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Steps at Ruacana too risky

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Steps at Ruacana too riskySteps at Ruacana too riskyDamaged by heavy rain last year The police have closed the stairway leading to the bottom of the Ruacana waterfall, which have been damaged by rain. Heavy rain at Ruacana has damaged the steps that lead to the bottom of the waterfall.

The police have closed the stairway, which consists of about 400 steps, until the damage can be repaired, but nobody seems to know who is responsible for maintaining it.

The Omusati police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Linekela Shikongo, told Namibian Sun that the regional councillor for the Ruacana Constituency reported the bad state of the stairway and after assessing it, the police decided to suspend access because it was unsafe.

“Steps are collapsing and this is a serious safety hazard. No injuries have been reported yet, but we do not want that to happen before we take a decision. For now we have suspended access to the stairway until further notice,” Shikongo said.

He said the waterfall attracts many visitors during the holiday season, but they all complied with the police instructions. Shikongo also applauded the councillor's office for promptly informing them about the hazard.

Constituency councillor Andreas Shintama said the stairway was damaged by rain last year. He said his office was exploring all avenues to find out who was responsible for maintenance at the falls.

“We do not know under whose care that place is. It is a public place, but someone, somewhere must be responsible for it,” Shintama said.

Shintama could not estimate the extent of the damage or how long the steps would remain closed, but said as the rain continued, the damage was worsening.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, said the area falls under the Omusati Regional Council, but Shintama disagreed.

“Plans are under way for the Omusati Regional Council to take control of the area. Currently, it is just a public place,” Shintama said.

The Ruacana waterfall is situated on the Kunene River on the border with Angola. The waterfall is 120 metres high.

Shikongo appealed to visitors to heed the police warnings for their own safety. He said people should not cross the police tape restricting access to the falls.

ILENI NANDJATO

Missing girl found in Epupa Constituency

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Missing girl found in Epupa ConstituencyMissing girl found in Epupa Constituency A four-year-old girl was found on Tuesday after going missing a day earlier while goat herding at Ohamaremba village in the Epupa Constituency.

She was found by the police.

The acting regional commander in the Kunene Region, Deputy Commissioner Natangwe Iita, said the girl was in a weak condition and was treated at a clinic before she was taken home.

“The girl spent the whole night and the previous day in the veld without water and food,” Iita told Nampa.

He appealed to parents in the region not to send children into the veld alone, as they can easily get lost.

Late last year, a three-year-old boy got lost on the way home at Okovingava village on the outskirts of Opuwo.

He was found two days later, after he had covered a distance of 25km wandering in the bush.

Three children drowned in a pond at Omao village in the Opuwo Rural Constituency towards the end of 2016.

NAMPA

Kora back in the limelight

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 Kora back in the limelight Kora back in the limelight2017 promos up and running The organisers have started promoting this year’s show on social media. The Kora-All Africa Music Awards organisers appear to have secured a country to host the 2017 event, months after they disappeared with close to N$24 million of Namibian taxpayer’s money.

The Kora All-Africa Music Awards have been mired in secrecy and controversy, especially after reports emerged accusing Kora founder Ernst Adjovi of being a charlatan who uses the awards show to milk money from the host country's government.

The awards were scheduled to take place in Namibia in March last year, but this never materialised. About two months after the Kora Awards ceremony was supposed to take place in Namibia, legal action was initiated in an attempt to recover more than N$23.5 million the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB) had paid it to market Namibia. The organisers have now created social media accounts promoting this year’s event under the theme ‘Kora 2017 – Lighting African Stars’.

However, there was no immediate information available as to where and when the awards will take place. On Facebook, the Kora 2017 account appears to encourage the public to vote for this year’s nominees to be in the top 20. NTB is suing Mundial Telecom Sarl, Adjovi and Tonata Shiimi for N$23.5 million – the sum it paid for the purchase of a 'Platinum Tourism Package' which it never received.

Mundial Telecom owns the rights to host the Kora Awards while Adjovi is the president of the company and Shiimi was the national director of the awards. According to court documents the NTB concluded a written agreement on the tourism promotion package on 4 December 2015 with Mundial Telecom Sarl.

The All-Africa Kora Music Awards ceremony was scheduled to be held on 20 March 2016 in Namibia.

The show was initially scheduled to take place on 13 December 2015, but was postponed.

Under the contract the NTB had to pay the N$23.5 million on or before 10 December.

However, the first payment of N$5 million was made on 22 December and a second payment of another N$5 million was made on 23 December.

On 7 January 2016 another N$5 million was transferred and on 17 February N$8.5 million was transferred.

The money was paid into the bank account of Mundial Telecom in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The agreement guaranteed that the promotional television clips featuring Namibia would be delivered to all participating African countries' television stations by at least 20 January. And, even though there was no evidence of these promotions taking place two months before the scheduled awards ceremony, the NTB continued to make payments on several occasions.

The court documents go into the details of what the promotional package entailed.

According to the agreement between NTB and Mundial Telecom the package consisted of 26 promotional video clips that were to be televised in all the participating countries. These clips were supposed to be 60 seconds in duration and were to be shown two months before the awards ceremony.

