DSN annual awards tonight

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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DSN annual awards tonightShikongo and crew ready The event will see Namibia Paralympic Committee and Namibia Deaf Sports Federation athletes, guides and coaches receive recognition for their performances. Disability Sport Namibia (DSN) will today host the seventh edition of the annual awards in Windhoek.

Special Olympics Namibia (SON) usually forms part of the event but not this year after DSN recently terminated its membership because of various reasons, including mismanagement.

SON was earlier this year also stripped of its licence by its mother body, Special Olympics International, due to alleged misappropriation of funds, maladministration and lack of financial supporting documents, among other issues.

“The aim of the event is to recognise and reward athletes with disabilities for their accomplishments in 2016/17,” DSN president Gideon Nasilowski told Nampa on Tuesday.

The Namibia Power Corporation and the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund are sponsoring the awards.

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Bravo stars as City see off Wolves in shootout

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Bravo stars as City see off Wolves in shootout Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was the Premier League leaders' hero as they beat Championship table-toppers Wolves in a penalty shoot-out to book their place in the quarter-finals of the English League Cup on Tuesday.

Despite chances at both ends, the Etihad Stadium clash was still scoreless after 30 minutes of extra time, sending the tie to spot-kicks.

Bravo, much criticised after some unconvincing displays last season and making just his third appearance of this campaign, saved successive penalties from Alfred N'Diaye and Conor Coady in a shoot-out where the kicks were taken using the ABBA formula.

Sergio Aguero, just one goal away from becoming City's all-time leading goalscorer, sealed a 4-1 shoot-out success with a cheeky Panenka chipped penalty.

But as the Argentina striker's effort was scored in a shoot-out he remains level with Eric Brook's City record of 177 goals for the Manchester club that has stood since 1939.

Elsewhere, Jesse Lingard scored twice as League Cup holders Manchester United saw off Premier League rivals Swansea 2-0 in South Wales as Jose Mourinho's men bounced back from a shock league defeat by Huddersfield.

NAMPA/AFP

Jobless Moroccan protestor on trial

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Jobless Moroccan protestor on trial A protest leader who spearheaded demonstrations that rocked northern Morocco earlier this year went on trial on Tuesday in a packed courtroom in the city of Casablanca.

Unemployed Nasser Zefzafi, 39, who was arrested in May, faces the death penalty for allegedly "undermining the internal security of the state" after becoming the flag bearer for a protest movement in the impoverished Rif region.

Zefzafi's silhouette could be seen through the opaque glass in the courtroom alongside some 30 other defendants, in his first public appearance since his detention.

His co-accused are facing between five and 20 years behind bars.

A judge quickly suspended the hearing to restore order as some 50 lawyers and dozens of relations of those on trial struggled to squeeze into the small courtroom. A next hearing was later set for 31 October.

Supporters of the Al-Hirak al-Shaabi, or "Popular Movement", protesters held a noisy rally outside the court ahead of the trial to demand their release.

Representatives for the accused slammed the tight security surrounding the trial, claiming that the authorities were trying to drum up an atmosphere of fear around the defendants.

"The state wants to show that the accused are dangerous, but that is not the case," lawyer Isaac Charia told AFP.

"They are peaceful people and innocent."

Months of protests roiled northern Morocco earlier this year after anger was sparked by the gruesome death of a fisherman who was crushed to death in a rubbish truck as he tried to retrieve a confiscated catch.

The largely peaceful demonstrations snowballed from grievances over poverty into a major challenge to the authorities in the kingdom.

In response, security forces launched a crackdown, slinging the alleged leaders of the mainly young protesters in jail in May and June.

On Tuesday some 20 other defendants arrested over the protests were also due to appear for their fourth hearing.

In addition, the Casablanca court was expected to hear the case of journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui, who is accused of failing to inform the authorities of an attempt to harm "state security" over the protests.

NAMPA/AFP

Duterte receives Russian assault rifles

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Duterte receives Russian assault riflesTwo countries have strong military ties The Philippine army is slowly gaining strength through assistance and trade with Russia after the Americans criticised the country’s drug policies. Russia handed over army trucks and thousands of assault rifles to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday as the two nations celebrated their growing military ties.

Duterte accepted the weaponry during a visit to a Russian naval ship docked in Manila, the latest move to embrace Russia and China while distancing the Philippines from its long-time ally and mutual defence partner, the United States.

Following a tour of the mammoth anti-submarine warship Admiral Panteleyev, Duterte personally handled some of the 5 000 donated Kalashnikov rifles along with ammunition and 20 trucks to the poorly-equipped Philippine military.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu hailed the closer relations as he signed two agreements with his Filipino counterpart, Delfin Lorenzana.

"The Philippines is considered to be (a) key and prospective partner in Southeast Asia and Asian-Pacific rim in general," the Russian defence ministry quoted him as saying in a statement, adding it was the first time a defence minister from Moscow had visited the Philippines.

For decades the Southeast Asian nation has been one of Washington's most staunch regional military allies.

But the firebrand Duterte, 72, has loosened that 70-year alliance.

Infuriated by American criticism of a controversial drug war which has claimed thousands of lives, Duterte has instead reached out to Russia and China.

The poorly equipped Philippine army needs allies.

The military on Monday finally declared an end to a five-month battle in the southern city of Marawi where troops struggled to flush out militants loyal to the Islamic State group in the nation's longest urban warfare.

Australian and US military helped provide crucial reconnaissance and targeting during that fight.

But Duterte has made it clear he favours being less dependent on the US.

During a visit to Beijing last year he said he had "realigned" himself towards Beijing and Moscow.

