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	<title>Ghanamma.com &#187; Africa</title>
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	<link>http://www.ghanamma.com</link>
	<description>Delivering the latest breaking Ghana news, and information on the latest top stories, weather, business, entertainment, watch Ghana movies, Nigeria movies, Ghana TV live, music Videos, politics, Ghana web tv and more</description>
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		<title>China offers 500 troops for UN Mali force</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/china-offers-500-troops-for-un-mali-force/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/china-offers-500-troops-for-un-mali-force/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:18 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Illustration shows Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers in a UN peacekeeping unit. By Teh Eng Koon (AFP/Illustration)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - China has offered to send more than 500 soldiers to the UN force seeking to contain Islamist militants in Mali in what would be its biggest contribution to UN peacekeeping, diplomats said.The move could be a bid to overcome tensions with the West over the Syria conflict and to strengthen Beijing's relations in Africa, where it is a major buyer of oil and other resources, diplomats and experts said.France, which intervened in the west African nation in January, hopes to hand over to UN peacekeepers in July. ...]]></description>
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		<title>Crowds mourn literary giant Achebe at funeral</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/crowds-mourn-literary-giant-achebe-at-funeral/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/crowds-mourn-literary-giant-achebe-at-funeral/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:15 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Mourners carry Chinua Achebe's coffin to St. Philips Anglican Church at Ogidi, southeast Nigeria, on May 23, 2013. ...]]></description>
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		<title>Twin Niger car bombings &#8216;kill 10&#8242;</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/twin-niger-car-bombings-kill-10/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/twin-niger-car-bombings-kill-10/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:12 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Niger soldiers patrol near Agadez on September 24, 2010. By Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; NIAMEY (AFP) - Twin car bombings at an army base and a French-run uranium mine in northern Niger killed at least 10 people Thursday, in unprecedented attacks claimed by an Islamist group fighting French-led troops in neighbouring Mali.The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) claimed the bombings, calling them punishment for Niger's participation in a French-led military offensive against Islamist extremists who had seized control of northern Mali last year and ruled it under a brutal version of Islamic law for some 10 months."Thanks to Allah, we have carried out two operations against the enemies of Islam in Niger," MUJAO spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui told AFP."We attacked France and Niger for its cooperation with France in the war against sharia (Islamic law)."The attacks are the first of their kind in Niger, an impoverished west African country that has sent troops into neighbouring Mali as part of a regional force supporting the French-led operation.They come some four months after Al-Qaeda-linked militants seized a desert gas plant in a brazen raid in neighbouring Algeria that left 38 hostages dead, including 37 foreigners, in what the Islamists called a retaliatory attack for France's action in Mali.French nuclear giant Areva said 13 people had been wounded at its Somair subsidiary, while a Western source said the two blasts had killed at least 10 people.In the first attack, a car exploded outside the army base in Agadez, the largest city in northern Niger. ...]]></description>
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		<title>Vale, Rio Tinto slammed over Mozambique resettlements</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/vale-rio-tinto-slammed-over-mozambique-resettlements/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/vale-rio-tinto-slammed-over-mozambique-resettlements/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:06 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; A truck dumps a coal onto a conveyer belt at Vale's Moatize mine in northern Mozambique on May 8, 2011. By Johannes Myburgh (AFP)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; MAPUTO (AFP) - Global mining giants Vale and Rio Tinto have neglected thousands of Mozambicans who have been moved from mining areas and resettled without proper homes or income, Human Rights Watch alleged on Thursday."Many of the 1,429 households resettled to make way for Vale and Rio Tinto's international coal mining operations ... have faced serious disruptions in their access to food, water, and work," the rights group said.More than half the booming northern Tete province has been zoned for mining, limiting the amount of good farming land available for resettlement.Mozambique is believed to have the largest untapped coal reserves in the world and exports could reach 100 million tonnes over the next decade, fuelling industrial development in India and China.But many farming families in the country's booming north had gone from self-sufficiency to reliance on food distribution since 