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Boffing triumph in Kasu Dream Cup

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Boffing triumph in Kasu Dream CupBoffing triumph in Kasu Dream Cup Boffing from Ovitoto won the fourth edition of the 2018 Katutura Sport Union (Kasu) Dream Cup tourney that concluded at the Khomasdal stadium on Sunday.

They beat Life In The City from Otjombinde 2-0 in the final.

Team manager Beleki Mbahuurua said his players are always committed and winning the final is key in each competition they enter.

“This is our second trophy this year and I don't put pressure on my players because they know their goals,” he said.

Most of the players are unemployed and the money they win helps to cater for their needs.

Team captain Ukarera Hukura said he is delighted after winning the cup and commended his fellow players for their performances.

“We worked hard and committed ourselves throughout to win this competition, which also motivated us.”

He said their team spirit and the inclusion of young players will take the side forward.

“Our goalkeeper, Mervin Kasetura, is playing for Tura Magic in the Namibian Premier League and that motivates us to do better, always.”

Boffing took home N$8 000, a trophy and 18 gold medals while Life In The City received N$4 000 plus 18 silver medals.

The losing semifinalists were Epukiro-based Otjimanangombe and Omutumba-okajeo, who each received N$2 000.

Renamo Bucks from Okombomi in Epukiro was the winner of the previous Kasu Dream Cup, which was held in 2016.

NAMPA

Iikolokosha melelo lyaShakati

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Iikolokosha melelo lyaShakatiIikolokosha melelo lyaShakatiIta ya tsukumwe megandjo lyoompito dhiilonga Aakwashigwana oya li ya thigwa monkumwe onene sha landula iikolokosha nomananathanao ga tukuka pokati kiilyo yelelo lyondoolopa yaShakati oshiwike sha piti. Omananathano ngoka oga tameke sha landula oshiyetwa po sha popiwa komunashipundi gwelelo ndyoka, Gabriel Kamwanka ngoka a pula eshunitho monima nekutho lyoonkondo okatokolitho kamwe hoka ka li ka ningwa oomwedhi dha piti.

Elelo lyondoolopa olya li lya ningi etokolo kutya otaku ka tseyithululwa oompito ne dhiilonga melelo moka.

Ompito ndhoka ongaashi yomunambelewa gwoompangela dhondoolopa a pyokoka, omunangeshefa gwomangeshefelo, menindja gwiiyemo oshowo menindja gwoompangela dhomaliko nomalanditho.

Shoka osha hala okutya oshikondo shiiyemo shoka ngashiingeyi tashi kwatelwa komeho kuDamian Hamunyela, otashi ka topolelwa oomenindja yaali, moka gumwe taka kala noshinakugwanithwa shokuungaunga niimaliwa, omaliko niifuta yondoolopa omanga omukwawo taka kala noshinakugwanithwa shokugongela iiyemo yondoolopa.

Oshikondo shoompangela nomaliko gondoolopa shoka tashi kwatelwa komeho kuOrestus Shilunga, otashi ka topolwa nasho miitopolwa iyali nomunambelewa gumwe otaka kala noshitopolwa shoompangela omanga mukwawo taka kala noshitopolwa shomaiko.

Hamunyela okwa a halika a kale omukomeho gwoshikondo shokugongela iiyemo yondoolopa omanga ompito yimwe tayi ka tseyithwa.

Okwa popiwa kutya ke na ontseyo na oha mono eyambidhidho okuza koTsumeb opo a tule kumwe omambo gondoolopa.

Shilunga okwa halika aniwa a kale omukomeho gwoshikondo shoompangela ihe naye otaku popiwa kutya ke na uunongo oku na owala ontseyo koshikondo shokuungaunga nomaliko.

Oompaangela dhondoolopa aniwa ohadhi ningwa kehangano lyopaumwene pauyelele mboka wuniwe koNamibian Sun.

Nonando ongaaka, onzo yimwe oya popi kutya Shilunga naHamunyela inaya nyanyukilwa omatokolo ngka ga ningwa.

“Shilunga okwa hala opoosa yoompangela omanga Damian a hala opoosa yiyemo ndhoka dhatseyithwa na inaya hala dhoka ya pewa,” onzo ya popi.

Emily Alweendo, ngoka ha longele oshikondo shiiyemo mondoolopa moka oye gumwe ngoka a zi mo sha landula etseyitho ndyoka lya ningwa.

Nonando ongaaka pethimbo lyomutumba gwelelo ngoka gwa ningwa, euliko ye olya kuthwa mo momusholondondo gwiikundathanwa yomutumba sha landula oshiyetwapo shaKamwanka.

Onzo oya holola kutya Kamwanka okwa hala Hamutenya ngoka aniwa omonagona na okuli omonamati gwomupeha mayola gwondoolopa, Ndamononghenda Hamunyela.

Shoka osha etitha elelo li hogolole tali popile oshiyetwa po she nenge itali popile, noshiyetwapo she inashi popilwa.

Kamwanka okwa li woo a pula oshikumungu shoka shi kuthwe mo miikundathanwa molwaashoka ookansela kaya li mo momutumba ihe natango epulo ndyoka olya tindwa.

Mayola Angelus Iyambo okwa popi kutya otaya kwatelwa komeho komilandu nkene ye na okuungaunga niikumungu.

“Ompango yomalelo goondoolopa oya yela, ngele mboka ye li momutumba otaya hogolola taya popile oshiyetwa po ihe omawi inaga thika poopresenda 75, nena oshiyetwa po shoka otashi ekelwahi,” Iyambo a popi.

Pethimbo lyoompata ndhoka, Kamwanka okwa lundile omunambelewa omukuluntu gwondoolopa, Werner Iita kutya okwa ulike aantu yaali moshikondo sho procurement department shaaheli pamulandu.

Kamwanka okwa gandja oombaapila dhoka e na tadhi ulike kutya Iita ke na oonkondo dhokuulika aaniilonga.

Iita okwiipopile kutya yimwe yomoombaapila eyamukulo lya zi kominista yemona Calle Schlettwein.

