Mali's security forces have captured a suspected al-Qaeda base in the Sahara desert near the Algerian border, Malian officials say. At least 12 militants died while five soldiers were killed by land mines during the operation. Earlier this month, the al-Qaeda group is thought to have killed a UK hostage it had been holding for five months. Last week, a senior Malian intelligence officer who was investigating the group was shot dead in Timbuktu. Lt Col Lamana Ould Cheikh was believed to have been behind the recent arrest of three alleged militants. One of his colleagues reportedly said his assassination was "an act of war". Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is believed to operate in the Sahara desert between Algeria, Mali and Niger. It grew out of Algerian Islamist groups which have been battling the government for almost two decades. Mali's government believes that Algerian militant Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, listed by the UN as a known al-Qaeda member, was responsible for the death of the British hostage Edwin Dyer. Mr Dyer was kidnapped in Niger in January, but was being held in Mali. It is believed the al-Qaeda cell is still holding a Swiss national, Werner Greiner, captured alongside Mr Dyer. | |
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Mali army 'takes al-Qaeda base'
Remember Soweto
 Adirine began his journey at the school his mother attended that morning |
Kedibone Losaba was an 11-year-old school pupil when she took part in a protest 1976 which became known as the Soweto uprising.
The students took to the streets of the township, angered by a new regulation that they be taught in Afrikaans, and she was standing just 20m away when 12-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot.
The daughter of a domestic servant, Mrs Losaba is now a successful optometrist, living in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Waverley.
This week, on the anniversary of the uprising, she returned with her son Adirine to the scene of the shooting, to reflect on how the events of that day have transformed her life, and his.
On Tuesday, I took my son Adirine to relive the events I witnessed more than 30 years ago.
The reason? I went to an event at his school, where the pupils were being taught about 16 June, 1976.
My son goes to a private school. He is one of the fortunate ones.
But I was a little disturbed by what they were presenting. It was quite superficial.
 |  It's important for our children to know what we had to go through  Kedibone Losaba |
I felt like jumping on the stage and correcting them.
But I could not, for I have never bothered to relate the story to my son.
So I decided to take him to relive what happened. I wanted to give my son the whole picture - what happened and why.
It's important for our children to understand the history. To realise what we took part in and the liberation we had to go through.
A stitch in time
We started at the wall of my old school, at Nka-Thuto, in Dube village.
| AT THE SCENE  Adirine Losaba, age nine, Soweto It was really interesting for me to know what happened. I saw where Hector Pieterson was educated - and where he got shot. The story was a lot different from the one in school. My teacher didn't really explain much of what happened. She didn't really know. My mum knew more about it and what really happened that day. She knew what started everything. |
I remember that morning in 1976, I was sitting in my standard four class, wearing my green school uniform, and busy with my sewing.
Mine was a milk jug cover, in turquoise blue.
Suddenly there was this big man who told us to get up and start walking.
Confused as I was, I packed my sewing quickly and put it in my green camouflage backpack bag, and joined a huge number of older students.
We marched from Vocational and Nka-Thuto up Mncube Drive and joined other students from White City, Naledi area, down on Mahalefele Road.
With my petite body and innocence, I walked down along the pavement with the intention that when I reached Masike shops, A1 Dry cleaners, I would take a turn and go home.
For whatever reason I did not.
Instead, I proceeded with the students, who were singing their hearts out. Even though I did not know any of the songs.
As I reached Belle Primary school, just few metres away, by Uncle Tom's Hall, there were two green police vans blocking the road.
An older student was going into Belle to do what they did at Nka-Thuto.
Gun shots
Suddenly, I heard a few bangs.
I was maybe 20m-25m away when the gun shots were fired.
It was the first time for me to hear a gun shot. I was a little bit scared. I was shocked.
| I was hyperventilating, but I didn't cry - I wanted to be strong for my boy Kedibone Losaba |
I didn't run. I had no clue of what was happening. But I saw the action.
Then, there it was - three innocent pupils all being carried to Phomolong Clinic. I could see people carrying the students who had been killed.
When Adi and I reached that spot on Tuesday, I became very emotional.