"There are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia," he added.

Shoigu and Lorenzana on Tuesday signed an agreement at the sidelines of a security forum north of Manila that covered defence cooperation in weapons research and exchange of experts, according to statements from their ministries.

The Philippines also signed a contract to purchase rocket propelled grenade launchers, the Russian ministry said without stating how many weapons would be acquired or how much the deal was worth.

China has also donated thousands of assault and sniper rifles to the Philippines in a similar gesture of friendship.

NAMPA/AFP

Turkish journos in court for hacking

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Turkish journos in court for hacking Six journalists appeared in a Turkish court on terror charges on Tuesday for reporting on a trove of allegedly hacked emails suggesting misconduct by Turkey's energy minister.

The journalists are accused of disseminating propaganda for terrorist groups and other terror-related offences after their reports on Berat Albayrak, a son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The reports were based on emails reportedly stolen from Albayrak's personal email account by hackers and made available on WikiLeaks. The government has not confirmed their authenticity.

Speaking outside the Istanbul courthouse, defendant Derya Okatan, managing editor of Etkin News Agency, insisted she and colleagues were acting in the public's interest and accused the government of trying to hide acts that were "illegitimate, illegal and against the interests of the public".

Three of the defendants have been in jail for over 10 months. Okatan and two others were released from custody in January pending the outcome of the trial.

More than a hundred journalists have been arrested in Turkey over terror-related charges since last year's failed coup attempt. Turkey insists the arrests are related to alleged criminal activity and not for journalistic work.

Deniz Yucel, a German journalist for the Die Welt newspaper, was arrested on terror charges and espionage on February 14. This month a Turkish court sentenced a Finnish-Turkish reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Ayla Albayrak, to two years and one month in prison for engaging in propaganda for the outlawed Kurdish rebels.

Both Yucel and Albayrak deny the allegations.

NAMPA/AFP

Namibia a tindi olopota yaCNN

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Namibia a tindi olopota yaCNN Namibia a ndopa okugandja omayamukulo kiikumungu yimwe Ominista yOmakwatathano nElongelokumwe gOpaigwana oya ekelehi oolopota dha pitithwa koshikundaneki shoCNN kombinga yaNamibia tayi pondje oompango dhoondjindikila dha tulilwa mo North Korea koUN Security Council. Nonando Namibia okwa gandja olopota ye gwanithepo lyomulandu gwIigwana yaHangana kombinga yaNorth Korea, okwa ndopa okugandja omayamukulo miinima yimwe, yi na sha nekuthombinga lyaNorth Korea moopoloyeka dhopashigwana.

Namibia okwa pataneke olopota ya pitithwa koCNN, kutya oshilongo osha ndopa, okugandja omayamukulo kIigwana yaHangana uule womvula ngashiingeyi.

Onkundana ndjoka ya pitithwa koshikundneki shoCNN oya a ndjakana komapandja gomakwatathano gopainternrt mOsoondaha nomukanda ngoka gwapitithwa kuamushanga muuministeli mboka,

Lineekela Mboti, ogwa patanene olopota ndjoka ya ningwa koCNN.

Pahapu dhaMboti, Namibia okwa gandja olopota kOkomisi yEgameno mIigwana yaHangana momasiku ga 8 gaApilili nuumvo.

Kepandja lyopaungomba lyo UN Security, otaku adhika olopota yaNamibia ndjoka ya tulwa ko momasiku 18 gaApilili, ihe olopota ndjoka inayi yamukula kiikumungu yimwe po mbyoka yi na sha naNorth Korea ta kutha ombinga moopoloyeka dhopashigwana moshilongo.

“Epangelo lyaNamibia olyiitulamo mokugwanitha po omilandu dhIigwana yaHangana, kombinga yaNorth Korea, onkene otali hiya aatseyinawa opo ya ningile Namibia omakonaakono kombinga yoondjindikila ndhoka dha tulilwa moNorth Korea, kIigwana yaHangana.”



Mboti okwa popi kutya okakomisi hoka oke na ontseyo kombinga yehiyo ndyoka lya ningwa kuNamibia, ihe kapwa li aatseyinawa yapyakudhukwa, ta popi kutya ehiyo ndyoka natango oli na oonkondo.

Mboti okwa tsikile kutya omupevi prima nominista yoshikondo shawo, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, oya yelitha pethimbo lyoonkundathana dhoka a ningwa naye koCNN momasiku 10 gaKotomber kutya, Namibia okwa kutha oonkondo ookondalaka dhe adhihe nehangano lyoKorea Mining Development Trading Corporation (Komid) oshowo Mansudae Overseas Projects omolwa oondjindikila ndhoka dha tulilwa moNorth Korea kIigwana yaHangana.

Uuministeli mboka owa popi kutya aaNorth Korea oya thiga po Namibia onga oshitopolwa shegwanithepo lyomulandu gwOkomisi yEgameno mIigwana yaHangana.

Nonando ongaaka UN Panel of Experts, Hugh Griffiths, okwa popi kutya inaya yakula natango omayamukulo gamwe po okuza kuNamibia uule womvula ngashiingeyi.

Okwa popi kutya okomitiye yawo otayi pula omaumbangi gontumba okuza kuNamibia ihe inaya mona natango omayamukulo ngoka.

Namibia pamwe niilonga yilwe yaAfrika 14 otayi yambidhidha North Korea mooprogramma dhe dhokulonga iilwitho yolute, paku longela kumwe noshilongo shoka moopoloyeka dha yooloka tadhi longwa kehangano lyaMansudae Overseas Projects.