“Uuna oshiputudhilo shahala okutota oshikondo sho procurement management unit (PMU) ngaashi iinakugwanithwa tayi tothwa mo komilandu, nena omilandu dhoshikondo shoonzo dhopauntu odha pumbwa okulandulwa omanga omunambelewa gomayalulo ina ninga omauliko ngoka ngaashi tashi uthwa kontopolwa 12(1),” ombaapila yaSchlettwein ya holola.

Iita okwa yelitha kutya okwa landula omilandu dhoonzo dhopauntu nomauliko ngoka a ningi oge li paveta.



KENYA KAMBOWE

Oonakuninga omaindilo gevi taya ningi iikengelela ya kunkililwa

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Oonakuninga omaindilo gevi taya ningi iikengelela ya kunkililwaOonakuninga omaindilo gevi taya ningi iikengelela ya kunkililwa Kansela melelo lyoshilando shaVenduka, Hileni Ulumbu okwa gunu aatungi mboka taya longitha aantu taya lumbu nomaulema mokuninga omaindilo gevi.

Nonando inashi yelamo kutya iipotha ingaapi yoludhi ndoka ya dhidhilikwa, omupopiliko gwoshilando shaVenduka, Lydia Amutenya okwa lombwele oNamibian Sun kutya ngashiingeyi oku na omaindilo geli 170 gaantu taya lumbu nomaulema ngoka geli momusholondondo gwawo gwokutegelela.

“Ngoka omukalo tagu londo pombanda ngoka gwa dhidhilikwa kelelo,” Amutenya apopi.

Ulumbu okwa popi kutya “elelo olya nongele kutya ope na aakwashigwana mboka taya longitha aantu taya lumbu nomaulema mokuninga omaindilo gevi.”

Okwa gunu kutya oshi li oshimbuluma okukengelela nokuninga oombaapila dhiikengelela tadhi yambidhidha omaningo gomaindilo taga ningwa kaantu taya lumbu nomaulema.

Okwa kunkilile oshigwana unene aantu mboka taya lumbu nomaulema opo kaya ninge iihakanwa yiikengelela mbyoka tayi ningwa kaatungi , mboka taya ningi omaindilo taye ya longitha nuuna omaindilo gawo ga piti, otaye ya ekelehi.

Ulumbu okwa popi kutya omukalo ngoka nagu hule meendelelo.

Ulumbu okwa popi kutya elelo lyondoolopa olya taalela nale omukundu omunene gwomaindilo gevi ogendji nelelo oli li konima noonkondo unene momaindilo gevi gomalukalwa onkene aakwashigwana naya landule omilandu dhomondjila mokuninga omaindilo gevi.

Okwa popi kutya elelo lyawo otali kala aluhe lya tonata mokukwashilipaleka kutya olya tothwamo iilonga yuulingilingi.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Olufuko detractors lashed

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Olufuko detractors lashedOlufuko detractors lashedPolitical heavyweights defend initiation festival Those who have over the years criticised the Olufuko festival received a tongue-lashing from several political heavyweights. Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa, Founding President Sam Nujoma and Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba were among those who delivered strong statements in defence of the Olufuko festival currently taking place at Outapi, in a bid to silence critics.

Also weighing in were Omusati governor Erginus Endjala and Ombalantu Traditional Authority chief Oswin Mukulu.

Critics have labelled Olufuko satanic and evil, saying the girls who undergo traditional initiation are being exposed to old men for the purpose of sexual intercourse.

Detractors also claim these initiates are being prepared for child marriage, which has been categorically denied by the festival's organisers and supporters.

During the official opening of the festival this week, which ends on 4 September, Shaningwa used the platform to tongue-lash those who are opposed to the event.

She questioned why Namibians should be limited to following practices derived from western cultures and not those handed down by their own ancestors.

“Other countries have their cultures; why should we not embrace our culture? Our culture will not be killed by people who come from wherever they come and want to stop us from practicing the culture set by our forefathers,” Shaningwa said.

“They say we are preparing the children to go and sleep with men, but we say they are being taught about their tradition, and after they are done with the initiation they should go back to school and study to become doctors and thereafter do as they please. I unconditionally jump onto the wagon and endorse the initiative that Olufuko must go forward.”

Nujoma, who is the patron of the festival, said there is a difference between initiation and marriage, and detractors should not confuse the two.

Nujoma said countries worldwide are celebrating their cultures and Namibians should celebrate theirs, without fear and regret.

“Let me make it categorically clear that initiation is not marriage, but the rite of passage from childhood into womanhood or adulthood. We are mindful of our young girls, the initiates, who are taking part in this process. Many of them will be future leaders and have to be educated in various fields,” Nujoma said.

“Countries worldwide are celebrating their cultures and traditions, unlike those people who do not want to decolonise their minds and are simply delighted to continue promoting foreign cultures, while shamelessly looking down at their own.”

Mbumba spoke on the legality of Olufuko, saying as far as he knows, the initiation festival is in line with the country's constitution.

“To the best of my knowledge, Olufuko operates under the constitution and the laws of the Republic of Namibia, which clearly prohibits and outlaws child marriages and similar decadent practices, which may erode the constitutional, fundamental human rights of our children,” he said.

“Therefore, to my knowledge, harmful ancient cultural practices, such as traditionally marrying off underage young girls in Namibia, are not part of Olufuko's aims, objectives and modus operandi.”

Mbumba said child marriages are not allowed in Namibia and should therefore be reported to the police for immediate action to be taken against the culprits.

This year a total of 40 girls took part in the Olufuko initiation.

KENYA KAMBOWE

City warns corrupt land applicants

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City warns corrupt land applicantsCity warns corrupt land applicants Windhoek city councillor Hileni Ulumbu this week slammed property developers accused of corruptly using persons with disabilities to apply for land.

Although it is unclear how many such cases have been identified, City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya told Namibian Sun that there were currently 170 applications by people with disabilities on the waiting list.

“This is an increasing practice that came to the attention of the council,” Amutenya said.

Ulumbu said the council had “noted with great concern a trend whereby our residents with disabilities are used as fronts in applications for land”.