2009, when Brazil's Vale started resettlements, according to Human Rights Watch.Residents of the Cateme resettled community periodically block roads -- most recently in April -- to protest against crumbling houses and lost livelihoods.Vale hit back against Human Rights Watch's allegations, insisting it had managed resettlements "based on respect for human rights and aligned with international standards."In a statement, the firm said it had fixed water pumps and irrigation systems and had repaired houses in resettlement areas.It also promised compensation to 83 families who still have not received all the farmland they had been promised.Human Rights Watch said tensions between mining firms and locals highlighted "how quickly the government has been handing out licences, limiting the availability of land."The group called on authorities to update current resettlement laws to bring them up to international standards.The report came as the impoverished southern-African nation prepares for major gas exploration off its northeastern coast in Cabo Delgado province.Over 100 trillion cubic feet have been discovered here so far -- almost double Libya's proven reserves.&#13; &#13; ]]></description>
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		<title>New Research Says African Commonwealth Economies Are Generally More Competitive Than African Non-Commonwealth Economies</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/new-research-says-african-commonwealth-economies-are-generally-more-competitive-than-african-non-commonwealth-economies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/new-research-says-african-commonwealth-economies-are-generally-more-competitive-than-african-non-commonwealth-economies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:37 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[South Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/new-research-says-african-commonwealth-economies-are-generally-more-competitive-than-african-non-commonwealth-economies/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; New research from the Royal Commonwealth Society says that African Commonwealth countries'economies are generally more competitive than their non-Commonwealth counterparts. In fact,five of the seven most competitive African countries are Commonwealth members (South Africa,Mauritius, Rwanda, Botswana and Namibia).The research was conducted to ascertain whether membership of the association confers anymeasurable advantage upon its states and compares Commonwealth countries with their non-Commonwealth regional and economic counterparts across a range of indicators, includingcompetitiveness, press freedom, inequality, gender, peace, democracy and environmentalsustainability.The emerging findings of the research will be published on the 23 May by the RoyalCommonwealth Society in a report entitled 'Commonwealth Compared 2013: Setting the Scene'.The first ever Commonwealth index of its kind, the report shines new light on the association'sgreatest strengths and weaknesses. The findings suggest that while there is only a small differencein the global median scores between the competitiveness of Commonwealth countries' economiesand non-Commonwealth countries' economies generally, African countries buck this trend andoutperform their non-Commonwealth partners.As a working paper, the report doesn't investigate causality, but it does suggest that the sharedhistory of the Commonwealth, the familiarity forged between its leaders and its common languagehave created a Commonwealth 'X-factor' and that now is the time to maximise the effectiveness ofthe association.The full report will be available to download from 20.00BST Thursday 23 May 2013, athttp://www.thercs.org/society/CommonwealthCompared.Mike Lake, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, said:'This is a thought-provoking and exciting report that suggests the Commonwealth networkprovides a framework in which its member states can prosper...]]></description>
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		<title>UN chief visits Goma after deadly fighting</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/un-chief-visits-goma-after-deadly-fighting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/un-chief-visits-goma-after-deadly-fighting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:43 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; People flee Sake, west of Goma, on November 22, 2012. ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Car bombings in Niger hit uranium mine, army base</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/car-bombings-in-niger-hit-uranium-mine-army-base/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/car-bombings-in-niger-hit-uranium-mine-army-base/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 09:17:57 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Installations at the Somair mineral treatment plant near the Areva uranium mine in Arlit, Niger on February 23, 2005. By Pierre Verdy (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; NIAMEY (AFP) - A uranium mine owned by French nuclear giant Areva and a military base in northern Niger were hit by twin car bombings Thursday, wounding multiple people, said the defence minister and an employee of the company."There was an explosion in front of the military base at Agadez," Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidjo told AFP, calling it a car bomb attack]]></description>
