Quantcast
Channel: Namibian Sun
Viewing all 36395 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Drowned boy not found yet

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Drowned boy not found yetDrowned boy not found yet The family of Mushinonge Ulinana, 13, who drowned in the Calueque-Oshakati canal at Epalela in Omusati Region, are demanding that NamWater stop pumping water into the canal so that they can recover the child's body.

Ulinana drowned in the canal on Friday on his way back from school. He was apparently trying to take a drink from the canal. His body is yet to be recovered.

The boy, who lived at Omakuya village, crossed the canal at a designated bridge with other children to attend school at Onhoko Primary School where he was in Grade 3.

His uncle, Antonious Petrus, told Namibian Sun yesterday that NamWater was not cooperating with the family in the search for the body.

“We have been searching for the body since Friday but without success. On Saturday we requested that NamWater stop pumping water into the canal so that we can recover the body. Up to now they have not done it and they are nowhere to be found,” Petrus said.

Omusati police spokesperson Sergeant Anna Kunga confirmed to Namibian Sun that the body has not been recovered yet. She said police divers have been at the site since Saturday, but they have not found anything.

“We are trying our best. In Omusati we do not have divers, we requested them from Oshakati and they have been on site since Saturday, but have found nothing,” Kunga said.

NamWater spokesperson Johannes Shigwedha, who is currently in the north, said the company sympathised with the family but could not stop pumping water into the canal, as that might actually hinder the search.

Shigwedha said ahead of where the boy fell into the canal, there is a siphon about two kilometres long and they suspect the body is there.

“There is a long siphon which is full of objects that are carried along in the canal. If we stop pumping in water, the water in the siphon will be still and the body would not be recovered easily. It is better we continue pumping,” Shigwedha said.

ILENI NANDJATO
↧
Search

Zimbabwe ready for exports

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Zimbabwe ready for exportsZimbabwe ready for exportsNew president optimistic about economy Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa says his country intends to export agricultural produce to other countries, starting with its SADC neighbours. Zimbabwe is ready to establish its own currency and upscale exports to the rest of Africa and the world in its quest to rebuild what was once the 'breadbasket' of southern Africa.

These were the sentiments of the Zimbabwean president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took power after a military takeover and popular protests ousted Robert Mugabe in November last year.

Mnangagwa yesterday paid a visit to President Hage Geingob and told him that the transition in Zimbabwe went smoothly and that he felt compelled to inform his seniors in the SADC region of recent political happenings in his country. Mnangagwa told the media that Zimbabwe has become food sufficient for the first time in several decades.

“We have got enough food security in Zimbabwe, in fact, we have excess. We are now focusing on exporting some of the products that we produce in the country. In the area of maize, tobacco, cotton and fruit, we are going to do such exports,” he said. According to him, the Namibian government has submitted a list of items which it wants to import from Zimbabwe.

“We are in the process of organising the production, marketing as well as the logistics for transportation, of those products to Namibia. We as Zimbabwe feel that it is necessary to first look at the internal, SADC market before we look outside,” he said.

Mnangagwa dispelled speculations that his country had plans to join the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), or to adopt the South African rand as its currency.

“However, it is correct that when Zimbabwe's currency collapsed we created a currency basket. But now we feel that it is necessary for Zimbabwe to go forward to have our own currency.

“But to do so, we need to have certain economic fundamentals in place before we can introduce our own currency, but definitely it will not be the rand. It will be our own currency,” said Mnangagwa. He emphasised that his government's main focus was developing the economy and improving the living standards of its people.

“We are receiving, from all SADC countries, as well as countries from beyond, positive signals of cooperation,” he said.

Before his visit to Namibia, Mnangagwa also paid visits to the South African and Angolan presidents to share with them the recent changes in his country.

“As it is with our African culture, we shall continue to respect and preserve the legacy of our former president, Robert Mugabe. We will look after him and give him security and comfort if possible. He is the founding father of the nation and an icon of African politics, as well as a revolutionary – that legacy we are determined to preserve,” he said.





JEMIMA BEUKES
↧
↧

Start saving young

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Start saving young Start saving young For saving to become an ingrained culture, it is important that financial literacy is extended to the younger generation and teaching them the real benefits of saving. Teaching children about the value of money at a young age will give them an understanding of what it means to save, to do financial planning and budgeting ,helps steer them away from bad or unnecessary debt when they become working adults.

With the New Year and a new academic school year, parents can give their children a financial head start by opening up a Bank Windhoek Solo Account, a savings and transaction account tailor-made to the needs of children and young adults up to the age of 18 years.

The Solo Account also comes with a Visa Electron Debit card, allowing children to shop at their favourite shopping outlets without the risk of carrying cash. Paying with their Solo Debit card at the Bank Windhoek Point-of-Sale (POS) devices also has carries the additional benefit no transaction fees for their purchase). Children can also choose their Solo card from our range of four funky Solo Visa Electron Debit card designs.

“Teaching children about the value of money at a young age will give them an understanding of what it means to save, do financial planning and budgeting and steer away from bad or unnecessary debt, when they become working adults,” says Hayley Allen, Head of Corporate Affairs at Bank Windhoek.

Fact Box

The Solo account offers the following benefits:

- No monthly service fees

- Free ATM withdrawals at Bank Windhoek ATMs

- Access to Cellphone Banking for features such as airtime top-up, EasyWallet and payments to

Beneficiaries

- Favourable interest on funds in the Solo Account.

- Free Balance enquiry and mini-statement at Bank Windhoek ATMs.