In fact, I was overwhelmed. I was hyperventilating. But I didn't cry. I wanted to be strong, for my boy.
When I stood there in 1976, I was just 11 years old. I was young and naive. I had no clue if it would end up being a riot.
Little did we realise that today, we would be looking at this day as historic.
Curiosity kept me for a while around that area, waiting to see what was next.
All hell
At around 1300, all hell broke out.
I saw a helicopter flying low. Around Phefeni station, the Coca Cola truck was already getting looted.
| He produced his firearm... Big mistake Kedibone Losaba |
At Vilakazi, next to Khumalo shops, a Chappies van was in flames.
Realising what was happening, I tried to find my way home. On my way, I saw a white van with green curtains on the side, driven by a white man.
As he was trying to drive through the students, he panicked and swerved his car, screeching the tires along the short street that is facing Phomolong Clinic gate.
He produced his firearm. Big mistake.
 The image of Hector Pieterson became symbolic of the struggle |
He was pulled out of his car and beaten with everything you could think of.
My last straw was when one student took a pike and hit him on the head and put him in the dustbin with ashes.
I could not stand this anymore. I ran home. Already, a sneezing powder that was used by the police in the helicopter was all over us.
I found my grandmother panicking at the gate with a big chain and a lock waiting for us all to come back home so that she can lock her gates that police do not have access to us.
Rewriting history
The day is important to me because that was when the youth, the students of Soweto, decided to take it upon themselves to say "No! We will not be taught in Afrikaans." Because our teachers could not speak it. So how can they educate us, in a language they do not speak? I feel strongly that we need to educate our kids, so that they are able to give their peers correct and informed knowledge about our history.
| The impact on Adi was overwhelming Kedibone Losaba |
Our history is written by white people and half the time it is distorted.
That's why as parents, my husband and I both take our children to Soweto, to see where we grew up, and to understand where they came from.
Because what they see now is not what the world was all about in the previous years.
The type of education these kids have is totally different from ours.
 Some 500 died in three weeks of nationwide protests |
When I was young there were no private schools for poor black people at that time.
And even if there were, my mother was a domestic servant. She wouldn't have been able to afford to pay for private education.
Now I live in Waverley, in Johannesburg. I'm a successful entrepreneur.
My daughter is studying to be an architect; my son doesn't even consider himself black.
You have to remind them - to bring them back.
At the end of our trip, I took Adi up to the Hector Pieterson memorial museum, in Orlando West.
The impact on Adi was overwhelming - now he's got the real picture of what was happening and he intends to sit down and write it.
We also took pictures, so he can present it to the school.
Anything is possible
Over the years my view of 1976 has changed and so have my circumstances.
But I'm not taking my success for granted because I had to work five times more to get here.
Even now we still have to fight for certain things.
But today, if you have vision and you have focus and a dream of what it is you want to become, it is possible.
All you have to do is read and study.
But had it not been for 1976, we would not be where we are today.
That was the starting point.
Noise fear for elephants
Noise pollution from helicopter flights over Victoria Falls could badly affect important elephant herds in Zimbabwe, environmentalists have warned. They say senior government ministers are backing plans for a four-fold increase in tourist flights. It is part of attempts to take advantage of an expected tourist boom when neighbouring South Africa hosts next year's football World Cup. Work has already begun on new helipads but without official permission. Zimbabwean Environment Minister Francis Nehema says no environmental impact assessment has been made - and without it the scheme cannot go ahead.
"It doesn't matter who you are. We want it done. It is a prerequisite," he said. Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe says at present just five helicopters fly over the falls at any one time. That figure is set to grow to around 20, as tourists scramble to secure stunning aerial views of one of the world's most spectacular sights, he says. But environmentalists fear excessive noise pollution will have an adverse effect on the behaviour patterns of the elephants. And Deliwe Utete from non-governmental organisation Environment Africa says if the elephants flee it could have worrying repercussions for the resort's entire ecosystem, affecting thousands of wild animals and birds. | ||
Mobiles boost Africa climate data
Gaping gaps in weather and climate data across Africa may be filled by a partnership between humanitarian groups and mobile phone companies.