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		<title>China offers 500 troops to UN Mali force: envoys</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/china-offers-500-troops-to-un-mali-force-envoys/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/china-offers-500-troops-to-un-mali-force-envoys/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 07:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Illustration shows Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers in a UN peacekeeping unit. By Teh Eng Koon (AFP/Illustration)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - China has offered to send more than 500 soldiers to the UN force seeking to contain Islamist militants in Mali in what would be its biggest contribution to UN peacekeeping, diplomats said Wednesday.The move could be a bid to overcome tensions with the West over the Syria conflict and to strengthen its relations in Africa, where it is a major buyer of oil and other resources, diplomats and experts said.France, which intervened in the west African nation in January, hopes to hand over to UN peacekeepers in July. More than 6,500 African troops are already in the country but the UN is looking for at least 3,000 more to bolster the force.The final number of Chinese troops who will take part has not yet been decided, diplomats said."China has offered between 500 and 600 soldiers," said one senior diplomat. ...]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>S. African MPs rubbish Indian wedding probe</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/s-african-mps-rubbish-indian-wedding-probe/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/s-african-mps-rubbish-indian-wedding-probe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 23:43:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[South Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/s-african-mps-rubbish-indian-wedding-probe/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Vega Gupta and her husband, Indian-born Aaskash Jahajgarhia, pose in Sun City, South Africa, on May 1, 2013. By (Gupta Family/AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; CAPE TOWN (AFP) - South Africa's political opposition on Wednesday rubbished a government probe that cleared President Jacob Zuma over the use of a military base for a plush Indian wedding.Slamming the investigation as a whitewash, lawmakers demanded that Zuma and his ministers be held accountable for the scandal and questioned the influence of the wedding's well-connected hosts.The South African-based Gupta family sparked a furore by flying in a wedding party from New Delhi to the high security air force base where they received a red carpet welcome last month.The probe found that Zuma, who has close ties to the wealthy family, was not involved in the case.Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, presenting the findings to parliament, said two officials on "a frolic on their own" had authorised the chartered jet's landing on April 30 with no wrongdoing by leaders.Any finger pointing at a cover-up was "clearly misplaced", he said.But this was solidly rejected by the opposition."We cannot sit back and allow ministers to get off the hook by hanging a few 'rogue officials' out to dry," said MP David Maynier of the main opposition Democratic Alliance."Ministerial heads must roll."Zuma was the "root cause" of what has been dubbed Guptagate, charged Maynier, who called on South Africans to "fire" him in polls next year."He is responsible for creating the 'culture of undue influence' referred to in the investigation report," he said.It was revealed at the weekend that Zuma's name, and those of the defence and transport ministers, had been used to manipulate official procedures.Bollywood stars and politicians were among the guests attending the nuptials of Vega Gupta, a niece of the powerful Gupta brothers who own several companies including Sahara Computers and the pro-government New Age newspaper.Their 121-car convoy was also granted a full police escort to the Sun City resort for the four-day affair billed as "the wedding of the year".A total of 194 government staff and 88 vehicles were used, 296 private security officers were hired, and two planes and seven choppers used to ferry guests.The lounges at the base had been decorated by an unvetted company and two red carpets laid out, the report states.The family was originally turned down by South Africa's main airport OR Tambo International near Johannesburg and by the minister of defence.However, the Guptas then turned to the diplomatic channel.An individual at the Indian High Commission "re-designated the wedding entourage as an official delegation" allowing the base to be used "under the cover of diplomatic privilege"."The landing of the flight was a direct result of manipulation of processes and was undesirable," states the report.&#13; &#13; ]]></description>
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		<title>Catholic Bishops Condemn Persecution of Northern Christians; Supports Emergency Rule</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/catholic-bishops-condemn-persecution-of-northern-christians-supports-emergency-rule/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/catholic-bishops-condemn-persecution-of-northern-christians-supports-emergency-rule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 20:33:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; The Catholic Bishops, priests and clergymen from other denominations have condemned the violent persecution of Christians in the north. This was part of the outcome of the International Conference on &#8216;Religious Freedom and Tolerance, Need for Dialogue&#8217;, which held at the Ofuobi Cultural Centre, Enugu. The clergymen asked for God&#8217;s mercy [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Morsi