Mansudae, ehangano ndyoka lya li tali tungu oombonge oonene dhuuministeli wegameno lyaNamibia olya kwatakanithwa kaakonaakoni yIigwana yaHangana nehangano hali landitha iilwitho lyo lyelanditho lyiilwitho lyoKorea Mining Development Trading Corporation (Komid).

Iigwana yaHangana oya holola kutya Namibia okwa gandja iilonga kehangano lyaKorea oshowo aaniilonga yaKorea naashoka oshi li e yo pondje lyoompango yIigwana yaHangana.

Griffiths okwa popi kutya omulandulwa gwe okwa li e ya mOvenduka mo-2013 na okwa lombwela kutya Namibia ota gwanitha po omilandu dhOkomisi yEgameno mIigwana yaHangana, ihe pethimbo ndyoka omwaalu omunene gwaaKorea oyali taya longele moshilongo, naashoka otashi ulike kutya Namibia okwa fundju.

Namibia okwa tseyitha kutya okwa hulitha po etungo ndyoka muJuni gwo2016, ihe okakomisi inayi mona uuyelele kutya aaniilonga oya thiga po oshilongo.

Nandi-Ndaitwah okwa lombwele o CNN kutya aaKorea ayehe ya thiga po oshilongo ihe ina vula okukoleka kutya uunake.

Minista natango okwa popi kutya oya hiya okomisi yi ninge omapekaapeko, ihe Griffiths okwa popi kutya yo oya hala omaumbangi geli pamishangwa okuza kuNamibia.

Olopoya yoCNN oya holola kutya oombonge dhoMansudaemOvenduka odha kala tadhi longo sigo oshiwike sha piti. CNN okwa holola omushangwa gwelanditho lyehala , ngoka guulike kutya mo-2004, Mansudae okwa landithwa ehala koshimaliwa shoomiliyona 1.6.

Okomisi yIigwana yaHangana oya popi kutya ehangano lyaNorth Korea olya longela moNamibia pamwe nehangano lyoKorea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID), ndyoka lya hololwa kuAmerika kutya olyo omuyambidhidhi omunene gwongeshefa yiilwitho yaNorth Korea, ehangano ndyoka olya tulilwa mo oondjindikila mo-2009.

Olopota ndjoka ya pitithwa koUN Security Council muFebruali gwonuumvo, oya holola kutya otaya konaakono ekuthombinga lyoKOMID oshowo lyoMansudae moopoloyeka dhaNamibia.

Omathano gopasatelite oga ulike kutya etungo lyo Oamites olya tsikile sigo omo-2014, na Namibia okwa zimine ekuthombinga lyomahangano ngoka gaali mopoloyeka ndjoka ya tamekwa koMansudae mo-2010 sigo omuApilili gwo 2015.

MuJuni gwomvula ya piti, Namibia okwa tseyitha ekutho oonkondo lyelongelokumwe lye nomahangano ngoka moopoloyeka dhe.

Iigwana yaHangana oya pula uumbangi wopamushangwa wekutho lyoonkondo elongelokumwe ndyoka ihe inayi mona natango omayamukulo.

Omakonaakono natango otaga ningwa koUN’s Security Panel of Experts omolwa etungo lyoombelewa dhoNational Central Intelligence Services (NCIS) , ndyoka tali tungwa kehangano lyaNorth Korea, lyoMansudae Overseas Projects otali kwatakanithwa woo nehangano hali landitha iilwitho lyoKorea Mining Development Trading Corporation (Komid), Namibia natango ina yamukula.

ELLANIE SMIT

Iitopolwa yomonooli tayi dhengwa kompumbwe yomeya

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Iitopolwa yomonooli tayi dhengwa kompumbwe yomeya Ehangano lyoNamwater olya taalela ompumbwe yomeya mondama yawo yomondoolopa yaShakati, omolwa iilonga mbyoka tayi longwa mondama yaCalueque.

Omahala ogendji ngoka haga mono omeya okuzilila mOshakati ngaashi Ambende, Omuntele, Otatashe, Akazulu, Oshakati, Ondangwa nOndwediva otaga dhengwa konkalo ndjoka.

Omupopiliko gwehangano lyoNamWater, Johannes Shigwedha okwa lombwele oNamibian Sun kutya muJuli gwonuumvo, ehangano lyoNamWater olya tameke iilonga yopoloyeka yokulonga omunino ngoka hagu nana omeya okuza momulonga guukitha mokanala kaCalueque.

“Opo tu longe iilonga yetu yopoloyeka ndjoka, nena opomba yimwe yomoopomba mbali dhomondama ndjoka oyi na omupatwa opo iilonga yi tameke. Shoka osha li tashi ende nawa poomwedhi dhuutalala muJuli naAguste sho elongitho lyomeya lya li pevi noondama dhomevi odha li natango dhuudha omeya ihe elongitho lyomeya ngashiingeyi olya londa pombanda momwedhi Sepetemba naKotomba nopomba yimwe ndjoka tayi longo itayi vulu okukandula po ompumbwe yomeya ndjoka,” Shigwedha a popi.

Shigwedha okwa tsikile kutya oompungulilo dhomeya monooli odhina omeya omashona na itadhi vulu natango okukandula po ompumbwe yomeya.