The project aims to deploy 5,000 automatic weather stations across the continent mounted on phone masts.
They will gather data on aspects of weather such as rainfall and wind, and send it to national weather agencies.
Former UN chief Kofi Annan says the project could help save lives of people on "the frontlines of climate change".
"The world's poorest are also the world's most vulnerable when it comes to the impact of climate change, and the least equipped to deal with its consequences," he said.
"Today you find cell phone towers in almost every part of Africa. We have never been able to establish weather monitoring on that scale, until now."
Mr Annan now serves as president of the Global Humanitarian Forum, which is formally launching the programme, named Weather Info for All, at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction meeting in Geneva.
Global conversation
More than 70% of Africans make a living from farming, and the vast majority of the continent's agriculture is rain-fed, making it highly vulnerable to variability in weather and climate.
Yet report after report has concluded that weather data - needed to make accurate projections of climate change - is in woefully short supply.
Africa has less than 200 weather stations meeting World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards. Europe, by comparison, has several thousand.
 Mr Annan now devotes a lot of time to African science and technology issues |
"We see the Weather Info for All initiative as a major pan-African effort to empower our 188 (nation) members to provide enhanced weather information and services," said Michel Jarraud, WMO secretary-general.
"For food production, almost every decision is linked to weather, climate and water parameters."
The success or failure of the initiative will largely hinge on the willingness of Africa's mobile phone companies to take part, according to Carl-Henric Svanberg, president and CEO of Ericsson, who conceived the project during conversations with Mr Annan and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chief Rajendra Pachauri.
"This initiative presents a unique opportunity to simultaneously help mitigate the impact of climate change for those most affected and to strengthen weather networks and systems across the continent," commented Mr Svanberg.
So far the project's pilot phase has seen 19 stations established around Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Organisers acknowledge more funding will be needed to attain the final goal of 5,000 stations.
Fifa likely to honour late Marc-vivien Foe
Aged just 28, Foe died shortly after collapsing during the 2003 Confederations Cup in France.
The Cameroonian midfielder died following an on-pitch cardiac arrest caused by a genetic heart defect.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter revealed the idea after being pressed on the matter at a news conference in Johannesburg.
"Now that we are back in Africa, we shall see if a memory to Foe can be staged in one of the matches," said Blatter.
Football's world governing body has already dedicated a previous Confederations Cup match to Foe, namely the 2005 semi-final, which fell two years to the day after his death.
Should a match be staged in his honour, it seems likely to be either one of next week's semi-finals, being staged on Wednesday and Thursday, or the final on Sunday 28 June.
While Fifa established a foundation to look after Foe's wife and the education of his two children, Blatter said the respected Cameroonian's tragic demise left other legacies.
"Foe's death has brought a new approach to the prevention of health, disease and cardiologic problems in football organisation," Blatter declared.
"More and more, a special cardiologic check-up has to be done before tournaments - just as Fifa has done with the eight teams at this year's U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
"Another result was that Fifa has now recommended that a defibrillating machine should be present in all stadiums where football is played."
In his curtailed career, Foe, a powerful central midfielder, won two African Cup of Nations and two French league championships, with Lens in 1998 and Lyon in 2002.
As well as playing in England's Premiership, Foe played at two World Cup finals, winning 64 caps and scoring eight goals for his nation along the way.
In his homeland, where he was given a state burial, the footballer was posthumously awarded Cameroon's Commander of the National Order of Valour.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Zimbabwe
Obama pledges aid for Zimbabwe
m (£44m) in aid for Zimbabwe.The US president was speaking at the White House in Washington, where he met the visiting Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Obama said he wanted to encourage the rule of law, human rights and basic health and education in Zimbabwe.
Mr Tsvangirai - who entered a power-sharing agreement with President Robert Mugabe in February - is on an international tour to seek aid.
President Obama said he had "extraordinary admiration for the courage and tenacity" shown by Mr Tsvangirai, the leader of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe.
Contrast with Mugabe
The US president said the power-sharing coalition in Zimbabwe was showing promise, following what he termed the "very dark and difficult" period the country had been through.