Therefore it should have been done in January at the latest. The package also guaranteed that each promotional television clip would showcase the NTB with five-second visuals on the awards ceremony's promotional television clips, while Mundial Telecom was to make available the promotional clips to at least 30 participating African countries.

The contract states that Mundial Telecom was to provide a report 60 days after the awards ceremony on the coverage of the ceremony and that was to include the number of countries in which the ceremony was broadcast.

The package also had to include six promotional clips of 30 seconds each that were to be aired during the live broadcast of the ceremony.

These clips were to be produced and provided by the NTB.

Furthermore NTB was promised a prominent presence on the Kora website, with links to the NTB's website. Five verbal mentions were to be made by the hosts during the live broadcast of the ceremony.

It was also agreed that NTB would be allocated two full pages in the Kora magazine and that it would receive about 300 seats at the Kora Awards for important guests.

JUNE SHIMOUSHILI

Operation Tulongeni launched in Omusati

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Operation Tulongeni launched in OmusatiOperation Tulongeni launched in Omusati President Hage Geingob yesterday launched 'Operation Tulongeni 2017' a programme meant to motivate farmers to start working their fields following good rains.

The Tulongeni initiative took place at Matheus Iilonga's mahangu field at Onamundindi village in the Ogongo Constituency of the Omusati Region. Geingob also worked the field, much to the delight of those attending the event.

The head of state told the gathering of mostly subsistence farmers that the operation was a reaffirmation and rededication of commitment to his call that “nobody should go to bed hungry”.

“I am launching this Operation Tulongeni to prove our hard work and commitment that nobody is going to sleep with hunger.

We can only get things done through hard work,” Geingob said.

Tulongeni is an Oshiwambo word, which means “let's work”.

Omusati governor Erginus Endjala briefed the president about the challenges faced by subsistence farmers in the northern regions. He said since 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry had come up with a dry-land crop production programme, where subsistence farmers are assisted by the government when it comes to paying for ploughing services using state-owned and privately owned tractors. “Under this system, the government and the field owner or farmers share the ploughing cost because it is too high. The programme also distributes seed and fertiliser to enable farmers to afford farming necessities and be able to produce enough food,” Endjala said.

A shortage of tractors and other necessities was, however, a challenge for the region.

“In Omusati we have 20 government tractors serving 12 constituencies. We allocated one per constituency, but they are not enough. Government also subsidises private tractors, but still it's not enough,” he said. The president thanked the agriculture ministry for introducing a programme that assists subsistence farmers. “This is a good system and it only needs to be strengthened and empowered,” said Geingob

Bus owners exploit holidaymakers

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Bus owners exploit holidaymakersBus owners exploit holidaymakersUp to N$800 from Oshakati to Windhoek There seems to be no immediate solution to overcharging by bus drivers during the festive season. Despite the annual warnings about overcharging bus passengers during the festive season, many bus operators are gouging holidaymakers desperate to return to work on time.

Travellers are being charged up to N$800 for a trip from Oshakati to Windhoek.

During the rest of the year most buses charge N$250 on this route. Sanny Auto Repair charges N$150, except for December, while Intercape's fare fluctuates based on the demand but is usually about N$350 for a trip from Oshakati to Windhoek.

During the festive season most buses hike the fare for the same trip to N$300. Sanny Auto Repairs charges N$220 while Intercape's ticket prices can go up to N$800.

Although travellers complain about the high fare, they have little choice in the matter, as neither the government nor any transport association can prevent overcharging.

Last year the Oshana police intervened after receiving complaints and stopped buses at the Ongwediva roadblock, asking passengers whether they were overcharged. Drivers were ordered to refund the excess amounts on the spot.

Asked why the police have not done the same this year, the regional commander for Oshana, Commissioner Rauha Amwele, who last year referred to the overcharging of commuters as “daylight robbery”, said she had not received any complaints.

Amwele had suggested last year that every bus driver should clearly display a price list for the various routes and passengers should pay according to that list.

The Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) believes that fares should vary depending on the demand, but they should be reasonable.

Nabta president Vespa Muunda explained that bus drivers overcharge when the demand is high in order to recoup their losses when they return with empty buses.

“Imagine a bus driving from Windhoek to Oshakati with no passengers just to go and collect customers there. The bus needs fuel and the driver must be paid. Those are costs people are trying to recover when they overcharge,” Muunda said.

He warned, however, that bus operators should not try to recover the full cost of the returning trip. If the normal fare is N$250, the overcharging should not be more than N$30 per passenger, he suggested.

In December 2014 Nabta issued guidelines that were supposed to prevent overcharging, but they have proven to be futile.

Calls have been made for the government to intervene in the transport industry to protect passengers' interests, but nothing has come of them.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Slight rise in dam levels

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Slight rise in dam levelsSlight rise in dam levels The first inflow of the rainy season has led to a slight rise in water levels at strategic water-supply dams such as Von Bach, Omatako, Hardap and Naute over the past week.

A NamWater dam bulletin issued on Tuesday shows the Von Bach Dam level has risen from 9.7% to 12.1% since December 27.