She warned that it is a criminal act to forge documents purporting that an application is made by a disabled person.

She warned the public, especially persons with disabilities, not to fall victim to corrupt developers who “get their land application through and later abandon them after such approval is granted”.

Ulumbu said this practice was unacceptable and must end immediately.

She said property developers were using disabled people to apply for land, “with a notion that such projects are aimed at providing employment and uplifting the living standards of people with disabilities”.

Ulumbu said the City was already burdened with a backlog of applications for residential plots and therefore urged all residents to follow the correct procedures.

She said the City would remain vigilant against corruption in land applications.

Juniors tackle issues of the day

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Juniors tackle issues of the dayJuniors tackle issues of the day The 42 members of Namibia's first Junior National Council convened this week in Windhoek to discuss a range of topics affecting the country's youth.

The National Council second session of the first Junior National Council under the theme 'Enhancing Partnerships to Strengthen Good Governance in Namibia' comes to an end today.

A total of 42 grade 10, 11 and 12 learners from all 14 regions started debating among other issues, the impact of human trafficking on the youth, cybercrime and its effects on the Namibian youth, the involvement of the youth in the extractive industry for enhancing economic and social development, and youth participation in budgeting processes at local and national level.

The Junior National Council is one of several initiatives of the National Council towards achieving its strategic goal of enhancing public participation in the law-making process in the country.

The programme is further aimed at developing a basic understanding of parliamentary functions and practices, legislative procedures as well as the importance of review and oversight in the legislative process.

The Junior National Council was inaugurated in May 2017 and the 42 members were drawn from 14 regions representing 121 constituencies.

Members serve a term of two years, and those who are currently in grade 12 will be replaced at the end of the academic year.

Members were nominated in their regions through a process based on their leadership skills and ability to debate issues of common interest.

The junior council is composed of an equal number of boys and girls, representing rural and urban areas alike.

At the launch, National Council chairperson Margaret Mensah-Williams said the junior council is aimed at developing a generation of young people who are politically aware and responsible citizens.

In 2017, the young parliamentarians passed several recommendations, including a motion seeking the removal of a clause in the Marriage Act which allows children under the age of 18 to marry if approval is given by the line minister.

Arts summit soars

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Arts summit soarsArts summit soarsA first for southern Africa and hosted in Namibia The Namibian Arts Council hosted the first southern African arts summit, exploring local, creative possibilities. Namibia recently hosted the first-ever Arts Summit of Southern Africa (ASSA) at Nipam in Windhoek. The summit saw people from as far as West Africa attend and who took the opportunity to learn from each other and to develop strategies for arts in southern Africa. The summit, under the banner 'Human creativity is a vital economic, social and cultural resource, hosted approximately 150 delegates from across SADC.

Most of the delegates were drawn from government institutions, national arts councils, cultural agencies and professional associations, while some of them were arts practitioners in their own right.

Educators from the creative industry and other sectors that have cross-cutting interests also joined the summit. At the gala dinner, local delegates, including artists told tjil of their expectations. A musician from Zimbabwe, SlickArtie, said that southern African art is taking over and that artists in the SADC region should work together more.

Ann Singer said: “I'm really excited to see what I can take from the summit in terms of networking and finding new possibilities.

“I actually think it's a good initiative and it has been launched at the right time to take art as a form of transformation to our economy, and to promote arts programmes that are happening, because we all speak about it, but nothing happens,” said Tapz Munya, a Zimbabwean musician based in Namibia.

Founder of the popular Free Your Mind comedy show, Ndemufayo 'Chicken' Kaxuxuena, added his sentiments saying that talk is cheap but doing something is a different ball game altogether. “It is a good beginning. I think talk is cheap and we can have all these nice things. But if we do not recognise pioneers in the industry then we do not recognise arts,” he said.

The chairperson of the National Arts Council of Namibia (NACN) Patrick Sam told tjil this past week that the creative industry is vital to the sustainable development of Namibia and other SADC countries. “There is a perceived lack of understanding and doubts about the opportunities and benefits of investing in this sector, and the growth it can bring to the region,” Sam said.

He added that everybody in attendance knew why they were at the summit, not only in terms of what the delegates did at the summit but what they can do after the summit.

“A lot of time people criticise the government and say that many summits are just shop talk. But the problem with the creative economy is because it has been on the periphery for so long. We are not using the right language. A lot of times we do not do a good job of capturing and documenting our success stories. That's why it seems like there is nothing happening. The summit is going to ignite the human spirit,” concluded Patrick.

In 2008, the United Nations published their influential Creative Economy Report. It lists the policy fields that the creative economy impacts upon and includes economic development, urban planning, trade, investment, art and culture, tourism, technology, and, of course, education.

According to the permanent secretary of education Sanet Steenkamp, her ministry is keenly aware of the creative economy report and seeks to promote the creative industry at every opportunity.

“We are actively and eagerly involved in the government's plan to have 2% of the Namibian working population employed within the arts and cultural sector by 2022. We also recognise the importance that the development of creative skills can have on other industries. Wherever there are problems to be solved or innovations to be made, creativity is crucial,” she said.

She added that by hosting the summit, Namibia is signalling colleagues within SADC and the wider world, that Namibia is committed to integrating the creative industry into all facets of our economy.

“I look forward to working with counterparts in other SADC ministries of arts to deliver our vision of a creative economy which benefits our nations and our region. By working together to achieve this, we will be demonstrating the exceptional power of SADC and highlighting how our region is strengthened by our bonds,” she said.

She added that one key challenge facing the creative economy is the way it has been perceived, both by citizens and governments.

“Often, creative industries have operated through informal channels. They have not leveraged their intellectual property rights or been organised in a way that denotes the value of what they are doing. This is partly due to a lack of strategic thinking and, certainly, investment in the creative economy marks a departure from the traditional economic strategies that many of our regional governments are familiar with,” Steenkamp said.

Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba said that the film industries of the USA, Europe, and China, as well as the culture of fast foods, are essentially reflections of the total sum of artistic and creative talents in those localities.