- Debit- and stop orders can be linked to the account.
↧

Africa Briefs

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Africa BriefsAfrica Briefs Moody's not anticipating Angolan debt default

Moody's assumes the Angolan government does not intend to default on its debt after ambiguous wording in official statements, the ratings agency said in a research report.

Moody's said the new kwanza regime and the government's desire to renegotiate debt underscored existing pressures on Angola's credit ratings, which include falling economic growth and liquidity risks.

The agency expects Angola's debt-to-GDP ratio to rise and for higher inflation to weigh on growth, although it said the country's current account was likely to improve over time.

Moody’s said it had discussed the recent policy changes with the Angolan government. – Nampa/Reuters

Egypt's budget deficit down to 4.4%

Egypt's budget deficit for the first half of the 2017/18 fiscal year starting in July dropped to 4.4% from 5% last year, a finance ministry said.

Egypt has been looking to tighten control of its finances as it pushes ahead with ambitious economic reforms tied to a $12 billion three-year International Monetary Fund lending programme it agreed in late 2016.

The country revised up its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2017/18 to 5.3%-5.5% from 4.8% previously.

Egypt is targeting a 20% rise in total investment for 2018/19, up from 646 billion Egyptian pounds (US$36.58 billion) targeted for 2017/18. – Nampa/Reuters

Volkswagen to double output in Kenya

German automaker Volkswagen (VW) plans to double output at its Kenyan assembly plant and could build a second model there, Kenya's presidential office said without giving a timeline.

VW set up the vehicle assembly plant in 2016, resuming production in Kenya after a four decade break. The plant has started by assembling VW's Vivo model.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was told by VW's South Africa chief Thomas Schaefer "the firm was exploring producing a second model in Kenya, possibly a hatchback - small SUV - while doubling production of the VW Polo Vivo to at least 300 vehicles".

VW has long experience operating in emerging markets. But Kenya's car market is dominated by low-priced, second-hand imports from countries, such as Japan. Other brands assembling vehicles in Kenya include Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Peugeot. – Nampa/Reuters

Congo GDP growth seen at 5% in 2018

Congo's Central Bank on Friday raised its economic growth forecast for 2018 to 5% from 4.4% last month, but lowered its 2017 growth estimate to 3.5%.

Congo's economy is expected to get a boost from a rebound in commodities prices after a dip since 2015 dented revenues and reduced growth to 2.5% in 2016.

The mining and oil sectors account for some 95% of export revenues in Congo, Africa's top copper producer. – Nampa/Reuters

Morocco begins liberalisation of dirham

Morocco started a gradual and controlled liberalisation of its currency the dirham yesterday.

The North African country has had a fixed exchange rate regime for the dirham since the 1970s. It is pegged to the euro and the US dollar.

Officials have stressed that there would be no devaluation of the dirham. The finance ministry said in a statement on Friday that Bank Al-Maghrib, the country's central bank, will "continue to intervene on the exchange market to ensure liquidity".

Earlier this year, Moroccan media said full liberalisation of the dirham would take up to 15 years. – Nampa/AFP
↧

A new beginning

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
A new beginning A new beginning Shona Ngava

At the beginning of the year, if not on social media or at a friend’s place, or simply sitting around the family table, one sets out objectives for the year with the aim of achieving them. An essential part of human nature, resolutions define our goals of being better and achieving more. More importantly, New Year’s resolutions are achieved through your own commitment, which implies that you need to reach them yourself and not rely onto others to do so.

However, the time has come for you to look at the list you set last year and tick off what you achieved and where you failed. If you achieved all your resolutions it means you were very cautious or that you worked very hard to make sure that the entire list is checked off. On the other hand, there will be those who wanted to impress and now find themselves back at square one having to carry all their resolutions over to 2018.

Resolutions are personal targets and therefore you owe no one an explanation if they were achieved or not. Your only battle will lie with your own conscience. Unless of course, your circumstances made success in this regard impossible. Set goals for yourself and make sure you attain them. The youth needs to prove that we too can aim for things and achieve them. Also prepare yourself for negative situations that might take place in the year and look for ways you can overcome your challenges. If there is something that you would want in 2018, focus on what you can do to get those things you want for yourself.

Namibians set certain targets for themselves and we are sure that the 13 000 Grade 12 learners who failed, did not one aim for failure. The trick with resolutions is to work at them every day and to do so consistently. Big dreams are achieved in baby steps and hard, unrelenting work, keeping your goals clearly in sight. As the old adage goes, ‘You are not given a good life or a bad life. You are given a life, it is up to you to make it good or bad.’ The power thus lies with you and the action, or inaction as the case may be, also starts with you. We are all in 2018, it is a beginning for you. Make use of your time wisely this year and strive to be productive.

Until next time. Peri nawa!!

shona@namibiansun.com
↧
↧

Prisoner receives Namcol scholarship

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Prisoner receives Namcol scholarshipPrisoner receives Namcol scholarshipScholarships worth N$300 000 awarded One of the 250 recipients of a Namcol scholarship is a 32-year-old prisoner at the Oluno Correctional Facility. A 32-year-old prisoner at the Oluno Correctional Facility is among the 30 learners from the Oshana Region who received scholarships from the Namibian College for Open Learning (Namcol) to improve their Grade 10 and 12 results.

Mathias Nangolo Joseph, currently serving a six-year prison term after he was found guilty of assaulting his father in 2016, says being a prisoner does not prevent him from improving his level of education or receiving the same benefits as other Namibians.