The Omatako Dam, which was empty on 27 December, now stands at 0.5% of capacity. The Swakoppoort Dam remains unchanged at 5.9% of its capacity, compared to 16.5% at the same time last season.

The level of the Hardap Dam also rose over the past few days. The dam is now at 28%, compared to 22.1% on 27 December.

Slight rises in water level were measured at the Otjivero main dam, the Otjivero silt dam and the Daan Viljoen Dam in the Omaheke Region by 3 January, in addition to the Bondels Dam, Naute Dam and Dreihuk Dam in the south.

River levels also continue to rise as a result of rain in catchment areas.

According to the 3 January hydrological report, the Kavango River is currently at 2.61 metres at Nkurenkuru, and 4.88 metres at Rundu. Last year the level at the Rundu station was at 5.69 metres.

The Orange River level remains low, measuring 0.32 metres at the Blouputs station.

No levels have been put on record for the Zambezi River, which was at 0.81 metres this time last year.

JANA-MARI SMITH

New dogs a blessing: Ndeitunga

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New dogs a blessing: Ndeitunga New dogs a blessing: Ndeitunga 18 canine officers join Namibian Police The Ministry of Finance allocated N$800 000 to the police for the purchasing of trained sniffer dogs from South Africa. JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA



The Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, says the new dogs that the force has acquired are a sign that the police are taking the combating of crime to another level in 2017.

The police acquired 18 dogs of different breeds from South Africa in December for the combating of various types of crime.

The breeds include Belgian Malinois, German shepherd, Labrador retriever and ridgeback.

Speaking in an interview with Namibian Sun yesterday, Ndeitunga praised the Ministry of Finance for allocating N$800 000 for the purchasing of the animals.

“Our dog unit is very small and has never been well equipped over the years, which made it difficult for the force to operate.

“That is why I would like to thank the Ministry of Finance for making all this possible in order these dogs.

“Now we have acquired some dogs which will cover sensitive areas all over the country, including fighting of poaching.

“Criminals must now beware that things are getting even more serious and we are coming after them,” Ndeitunga said.

The South African dogs have already been trained, but Ndeitunga said they still needed specialised training before they were deployed.

The police expect to deploy the new canine officers to their duty stations in February.

“These dogs are very expensive and that is why the force has not been able to have more of them here in the country.

“It is now important that we utilise them in the right way given the price tag they come with,” Ndeitunga said.

The police have dog units in Walvis Bay, the Kunene Region and Windhoek.

The Head of the Crime Investigation Directorate, General Maritz du Toit, also said it was important for the force to acquire trained dogs.

“The price is a bit hefty, but it is cheaper to buy dogs that have been trained and gone through various medical check-ups over the years than raising them ourselves.

“A police dog is very important because one dog can do the job of many human beings put together.

“The dogs are specialised in detecting many things and are very useful at airports and borders,” Du Toit said.

Money-laundering bail hearing postponed

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Money-laundering bail hearing postponedMoney-laundering bail hearing postponed The money-laundering case involving Chinese nationals Tao Huizhong and Jinrong Huang, as well as Namibian customs official Julius Laurentuis, has been postponed for a third time.

Representing the State, prosecutor Rowen van Wyk brought charges of money-laundering and fraud against the two Chinese accused, while the third, Laurentuis, is still to appear in the dock.

Tao Huizhong and Jinrong Huang are charged with fraud and money laundering. It is alleged that the two, through trading enterprise Golden Phoenix CC, carried out 30 fraudulent transactions amounting to US$12 million between 1 January 2013 and 27 December 2016.

Van Wyk said the fraud charge was not complete and the State was not in a position to meaningfully address the issue related to the money laundering and fraud case.

Both Huizhong and Jinrong denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

When cross-examined by his lawyer Sisa Namandje, Huizhong testified that he imported clothing and textiles ten times a year amounting to approximately N$1.5 million, a far cry from the N$3.5 billion alleged. When questioned by Louis Botes representing Laurentuis, Huizhong said he could not remember the clearing agent he had used.

Namandje demanded for the release of Jinrong on the basis that he was only an employee of Golden Phoenix and not a director or owner.

Magistrate Venatius Alweendo postponed the bail hearing to today. The three accused remain in police custody.

STAFF REPORTER

Poaching suspect Kandjii behind bars again

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Poaching suspect Kandjii behind bars againPoaching suspect Kandjii behind bars againMore charges against former soccer medic Four of the five suspects in a rhino-poaching case at Gobabis in December have been arrested. JANA-MARI SMITH



Former Brave Warriors football team medic Gerson Uakaera Kandjii – previously accused of rhino poaching and murder - is again behind bars after he and three other suspects were arrested for the killing of two white rhinos in the Omaheke Region in late December.

A fifth suspect is still at large, and the police suspect he might have fled to a neighbouring country.

Court documents show that on Friday last week, Kandjii, along with two more Namibian citizens, Justice Mona Domingo (32) and Erwin Tjiteere (37), were arrested in Windhoek on 29 December in connection with the slaughter and wounding of four rhinos on the farm Kainas on 21 or 22 December.

A fourth suspect is expected to appear before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura this week, also on a charge of hunting of specially protected species.