“Otatu topola omeya moominino dhetu adhihe omutenya, kakele komunino gwaSouth Feeder nAmbende okuza mOmuthiya. Kongulohi ohatu topolele omunino gwoompungulilo dhaNgwediva opo tu vule woo okugandja omeya kOndangwa oshowo Oshali, Okatope nOmuthiya moshitopolwa shaShikoto. Okwa popi kutya oopomba dhaShakati ohadhi patwa potundi onti-22 nopomba ontitatu ohayi gandja omeya mOmakango. Moshikoto, omudhingoloko gwAmbende ohagu pewa omeya taga zilile mopomba yaMuntele mOndangwa na kakushi kOmuthiya ngaashi shito. Opomba yaSouth Feeder oya kala ya pwatwa omutenya na oya patululwa ohela potundi 19h00 opo yi gandje omeya mOtatashe , Akazulu oshowo Eengodi. Ondjele yomeya mOgongo, Oshakati, Ongwediva nOkatope itayi yi pombanda naashoka osho sha e ta ompumbwe yomeya mEtitano nOlyomakaya.”

Okwa popi kutya omeya mokanala otaga kondololwa nondjele yomeya mOgongo oya ya pombanda omolwa omeya ngoka taga zilile ombululu yaShakati okupita mOshikuku. Okwa popi kutya ota gandja ombili omolwa olopota ye yesiku lya piti kutya omeya ngoka ogeli pokati kaShikuku nOshakati ihe Ombalantu nOgongo.

Oshipangelo shaShakati osha lopota sha taalela ompumbwe yomeya, ihe Shigwedha okwa popi kutya uupyakadhi womoshipangelo shoka itawu kwatakanithwa niilonga yopoloyeka yawo, nompumbwe ndjoka inayi kwatathana nompumbwe ndjoka yeetwa po kiilonga mbyoka ya tameke.

Omupopiliko gwondoolopa yaNgwediva, Jackson Muma okwa popi kutya oya kala taya topolele aakalimo yawo omeya okuza moompungulilo dhawo mOsoondaha omolwa ompumbwe yomeya.

MuMei nuumvo, pokati kOgongo moshitopolwa shaMusati nOshakati moshitopolwa shaShana, okanala okali ka yonuka nokuya evi sha etithwa kefundja nomeya okuza kondama yaCalueque ka gali taga thiki mondama yaShakati.

Ehangano lyaNamWater olya manitha woo etungo lyoompungulilo dhomeya mOshakati dhongushu yoomiliyona 33, opo ku vule okukandulwa ompumbwe yomeya momidhingoloko dhoka dhiikolelela momeya gaShakati.

Omidhingoloko dhanooli olundji ohadhi kala dha taalela ompumbwe yomeya sho omvula ya piti muAguste kwa li kwa holoka uupyakadhi wompumbwe yomeya moshitopolwa shaHangwena, Oshikoto nOshana oya kala owala tayi mono omeya omashona.

Shigwedha okwa popi kutya ompumbwe yomeya monooli oya londo pombanda noopresenda 300 konima nkene oshilongo sha manguluka noompungulilo dhomeya mOshakati itadhi vulu okukandulapo ompumbwe ndjoka, omolwa omwaalu omunene gwaakwashigwana mboka taya longitha omeya ngashiingeyi.

Eenhana nandho odha li hadhi kala mompumbwe yomeya sho dhali hadhi mono omeya okuza mOshakati okupitila mOndangwa, Iindangungu , Oshigambo, Onambutu, Ondobe ihe ngashiingeyi ondoolopa ndjoka otayi mono omeya okuza moomboola dhomomudhingoloko ngoka.

ILENI NANDJATO

Mbumba ta kateke etseyitho lyaaulikwa yelelo lyoSwapo mOshikoto

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Mbumba ta kateke etseyitho lyaaulikwa yelelo lyoSwapo mOshikoto Amushanga gwongundu yoSwapo, Nangolo Mbumba okwa hololwa ta kaleke owina etseyitho lyiizemo yomahogololo gelelo lyoSwapo moshitopolwa shaShikoto, konima yomwedhi mbali ngashiingeyi omahogololo ngoka ga ningwa.

Omapopyo ngoka oga tameke sho aahogololwa momahogololo agehe ngoka ga ningwa miitopolwa ayihe moshiongo ya tseyithwa, kakele komahogololo gomOshikoto nonando aantu oya tameka nale nomahwahwameko, omolwa omutumba gwomahogololo gongundu ngoka kwa tegelelwa ga ningwe.

Sho ku na owala omasiku omashona omutumba gwomahogololo gu ningwe, okuwetike kutya shoka kashili pauyuuki.

Pahapu dhomukwatakanithi gwongundu ndjoka mOshikoto, Armas Amukwiyu, omadhina gaahogololwa yatano oga tuminwa Mbumba momasiku 18 gaAguste ihe sigo onena kapu na shoka sha ningwa.

Aaulikwa mboka oya tumulwa komadhina Kwito Mulunga, Tommy Nambahu, Tobias Ledeus, Vauezua Kasiringua naInge David.

Amukwiyu okwa popi kutya shoka oshinima tashi ningwa owina nonando oya shangele oombapila ombelewa yaMbumba taya pula kutya uunake taya ka mona etseyitho lyomadhina ngoka opo ya tameke nomahwahwameko.

Okwa popi kutya Mbumba okwe mu yamukula oshikando shimwe kutya inaya mana natango okukonaakona omadhina ngoka ga tumwa.

Amukwiyu okwa popi kutya Mbumba okwa uvaneke okupititha omadhina ngoka muSepetemba ihe kape na shoka sha ningwa po sigo onena.

Sho a pulwa kutya pamwe osho ya gandja omadhina kwa lata sho omahogololo gawo gali ga ningwa hugunina, Amukwiyu okwa popi kutya shoka hasho omatompelo.