appeals to Egypt opposition for unity</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/morsi-appeals-to-egypt-opposition-for-unity/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/morsi-appeals-to-egypt-opposition-for-unity/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:59:13 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Mohamed Morsi (left) at Almaza airbase on May 22, 2013 greets one of the soldiers held in Sinai by kidnappers. By (Egyptian Army/AFP)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; CAIRO (AFP) - Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi appealed Wednesday to the opposition for unity, in the face of criticism he is failing the revolution that brought him to power almost a year ago."To all those who love Egypt, to the opposition, those who love this country and care for its interests, let's proceed together.....]]></description>
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		<title>Zambia sodomy trial delayed</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/zambia-sodomy-trial-delayed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/zambia-sodomy-trial-delayed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:59:08 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Philip Mubiana (covering his face) and James Mwape (left) arrive at Kapiri magistrates court in Lusaka on May 8, 2013. By - (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; KAPIRI MPOSHI , Zambia (AFP) - The trial of two Zambian men charged with sodomy was delayed Wednesday and the suspects were remanded in custody, after the constitutionality of the case was challenged by the defence.Philip Mubiana, a 21-year-old barber, and James Mwape, a 20-year-old bricklayer, have pleaded not guilty to having "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" in case that has become the latest battleground for gay rights activists.Before a packed courtroom in the small northern town of Kapiri Mposhi, the men's lawyer William Ngwira successfully applied for an adjournment of the case."We wish to raise constitutional issues which we shall submit to your court for determination," he said, without elaborating.Magistrate John Mbuzi adjourned the case to June 5, but remanded the pair in custody, fearing they could interfere with a key witness who is believed to live at their residence.Mbuzi also argued that once granted bail there was no guarantee that the couple would not have sex with each other, alleging this had already happened after inital police bail was granted."They were released on bond and they committed a similar offence, I see a danger, the application for bail is refused," said Mbuzi.As the magistrate spoke, local residents peeped through the widows to get a glimpse of the proceedings, which have attracted much attention in the highly conservative African nation.Last month rights activist Paul Kasonkomona was arrested for appearing on television demanding the decriminalisation of homosexuality.Conviction for sodomy carries a jail sentence of up to 14 years in Zambia, but prosecutions have been extremely rare."It is heart-breaking that the law continues to criminalise sexual acts which take place in private between consenting adults of the same sex," said Anneke Meerkotter, an activist at the Southern Africa Litigation Centre."As a result of such laws police are able to arrest innocent young men, expose them to terrible conditions in detention, whilst depriving their families of their much needed support."&#13; &#13; ]]></description>
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		<title>ACN Calls For Criminal Charges Against Rivers Speaker If&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/acn-calls-for-criminal-charges-against-rivers-speaker-if/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/acn-calls-for-criminal-charges-against-rivers-speaker-if/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:59:04 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/acn-calls-for-criminal-charges-against-rivers-speaker-if/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; The Rivers State Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has called on security agencies particularly the police and the SSS to press for criminal charges against the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assmebly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Dan Amachree if confirmed that the alarm he raised over plot to assassinate Gov, Rotimi Amaechi was unfounded.ACN recalled that the Speaker had alleged that there were plots to assassinate Governor Amaechi. The Speaker had also in an open letter to the President alleged that the political crisis in the State has deepened with the alleged plan to release 18 notable robbery and kidnap kingpins suspects from detention.The detainees, the Speaker RSHA said, were to be let off the hook in order to carry out this planned mayhem on government officials, innocent citizens and residents of the state.The ACN in a statement issued and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam is worried by the fact that uncontrollable violent and civil disturbances could be sparked by such unfortunate, spurious and misguided statements emanating from a highly placed personality like the Speaker of the State Assembly.'It is important that public officers strive to maintain public peace by not engaging in speeches and actions capable of throwing the state and the people into crisis and animosity with one another', ACN stressed.Similarly, the party reiterates its position on the earlier request demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Press Secretary to the wife of Governor