At Ongwediva yesterday, Namcol announced that it had awarded N$300 000 in scholarships to 250 beneficiaries countrywide.

Thirty of these beneficiaries are from the Oshana Region.

Namcol said beneficiaries were identified by their regional councillors.

The director of Namcol, Heroldt Murangi, said the Namcol Scholarship Fund was established to enable needy and vulnerable learners an opportunity to improve their education.

He said all Namibians deserved the same access to educational opportunities, but some were hampered by financial constraints.

“It is a known fact that society is, and will never be, equal as some are faced by various social and economic challenges, hence it might not always be possible for all that may be dire need of something in life, to get it.

“We are conscious of our corporate social responsibility in making our small contribution to uplifting the social wellbeing of less fortunate Namibians,” Murangi said.

Murangi added that the scholarship fund operated in a transparent way, and applications were facilitated by all regional councils countrywide.

“We hold the belief that regional councillors, as elected leaders of our communities, are in the best place to identify vulnerable and needy learners in their respective constituencies.

They submitted applications as part of our awards to our regional offices,” he said.

Joseph, who spoke on behalf of all the beneficiaries, said they were grateful to Namcol for giving them another opportunity.

“This is a good opportunity for us to improve our Grade 10 and 12 results so that we can be able to better our futures. It is fair that even we in correctional facilities are not left out,” Joseph said.

Joseph said he would register for three subjects and would give his full attention to improve his results so he could better his education and future prospects.

Prison life

Joseph said he completed matric at Onguti Senior Secondary School in the Oshikoto Region in 2006. His Grade 12 results were satisfactory and enabled him to get a job at Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital.

On 31 March 2016, while under the influence of alcohol, he assaulted his father.

“I regret doing it. I wish I had listened to my father… it should not have ended up like this. During the sentencing on 15 June 2016, the magistrate told me that my sentence would serve as a punishment for not listening to my father. I was and still am not a violent person, but due to alcohol I ended up beating my father,” he said.

He urged fellow young Namibians not to commit crime.

“Prison is not a good place to be. One happens to meet different offenders who have committed various crimes. Once you happen to engage yourself with them, your life will be destroyed because they are still planning on life after prison.

For the rest of my years, I would like to keep myself busy so that after completing my sentence I can be someone in life,” he said.

The officer in charge of the Oluno Correctional Facility, Commissioner Rooinasie Heinrich, said it is the offender's right to be educated while in prison. He said many offenders improve their school grades or obtain university qualifications while in prison.

“All we do is to make sure that the environment is conducive for those who intend to study.

We facilitate their education through responsible officials. For Joseph, the facility has registered as a Namcol examination centre. He does not have to leave the facility,” Heinrich said.

ILENI NANDJATO
↧

Strong demand to fuel world food prices

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Strong demand to fuel world food pricesStrong demand to fuel world food prices ROME - Strong demand looks set to support world food prices in 2018 although the political situation in oil-producing countries and international trade negotiations may herald more volatility, a United Nations food agency economist has said.

World food prices rose 8.2% in 2017 from the previous year, reaching their highest annual value since 2014, on an index compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Food on international markets is still 24% cheaper than its 2011 high, and supplies of many commodities in the index of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat and sugar, remain ample.

"The general sentiment is that we know what supplies are, and there is no excuse to think demand would get weak ... so there is momentum being built," said FAO senior economist Abdolreza Abbassian.

The index rose annually despite a 3.3% fall in December from the month before, as dairy, vegetable oils and sugar values declined sharply.

Improved global growth prospects have helped fuel demand in most countries but it was too early in the year to predict what effect weather conditions would have on harvests, meaning supply could still exceed expectations, Abbassian said.

Oil prices were also driving developments, he said.

"If oil prices are the highest in a couple of years, all you need is some sort of unexpected development in one of the big oil producing countries to see a spike in oil and that would definitely spill over to other commodities," Abbassian said.

Oil hovered below a three-year high near US$70 a barrel yesterday on signs that production cuts by OPEC and Russia are tightening supplies. International benchmark Brent crude futures were trading 18 US cents lower at US$69.69 by 1004 GMT, having risen above US$70 earlier in the session.

Abbassian said last year's market uncertainty about issues such as a planned renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement had also not yet been assuaged.

"I think in 2018 we are going to confront the real consequences of some of these developments," he said. "It's going to be a little more uncertain, a little more volatile and unpredictable."– Nampa/Reuters
↧

Bringing water to your doorstep

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Bringing water to your doorstepBringing water to your doorstep Young businessmen working for the community Made up of Samuel Shilulu (22), Chief Samuel Ankama (22), George Shivute (22) and Wilhelm Alie Mateus (21), the young men that grew up in Windhoek have always been proactive members of the country with the aim of meeting the government halfway with curbing unemployment.

“As kids, we were always involved in business activities, for examples we used to participate in entrepreneurship days at school and we also had various small businesses running at home,” says Shilulu.

Established in October 2017, NWDS renders the service of delivering sealed filtered water containers within the vicinity of Windhoek.

The group gave acknowledgment to their parents for supporting them through their journey and learned to fend for themselves.

“Our encouraging parents have always instilled the importance of not just sitting at home all day and doing nothing.

“We were aware of how the real world works at a very young age and that is why we love business because it makes you independent,” says Mateus.

What inspired their business idea was when they identified a gap in the water delivery market.

They realized what was not being catered for by other water delivery companies and saw an opportunity to fill it by initiating their business.

“We saw that many of our clients were not happy with the time and effort it took them to getting their mineral water and so we offered a simpler and affordable solution,” says Shilulu.