Sho a ningilwa omapulo, Mbumba okwa lombwele omutoolinkundana gwoshifo shika kutya, elelo lyaSwapo mOshikoto nali mu pule lyolyene.

“Hangoye omupopiliko gwelelo lyoSwapo mOshikoto, e tha ya pule ndje yoyene,” Mbumba ta ti.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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What have you done?

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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What have you done? We hear that former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, chairman of the 'Panel of the Wise' of the African Union, has called for the inclusion of women in talks and discussions on conflict resolution. We take no issue with his statement but we do question the work of the panel of which he is chair.

This panel is said to be a consultative body of the African Union, composed of five appointed members who each serve three year terms. Its mandate is to provide opinions to the Peace and Security Council on issues relevant to conflict prevention, management, and resolution. Representatives are chosen for the North, East, South, West, and Central regions of the continent.

In December, this panel will be 10 years old having been established in December 2007.

Yet, Africa continues to carry more than half the incidences of worldwide conflicts while it only holds 16% of the world's population. According to one opinion, this is a slightly larger share of the world's conflicts than even during the chaotic years of the post-Cold War 1990s.

Some 15 of the countries on our continent are involved in conflicts, with by far the most wars, where between 1 000 to 10 000 deaths occur in a year and holds many minor conflict zones where between 100 and 1 000 people are killed per year.

We often hear our leaders, as those of other countries on the continent, speak about the rich and vast resources at our disposal yet, during the first three months of 2015, almost 8 500 people were killed in the Boko Haram conflict. Why are our most vulnerable members of society becoming more vulnerable? Why is our fauna and flora being plundered?

One word: Poverty.

Tribalism, religious wars, resource wars and political wars can all be solved by dealing with poverty. For when a man has a tomorrow and a means to care for himself and his family, a future that does not include hunger and fear and instability, that man is far less likely to engage in war and violence.

We ask the Panel of the Wise what exactly they have done in 10 years of advising the AU. We ask the AU, what have you done? And we ask the governments of Africa, what have you done?

Shot of the day

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Shot of the day LADY LIBERTY GLOWS: Illuminated pumpkins in the shape of the Statue of Liberty are on display during the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, on 24 October 2017. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is for 45 evenings, including Halloween night and features over 7 000 hand-carved, illuminated pumpkins. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

M4 CS launched at BMW M festival

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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M4 CS launched at BMW M festivalPower, performance and poise The first-ever M Fest at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit was a cracker. Its Ring lap time of 7 min. 38 sec. puts the CS in super-sports car territory. - BMW One of the most anticipated BMW M models this year, the new BMW M4 CS, was unveiled at the media launch of the first-ever BMW M Festival at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Gauteng this past weekend.

At the festival, BMW customers, fans and car enthusiasts got a sneak preview of current and upcoming BMW M models, experience hot laps and book test drives across the BMW M as well as M Performance model range.

Festival-goers also got the opportunity to participate in drag races, drifting, walk through one of the largest BMW showrooms in Africa.

The BMW DTM race team (Team Schnitzer with driver Tom Blomqvist) also made a special appearance at the event and thrilled visitors with hot laps in the BMW M4 DTM car around the 16-turn, 4.522 km anti-clockwise FIA graded circuit.



The art of dynamic supremacy

BMW M GmbH's latest exclusive limited-run special-edition model, the new BMW M4 CS has been one of their most anticipated launches of the year.

The M4 CS sees BMW M GmbH introducing a new nomenclature for its models. Positioned above the standard M models will be the performance-boosted Competition versions. Then come the CS special-edition models, a notch higher still. Positioned on top are the performance-maximising “brand shapers” which display a clear motor sport or club sport character but are also fully road legal.

The 3.0-litre high-performance engine raises the output of the M4 with Competition Package by 10 horsepower, to 460 hp (338 kW).

State-of-the-art TwinPower Turbo technology allows the M4 CS to dip below the four-second mark for the 0 to 100 km/h sprint, stopping the clock at 3.9 seconds. The top speed of the M4 CS, which comes as standard with the M Driver's Package, is electronically limited to 280 km/h.

The new BMW M4 CS is equipped as standard with the seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) with Drivelogic. This cutting-edge transmission has a separate oil cooler and changes gears in fractions of a second with no interruption in the flow of power, but employs a long seventh gear to keep revs low and minimise fuel consumption over longer motorway journeys.

The M4 CS is fitted as standard with Adaptive M suspension whose geometry has been tuned to deliver optimised performance on both the road and track. The new BMW M4 CS has also been honed on the most demanding test track of them all for high-performance sports cars: The legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Its Ring lap time of 7 min. 38 sec. puts the CS in super-sports car territory.

The driver has the option of adjusting the steering and suspension settings to their personal preferences or the demands of the route at hand. To this end, they can select one of three driving modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+) at the touch of a button.

For those heading to the track with their BMW M4 CS, Sport+ mode will pave the way for the fastest lap times. Sport+ fettles all the relevant systems to deliver the best possible dynamics. Should the driver get a little too excited, DSC will intervene in an instant. However, in M Dynamic Mode (MDM) it will also allow controlled drifts.

With its stunning performance and breathtaking looks both inside and out, the BMW M4 CS is absolutely brimming with sporting intent and undeniable class.

The BMW M4 CS is retails at rough N$1.8 million.

- QuickPic and own reporting

117 hippo carcasses destroyed

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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117 hippo carcasses destroyed Newly released figures indicate that 117 hippo and seven buffalo carcasses have been destroyed following an outbreak of anthrax in the Bwabwata National Park.

According to the spokesperson of the environment and tourism ministry, Romeo Muyunda, the clean-up operation started on 13 October. He said 37 people are part of the operation.