Amaechi, Mr Dike Bekwele over similar comments on the recent explosion at the Obio/Akpor Council Headquarters.ACN believes that Mr Bekwele, if arrested could also provide useful information that could assist the Police to fish out the culprits as he (Mr Bekwele) has already said he knows those responsible for the incident.'It is our sincere submission that such disclosure by Mr Bekwele, who we believe is privileged and has access to some vital information, should not be taken for granted but should be viewed and treated with the seriousness required in order to do justice to the current situation in the area.'For us, Mr Bekwele is the first suspect and should be treated as such if any meaningful progress can be achieved in determining who the culprits are', ACN emphasized.This situation puts the police at test to prove its sincerity in tackling criminal activities and ensuring peace and security in the society]]></description>
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		<title>World Bank Announces US$1 Billion Pledge To Africa&#8217;s Great Lakes Region</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/world-bank-announces-us1-billion-pledge-to-africas-great-lakes-region/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:59 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/world-bank-announces-us1-billion-pledge-to-africas-great-lakes-region/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; On the first day of an historic joint United Nations/World Bank Group mission to the Great Lakes region, the World Bank Group announced $1 billion in proposed new funding to help countries in the region provide better health and education services, generate more cross-border trade, and fund hydroelectricity projects in support of the Great Lakes peace agreement that was signed by 11 countries in February.World Bank Group President Dr. Jim Yong Kim, who is traveling with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on a three-day trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda, said that a secure and developed Great Lakes region was vital to Africas efforts to dramatically reduce extreme poverty and create prosperity for millions who have had little economic opportunity.We made extraordinary efforts to secure an additional $1 billion in funding because we believe this canbe a major contributor to a lasting peace in the Great Lakes region, Kim said.This funding will help revitalize economic development, create jobs, and improve the lives of people who have suffered for far too long. Now the leaders of the Great Lakes region, by restarting economic activity and improving livelihoods in border areas, can boost confidence, build economies, and give new opportunities for millions of people.Kimsaid the new regional pledge, in zero-interest financing from the International Development Association* or IDA, will support two major regional development priorities: recovery of livelihoods to reduce the vulnerability of people living in the Great Lakes whose communities have suffered greatly during conflict in the region; and revitalizing and expanding cross-border economic activity to spur greater opportunity and integration in the areas of agriculture, energy, transport and regional trade.The World Bank's proposed additional funding includes roughly $100 million for supporting agriculture and rural livelihoods for internally displaced people and refugees in the region; $340 million to support the 80 megawatt Rusumo Falls hydroelectric project for Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania; $150 million for the rehabilitation of the Ruzizi I and II hydroelectric projects and financing for Ruzizi III, supplying electricity for Rwanda, Burundi, and DRC; $165 million toward building roads in DRCs North and South Kivu and Province Orientale; $180 million for improving infrastructure and border management along the Rwanda-DRC border; and additional millions of dollars for public health laboratories, fisheries, and trade facilitation programs among others.While other parts of sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing high growth rates, countries of the Great Lakes region have had extremely high levels of poverty and very low levels of key services such as access to electricity...]]></description>
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		<title>Achebe&#8217;s body arrives home ahead of literary giant&#8217;s burial</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/achebes-body-arrives-home-ahead-of-literary-giants-burial/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/achebes-body-arrives-home-ahead-of-literary-giants-burial/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:53 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/achebes-body-arrives-home-ahead-of-literary-giants-burial/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; People carry the coffin bearing late Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe into a hearse at the Abuja airport on May 21, 2013. ]]></description>