“After two to three weeks of servicing our clients, they were thankful of the solution that we brought to them and from that point onwards, we decided to push the idea further to what it is today.”

Their day to day running of business consists of looking at who is on schedule for delivery that day and then attending to different appointments. “We also attend to on demand orders if we received any phone calls or messages and of course we are always on the look out for business opportunities to expand our business,” added Shivute.

Like every other upcoming business in Namibia, there are a list of challenges experienced and for NWDS, they mentioned the securing of a main water.

“We currently do not have our own purification system so we make use of external suppliers.

It is in the pipeline however to work on establishing and creating our own system of water distillation,” explained Ankama to The Zone.

The group also struggles with their marketing department as they are working on getting the community to trust their brand as they rely on door to door advertising. The young entrepreneurs have a dream of having a nationwide chain “that supports the upliftment of Namibia and Namibians.”

“We also want the business to expand into other avenues that include different innovations such as flavored water and ice cubes just to name a few,” says Shilulu.

NWDS advised all young upcoming entrepreneurs to seek to help their clients and never let the money blind them and become greedy and “always remember to give back to the community.”



What are the health benefits of mineral water?

1. Detoxifying Properties

It helps detoxify the body from any potentially harmful substances.The best time to benefit from this process is to drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Start with one glass and gradually progress to two glasses.

2. Calorie-Free

There are no calories in mineral water, so you don't have to worry about weight issues.

3. Replaces Electrolytes

Our sweat is water that has a varying amount of dissolved minerals such as chloride, sodium, calcium, iron, potassium, and others. Drinking mineral water helps replenish what is lost and can balance the electrolytes in the body.

4. Source of Calcium

For people who suffer from lactose intolerance, drinking mineral water will provide part of their calcium intake.

5. Lowers Cholesterol

This may surprise you but based on a study published in 2004 by the Journal of Nutrition, drinking mineral water can lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL).

6. Hydrates More Effectively

Based on studies, drinking mineral water (as compared to tap water), shows a better skin-hydrating effect. So keep the body hydrated and drink at least eight glasses of water. Drink even more if you work out, or are out on a hot sunny day.

7. Thermal Baths or Spas

Natural thermal waters are hot mineral waters with a high concentration of sulfate, calcium, and chloride. It has been used for centuries to improve skin and mobility problems such as arthritis.

8. Good Minerals

Mineral water contains the following minerals that are beneficial to your health. There are also minerals that may be harmful. This is clarified in the next section.

9. Helps Improve Blood Regeneration The water that you drink will help the body renew your blood.This happens every 15 days. if you drink better quality water, you will have blood with better properties.

10. Boosts Athletic Performance

In the study done at the University of Montana, people who drink mineralized water lose body fluids at a slower rate as compared to those who don't. This translate to better cardiovascular performance. Hence, you will not only have more energy during your workout or exercise but will also recover faster.









Tunohole Mungoba
↧
Search

Legislation slows NSX, BoN depository company

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Legislation slows NSX, BoN depository companyLegislation slows NSX, BoN depository companyCurrent rules lacking, Namfisa says The CSD is crucial to fully open up the Namibian market, not only to local companies, but also international investors. We are in the process of writing the rules for the CSD, which will be shared with market participants soon. – Tiaan Baziun, CEO: NSX Ogone Tlhage - The planned implementation of a central securities depository by the Namibia Stock Exchange (NSX) and the Bank of Namibia (BoN) has been delayed owing to the lack of a regulatory framework bourse, NSX CEO Tiaan Bazuin has told Market Watch.

A central securities depository (CSD) is a company that owns technology to securely hold equities, bonds and money market securities in electronic form so that buyers and sellers can exchange ownership of these securities once they are successfully traded.

The CSD was expected to go live in the latter part of 2017.

However, the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) found the current legislation lacking, which in turn has prompted both stakeholders to write rules for the anticipated future operations of the depository.

“We are still partnering with the Bank of Namibia, and as the Central Securities Depository will be regulated under the Financial Institutions Market Bill, the much-anticipated legislation will be used as licensing regime. The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority determined the CSD cannot be licensed under the existing legislation,” he said when asked to provide an update on the matter.

Bazuin did not give an indication of when the rules would be completed.

“We are in the process of writing the rules for the CSD, which will be shared with market participants soon,” he said.

Advantages

In an interview with JSE Magazine, Bazuin highlighted the potential advantages a depository company holds and why the timing of its planned implementation was opportune.

“Ten years ago it may well have been unaffordable to implement a CSD or a trading system for bonds and derivatives, but now it is. That’s why we are in a position to expand our products and services,” Bazuin said.

The depository will also pave the way for the trading of derivatives on the NSX, he said.

“As soon as our central securities depository is licensed and live, we intend to dematerialise all Namibian securities, after which derivatives are planned for the market. The obvious products to start with would be local forex and other hedging products. Thereafter we should be in a position to launch products based on what the markets then want to see,” Bazuin said.

According to him, the CSD will allow international buyers to take part in the local market.

“Revising the current cost structures in the market and establishing an electronic trading option as an alternative to the current over-the-counter methods with reporting obligations will create a reliable yield curve that will further deepen the market,” he told the same publication.

NSX chairman David Nuyoma also highlighted the importance of the CSD in the 2016 annual report of the local bourse.

“Many more steps are required to truly open our markets, not least of which are the formalisation of our bond market and setting up a Central Securities Depository (CSD) for the trading in electronic scrip.