“The deaths of hippo and buffalo remain confined to the Buffalo and Mahango Core Areas of the Bwabwata National Park. Restricted access in these core areas remains in place,” said Muyunda.

Furthermore the health ministry has put 724 people on prophylactic treatment against anthrax - mainly in the Mukwe Constituency - as a precautionary measure.

So far, no cases of anthrax have been detected in humans or livestock, said Muyunda. Livestock movement restrictions in Mukwe Constituency also remain in place.

“The vaccination of livestock against anthrax is expected to commence this week in the affected area and farmers are urged to bring their livestock to vaccination points,” Muyunda said.

Awareness campaigns are also ongoing and the cooperation of the public has been remarkable, he added.

Mass deaths of hippos were reported in the Okavango River in the Bwabwata National Park since 1 October. The mass deaths were confirmed by government officials on 7 October after an aerial survey of the area. The outbreak of anthrax was officially confirmed on 11 October.

Anthrax is an infection caused by bacteria, Bacillus anthracis, usually transmitted from infected animals. It causes skin, lung and bowel disease.

Most anthrax infections are deadly and occur when people touch contaminated animals or their products like wool, bone, hair, hide, or eat their carcasses. The infection occurs when the bacteria enters a cut on the skin.

Anthrax infection through the skin presents with a raised, itchy and bumpy skin resembling an insect bite that quickly develops into a painless sore with a black centre and swelling.

ELLANIE SMIT

Boois intensifies fight against Himarwa

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Boois intensifies fight against HimarwaTit-for-tat Beleaguered Yvonne Boois is not backing off in her fight against her former friends. CATHERINE SASMAN

Yvonne Boois has lodged an additional charge of perjury against Ghenno Himarwa after laying a charge of fraud against him and National Council chairperson Margaret Mensah-Williams with the police.

The new charge came weeks after Boois had laid eight charges of fraud and corruption with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against Himarwa’s wife, education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa.

The new charge relates to the ongoing battle over allegations that Himarwa had deliberately not paid out dividends accruing from her 17.5% shares in Hotago Fishing since 2016.

Boois said Himarwa had misinformed his lawyers, De Klerk, Horn & Coetzee Incorporated, that she had received N$215 000 in 2016, which was paid by cheque to her in two tranches (N$110 000 on 22 April and again N$105 000 on 27 April last year).

In her statement to the police Boois said she did in fact receive a cheque for N$110 000 from Himarwa in April last year but was unable to clear the cheque because it exceeded the maximum value of N$100 000.

She said the cheque was returned to Himarwa through her lawyers, Mutorua & Associates, and that Himarwa then wrote out two separate cheques of N$55 000 and N$50 000.

“Thus, to now claim that I was paid an amount of N$215 000 is a blatant lie,” she said, pointing out that the cheques Himarwa did write out to her were only paid into her bank account in April and July this year.

She further claims that Himarwa lied to his lawyers that Hotago operated at a loss during 2017, and thus could not pay any dividends, adding that bank statements show numerous payouts having been made during 2016 and 2017.

She claims that she is owed N$432 000 in dividends, which she says was either “withheld” or “stolen” by Himarwa and Mensah-Williams.

“In addition to that, many unauthorised payments were made, even to non-members of the company,” Boois claims.

Boois claims that by August, there was an amount of N$837 214.14 in the Hotago bank account; by 19 October there was only N$515 111.27 in the account. This led her to the conclusion that the other shareholders of the fishing enterprise were “shamelessly and fearlessly continuing with the looting of the Hotago funds”.

Himarwa yesterday denied all allegations, calling Boois a “bitter person”.

He claimed that all dividends due to Boois had been paid by the end of 2016, in fact that she had received N$598 650 in total.

“We are hiding nothing; we are willing to go to court with proof,” Himarwa said. “She is dirtying other people’s names. She must come out with proof.”

Himarwa said dividends are not paid out according to the percentage of shareholding in Hotago because the company also donates money to welfare organisations and assists schools.

“All the money does not only go into paying out dividends; we also assist the poor,” Himarwa said.

Boois was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission on 21 August on allegations of irregularities in the awarding of tenders while she was the chief regional officer of the Hardap regional council.

She was arrested days after she had laid a charge of fraud against Himarwa and Mensah-Williams over the alleged unpaid dividends.

She was released on bail of N$4 000.

Möller murder case transferred to High Court

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Möller murder case transferred to High Court The five men accused of killing Walvis Bay resident Hans Möller made another appearance before the local magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Tresia Hafeni told the court that the prosecutor-general had instructed that the case against Gotlieb Panduleni (30), David Tashiya (29), David Shekundja (35), Elly Ndapuka Hinavali (29), and Malakia Shiweda (28) be transferred to the Windhoek High Court.

The accused will appear in that court on 23 November on charges of murder, attempted murder, housebreaking, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The trial date will be set during pre-trial proceedings.

Möller was shot in the stomach while trying to protect his wife, Carol-Ann Sowden Möller, and their two children (aged six and four years) during an armed robbery at their home in Walvis Bay in June 2016.

The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

OTIS FINCK

West African bloc's single currency goal fails

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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West African bloc's single currency goal failsNo harmonising monetary policy The latest announcement comes after a string of revisions and postponements to the monetary integration plan over the years. We cannot move to the single currency in 2020. - Marcel de Souza, president of the ECOWAS Commission Niamey -The 15-nation West African bloc ECOWAS told regional leaders Tuesday that the goal of establishing a single currency among their economies in 2020 had failed.