Correspondents say the warm welcome given to Mr Tsvangirai is in sharp contrast to the attitude towards President Mugabe, who is the subject of a travel ban and assets freeze by the United States and European Union.
Earlier, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the country's economy could grow by between 4% and 6% this year.
 Tendai Biti is optimistic about the prospects for economic growth |
Mr Biti said steps would be taken to restrict central bank activities such as borrowing and that Zimbabwe was coping with a lack of foreign aid.
The Zimbabwe economy has been battered by years of hyperinflation.
Mr Biti was speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town.
"I think we will be able to achieve a growth rate of at least 6%, although conservatively it will be 4% in 2009," he told journalists.
Zimbabwe's economy has been shrinking for years. It contracted by 6.1% in 2007, according to the International Monetary Fund.
The power-sharing government has said the country needs about $10bn (£6bn) to stabilise its economy.
Israel sets terms for Palestinian state
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will back a Palestinian state - but only if it is completely demilitarised.
He said a Palestinian state must have no army, no control of its air space and no way of smuggling in weapons.
In a landmark speech, weeks after the US president urged him to agree a two-state plan, he said the Palestinians must accept Israel as a Jewish state.
Palestinian leaders reacted angrily, accusing him of sabotaging peace plans.
Settlers 'not enemies'
The White House said President Barack Obama welcomed Mr Netanyahu's "endorsement" of a two-state solution as an "important step forward".
The BBC's Paul Wood says Mr Netanyahu broke ground by accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state, albeit with conditions.
| Any demand to resettle refugees within Israel undermines Israel as a state for the Jewish people Benjamin Netanyahu  |
But our correspondent says the question is whether the White House regards this as sufficient to make up for the lack of movement on the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Obama has stressed that he wants all settlement activity to stop.
But in his speech at Bar-Ilan university Mr Netanyahu said settlers were not "enemies of peace" and did not move from his position of backing "natural growth" in existing settlements.
Thorny issues
The Israeli leader offered to talk to the Palestinians immediately and with "no preconditions".
|  Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem Benjamin Netanyahu has shifted. He has used the word "state", when it comes to Palestinian self-rule. In another deeper sense, though, there has been no shift. Mr Netanyahu's closest aides have been saying for months that they have two over-arching pre-conditions: a public Palestinian acceptance of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, and a complete demilitarisation of any future Palestinian entity. And Mr Netanyahu tersely dismissed the US call for an end to settlement expansion: these people have to live, he said. He described them as "pioneers" and "principled". This is a speech which will shore up the prime minister's position within his right-wing coalition. It is, whatever you think of the rights and wrongs of it, a powerful forehand deep into the back court of the Americans. It will be fascinating to see when and how the Americans return the ball. |
"We want to live with you in peace as good neighbours," he said.
Mr Netanyahu also said he was willing to go to Damascus, Riyadh and Beirut in pursuit of a Middle East peace deal.
He went on to tackle the major stumbling blocks in negotiations with Palestinians over the years.
Not least was the issue of Palestinian refugees who fled or were forced from their homes in what is now Israel in 1948 and 1949.
The Palestinians say they and their millions of descendants have the right to return to Israel - which would mean an end to its Jewish majority - but Israel has consistently rebuffed that demand.
Mr Netanyahu stuck to a similar line, saying: "The Palestinian refugee problem must be resolved outside the borders of the state of Israel.
"Any demand to resettle refugees within Israel undermines Israel as a state for the Jewish people."
Another key issue the two sides have failed to agree on is the status of Jerusalem.
Mr Netanyahu insisted the city must be the "united capital of Israel", although Palestinians want it divided to allow them to locate the capital of a future state there.
Agreeing the principle of a Palestinian state, he said Israel would "be prepared for a true peace agreement [and] to reach a solution of a demilitarised Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state".
But only if "we receive this guarantee for demilitarisation and the security arrangements required by Israel, and if the Palestinians recognise Israel as the nation of the Jewish people".
'Racist and extremist'
Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Israeli leader's speech "torpedoes all peace initiatives in the region".
Another Abbas aide, Yasser Abed Rabbo, told the AFP news agency that recognition of Israel's Jewish character was a demand for Palestinians "to become part of the global Zionist movement".