“These industry and auxiliary arts and culture, based sub-economic sectors, produce billions of dollars every year, just because they have been commercialised in ways from which their societies can derive material benefits. The same can be said of Nigeria's Nollywood and India's Bollywood.

“Therefore, it came as a big shock to me the other evening as I was watching our NBC television to hear the producers of the locally made popular TV drama series the Third Will, decrying the lack of interest and sponsorship from the private and the public sectors, and how they are soldiering on for the love of arts,” he said.

Mbumba added that not only is the arts and culture sector that is able to unlock the hidden talents in individuals and communities for self-actualisation, but it can also serve as an export product earning millions of foreign currency for southern Africa, in the struggle against poverty, and for economic emancipation.

“Our governments' roles are to create conducive environments in which individuals and communities are able to pursue their artistic talents and cultural expressions unhindered. The negative attitudes and practices of our colonial past, which I believe still lingers on in southern Africa, where artists and their crafts are viewed as nuisance and literally chased away from city centres to the outskirts, should immediately come to an end,” Mbumba said.

The International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) representative Rosemary Mangope, as one of the speakers, congratulated Namibia on the success of the arts summit.

She further said IFACCA members collectively recognise that human creativity is a vital economic, social and cultural resource that needs to be protected, promoted and developed, and as such, the IFACCA members endorse the principals that were discussed at the summit.

“Creative professionals are pivotal to shape the growth, development and sustainability of any society, and make a positive contribution to culture and the economy. Leadership determines the ability of the creative economy to thrive and is a shared responsibility for people across all levels of government, enterprise and society. Arts education, including indigenous and traditional knowledge, is foundational to the creative economy,” Mangope said.



JUNE SHIMUOSHILI

She Poems to hit Windhoek

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She Poems to hit WindhoekShe Poems to hit WindhoekWhen dance worlds meet A free contemporary dance show is on the cards for Windhoek arts lovers this month. The Embassy of Spain, in collaboration with the College of the Arts (COTA), has the pleasure of informing the public about the second edition of 'She Poems – Namibia', a cultural cooperation initiative which, after their first joint project in April, will reunite the Namibian artists Trixie Munyama and Nesindano Namises with Spanish choreographer Aïda Colmenero. On 15 September they will present the film shot in Namibia and a new dance performance at the College of the Arts.

She Poems is a contemporary art project directed by Aïda Colmenero and implemented in Africa with creative African women. The project has produced workshops, short dance films, dance photographs and contemporary dance pieces. The project aims at promoting female African role models in dancing, and drawing a women-poetry-dance-African map. The creative process is based on poems written by women, universal realities transformed into poetry in motion. She Poems is a tribute to African women, the expression of their own identity, giving them a voice which is expressed through dancing… it is a female empowerment project connecting Afro-descendant women and women in general.

The project was officially presented in the USA and has since been released to other continents. Colmenero presented her project for the first time in Namibia earlier this year, starting with a dance workshop featuring ten female artists. Two of them, Munyama and Namises, were selected to create a joint contemporary dance performance and produce a short film. In continuation of the She Poems project in Namibia, the Spanish choreographer will return to Windhoek to reap the fruits of her labour through the international premiere of the short film and the creation of a new performance with the same artists.

Colmenero has studied in Spain and Senegal, focusing on drama, dance and audio-visual. In 2017 she organised Africa Moment, the first international meeting of contemporary African performing arts in Barcelona, aimed at bringing together the work of African artists, as well as bringing it closer to the audience. Colmenero will conduct a dance workshop for children at Physically Active Namibia (PAY), an organisation providing after-school education and sport training in Katutura. She Poems will also, on 15 September, host a free show at COTA that will be in three parts.

June Shimuoshili

Somebody's out this weekend

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Somebody's out this weekendSomebody's out this weekendBreaking barriers one beat at a time DJ Roxy's love for music and beats is driving her into new territory for Namibian girl DJs. Moved by her love for music, upcoming female DJ Rosalia David, better known as DJ Roxy, is slowly but surely making a name for herself in what was previously perceived as a male-dominated industry. She proves it with an upcoming sizzling new single.

A music lover for as long as she can remember, the idea of becoming a DJ came to mind when she worked part-time at Base FM, and from there, there was no turning back.

The house single titled 'Somebody' is said to be dropping this weekend. Speaking to tjil, DJ Roxy said, “I never had plans to release music. All I wanted was to be a DJ. My mindset only changed after having an exclusive interview with the KFC DJs on their new single where DJ Chinchila advised local DJs to start making their own music and I thought to myself, why not?”

The song was produced by Sam E. Lee Jones, and mixed and mastered by DJ Kboz and the House Guru Gang. Pressed on what the message in the song is all about, she said it speaks about wanting somebody to have fun with just for the night.

“There are just those times when one feels like it is not always needed to catch feelings with everyone you meet. Some people are meant to just pass by, so, if you're going to develop feelings for each person you meet, how many heartbreaks will you have to go through? But I am also not promoting one-night stands,” she explained.

Although her inspiration to release a single came from DJ Chinchila, she said she has always looked up to legendary DJs such as DJ Charlie 911, DJ Kboz and DJ Flava.

“These are the people I would watch from far. I would admire DJ Flava and DJ Clap when they were dancing at the booth entertaining the crowd, and I would stare admiring from the bar where I worked,” she explained.

She added that music has always been part of her life journey as she started off as a dancer.

“Singing is one thing God never blessed me with, lol, but I love to dance. I would sneak out of the house just to dance at school competitions. My guardians would get so annoyed. I joined radio part-time and from there I started managing a couple of musicians. I have always been behind the scenes. When I left radio, I became an entertainment journalist while learning how to DJ at the same time, all for the love of music,” she said.

June Shimuoshili

Hair expo time!

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Hair expo time!Hair expo time! The fourth Natural Hair and Beauty Expo (NHBE), a unique initiative run by four dynamic women, will be held on 8 September.

Under the exciting theme of 'Re-imagine Namibia', this year's expo is an eclectic mix of culture, heritage and Afro-futurism, and how we re-imagine Namibia to be.