The three suspects who appeared last Friday are all implicated in the murder of Reinhard Schmidt during a robbery on the hunting farm Hoodia in the Kalkrand District in February 2015.

The fifth poaching suspect, who is still at large, is also one of the suspects in the Schmidt murder case, according to reliable sources.

Schmidt died of suffocation after his mouth and nose were gagged with adhesive tape while the robbers stole a TV, pistol and camera.

All the suspects in the Schmidt case were released on N$5 000 bail each in November 2015, sparking public protest.

Kandjii is also out on bail of N$20 000 in an earlier poaching case. He was arrested in November 2014 in connection with rhino poaching in the Etosha National Park and the Palmwag area.

Police yesterday said the latest investigation and manhunt for the fifth suspect was continuing.

During the poaching incident on a farm 26 kilometres outside Gobabis shortly before Christmas, the poachers killed a prized rhino bull and a pregnant rhino cow, and wounded two young rhinos, one of which was also pregnant.

Police yesterday said that none of the horns that were hacked off had been retrieved.

During their first appearance before Magistrate Ruben Mutuku in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura, the three accused were remanded in custody and their case was transferred to the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court for their next appearance there on 10 January.

Kandjii also appeared in front of Magistrate Mutuku on a separate charge of illegal possession of ammunition after the police discovered 46 cartridges for a hunting rifle in his possession. That case was postponed to 12 April this year.

On Friday, public prosecutor Filemon Nyau told Magistrate Mutuku that the matter required further investigation and that Kandjii should remain in custody because of the pending charges in the Schmidt murder case.

Mutuku informed Kandjii that he had the right to make a formal bail application.

Kandjii said he would apply for legal aid.

In August 2016, Namibian Sun reported that Kandjii and a co-accused in the Etosha rhino poaching case had failed to show up for their scheduled court appearance before the Okahao Magistrate’s Court.

In that case, the suspects face charges of illegal hunting of specially protected species, possession of firearm without a licence and unlawful possession of ammunition.

In September, the case was postponed to 27 February 2017 for plea and trial in the Okahao Magistrate’s Court.

Close to 100 dead on the roads

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Close to 100 dead on the roadsClose to 100 dead on the roads JANA-MARI SMITH

Twenty-nine people died on Namibian roads between December 27 and Monday, raising the festive season death toll to 94.

Although there has been a significant decrease in the number of crashes (9%) and injuries (16%) compared to the previous year, the number of fatalities remains the same.

In the previous year, 95 people died in crashes between 22 November and 2 January.

In the seven days between December 27 and January 2, NamPol’s traffic department issued 962 traffic fines totalling N$861 250. The most common offences were speeding, driving without a driving licence and driving without seatbelts.

Since the start of the festive season on 22 November, traffic officers have issued a total of 7 669 fines valued at roughly N$8.3 million.

Statistics released by the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund show that between 22 November and Monday this week, a total of 480 car crashes were recorded, compared to 530 crashes recorded last year during the same period.

The number of injured people dropped from 1 062 to 894 this festive season.

Roll-overs were the main type of accident, followed by collisions and pedestrian accidents.

Of the 94 recorded fatalities, 66% were male. Last year, 71% of the road deaths were male.

The highest number of fatalities was recorded in the Otjozondjupa Region, where 14 died, followed by 12 deaths each in the Khomas and Kunene regions, and 10 fatalities each in the Omusati and Oshana regions.

Nine people died in Ohangwena, seven in the Hardap Region, five each in the Oshikoto and Omaheke regions, and three each in the //Karas, Erongo and Zambezi regions.

Traffic officers this year stopped 103 199 vehicles over the festive season, tested 21 542 drivers for alcohol and conducted 13 065 roadworthy inspections at roadblocks.

According to the traffic records released by NamPol yesterday, 132 people were arrested on drunken driving charges, the majority in the Karas Region (30), followed by 26 arrests in the Erongo Region and 21 in the Kavango East Region.

Gome dreams of PSL glory

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Gome dreams of PSL gloryGome dreams of PSL glory Bidvest Wits midfielder Wangu Gome wants to help his club win the South African Premier Soccer League this season (PSL).

The Namibia national team star says winning the PSL would be the most remarkable thing that could ever happen to him in his football career.

“I have never won a league title with any club before and therefore winning it with my current club will be beyond my wildest dreams.

“Playing in the PSL is already an achievement for me, but I would like to help my club clinch the prestigious league title.

“I am prepared to work harder for my team and to earn a regular place in the starting line-up of the club,” Gome said.

The midfielder has made fewer than five appearances for the Clever Boys this season after having a slow start to the 2016/17 season. He admitted that plans of going on loan to another club for game time came to his mind, but the coach told him to stay in view of the fact that he was in his manager's plans.

Bidvest Wits were the runners-up of the 2015/16 season behind league champions Mamelodi Sundowns, finishing with 51 points from the 30 games they played.

The club is currently level on points with log leaders SuperSport United who are leading the PSL with 25 points from 14 games.

However Gome's side have a cushion of a game in hand given that they have played only 13 games so far.

“There are still many games to be played and therefore we will not allow ourselves to get carried away by our current position since anything can happen.