“We hope by developing the market in these projects, more Namibian companies will open their shareholder base and come to market by listing. As in most African markets, ours is plagued by small size and illiquidity and can only change by having more choice and depth,” Nuyoma said.

He also stressed the importance of the CSD to lure more international interest. This would increase the “demand even more, not only for shares, but specifically on the bond market”, Nuyoma said.
↧
↧

Zinc surges to 10-year peak

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Zinc surges to 10-year peakZinc surges to 10-year peak Zinc hit another 10-year high yesterday as base metals rallied across the board on the back of a faltering US dollar, with expectations that the European Central Bank may start trimming its stimulus programme lifting the euro to a three-year peak. At 1030 GMT, three-month zinc on the London Metal Exchange was up 1.5% at US$3 435.50 a tonne, having earlier touched a peak of US$3 440 a tonne, its highest since August 2007. According to the latest figures of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), Namibia earned N$1.152 billion from zinc exports in the first six months of 2017, up about 12% from the same half-year in 2016. Photo Nampa/Reuters
↧

Nation mourns Nghidinwa

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Nation mourns NghidinwaNation mourns Nghidinwa Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa has paid homage to the late cabinet minister Rosalia Nghidinwa, saying she was a sensible leader who listened with her heart.

Nghidinwa died on Sunday evening after a short sickbed. She was 65.

Nghidinwa was a former minister of gender equality and child welfare. She was also the political head at the ministry of home affairs and immigration until her retirement in 2015.

Shaningwa yesterday said Nghidinwa's passing left a big void in the Swapo family.

“We, from the Swapo family, want to sincerely extend our heartfelt condolences to the children of the late Nghidinwa and her relatives. As a party we know that they have been hit very hard,” she said.

She described Nghidinwa as a true freedom fighter who contributed immensely to the liberation struggle.

“She was there during the bitter struggle and assisted the PLAN fighters. She took over so many engagements that promoted and developed women and the rest of their communities and the country as a whole,” she said.

She praised Nghidinwa as a hard worker who was ready to take on any assignment.

“The late Nghidinwa could critically analyse situations and she was a good listener. She did not only listen with her ears but with her heart and that is what I have learned from her,” said Shaningwa.

Nghidinwa's son, Setson, told Namibian Sun that his mother left active politics for women's development and trained women at grassroots level in a number of activities, including basket-making.

She was also actively farming until she was admitted to hospital a week before Christmas.

She is survived by six children.

Her husband, Sam Nghidinwa, died in 2009.





JEMIMA BEUKES
↧

School with 0% pass rate

January 15, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
School with 0% pass rateSchool with 0% pass rateLack of hostel blamed for dismal performance A school in the Oshikoto Region scored a 100% failure rate in last year's NSSC ordinary level exams. The 71 learners at Emanya Secondary School who sat for the final Grade 12 examinations all failed.

Last week the education ministry released the 2017 Grade 12 NSSC ordinary level results and for the first time, the Emanya Secondary School in the Oshikoto Region recorded a 100% failure rate.

The results shocked many because the school has been performing outstandingly in the Grade 10 Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) examinations, where a pass rate between 90% and 100% has been recorded for more than five years.

Speaking to Namibian Sun, Emanya principal Iileka Malakia said he was unimpressed by the results but added that he would ensure that they turned the situation around.

“I cannot comment for now but I am aware of the problem and I am not impressed by the results. I am looking at the issue and I know what to do so that the situation can improve. We are going to try our best to turn it around,” Malakia said.

Malakia said they would replicate the methods used to teach Grade 10 pupils to help the Grade 12s to produce excellent results too.

Contacted for comment, Oshikoto Region's education director Lameck Kafidi attributed the poor performance of some of the schools in his region to a lack of boarding schools and inexperienced teachers.

Kafidi said learners at boarding schools tended to perform better than others.

Kafidi explained that learners who end up at schools far from home are exposed to difficult conditions, including being accommodated at the houses of strangers where they are expected to do all sorts of chores.

Some learners are forced to rent accommodation in informal areas where they are not able to focus on their school work because they must work to pay the rent and buy food.

“Emanya is a non-boarding school and thus we have to accommodate these learners somewhere and they end up at people's houses and without the support of their parents,” Kafidi said.

Kafidi said the inexperience of the Grade 12 teachers at Emanya also played a role in the poor performance, as the school only recently introduced the grade.

He said the region would do a proper analysis of the outcome of the Grade 10 and 12 results and proper measures would be put in place to address the problems.

The poor Grade 12 performance has been criticised as only 39.3% or 8 632 full-time candidates qualified for entry into universities or other higher learning institutions. Overall, 56 305 candidates, of whom 34 214 were part-time students, wrote their NSSC ordinary level exams in 2017, an increase of 9.3% from 51 527 in 2016 to 56 305 last year.

Further, the overall performance in key subjects failed to achieve targets set per the NDP5 for full-time learners scoring a D or better.

An average of 29.8 was achieved in English second language, below the target of 30%, while 41.7% was achieved in Mathematics, below the target of 47%.

In Physical Science, the average score of a D and higher was 46.1%, below the 49% target.