The aim of the expo is to create awareness of the natural hair and beauty industry, which has significantly grown into a billion-dollar industry in the world and Africa. The expo combines innovation, creativity, culture, heritage, entrepreneurship and collaboration, says Zodidi Gaseb, one of the organisers. The expo also features opportunities for international exhibitors in various collaborative efforts.

“We are looking forward to how people will transfer this into their hairstyles, fashion and products and services. It creates a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services to a wider, engaged audience,” said Gaseb.

Apart from promoting local entrepreneurship, the expo also defines perceptions of Afro-textured hair through interactive debates and information sessions. The NHBE promises an exciting, educative and interactive event where people can feel free to be themselves in an inspirational and inclusive setting, where critical discussions towards changing society's perceptions are held.

“You can experience the full expo by tasting delicious food and drinks, be amazed by local fashion, enjoy live performances with fun and games for children of all ages and of course, locally produced natural products for hair and skin and beauty.

“Join us at IUM Dorado Park for a mecca of afros, twist-outs, curls, as well as beards, set to a soundtrack of positive energy. We've gathered the best names in natural beauty, added dope vendors, and topped it off with some surprises you won't want to miss,” Gaseb added.

The expo will take place next weekend at IUM Dorado Park from 10:00 to 17:00. Tickets are N$100 for the general public, N$60 for students with valid student cards, and free for children under the age of 16.

June Shimuoshili

Art unites

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Art unitesArt unitesHit the Beat hits the spot Hit the Beat embraces and instils arts in school learners to secure the future of the growing industry. They were all there, standing on the Warehouse stage, schoolboys and girls with voices greater than their own bodies, delivering riveting performances.

From the outside, one can easily be fooled into believing that the Hit the Beat show is just a drum and tambourine festival but it is actually a kaleidoscope of beautiful song and dance.

'The Hit the Beat – In Rhythm we meet', was indeed an extraordinary performing arts project, presented by 80 learners from the Waldorf School Windhoek, with musicians, artists and teachers from Germany and Namibia.

Namibia's own songbird and star performer, Patricia Ochurus, literally carried the school choir on her hands. It is only when you have seen Ochurus in her heyday that you would know that this choir performance is not a church choir one.

Hit the Beat incorporates dance, drums, choir, solo singing, poetry, garbage music, film making and visual arts and its preparation for the final show spans over three weeks, including choir rehearsals for high school learners from grades 10 to 12.

In addition there is an additional choice of one of three workshops for each learner on dance, drumming, solo singing, film making, visual arts or improvisational theatre.

During Hit the Beat 2018, organisers tried to approach the subject of how can we counter the exploitation of the earth, from an artistic perspective, by employing the arts, music, dance, percussion, improvisation, visual art and poetry.



About Hit the Beat

The project Hit the Beat originated in 1998 – inspired by a student's idea. Simone de Picciotto was then working at a Waldorf school for disadvantaged adolescents in Germany. One of her students chose 'drums' as his project topic for the 12th grade. While working on this project with her student, Simone began attending drum workshops. Soon the first drums were bought and the first drumming group founded. Since then Simone has been regularly drumming and singing with learners at schools and various projects. Seven years later Simone started teaching at the Waldorf School Windhoek and introduced the project. She worked in the high school for a further eight years, teaching music and other subjects. In summer 2012, she returned to Germany and has continued with Hit the Beat workshops at a number of schools, academies and free projects, working with adolescents of all backgrounds. One of the main aims of Hit the Beat is to unite young people worldwide. In November, a group from the Hit the Beat project Namibia will travel to Germany with Simone de Picciotto and perform together with German learners in different cities.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Windhoek Fashion Week coming

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Windhoek Fashion Week comingWindhoek Fashion Week comingWFW brand growing bigger by the year This year, the organisers promise to go all-out, bringing local fashion and designers together. The Windhoek Fashion Week (WFW), which started off as a blunder, has now managed to make their wrongs right. Bringing back the event for the third time this year, the organisers told tjil that they are focusing on hosting a great event.

According to Kalistu Mukoroli, his team is already preparing and making sure things are in place. Mukoroli said that the brand has developed and they want to host a show for everyone.

“To compare this to the first two years, growth and development have taken centre stage. Our focus is to ensure that we host an inclusive fashion week. We have different designers and models, as we want everyone to have an equal opportunity to be part of fashion week,” said Mukoroli.

The WFW is a platform to showcase talent and also at the same time network to build beneficial relationships and create job opportunities. The organisers are currently working on the number of designers to work with this year and promise to ensure gender parity in respect of designers and models.

“We brought in foreign models in 2016 but anyone is welcome to join, provided they bring themselves to Namibia, as we won't be doing that again. Designers from Africa are for locals to network and gain exposure. We create those contacts for networking but at the end of the day local designers must take up the initiative to collaborate with other African designers so that they can cross borders,” said Mukoroli.

The show is slated for 6 to 10 November and more details regarding the event are yet to be announced. The Namibian Fashion Council is currently in talks with the Goethe-Institut to bring in international speakers to host workshops.



June Shimuoshili

Hard work pays off

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Hard work pays offHard work pays off How many initiatives have we started this year alone that are nowhere to be seen now? As a matter of fact, I bet we all had resolutions that we wanted fulfilled this year. How many of those have you achieved, given the fact that we are left with less than four months in 2018?

Starting something and being able to finish it, even if it's just halfway, can be so much harder than it seems. There are also many reasons as to why things don't work out. For instance, being able to get support - especially monetary support. Having doors shut in your face when you have given something your all is the most painful feeling and not everyone has the courage to keep trying after that experience.