“I am currently on holiday in Windhoek, but I will return to South Africa on Sunday to continue training with the club.

“Our next games will only be next month because the African Cup of Nations is about to start, but we are still required to keep fit,” he told Namibian Sun.



































JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

Filling CA vacancy is NSC's priority

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Filling CA vacancy is NSC's priorityFilling CA vacancy is NSC's priorityEnd in sight for recruitment saga The Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) is confident of appointing a permanent chief administrator by February. The chairperson of the Namibia Sports Commission, Joel Matheus, says he is hopeful that the commission will appoint a permanent chief administrator by next month.

Matheus stressed the need of starting the year with a permanent person who could spearhead the NSC's plans for the year 2017.

Sport commissioner Peter Wilson is currently acting as chief administrator. He was appointed last year after acting chief administrator Walter Haseb left.

In an interview yesterday Matheus said: “We really hope that this time around things will finally fall into place and we will have a permanent person in the position by February.

“That is the sports commission's number one priority at the moment given the importance of the matter and the time it has taken for the commission to appoint a new chief administrator.

“We want the current acting chief administrator to serve only until the end of February because this position has been held on acting basis for so long.

“The Sports Commission has also decided that it will not re-advertise the position, but will stick with the three short-listed candidates.”

Cricket Namibia CEO Donavan Zealand, Fabian George and Freddy Mwiya are the short-listed candidates for the position.

Sources last year suggested that Zealand was the frontrunner for the job after receiving the backing of deputy sport minister Agnes Tjongarero.

The sources suggested that Zealand was prepared to turn down the offer because of the package he was offered. Zealand denied the allegations. Matheus is optimistic that at least one of the three candidates will accept the offer.

He said they would have final discussions with the three candidates once he returned to office.

Prominent figures have been acting in the position since 2013, when Rusten Mogane was sacked due to irregularities.

The NSC headhunted several prominent officials but none of them was willing to take up the position permanently because of the responsibilities that come with the hot seat.

One of the headhunted officials on the radar of the sports commission was current Namibia Press Agency CEO Isack Hamata.

Shivute Katamba, Harold Fulle and Walter Haseb have all been acting in the position since Mogane's departure.

Matheus added that the commission had submitted the sport plan drawn up after the 2014 National Sports Conference to the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service for approval.

“As we speak, the sport plan is in the hands of the ministry and we are just waiting for them to approve the proposals.

“The other thing is the reviewing of the Sport Act, which I suppose is currently at the Ministry of Justice if I am not wrong.

“Rome was not built in one year and therefore my aim is to ensure that the commission gets better in the next three years,” Matheus said.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

Guardiola gets first taste of FA Cup

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Guardiola gets first taste of FA CupGuardiola gets first taste of FA Cup While the FA Cup's third round was always littered with unfamiliar names, these days they often play for the big teams as well.

Expect Premier League managers to reach deep into their squads to pack out their sides with hopefuls and has-beens as what used to be the most exciting day of the season transforms into a bloated four days, where the surprises are often confined to the line-ups.

First up will be West Ham United against Manchester City, whose boss Pep Guardiola gets an early introduction to English football's famous cup competition today.

The Spaniard was so grumpy after City's 2-1 win over Burnley on Monday, hinting darkly that the end of his managerial career was approaching, that as much attention will be focused on his mood as Friday's result.

With City still, just about, in the Premier League title race and through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, expect a raft of changes against opponents who have a strong FA Cup pedigree. Reunions always feature strongly in this stage of the competition and Reading's Jaap Stam (to Manchester United), Crystal Palace's Sam Allardyce (to Bolton Wanderers) and Eastleigh's Martin Allen (to Brentford) go back to clubs with which they have a strong association.

Stam, the centre-back base of United's 1999 treble-winning team, makes his first competitive return to the club 16 years after being told by former manager Alex Ferguson in a petrol station that his Old Trafford career was over, a brutal parting even by football's standards.

“It's going to be a great atmosphere but now we need to do something against them as well,” said Reading manager Stam, whose side are third in England's second-tier Championship. “You always want to have results, though we are quite realistic about the quality they have.”



NEW ERAS

United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 with an extra-time strike from Jesse Lingard in last season's final, since when both teams' managers have departed and new eras begun. Palace's new boss Allardyce returns to Bolton Wanderers, where he enjoyed success over eight years, while Eastleigh's Allen will be guaranteed a warm welcome when he takes the non-league side to his former club at Griffin Park, where he once threatened to swim the Thames if Brentford won an FA Cup replay.

This year's lowest ranked team are Northern Premier League side Stourbridge in the seventh-tier, who face Wycombe Wanderers from League Two.

Stourbridge's semi-professional players earn between 120-250 pounds ($147-$307) per week and will be guaranteed a sizeable bonus if the club pick up the 67 500-pound prize money for winning what will be their seventh game of the competition.

League two sides Plymouth Argyle will be eyeing an even bigger upset on Sunday at Liverpool in a tie that has thrown up another familiar FA Cup theme of divided loyalty.

Irishman Graham Carey, whose extra-time penalty secured Plymouth the tie, is a lifelong Liverpool fan, along with the rest of his family.