While the militant Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the speech reflected Mr Netanyahu's "racist and extremist ideology".
Confederation cup
Spain 5-0 New Zealand
| By Peter Scrivener |
 Torres' hat-trick was the second of his career for Spain |
Fernando Torres' first-half hat-trick helped Confederations Cup debutants Spain to crush New Zealand 5-0.
The Liverpool striker curled in from the edge of the box, sidefooted a second from six yards and powerfully headed a third inside 20 minutes.
Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas then ended a neat passing move by turning Joan Capdevila's cross into an empty net.
David Villa tapped in a fifth after the break as Spain recorded a 33rd game without defeat and 13th successive win.
It was the first meeting between the countries at senior level, and one that the All Whites will be keen to forget.
They were given a footballing lesson in the opening 25 minutes as a full-strength Spanish side tore them apart with excellent passing and movement.
Torres was the chief beneficiary, delightfully curling in his first from 20 yards after being left unmarked. He then created his own space in the box to coolly turn in Villa's accurate centre from the left.
Moments later Torres should have completed his hat-trick, but New Zealand keeper Glen Moss held his weak header.
However, Torres was not to be denied and he outjumped a static defence to clinically nod in Capdevila's cross from 10 yards.
And on 24 minutes, Spain produced the move of the match to score their fourth.
| 606: DEBATE Gingfranco_Zola |
Villa started the move passing the ball to Torres on the right who cut inside and found Xavi.
The Barcelona midfielder in turn spread the ball to Capdevila on the left wing and he exchanged passes with Liverpool's Albert Riera before picking out Fabregas, who calmly slotted home.
After the break, Torres turned provider after skipping past two players down the left wing. His low cross should have been cleared by Andy Boyens, but he kicked fresh air instead of the ball to leave Villa with the simplest of tap-ins at the back post.
Capdevila and Villa spared New Zealand further humiliation by firing shots wide, while Fabregas blazed over from close range as Spain continued to create chances.
Simon Elliott went closest for New Zealand, but his low shot from 30 yards was comfortably saved by Iker Casillas.
New Zealand: Moss, Lochhead, Vicelich, Mulligan, Boyens, Elliott, Brown, Bertos, Smeltz, Killen, Brockie.
Subs: Paston, Bannatyne, Scott, Oughton, Sigmund, Barron, Christie, James, Old, Wood, Bright, Smith.
Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Albiol, Capdevila, Xavi, Fabregas, Riera, Alonso, Villa, Torres.
Subs: Reina, Diego Lopez, Pique, Marchena, Pablo, Busquets, Llorente, Guiza, Arbeloa, Santi Cazorla, Silva, Mata.
Referee: Bonaventure Codija (Benin)
South Africa 0-0 Iraq
Highlights - Wasteful SA draw with Iraq
Hosts South Africa and Iraq shared the spoils in the opening game of the Fifa Confederations Cup in Johannesburg.
The hosts missed a hatful of chances with Kagisho Dikgacoi unlucky to see a goalbound header accidently blocked on the line by team-mate Bernard Parker.
Earlier South Africa's Macbeth Sibayo saw his 20-yard shot tipped round the post by Iraqi keeper Mohammed Kassid.
Striker Parker saw two efforts saved by Kassid while Thembinkosi Fanteni headed Teko Modise's corner over the bar.
Substitute Katlego Mashego should have done better for South Africa when finding himself one-on-one with Kassid.
| The world of football trusts you, and the confidence is in you. It is in Africa, it is in South Africa today Fifa president Sepp Blatter |
But as was the case for much of the game the Iraq keeper proved to be unbeatable, doing well to smother the ball at the feet of Mashego.
Iraq rarely threatened South Africa who were cheered on by a partisan crowd of 48,837 at Johannesburg's Ellis Park.
The one time the hosts did beat Kassid, Parker found himself in the way of Dikgacoi's header, blocking it on the line and away to safety.
Earlier Fifa president Sepp Blatter had opened the tournament after a colourful ceremony at Ellis Park.
"Fifa is committed to Africa," said Blatter.
"The world of football trusts you, and the confidence is in you. It is in Africa, it is in South Africa today."