I specifically want to applaud the Simply You Magazine team who will be hosting their second awards show tomorrow. Being able to pull off something like that as small as they are is worth taking note of. There are so many award shows that have failed to take off after promising us so much. Another group of people I want to send a shout out to, are the Windhoek Spring Fiesta organisers, Doctatainment. This will be their sixth year hosting the festival and it has not been an easy journey for them but they pulled through. The effort to get sponsors for the event and having to satisfy them to keep them on board is not easy. It takes an amount of dedication as well.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that had these people and everyone else who is doing great given up, we would not be singing their latest songs, purchasing their latest artwork or watching their movies. So when the going gets tough, you get tough. Always remember why you started and keep the faith. Congratulations to all the ground-breakers and go-getters getting things done.

june@namibiansun.com

Nambabwean DVDs out now

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Nambabwean DVDs out nowNambabwean DVDs out now Comedian Courage has had quite the exciting journey… to the point of him documenting it all. In 2016 he hosted his first one-man show titled Nambabwean at the NTN, which was a huge success.

The show was filmed and recorded for resale and finally DVDs have been made available. Courage the Comedian had a question and answer session with tjil about the Nambabwean DVD and this is how it went down.



tjil (t): What are your fondest memories from that night?

Courage the Comedian (CTC): My fondest memories from the event were having my friends, lecturers and NTN giving me the support to pull it off. I don't think I will get over my parents for surprising me by flying all the way from Zimbabwe for the show.

t: Why did you decide to make a DVD from the show?

CTC: I've always wanted my first solo project to be documented. This symbolises the beginning as the show talks about who I am, where I come from as a person, and my journey as a comic.



t: Why did it take two years to complete?

CTC: It was going to be released last year but there where were complications with the first printer of choice. I guess everything happens for a reason and this is the time God chose for this DVd to be released.



t: What can your fans expect?

CTC: Fans can expect the stories that will take them back to their childhood, from relationships, break-ups, school fights, and high school days. I also tackle the first impressions other nationals have of Namibians when they get here and what makes a Zimbabwean tick.



t: Where is it available and are you likely to do the same for your future shows?

CTC: It's available from me because I love to personally hand over my work to the clients. The DVDs are going for N$100 and people can call me on 081 714 2680 for a copy or reach me on social media.

June Shimuoshili

Company news in brief

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Company news in briefCompany news in brief Apple buys startup

Apple Inc has acquired a startup focused on making lenses for augmented reality glasses, the company confirmed on Wednesday, a signal Apple has ambitions to make a wearable device that would superimpose digital information on the real world.

Apple confirmed it acquired Longmont, Colorado-based Akonia Holographics. “Apple buys smaller companies from time to time, and we generally don’t discuss our purpose or plans,” the iPhone maker said in a statement.

Akonia could not immediately be reached for comment. The company was founded in 2012 by a group of holography scientists and had originally focused on holographic data storage before shifting its efforts to creating displays for augmented reality glasses, according to its website.

-Nampa/Reuters

Calvin Klein owner profit up

Apparel maker PVH Corp reported a 38% rise in second-quarter profit on Wednesday and raised its earnings forecasts for the year, helped by higher sales of its Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands.

The company now expects earnings of US$9.20 to US$9.25 per share, compared with its previous forecast

The New York-based apparel maker, like peers Tapestry Inc and Ralph Lauren Corp , has pulled heavily discounted products from department store shelves to regain its premium brand status.

“We are increasing our revenue and earnings guidance for the year, while continuing to take a prudent approach to planning our business in the second half of the year, as we experience increasing macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility around the world,” PVH Corp chief executive Emanuel Chirico said in a news release Wednesday.

-Nampa/Reuters

Panasonic to move European headquarters

Panasonic Corp is to move its European headquarters from London to Amsterdam in October to avoid potential tax issues linked to Brexit, the Nikkei Asian Review said on Thursday.

Moving the regional headquarters to continental Europe will also help Panasonic avoid any barriers to the flow of people and goods, Laurent Abadie, chief executive officer of Panasonic Europe, told Nikkei.

-Nampa/Reuters

AB InBev dispensing systems to be investigated

The US International Trade Commission said on Wednesday it would investigate whether certain Anheuser Busch InBev NV beverage dispensing systems and components infringe a Heineken NV patent.

Heineken alleges that the importation and sale of the systems and components violate section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and has requested that the USITC issue a “limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders,” the commission said in a statement.

-Nampa/Reuters

Activist Elliott argues Sky is worth over $34 billion

Activist hedge fund Elliott believes Walt Disney’s deal to buy assets from Twenty-First Century Fox has valued Sky at more than US$34 billion, higher than any of the current offers for the British broadcaster, Britain’s takeover regulator disclosed on Wednesday.

Sky is at center of a bidding battle between Rupert Murdoch’s Fox, which already owns 39% of the pay-television company, and US cable giant Comcast.

Disney has also agreed a separate deal to buy TV and film assets from Fox, including its Sky shareholding, for about US$71 billion. Disney was forced to raise the price it is paying for the Fox businesses in June to US$38 a share after Comcast also tried to gate-crash that deal.

-Nampa/Reuters

Kalux on giving back

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Kalux on giving backKalux on giving backArtist of the year on community involvement This week tjil catches up with award-winning musician Kalux to speak about his current projects, winning the NAMA male Artist of the Year award, and his new street allocation. We often hear entertainers saying how incredibly blessed they are for living their dreams, from touring the country to doing what they love and being recognised for it. Perhaps that's why so many of them dig deep when it comes to charity. Kalux chats about his community charity event that will take place next weekend.

Born in Outjo and raised in Otjiwarongo, Kalux says music wasn't his passion growing up and he never thought he would be a musician. In 2015, he was crowned Best Newcomer at the NAMAs. This year he walked away with the Best Male Artist title. As a way of showing gratitude to his fans, Kalux will be hosting one of his many-more-to-come charity shows. The first of the youth-dedicated shows will take place next weekend in Otjiwarongo and is expected to see approximately 12 000 children at the venue, excluding the community members.

“It is really for the kids. The event will start at 08:00 and end at 18:00, with their safety taken into consideration. We will be hosting all the high and primary schools in the vicinity of Otjiwarongo at Mokati Stadium and it will be a blast. Besides performing, I will also have a motivational session with the audience and we will tackle social issues,” said the artist.

Kalux says all the proceeds from the charity event will be ploughed back into the schools. The entry to the event is free, however, the schools are selling coupons for N$10 which will allow the children to take part in activities such as games and mini competitions. The artist has mixed feelings about schools not having to pay as this is one of the primary reasons for the event.