“My whole family are mainly Liverpool fans, so I'm sure some of them will make the trip over,” said Carey, who has always dreamed of walking out to play at Anfield.

Across Merseyside, Everton face Leicester City in one of the round's most attractive ties while Preston North End and Arsenal, who have won the famous old trophy 14 times between them, have their first competitive meeting since 1999.

Premier League leaders Chelsea, whose 13-match winning run was halted in a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, will look to rebound in the cup at home to third tier Peterborough United.

Tottenham and Aston Villa are paired on Sunday, while Monday's final game of the round pits Cambridge United against Leeds, who won the trophy in 1972.

NAMPA/REUTERS

World Athletics Champs in August

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World Athletics Champs in AugustWorld Athletics Champs in AugustThree Namibians have qualified Namibia hopes to have at least five athletes at the world championships this year. Namibian marathon coach Tobias Hiskia is aiming to help more runners qualify for the 2017 World Athletics Championships to be held in London from 4 to 13 August.

Only three athletes have so far qualified to represent the country at the International Association of Athletics Federations event.

They are Beata Naigambo and Helalia Johannes, who are both trained by Hiskia, and Lavinia Haitope.

Hiskia told Nampa on Tuesday that he knews two or three more athletes could still qualify by the end of March.

“What would even be better is if we get ten athletes qualify from long distance and then track disciplines (100m to 10 000m) despite the competition among track athletes being difficult,” he said.

Athletes have until June to qualify for the championships.

Hiskia, a former marathon runner, added that his plan was to take athletes who had already qualified to Kenya for a three-month training camp, but financial constrains might hamper their preparations. He said most of their competitors were from Kenya.

“At the moment we do not have money to prepare well as everything is coming from our own pockets, but I am hopeful all will go well,” he said.

Recent budget cuts by the government also affected the Sport Ministry, which had to suspend participation in several international competitions. More budget cuts are expected in the next financial year.

Long-distance running athletes coached by Hiskia who have represented the country at the Olympic Games are Naigambo, Johannes, Mynhardt Kauanivi and Alina Armas.

Kauanivi ended 70th in the men's marathon; while Naigambo ended 41st; Johannes 56th and Armas 75th in the women's marathon of the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro in August last year.

NAMPA

Konyala aantu e-100 ya sila moondjila

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Konyala aantu e-100 ya sila moondjilaKonyala aantu e-100 ya sila moondjila Aantu 29 oya hulithile miiponga yomoondjila pokati komasiku 27 gaDesemba nOmaandaha na osha etitha omwaalu gwaantu ya sila miiponga yomoondjila pethimbo lyiituthi yomatango omanene nuumvo paantu 94.

Nonando omwaalu gwiiponga ogwa shuna pevi nuumvo noopresenda 9 oshowo omayehameko noopresenda 16 omwaalu gwaamboka ya hulitha inagu lunduluka. Omvula ya piti, aantu 95 oya hulithila miiponga pokati komasiku 22 gaNovemba nomasiku gaali gaJanuari.

Pokati komasiku 27 gaDesemba sigo gaali gaJanurai, oshikondo shekondololo lyoondjila mopolisi yaNamibia osha gandja uutekete womageelo wuli 962 woongushu yooN$861 250. Omageelo ogendji oga pewa mboka taya hingi yaana omikanda dhokuhinga, okuhingilila oshowo okuhinga inaya imangelamo momapaya.

Okutameka momasiku 22 gaNovemba okwa gandjwa omageelo geli 7 669 gongushu yoomiliyona 8.3.

Omiyalu dha gandjwa koMotor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund odha ulike kutya pokati komasiku 22 gaNovemba nOmaandaha goshiwike shika, okwa lopotwa iiponga 480 okuyeleka niiponga 530 ya lopotwa pethimbo lya faathana omvula ya piti.

Omwaalu gwaamboka ya ehamekwa oguli po-894 okuyeleka naantu 1 062 ya ehamekwa omvula ya piti, pethimbo lya faathana.

Iihauto tayi galangata oshimwe shomiiponga mbyoka ya holoka unene sha landulwa komaipumo mumwe niiponga mwa kwatelwa aayendi yokolupadhi.

Omaso 94 ga lopotwa oopresenda 66 odhaalumentu omanga omvula 71 odha li dhaaluumentu. Miitopolwa moka mwa lopotwa omaso ogendji ongaashi mOtjozondjupa, moka antu 14 ya hulitha, Khomas noKunene omaso 12 omanga Omusati nOshana omaso 10.

Aantu omugoyi oya hulitha mOhangwena, 7 mo Hardap naantu yatano mOshikoto nOmaheke. Moshitopolwa sha //Karas, Erongo naZambezi omwa si aantu yatatu.

Aanambelewa yekondololo lyoondjila oya kankameke iihauto 103 199 nuumvo pethimbo lyiituthi yomatango omanene nokuningila omakonaakono aahingi 21 542 mboka ya talika ngele oya longitha iikolitha pethimbo taya hingi oshowo okuningila omakonaakono iihauto 13 065 okutala ngele otayi vulu tuu okukala kopate.