KENYA KAMBOWE
↧

State funeral for the late Nghidinwa

January 16, 2018, 3:02 am
$
0
0
State funeral for the late NghidinwaState funeral for the late Nghidinwa President Hage Geingob has this morning issued a directive that the late Rosalia Nghidinwa will be granted a State funeral.
This was confirmed by secretary to the cabinet George Simataa.
The former gender minister died at the Roman Catholic Hospital in Windhoek where she was admitted on 19 December.
A memorial service is expected to be held in Windhoek at the parliament gardens next week Wednesday. Her body will then be transported to Nkurenkuru where she will be laid to rest on Saturday.
Nghidinwa's son, Setson, told Namibian Sun that his mother left active politics for women's development, and trained women at grassroots level in a number of activities, including basket-making.
She is survived by six children.
Her husband, Sam Nghidinwa, died in 2009.
She was 65.
JEMIMA BEUKES





↧
↧

Benson Shilongo off to Egypt

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Benson Shilongo off to EgyptBenson Shilongo off to Egypt Platinum Stars attacking duo Gift Links and Namibian striker Benson Shilongo are set to complete moves to Egypt in the current transfer window.

Links, 19, and Shilongo, 25, both jetted out to Cairo over the weekend to finalise negotiations with an unnamed Egyptian Premier League side, but will have to wait for Dikwena's sale to go through before completing their moves.

It would seem former Bidvest Wits forward Phakamani Mahlambi's move to Al Ahly in September last year has raised the profile of South Africans in North Africa.

Links has made just two appearances under coach Roger de Sa this season, with one coming in the Telkom Knockout quarterfinal 2-1 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic and the other in a 0-0 Absa Premiership draw against the same team.

Shilongo, who is a centre-forward, has also managed just two appearances, with his first coming in Stars' 2-0 season-opening Absa Premiership defeat to Maritzburg United and his second in the 1-0 league loss to Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Phokeng-based outfit are currently waiting on the approval from the Premier Soccer League, before announcing the club's sale by the end of this week.

KICKOFF
↧

African aims to reinforce

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
African aims to reinforceAfrican aims to reinforceClub reveals title ambitions MTC Namibia Premier League's (NPL) Young African Football Club has released a large number of players. Debmarine Namibia Cup champions Young African FC have begun their search for new players after the Namibia Football Association (NFA) officially opened the transfer window.

The club has so far released nine players, giving them enough space for new players.

The 'Cattle Boys' are seeking to reinforce the squad in order to challenge for the 2017/18 MTC Namibia Premier League title.

“I must admit that it is still premature to mention any names, but I can confirm that we are busy reinforcing.

“We had a great first round and this just made us believe that we can actually challenge for the league title.

“We have held talks with several players in the country and we are also trying to go beyond the borders in search of fine players,” Young African FC's boss Marley Ngarizemo said.

Ngarizemo emphasised the importance of strengthening his defence and midfield in order to have a solid team for the remainder of the season.

His hope is to get more experienced players who have the ability to steer the team to an unthinkable first premier league title in their first season.

“I believe that the first round has prompted us to believe that we can challenge the very best in the country,” he said.

Young African currently occupy the third position on the log with 28 points from 15 games.

They are just a point behind second-placed Tura Magic and nine points behind log leaders African Stars.

The newly promoted club has had an impressive start to the season, having won eight of their 15 matches.

Ngarizemo's boys have only lost three times this season and have dropped two points on four occasions.

The club hopes to maintain their formidable form which saw them beating Mighty Gunners in the final of the NFA Debmarine Namibia Cup last year.

“I would also like to inform everyone that we will be resuming training next week Monday.

“I know some clubs have already started training, but we needed to rest more because our players went late for the holiday.”

Although the club earned N$500 000 by winning the Debmarine Cup, Ngarizemo admitted that their purse has been already drained by all the expenses they had.

“I can tell you now that the money we won at the competition is already finished.

“We paid players' bonuses and also had to buy soccer boots and many other expenses.

“We hope that the NFA can increase the winning fee for the competition next time.”

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
↧
Search

Indongo makes Omaha home

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Indongo makes Omaha homeIndongo makes Omaha homeReady for big things Former unified champ Julius Indongo has begun training in Omaha in the United States in a quest to regain his titles. Julius Indongo held the IBF and WBA junior welterweight titles before losing them to Terence 'Bud' Crawford in Lincoln, Nebraska, in August.

Former Namibian Olympian Julius Indongo travelled to Russia and Scotland to become a unified junior welterweight champion only to lose those titles in Lincoln last summer in a bout with Crawford.

The one-time IBF and WBA titleholder returned to Nebraska this week on a quest to regain his status.

Indongo (22-1, 11 knockouts) has relocated to Omaha with hopes of taking his professional career to the next level by fighting out of the United States. He signed a deal with promoter Lou DiBella late last week.

The 'Blue Machine' arrived in Omaha late Monday night and was already going through a light workout with his new coach and trainer, Larry E. Brown Sr., at CW Boxing Club on Tuesday afternoon. Indongo said he never envisioned returning to Nebraska when he was here in August, yet plans to stay in Omaha.

“It's something that came unexpected,” the former champ said. “But I believe when God has something for you, it's always possible in life. I never even thought that one day I would come back here. But it's good to be here, and I'm happy. And I feel more confident and happy for the new team that I have now.”

Indongo and his Namibian trainer, Imms Pewa Moses, began discussing the idea of the 2008 Olympian relocating to the US after parting ways with his former promoter and manager, Nestor Tobias, last year.

The two reconnected with Brown, whom they had met while training at CW prior to the Crawford fight, and set in motion a plan for the fighter to make Omaha his home base. Indongo is now living with Brown.

“Julius and Imms had already kind of planned this out — to move to America and have me start working with him,” Brown said.

“(Julius) was all for it. He and Imms had to sit down and talk about it, lay out exactly what they wanted and what they needed to do.