"The roadmap has not been implemented vigorously," Marcel de Souza, president of the ECOWAS Commission, told a summit in Niamey, the capital of Niger.

"We cannot move to the single currency in 2020," he said.

Four goals had been set down for introducing a single currency but "there are not the results to match," de Souza said.

"From 2012 to 2016, none of our countries has been able to persistently uphold the prime criteria in the programme for macro-economic convergence," he said.

The summit aims at assessing progress towards a single regional currency 30 years after the goal was first sketched.

ECOWAS - the Economic Community of West African States - was set up in 1975.

Today it comprises Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, which together have 300 million inhabitants.

Tuesday's announcement came after a string of revisions and postponements to the monetary integration plan over the years.

In 2013, ECOWAS tasked Niger and Ghana with "coordinating" the single-currency campaign, and in 2014, a "task force" was set up to provide them with guidance. But De Souza listed a number of setbacks, including failures to harmonise monetary policies between the eight currencies used by ECOWAS economies, and to set up a "monetary institute" - a forerunner of a common central bank.

Eight ECOWAS countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) jointly use the CFA franc.

They are moored to the single European currency and are gathered in an organisation called the West African Monetary Union, or WAMU.

But the seven other ECOWAS countries have their own currencies, none of them freely convertible amongst themselves.

Presidents Mahamadou Isoufou of Niger, Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, Nana Akufo Ado of Ghana, Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Faure Gnassingbe of Togo took part in the summit. – Nampa/AFP

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All poaching is a concern - Shifeta

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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All poaching is a concern - Shifeta Minister speaks about antelope, cattle killings Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta says while the numbers of elephant and rhino poached in Namibia have declined, other poaching is on the increase. While the poaching of rhino and elephants has declined, the environment ministry is concerned about increasing poaching of other animals.

“Poaching of other animals has gone up at an alarming rate,” said the environment and tourism minister, Pohamba Shifeta.

He said Namibia’s population of all wild animals has grown significantly, but this has also enticed people to poach more.

“Poaching has always been there and now with the animal population growing, people are taking more chances.”

However, Shifeta added that the problem is not as bad as it was before independence when some species were nearly extinct.

He added that not even private farms are escaping poaching. “There has also been an increase of poaching on private farms, because there is a demand for meat.”

He added that the ministry was coordinating with farm owners as well as butcheries to address the problem. Butcheries must be aware that when they buy meat from someone that the person must have the relevant permit to carry that product and a permit to sell it, said Shifeta.

He said that farm owners should screen their employees because in most cases, it is employees who are involved in poaching on farms.

“A person who kills game can just as easily go after your cattle. What they do is camp inside the farm where they kill the animal and then dry the meat before they sell it.”

Shifeta said the ministry was collaborating with vendors selling this meat in an effort to track down culprits.

“We are not harassing them, we just want to find the culprits behind this.”

He also said the poaching of pangolin was of concern in Namibia.

“The pangolin has now become critically endangered and because the animals have become extinct in other countries, poachers are coming here to capture and export pangolin.”

He added that although the pangolin population was not currently worrisome, the problem needed to be addressed.

He also added that the current outbreak of anthrax in the Bwabwata National Park affecting the hippo population is not currently a cause for concern.

Shifeta said that the ministry is more concerned about the spread of anthrax as the hippo population is very healthy and they can become territorial if they population becomes too high in one area.

There have been no reports of human’s contracting the disease, he said.

The ministry and the police are cooperating in a project to collaborate their statistics with regards to all wildlife crime. Preference is given to elephants and rhino after which all other crimes relating to other wild animals and game will be looked into.

This is an effort to provide more reliable statistics on all wildlife crime.

ELLANIE SMIT

Women must be included to silence guns in Africa - Pohamba

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Women must be included to silence guns in Africa - Pohamba As Africa forges ahead with her efforts to silence the guns by 2020, the peace and security agenda must be enhanced by strengthening the Office of the Africa Union Envoy on Women, Peace and Security.

This is the view of the chairperson of the African Union Panel of the Wise, Hifikepunye Pohamba at the 8th high-level retreat on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa, underway in N’djamena, Chad.

Pohamba, who was Namibian president from 2005 to 2015, explained that experience had shown that women can be agents of peace when they are fully involved in mediation, conflict management and resolution and not just victims of conflicts.

He expressed concern that since the adoption of Agenda 2063, four years ago, Africa had not been able to bridge the gap between the lofty aspirations of silencing the guns and the ability to mobilise resources to translate the aspirations into tangible measureable programmes of action in to resolve the prevailing conflicts in Africa.

“We have to work relentlessly to achieve peace in order to devote our resources to economic and social development of our continent,” he stressed.

Pohamba noted that in the past few decades, the peace and security landscape in Africa had fundamentally been affected by the emergence of terrorism that had afflicted some African countries with tragic consequences to the civilian population.

He called on Africa to build confidence in the integrity of the electoral processes, saying that a transparent and inclusive electoral process would produce a legitimate outcome acceptable to the winner and the looser.

Elections, he said should not be a source of tension and violence, but rather an opportunity for free expression of the political will of the people.

Africa must therefore embrace the primacy of democratic rule and respect of human rights of the peoples, Pohamba said.

The chairperson expressed concern that at the national levels, the major challenges in Africa were rising poverty, persistent inequalities and non-inclusive economic growth which have serious implications on the security of the African countries and the continent at large.

He said Africa must persist in its legitimate demands to have a strong voice at the highest international security architecture, meaning a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations (UN) Security Council.

“Africa should not compromise on this demand. The historic injustice against Africa can no longer be allowed to stand,” he stressed.