“100% of the money made is for the schools that generated it. It's good that parents are no longer paying school fees but it's bad because schools are struggling to sustain themselves and to carry out their tasks effectively. Teachers don't always have books, printers don't always have ink or paper and sometimes the learners don't have pens to write with. So all the money each school makes can be used to make the teaching process bearable,” he said. He said he further plans on making it annual and will be going region to region with the same concept.

The next town he plans to visit is Outjo where he was recently awarded a street name earlier this year. Kalux says he is grateful to the council for allocating him a street as it shows the importance of one staying true to themselves. Kalux was quick to brush off all the negative comments that have been made by the public, by saying that each one is entitled to their opinions and so was the Outjo town council.





“A lot of people believe that one can't always make it in their towns and all that glitters is in Windhoek. Wherever I go, I always refer to my roots, which are Outjo and Otjiwarongo because one must always remember where they come from. People have different opinions about my street name allocation but we don't all think alike,” he said.





The Neba Noupa single singer advises small-town artists to stop having the mentality of thinking one can only make it in Windhoek. He says there are different mediums, including the internet, which artists and entertainers can use to maximise their reach.

“It doesn't matter where you are from… if your music is good then it will work for you. Remember that what works for someone might not work for the next person. Find your niche, stick to it and people will love it. Do you and you will succeed,” he said.

The journey as the Male Artist of the Year 2018 has been amazing for Kalux and has opened many doors for him, he says. He says the title comes with responsibility which helped him grow as a brand and as an artist. Kalux says he has not let the title get to him and that he is still the same person he was. He will always be grateful to his fans who have been with him since day one and those that joined him during the journey.

He says he has many plans for the year and if all goes well, he will release his fourth album during the event on 8 September.

“I have so many plans but money remains a problem. But please keep up with me on my social mediums for all my plans and schedules of events,” he concluded.

June Shimuoshili

SA investigating book publishing 'cartel'

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SA investigating book publishing 'cartel'SA investigating book publishing 'cartel' Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele has initiated an investigation against the Publishers' Association of South Africa (PASA) and its members for allegedly fixing the prices of books.

The price fixing may have occurred for more than three decades in contravention of the Competition Act.

According to a statement issued by the Competitions Commission on Wednesday, the Commissioner received information about the alleged involvement of PASA and its more than 90 members in the fixing of text books, school books and trade books, among others.

These members are publishers, book importers and book sellers.

"This price fixing arrangement appears to be historic in the industry dating back as early as [the] 1980s," the Commission said.

Many of those linked to the allegations were selling books to government departments, educational institutions and retailers, among others, the Commission said.

The statement said the alleged price fixing related to educational books including pre-school to grade 12 books, associated teacher's guides and support materials; as well as student textbooks, learning materials and support materials for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges (TVET) at secondary level.

Textbooks at tertiary level, as well as trade books for sale to the general public, and eBooks – electronic versions of all these books – were also involved.

-Fin24

SARS shortfall to blame for VAT hike

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SARS shortfall to blame for VAT hike SARS shortfall to blame for VAT hike Treasury would not have acted Treasury would not have needed to increase value added tax by one percentage point to 15% in April if not for the revenue shortfall at the South African Revenue Services (SARS). SARS has become more and more opaque- Ismail Momoniat, deputy director general , SA Treasury The deputy director general at National Treasury Ismail Momoniat revealed this to the Nugent Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday.

According to Momoniat, Treasury hopes to raise R25 billion from the VAT rate hike in the 2018/2019 financial year - if no further zero-rated items are added to the basket of goods that are exempt from VAT.

Momoniat, who is the head of tax and financial sector policy at Treasury, testified alongside other Treasury officials at the commission probing administration and governance at the tax agency.

He spoke frankly about his frustration with SARS leadership under now suspended commissioner Tom Moyane, saying they were "destroying SARS".

"You need to be cleaner than clean. If you’re not, [this] will impact on tax morality, and that has huge impact for the country," he said.

He also claimed that there didn’t seem to be political will within the revenue agency to prevent illicit financial flows.

Momoniat questioned why external legal teams were brought in to undertake investigations at SARS, such as law firm Hogan Lovells, how procurement processes were followed and why the tax agency's internal legal unit wasn’t used.

"SARS has become more and more opaque," he said.

SARS commissioner too powerful

Judge Robert Nugent asked Momoniat to go through his submission on proposed amendments to the way SARS functions.

Momoniat said he was part of the team that worked on drafting the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) in 1994, and this legislation, which governs public institutions, was based on the euphoria of the period and the assumption that corruption would never be tolerated.

"If we had to do the PFMA again, [it] would have stronger measures if things fall apart," Momoniat said.

"The [SARS] commissioner is too powerful. The structure, the bonuses rest with the commissioner. Even when the AG (Auditor General) found the bonus payments were irregular,” he said.

However, Nugent said that power couldn't be divided - it had to rest somewhere ultimately, and the commission was looking to ensure necessary checks and balances were in place.

Momoniat suggested a model like that used at South African Reserve Bank, where there is an independent board which the governor chairs.

Nugent asked Momoniat to develop his suggestions further and submit a memorandum to the commission.

The Davis Tax Commission previously recommended that the SARS commissioner be appointed through a parliamentary process, instead of by the president.

Unexplained drops in shortfall

Chris Axelson, a director at Treasury for personal income and taxes, took the commission through a series of slides showing the reasons behind the R48.2 billion collection shortfall in 2017/2018.

Moyane, despite criticism from former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, claimed that SARS was unable to meet its revenue targets due to weak economic growth affecting revenue.

Axelson said the "huge decrease in import taxes" and other revenue streams could "largely be explained by the economy".

But he said there were very small changes to the wage bill in 2017/2018, while there was still a large shortfall in personal income tax collections.

According to Axelson, the underlying data didn't support Moyane's claim that it was sluggish economic growth alone that contributed to the revenue shortfall as there were "unexplained drops". He said they were unable to pinpoint the reasons for the tax collection gap.