“He feels he'll be better off fighting in America.”

Brown, an Omaha native who boxed in town and later in the Army, offered to help Indongo out when he was training at CW prior to his fight with Crawford last summer, setting the stage for this change.

Indongo's new trainer hopes to build upon the skill set that made the southpaw a unified titlist.

“With him already having been a world champion, he already knows the game,” Brown said. “He's very skilled already. I'm just going to try to add on to what I saw when he came down here to fight Terence.”

Brown recruited Omahan Michael Carter to be Indongo's new manager.

The split with Tobias, according to December reports from Namibia, occurred after the fighter hadn't been receiving all his purse money.

“One thing I will do is make sure Julius is well taken care of and he'll get everything that he has coming to him,” said Carter, who has twice worked as an NFL player agent. “That hasn't been the case up to this point.”

Indongo confirmed that he was completely clear of Tobias and free to sign on with Carter and DiBella.

Although he competed in the 2008 Olympics, Indongo was relatively unknown outside of Namibia until he scored a first-round, one-punch knockout of IBF champ Eduard Troyanovsky in Moscow in December 2016.

Four months later, he beat WBA champion Ricky Burns in Scotland to unify those 140-pound belts.

By that time, Crawford was already the WBO/WBC champion. The two met last August at Pinnacle Bank Arena in only the fourth fight in boxing history in which all four sanctioning body belts were on the line.

Crawford won the historic bout in the third round, putting Indongo down for the count with a body shot.

The former IBF/WBA champion credited the Omahan for the punch that took away his breath, but felt it was not his fault. He did admit that his arms should've been higher when he was dropped in the second.

“When it's not your night, it's just not your night,” he said. “I understand that. That's why you've never seen me request for any rematch because I understood that when the night's not meant for you, it's just not meant for you. That's why I decided to just go back and work hard. It's not any mistake I have done.”

Carter said Indongo's career shouldn't be derailed at all following a loss to one of the world's top boxers.

“Terence Crawford is the number one fighter in the world,” he said. “There ain't no argument with that at all. He's the number one guy in the world. But he vacated the 140-pound titles. We feel like we can go get those.”

That's the plan for Team Indongo for now — go after the titles at junior welterweight. Indongo said he doesn't care if that means he has a tune-up fight to begin with or challenges for a title belt right away.

“Whatever comes on the table, I'll just go for it,” he said. “I just want to get back in the ring.”

Upon his arrival in Omaha, Indongo was offered a bout. Promoter Frank Warren of Great Britain contacted DiBella to gage Indongo's interest in fighting British welterweight champ Bradley Skeete.

That bout would have taken place in February at 147 pounds. Indongo and Brown decided to pass on it because they wouldn't have had a full training camp to prepare. And their sights are set on the 140 belts.

“He just threw this at us, asking Julius about fighting at 147,” Brown said. “We're going to have to wait on that one. Our plan is to clean up 140 — and that's what we intend to do — and then move up to 147.”

Carter said there is a chance Team Indongo may be leaving for Alabama soon to go to training camp with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who is also a DiBella fighter. Wilder is scheduled to defend his belt against Luis Ortiz in Brooklyn on March 3. Indongo could make his return on the undercard.

“We have a three-fight minimum guarantee with DiBella,” Carter said. “We're excited about that. And they've got a game plan for him to get him back to where we think he can go. We'll see how it goes.”

WORLD HERALD
↧

KILLED BY ISRAELI GUNFIRE

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
KILLED BY ISRAELI GUNFIREKILLED BY ISRAELI GUNFIRE MARTYR: The autopsy of a disabled Palestinian protester killed in December showed Israeli fire was responsible for his death, a Hamas-affiliated commission in Gaza said. Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh died on 15 December during protests and clashes along the Israel-Gaza border against US President Donald Trump's controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. His family says he had lost his legs in an Israeli strike a decade earlier. Israel's military said earlier this month it was opening an investigation into the death of the 29-year-old after previously saying it was not able to determine whether he had been killed by its soldiers' fire. The justice ministry in Gaza announced on Sunday his body had been exhumed and on Monday a commission affiliated to Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas said he had been shot by Israeli forces. Emad al-Baz, from the organisation which Hamas tasks with gathering evidence about alleged Israeli crimes, told a news conference that multiple tests had been conducted on the body, including X-ray scans. “The autopsy revealed the bullet entered above his left eye and stayed in his head.” El-Baz said the autopsy indicated the bullet was fired from some 30 metres away, the distance between protesters and the Israeli army. The United Nations' human rights chief has said he was “truly shocked” by Abu Thurayeh's death and demanded an “independent and impartial investigation”. Seventeen Palestinians have been killed since Trump's 6 December announcement, most of them in clashes with Israeli forces. One Israeli has been killed in that timeframe. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
↧
↧

Sisi fights back on Nile dam

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Sisi fights back on Nile damSisi fights back on Nile dam President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowed on Monday to protect Egypt's water supply while striving for peace with the Nile upstream countries of Sudan and Ethiopia, which is building a controversial dam.

“Egypt will not go to war with its brothers,” Sisi said on state television, although Cairo fears its water supply will be affected by Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited the Ethiopian capital last month for talks on the dam project on the Blue Nile.

Egypt relies almost totally on the Nile for irrigation and drinking water, and says it has “historic rights” to the river, guaranteed by treaties from 1929 and 1959. Sisi also stressed that Egypt was investing in its military to protect national security.

“This is a national security need... You have military power to protect you, to protect this peace I'm talking about,” said Sisi, himself a former armed forces chief.