The meeting ends Wednesday.

NAMPA

Letshego awards productive use of loans

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Letshego awards productive use of loansILC 2017 launched In its 2016 ILC campaign, Letshego received a total of 2 877 stories from clients on how they use loans productively. We believe in ensuring that the financing we extend to our customers is used in a responsible and sustainable manner. - Ester Kali, CEO of Letshego Namibia. Staff reporter



Letshego Group Namibia has launched its Improving Life Campaign (ILC) for 2017, a customer engagement campaign rewarding productive loan use behaviour by the bank's clients.

Letshego believes people from all walks of life should be able to access financing for improving their livelihoods, while in turn, actively participating in the economy through financing productive endeavours.

In its 2016 ILC campaign, Letshego received a total of 2 877 stories from clients on how they use loans productively, which were categorised under education, home/home improvement, farming, motor vehicle purchase, business and health.

ILC campaign winners will be rewarded by enhancing their existing productive loan use. For example, if they won because they used Letshego funds to buy a taxi, the prize money - which amounts to N$20 000 per winner - will be used to buy tyres, maintain the taxi or buy an additional taxi, addressing only the productive needs of the winner.

In previous years, Letshego Namibia, and its sister companies across Africa, have consistently embraced responsible and ethical financial services by running customer and public campaigns that focus on rewarding productive financial behaviour, creating a culture that brings inclusive finance to the financially marginalised.

“We believe in ensuring that the financing we extend to our customers is used in a responsible and sustainable manner,” says Ester Kali, chief executive officer of Letshego Namibia. In support of this mandate, Letshego Namibia earlier this year signed up as a member of the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI). Among others, this assists clients to make informed financial decisions throughout their lives.

To participate in ILC 2017, clients can visit any Letshego branch around the country, fill in the entry form, share their story on the form and hand it to a Letshego consultant.

Customers are invited to share their stories of how they have used Letshego finance to sustainably improve their lives, and they stand a chance to win their share of N$100 000.

Ongwediva fire brigade under fire

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Ongwediva fire brigade under fire KENYA KAMBOWE

Community members have accused the Ongwediva town council’s fire brigade for not responding promptly to fires.

After a lodge and a house burned down at Ongwediva over the weekend, firefighters were accused of a slow response and of running out of water.

Residents pointed out that they pay for the fire service.

“It is totally unacceptable for people to wait for more than 30 minutes for the fire brigade to arrive at the scene and by the time they come, they are just there to put out the fire after people had to witness their property burn to dust. We pay them every month,” a community member told Namibian Sun.

On Saturday when the Ongwediva Town Lodge burned to ground it was said that council’s fire engine, parked at the fire station just 700 meters away, was without water.

The lodge’s employees said the fire truck arrived too late to save the building because it had to take on water first.

Council spokesperson Jackson Muma denied the accusation, saying that the readiness of their emergency response vehicles was regularly inspected.

Muma said it took the fire brigade team 13 minutes to respond to the incident.

“At around 16:07, Ongwediva Emergency Services received a report of fire at Ongwediva Town Lodge. A team on standby arrived at the scene at around 16:20, with vigour to extinguish the fire. However, it appeared that the fire had started long before the community called the Emergency Services for assistance,” Muma said.

On Sunday a house burned down, leaving a family of eight homeless. A firefighter happened to be on the scene and responded immediately but his truck ran out of water.

When he tried to refill it at the nearest fire hydrant, it was not functional and he had to drive away to find another hydrant.

That trip took about 15 minutes. During that time the family and onlookers stood helplessly watching the house burn down.

Community members asked why the fire hydrant, which had been installed last year, was out of order

Muma agreed that fire hydrants should be operational at all times. He could not explain the dysfunction on Sunday.

Monitronic accused of withholding diplomas

October 25, 2017, 3:00 pm

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Monitronic accused of withholding diplomas A former student who successfully completed his UK City and Guide electrical and electronic engineering course through Monitronic Success College's Ondangwa campus claims that the institution never gave him his diploma.

The complainant says he spent N$48 566 on his studies between June 2013 and December 2015.

“I feel like I have wasted my time and money. The painful thing is that every time I inquire about my qualification they do not answer me in a polite way or sometimes they ignore me.

“The last time I inquired was last month and they told me that the UK City and Guide is the one holding our diplomas,” he said.

The college used to be a centre for the Association of Business Executives (ABE-UK), City and Guilds International (UK) and Institute of Bookkeepers of South Africa but these international institutions withdrew their franchise when the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) did not accredit their qualifications in 2015.

Monitronic Success College had been offering franchised qualifications since 1999.

It struggled to get NQA accreditation for diplomas at Namibian Qualifications Framework levels five and six, which included accounting and financial management, business management, human resource management, travel, tourism and hospitality management, electrical and electronic engineering, telecommunication systems, electrical installation and information technology.

In 2014 it was reported that Monitronic was one of many tertiary institutions that had misled prospective students regarding their accreditation status with the Namibia Qualifications Authority.

When contacted for comment, Fosta Lambanapasi of Monitronic Success College in Windhoek said students who did not receive their diplomas either failed to collect them, or did not settle their accounts or did not complete their studies.

“Some of these students who are complaining are just those that have not completed their study or they owe Monitronic [money]. How can you get a qualification if you have not completed your study or if you owe the institution? I also have thousands of unclaimed qualifications in my office. Those people must come to me,” Lambanapasi said.

Lambanapasi also said that Monitronic no longer offered franchised courses and that those who had not completed their studies by 2015 would have to start over with the new curriculum.

ILENI NANDJATO