Aantu 132 oya tulwa miipandeko shoo ya longitha iikolitha nomwaalu omunene ogwa lopotwa moKaras moka mwa tulwa miipandeko aantu 30, 26 omErongo no-21 moKavango East.

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JANA-MARI SMITH

Oprogramma yoTulongeni ya tulwa miilonga mOmusati

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Oprogramma yoTulongeni ya tulwa miilonga mOmusatiOprogramma yoTulongeni ya tulwa miilonga mOmusati Presidende Hage Geingob, okwa tula miilonga oprogramma tayi ithanwa ‘Operation Tulongeni 2017’ ndjoka ya nuninwa okutsa omukumo aanafaalama ya tameke okulonga omapya gawo sha landula omuloka ngoka gwa tameke.

Oshiyetwa po shoka osha tulilwa miilonga mepya lyaMatheus Iilonga momukunda Onamundindi moShikandjohogololo shaOngongo mOshitopolwa shaMusati.

Omuleli okwa lombwele mboka ya kala poshituthi shOka kutya elongo lyomppya oshimwe shomiilalakanenwa ye sho ta kondjitha kutya iinaku pumwa omuntu ta lala nondjala.



“Otandi tula miilonga oprograma ndjika opo ndi ganje uumbangi kutya otwiitula mo ngiini sho tatu popi kutya kape na ngoka a pumbwa okulala nondjala, na otatu adha owala omathikilo mwaashoka tta tu lalakanene uuna tatu longo nuudhiginini,” Geingob ta ti.

Ngoloneya gwaMusati, Erginus Endjala okwa hololele paufupi omuleli omupyakadhi ngoka ga taalela aanafaalama naanamapya mOnooli yoshilongo.



Okwa popi kutya okutameka mo-2008, Uuministeli wUunamapya owa tula miilonga oprograma yokuyambidhidha aanamapya paifuta opo ya vule okupululitha omapya gawo.

Okwa popi kutya aanamapya ohaya topola nepangelo iifuta mbyoka molwaashoka okupulula okwa ninga ondilo na ohaya mono woo omakwatho goombuto dhokukuna. Okwa popi kutya nonando ongaaka ompumbwe yomambakumbaku yi li omukundu ngoka gwa taalela oshitopolwa.

“Momusati omu na omambakumbaku gepangeloo geli 20 ngoka taga kwatha iikandjohogololo 12. Ohatu gandja embakumbaku limwe koshikandjo kehe. Epangelo ohali kwatha woo nomambakumbaku gopaumwene ihe natango inaga gwana,” ngoloneya ta ti.



ILENI NANDJATO

Oshipangelo shaOpuwo sha taalela ompumbwe yomeya

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Oshipangelo shaOpuwo sha taalela ompumbwe yomeyaOshipangelo shaOpuwo sha taalela ompumbwe yomeya Kashi shi oshikando shotango oshipangelo shoka tashi kala nuupyakadhi womeya Okwa lopotwa kutya oshipangelo shepangelo mOpuwo kashi na omeya okutameka Etitano lya piti, nomukundu ngoka ogwa etithwa kondjele yi li pevi yepombo lyomeya. Ø

Ngoka ta longo pehala lyomukomeho gwUundjolowele mOshitopolwa shaKunene, Jason Nahepele okwa koleke konzonkundaneki yoNampa kombinga yomukundu ngoka.

Aapangwa naaniilonga moshipangelo shoka oya lulilwa nayi konkalo na oya ithana oshikundaneki shika mEtiyali taya nyenyeta kombinga yuupyakadhi mboka ya taalela na oya pula opo oshikundneki shi konge omayalukulo komalelo. Sho Nampa a dhengele oshipangelo shoka mEtitatu uupyakadhi mboka natango inawu kandulwa po.

Oonzo odha popi kutya oshitandelo, ewalanda lyokanyothi oshowo ewalanda ndyoka hali thikile aantu mboka ya pumbwa ekwatho meendelelo ogo omahala ga gumwa noonkondo koonkalo ndjoka. Elelo lyoondolopa ndjoka okwa lopotwa hali fala omeya nootenga koshipangelo kehe esiku.

Omuniilonga gumwe okwa popi kutya iiniima mbyoka ya pumbwa okuwapalekwa ngaashi omalapi ohayi falwa koshipangelo shaShakati opo yi ka wapalekwe. Aaniilonga yamwe oya popi kutya shika kashi shi oshikando shotango oshipangelo shoka tashi kala nuupyakadhi womeya uule womasiku na kaye shi kutya omolwashike elelo lyoshipangelo itali kongo ekanduepo lyomukundu ngoka.

Uupyakadhi mboka aniwa natango owali wa holoka muNovemba gwomvula ya piti. Omundokotola gopaumwene, Fillemon Nakanduungile okwa popi kutya ompumbwe yomeya mendiki lyuundjolowele tali vulu okweetitha ekanitho lyomwenyo.

“Omeya oga pumbiwa noonkondo mendiki lyundjolowele. Ohaga longithwa mokuyoga iikwaniipangitho uuna taku pangwa aapangwa, okwiiyoga konyala omanga ino panga omunuuvu nokonima,” omundohotola a ti.