Treasury’s director-general Dondo Mogajane concluded Treasury’s submission by telling the inquiry a well-functioning tax agency was good for democracy.

"If SARS is not collecting, the country [still] has to run; the country will have to borrow more," Mogajane said.

The inquiry continues on Thursday, with testimony from international consultancy firm Bain & Company about their role in the SARS 2015 restructuring process, which was blamed by several witnesses last week for the drop in compliance and collections.

-Fin24

Tourism feels the pinch

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Tourism feels the pinchTourism feels the pinchRoom occupancy rates drop The drop in room occupancy rates can be partly attributed to the current economic situation in the country. The latest statistics on the performance of the tourism industry indicate that there has been a drop in room occupancy numbers at tourism establishments in comparison to last year.

This can be partly attributed to the current economic situation in the country, which has not only resulted in government spending cuts but Namibian citizens also have far less to spend on leisure activities.

Statistics provided by the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) show that in the second quarter of this year the room occupancy in the country stood at 49.2%. This is a decrease of about 7% from the previous year, when it was 56.3%.

There was also a decrease in the total number of beds sold countrywide, from 48.20% last year to 42.1% this year.

In simple terms, occupancy rate refers to the number of occupied rental units at a given time, compared to the total number of available rental units at that time.

So, for example, if a hotel has 100 rooms available to be sold and 100 of those rooms are occupied, the occupancy rate would be 100%.

In the hospitality industry, a bed night sold is a measure of occupancy of one person assigned to one bed for one night.

The southern and northern regions performed slightly better, recording 59.3% and 52.8% room occupancy rates, while the central and coastal areas had 44.45% and 44.37% room occupancy rates.

The domestic market, which constituted just under a third off all occupancies in 2017, experienced a dip of about 1.3% in 2018.

A total of 42 815 (25.9%) Namibian visitors were recorded during the second quarter of this year.

Namibia experienced an increase of about 3% in German-speaking tourists, with more than 27% (45 776) of foreign visitors coming from Europe.

Furthermore, the statistics show that South African visitors, who also make up a large part of Namibia's tourist market, decreased slightly from 26 005 (11.7%) to 17 486 (10.5%).

Statistics show that 82.7% of guests during the second quarter of this year were leisure tourists, while 12.85% of guests were here for business and 4.3% were attending conferences.

During the same period last year, leisure tourists accounted for 76.85%, while 17.6% were business people and 5.56% were attending conferences.

“It should be noted that especially the properties outside the capital are feeling the pinch, because the government has cut its travel spending and decided to host most of the necessary meetings in the capital, so conference facilities at the coast and the north have felt the pinch, some reporting a 70% decline in income from government events this year,” the CEO of HAN, Gitta Paetzold, told Namibian Sun.

She added that even in Windhoek sharp declines were felt, with far fewer conferences and events hosted and the duration of such events also significantly shortened. Some establishments have recorded declines of 20% to 50%.

“Luckily, tourism has always applied the two-pronged approach, with leisure tourism in Namibia taking the lead over business tourism, and due to the geographical spread and the diversity of different establishments and properties operating in Namibia, it is mainly the business hotel and conference sector that is feeling the pinch,” she said.

Corruption - A social disease (Part 144): What can Namibian leaders learn from spiritual leadership?

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Corruption - A social disease (Part 144): What can Namibian leaders learn from spiritual leadership?Corruption - A social disease (Part 144): What can Namibian leaders learn from spiritual leadership? Johan Coetzee - Spirituality is the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things (Oxford Dictionary).

To be spiritual means to welcome and embrace the rich diversity among people. Spirituality is transcending most human differences, e.g. religion, race and ethnicity.

Inclusiveness is needed to pursue the most sought after values and principles that cannot be bought, for example empathy, compassion and fairness. Other prerequisites for spiritual leadership include tolerance, flexibility and kindness.

Spirituality has got much to do with to be in touch with your inner self and your consciousness. Knowing yourself in terms of your virtues (character traits that benefit all people) and vices (character traits that harm people), is part of finding your purpose in life. To find your purpose is inherently part of life (Roberts).

Spirituality connects us to the natural environment. In order to become a spiritual leader, a leader has to connect with the natural environment and his or her impact on the environment.

A HIGHER PURPOSE

When a leader extends himself or herself in executing kindness, compassion and courage, he or she is connecting to a purpose that is higher and much more valuable than his or her own ego, pride and indifference. Every time a person connects with kindness and compassion with people and nature, he or she is connecting with a purpose bigger than himself or herself.

Everything has got a spiritual language (Roberts) that a leader must learn. For example, trees are the spiritual language of the earth and birds the spiritual language of the sky. A leader should care about the environment, be in touch with nature, pursue environmental sustainability and reduce the impact of his or her decisions in seeking profit.

If leaders pursue profit maximisation as an absolute (at all cost), what are the implications? Exploitation and destruction are the impact. Exploitation is the spiritual language of profit. Greed is the spiritual language of pride. A leader should be constantly aware of the pursuit of the vices of greed, profit and power which create distractions and devastating destruction in a purpose in life that is supposed to be bigger than himself or herself.

All our knowledge, insight and wisdom, including what we have and what we use, like water (for producing goods), plants and trees (for producing food and medicine) are from the environment. Spiritual leaders have an all-encompassing accountability towards the environment, because it is our own chance on survival – we have only one earth and that is the inconvenient truth for the greedy and corrupt. The environment does not need us, we depend on it, we have no other options.

LESSONS

What can Namibian leaders learn from spirituality?

To listen more to the inner voices of their consciousness. To be less focused on power and profit. To take long lasting decisions that are sustainable in seeking balance between caring for the environment and profit, and between short term political gain (for the next election) and long term political majority (for peace and prosperity).

Our leaders need to become more concerned about their long term legacy and much less about scoring points for power, profit and personal gain.

References

English by Oxford Dictionaries. 2018. Definition of Spirituality.

Roberts, G.D. 2015. The Mountain Shadow. Little Brown: London.

jcoetzee@nust.na
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