“We always make sure that we stay within our borders, not conspire against anyone, not interfere in others' affairs,” he said. Sisi said his message was directed at Egyptians as well as “our brothers in Sudan and in Ethiopia so that the issue becomes clear for them”.

Egypt is building a massive wastewater treatment and desalination plant to cope with potential shortages, the president said last week.

Cairo argues that the 1929 and 1959 treaties grant it 87% of the Nile's flow, as well as the power to veto upstream projects. The Blue and the White Nile tributaries converge in Sudan's capital Khartoum and from there run north through Egypt to the Mediterranean.

The dam in Ethiopia is designed to feed a hydroelectric project to produce 6 000 megawatts of power - the equivalent of six nuclear-powered plants. Ethiopia began building the dam in 2012 and was initially expected to commission it in 2017. But Ethiopian media reports say only about 60% has so far been built. Egypt's administration of the Halayeb triangle, which lies near the Red Sea in a mineral-rich border region, is a bone of contention with Sudan.

Khartoum says Halayeb has been part of its sovereign territory since shortly after independence in 1956, accusing Egypt of occupying it. Last May, Sudan banned imports of Egyptian agricultural and animal products, and Khartoum recalled its ambassador from Cairo for “consultations” in January.



NAMPA/AFP
↧

Cholera and unrest in Zambia

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Cholera and unrest in ZambiaCholera and unrest in Zambia Police in Zambia's capital Lusaka on Monday fired tear gas at angry traders marching to the president's office in protest over a ban on street commerce aimed at curbing a deadly cholera outbreak.

The 500-strong crowd was trying to deliver a petition to President Edgar Lungu who has become the public face of the campaign against the outbreak that has claimed at least 70 lives since September.

“Kill us if you want... it's hunger that is going to kill us. We voted Lungu and we want to see him over this issue,” shouted one trader as police blocked them from reaching State House. Police spokeswoman Esther Katongo confirmed that officers “discharged tear smoke to disperse them” but said no-one had been arrested. Authorities have banned several street markets in Lusaka in an effort to reduce the volume of food and drink sold in unsanitary open-air locations, which are particularly vulnerable to the spread of cholera. On Sunday, local government minister Vincent Mwale said vendors working in Lusaka's central business district would be moved to an unfinished marketplace elsewhere in the city as part of efforts to combat the water-borne disease. But many traders say they won't have adequate facilities at the unfinished market, prompting efforts to take their grievances directly to Lungu. Cholera is a water-borne diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated but is easily cured with oral rehydration, intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Clean water and sanitation are critical to controlling transmission. Lungu previously said he was “deeply concerned” at the spread of the disease, blaming water from shallow wells, unsanitary conditions in residential and public areas and contaminated food. On December 30, he ordered the military to assist efforts to combat the disease.



NAMPA/AFP
↧

Al-Shabaab recruits kids

January 16, 2018, 2:00 pm
$
0
0
Al-Shabaab recruits kidsAl-Shabaab recruits kidsForcing civilians to hand over their children For the purposes of military training and 'indoctrination', it appears Al-Shabaab is now targeting young children in Somalia. Somalia's al-Qaeda linked Shabaab insurgents are increasingly threatening civilians to force them to hand over young children for “indoctrination and military training”, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. The rights watchdog said an aggressive campaign to recruit children had begun in mid-2017, with the jihadists taking reprisals against communities who refuse to cooperate. Hundreds of children have fled their homes to avoid this fate, often alone, it said in a statement.

“Al-Shabaab's ruthless recruitment campaign is taking rural children from their parents so they can serve this militant armed group,” said Laetitia Bader, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The practice was revealed to be taking place in three districts largely under Shabaab control, in the southern Bay region.

According to HRW, Al-Shabaab has opened large Islamic religious schools since 2015 in areas under their control, bringing in younger children and pressuring teachers to teach the Shabaab curriculum in schools and avoid “foreign teachings”.



'Keys to our borehole'

Village elders near Baidoa in southwestern Somalia told HRW that in September, Shabaab militants ordered them to hand over dozens of children between the ages of nine and 15.

“They said we needed to support their fight. They spoke to us in a very threatening manner. They also said they wanted the keys to our boreholes. They kept us for three days. We said we needed to consult with our community. They gave us 10 days,” one resident told HRW. The community refused to hand over the children, and has since received threatening calls including death threats. That same month residents of Burkhaba district said Shabaab fighters had forcible taken at least 50 boys and girls from two schools to a village called Bulo Fulay, reported to host a “number of religious schools and a major training facility”. A large group of Shabaab militants returned two weeks later to another local school and threatened the teacher who refused to hand over the children, said HRW.

“They wanted 25 children ages eight to 15,” the teacher told HRW.



Recruitment drives

“They didn't say why, but we know that it's because they want to indoctrinate them and then recruit them.”

In Berdale district - also in the Bay region - Shabaab has abducted elders who refuse to hand over children in at least four villages, said the statement. According to HRW, hundreds of often unaccompanied children have fled their homes since the recruitment campaign began.

The watchdog said that while government had taken some steps to protect schools and students, it should work to identify recruitment drives, assist displaced children and ensure children “are not sent into harm's way.” The Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow successive internationally backed governments in Mogadishu since 2007 and frequently deploys car and truck bombs against military, government and civilian targets. The Shabaab lost its foothold in the capital in 2011 but still controls vast rural areas.



NAMPA/AFP
↧
Viewing all 36395 articles
Browse latest View live
Search
<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>