Okwa tsikile kutya uundjugo itawu longo moshipangelo oshibli oshinima tashi limbilike noonkondo na otashi vulu okutaandelitha omauvu. Ngoka ta longo pehala lyomunambelewa omukuluntu gwelelo lyaPuwo, Obet Katjoho okwa popi kutya oya pumbwa opomba yokuyambulapo ondjele yepombo lyomeya mootenga dhoshipangelo. Okwa popi kutya oya ningi eindilo kuNamWater muNovemba.

NAMPA

Chinese tech giants introduce new products

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Chinese tech giants introduce new productsChinese tech giants introduce new products NAMPA/XINHUA

Chinese tech giants unveiled stunning innovative products during at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, with "future" as the keyword for these products.

The show in China, the largest of its kind in the world, attracted 3 800 companies from various countries and regions.

TCL Corporation, the leading Chinese manufacturer of smart products, on Wednesday introduced its latest display products from its X series, the X2 and X3, which feature slim designs at 7.9mm and 6.9mm thick respectively, setting the new industry standard for slim TVs.

“The revolutionary new X2 and X3 underscore TCL's vision to create a smarter, more connected future for users around the world,” said TCL in a statement.

TCL's Chinese rival Hisense also released a new 4K TV which is regarded as the future of home theatre. Hisense's 4K Laser Cast TV will have immersive screen sizes up to 100 inches, and is the company's first-of-its-kind true 4K TV.

With consumers turning to mobile devices for entertainment, TV manufacturers are under rising pressure to boost their sales. According to data from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), consumers are increasingly using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to watch videos. TV's share of video viewing has dropped to 51 percent in 2016 from 62 percent in 2012.

Although the sales of TVs will be levelling off with sales volumes in 2017 up only 1 percent from 2016 to 229 million units, the sales of 4K UHD sales volumes will increase from 2016's 52.7 million units to 81.9 million units in 2017.

Chinese mobile giant ZTE on Wednesday also released two new products on American market, the crowdsourced Hawkeye phone and its Blad V8 Pro smartphone.

At CES 2016, ZTE announced its groundbreaking project CSX to completely crowdsource a mobile device that it will build in 2017. The Hawkeye phone was the early fruit of the project and is available for pre-order on Kickstarter.

“Project CSX has been a groundbreaking process and the Hawkeye device sets the stage for us in 2017,” said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. “As we move forward with this smartphone, we'll look to continue to integrate consumers every step of the way.”

“The smartphone is the centre of the consumer technology universe,” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research at the CTA. Smartphones account for 47 percent of global consumer tech spending, the CTA data showed.

Despite revenue declines across some of the largest categories, unit shipment increases demonstrate continued resilience in the smartphone categories, said the CTA. It expected the unit volume will grow 3 percent to reach 185 million smartphones sold in 2017, with revenues expected to reach US$55.6 billion which will drop 2 percent from 2016.

Samsung to explain Note 7 explosion

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Samsung to explain Note 7 explosionSamsung to explain Note 7 explosion It took just the first few seconds of a Samsung press conference on Wednesday for the company to address its problematic Note 7 handset.

Last year, Samsung was forced to recall its Note 7 smartphone range following several complaints about devices exploding and catching fire.

Airlines across the globe also moved to ban the Note 7 from flights and kiosks have been set up at airports to collect the phone.

Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which runs from January 5-9 2017, Samsung on Wednesday addressed the elephant in the room.

“As you know, this year was a challenging year for Samsung,” said Tim Baxter, president and chief operating officer of Samsung Electronics America.

“Some of you were directly impacted, and many of you certainly saw the media coverage.

“We continue our intensive efforts to understand what happened,” said Baxter.

Baxter went on to say that Samsung would “very soon” be sharing a report on the root cause of the explosions.

But the company indicated that it's also moving on from the Note 7 debacle.

“Despite our setbacks, we have not, nor will we, stop innovating. In fact we've made significant strides in the US,” said Baxter.

“In fact we've made significant strides in the US,” he added.

As part of its press briefing on Wednesday, Samsung outlined its plans for the year as well as the launch of new devices that include Chromebook laptops that run Android apps and a new gaming laptop.

FIN24

Less coal, more green energy

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Less coal, more green energyLess coal, more green energyChina plans to use less coal Increases in non-fossil fuels and natural gas will account for more than 68% of China's total expected increase in energy consumption. China will cut coal consumption in its total energy use and raise the share of clean energy before 2020, according to the latest plan for the energy sector.

The share of non-fossil fuels will have risen to more than 15% and the share of natural gas should reach 10%, deputy head of the National Energy Administration Li Yangzhe said at a press conference yesterday.

The increase in non-fossil fuels and natural gas will account for more than 68 %of total expected increase in energy consumption, meaning that clean and low-carbon energy sources will become a major part of the energy supply during the 2016-2020 period, Li said.

Total energy consumption will be contained within 5 billion tons of coal equivalent, representing an annual increase of about 2.5%, lower than an annual rise of 3.6% during the 2011-2015 period.

Energy use per unit of Gross Domestic Product will drop 15 %during the new five-year period, Li said.

NAMPA/XINHUA
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