific figure. —Christoph Rauwald Rwanda accuses ex-army chief Kigali – Rwanda’s top prosecutor on Tuesday accused the country’s fugitive former army chief of terrorist acts, including grenade attacks in Kigali. Lieutenant-General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa recently fled to South Africa after abandoning his post as Rwanda’s envoy to India. “Security and judicial organs have impeccable evidence to the effect that Lieutenant General Kayumba and another officer who fled earlier, Colonel Patrick Karegeya, working together they organised and started executing plans of state insecurity in the country,” Martin Ngoga, Rwanda’s chief prosecutor, told journalists. “Some of these acts that lead to state insecurity include grenades attacks in Kigali city and other parts of the country,” he said. Ngoga said he was happy with the response from the South African authorities and said he thought the two officers would be brought to justice soon. Three simultaneous grenade attacks hit a bus station, a restaurant and an office building Kigali last month, killing two people. Soon after the blasts, police announced the arrest of two suspects belonging to the Interahamwe, the extremist Hutu militia that carried out the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi minority. Indian tourists to South Africa expected to double by 2012 The South African Tourism Department is bullish that by 2012, the number of tourists from India will double to 100,000. According to representatives from the tourism department, the small cities and event-based tourism will be the focus areas to increase tourist arrivals. They also added that on an average, a tourist from India spends around Rs 80,000 for spending 7-10 days in South Africa. Medha Sampat, country manager, South Africa Tourism, said unlike other countries, South Africa is new to the tourism market. The country had entered five years earlier and the tourist arrivals of 52,637 till October 2009 compared to 44,578 in October 2008, an increase of 18.1 per cent. By 2012 the number of tourist from India will cross 100,000. As part of its promotional activities, the department is planning to intensify its marketing spend in India. While Sampat refused to comment on the investment on market, she said we will focus on bill board, cinema and television promotions and through B2B. She added that on an average a tourist from India spends around Rs 80,000, excluding air tickets, to spend 7-10 days in South Africa. “Our target will be small cities and tier II towns and event-based tourism.” Presently, the country is promoting FIFA 2010, the 19th Soccer World Cup. According to Sampat, India which was the 12th or 13th three years back on foreign tourist arrivals to South Africa, moved to seventh presently by overtaking countries including China and Italy. “While tourists from China to South Africa dropped, India reported a 18 per cent growth. She added that the number of companies taking up incentive tourism also grew. “This segment rose 50 per cent year-on-year and more corporates are now looking at South Africa as an incentive package for their performers including employees and dealers.” Apart from this, South Africa is also attracting corporates for business conclaves along with adventure tourism. Commenting on the connectivity, she said, presently South African Airways operates four flights from Mumbai while Jet Airways operates two flights and other airlines connecting South Africa are Emirates and Qatar Airways. BRASIL:
EN BREF, CE 03 mars 2010 … AGNEWS / OMAR, BXL,03/03/2010 |
BURUNDI – AFRICA / INTERNATIONAL : 03 MARS 2010 [Uganda landslides kill 70]