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		<title>Mugabe signs new Zimbabwe constitution into law</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/mugabe-signs-new-zimbabwe-constitution-into-law/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:45 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/mugabe-signs-new-zimbabwe-constitution-into-law/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe signs into law Zimbabwe's new constitution at the State House in Harare on May 22 2013. By Jekesai Njikizana (AFP)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; HARARE (AFP) - President Robert Mugabe signed Zimbabwe's new constitution into law Wednesday, clearing the path to crucial elections later this year.The 89-year-old, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, signed the document two months after it was overwhelmingly approved by Zimbabweans at a referendum."This is a happening of joy, great joy indeed," Mugabe said at the signing ceremony, held in a marquee erected on the lush green lawns of the State House.Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai also welcomed the constitution's passage into law: "As Zimbabweans, we are proud that we are setting on a journey that is based on a new governance system."The supreme law replaces the one written in 1979 at Britain's Lancaster House.After Mugabe signed the text he shook hands with Tsvangirai, to loud applause from assembled ministers, lawmakers and the chief justice, saying "we want now to build the nation.""We will try to transform into a tomorrow that is more enjoyable, that is much more uplifting," said Mugabe.Despite the show of solidarity, the handshake effectively signals the start of an election campaign that will once again see the rivals pitted against each other.Tsvangirai has challenged Mugabe for the presidency twice before, with often bloody results.International observers described Mugabe's victory in 2002 as deeply flawed, and in 2008 the vote was plagued by violence and irregularities.After the latest poll, both men were forced into a shaky power-sharing government that has largely succeeded in preventing further unrest, but which has been hobbled by infighting.As part of a broader deal the pair were also pressed to adopt a new constitution that, now passed, significantly trims the president's powers and paves the way for fair elections.Presidents will now be limited to two five-year terms and the post of prime minister will be scrapped when a new government is voted in.But there are doubts that reforms can be implemented quickly enough to ensure a fair election.Mugabe's 33-year-rule, at first lauded as enlightened, has in recent decades been tainted by rights abuses against his opponents and critics.The arrest and persecution of opposition and rights activists has continued apace as election day approaches.The polls should be held this year, but the date is yet to be set.Mugabe and his allies want the polls as soon as possible while Tsvangirai insists on the application of key reforms first to ensure a free and fair vote.The polls however face funding uncertainty in the cash-strapped country, with Finance Minister Tendai Biti saying it cannot afford the estimated $132 million price tag.The government had initially approached the United Nations for financial help, but withdrew the request when it was made clear the cash was conditional on the deployment of international observers.As the United Nations prepared to send a team to appraise the situation on the ground, a key Mugabe ally -- Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa -- declared that the team had overstepped its mandate by planning to meet civil society groups.Zimbabwe has also approached South Africa for money to help organise the elections, while the government is also try to raise funds on the domestic front.Some critics had raised concern that the majority of Zimbabweans voted for the constitution blindly because there was little time to decipher and understand its provisions.Now that it is law, "we are faced as Zimbabweans with the grim reality of living out something we did not understand," said Takura Zhangazha, an independent political analyst.&#13; &#13; ]]></description>
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		<title>Zimbabwe insists on Zimplats mine seizure</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/zimbabwe-insists-on-zimplats-mine-seizure/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:42 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Inside Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/zimbabwe-insists-on-zimplats-mine-seizure/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; A picture taken on February 16, 2012, shows wokers returning from a shift underground at a Zimbabwe mine. By Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe vowed on Wednesday it would not roll back on plans to seize 28,000 hectares of land leased to a local subsidiary of the platinum-mining giant Impala Platinum."If there is anyone who thinks they own land, please prepare yourselves for the shocks that will actually befall you," said mines and mineral development minister Obert Mpofu."No one owns land especially mining land]]></description>
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		<title>UN and World Bank chiefs in DR Congo peace push</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/un-and-world-bank-chiefs-in-dr-congo-peace-push/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:36 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/un-and-world-bank-chiefs-in-dr-congo-peace-push/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Ban Ki-Moon waves as he meets with members of the DR Congo's UN delegation in Kinshasa, on May 22, 2013. By Junior D.Kannah (AFP)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; KINSHASA (AFP) - The UN and World Bank chiefs made a fresh push for peace and development as they arrived Wednesday in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the latest bout of fighting has sent thousands fleeing.World Bank president Jim Yong Kim pledged $1 billion in aid for Africa's Great Lakes region while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said "the time for peace" had come in the vast conflict-wracked country.They were speaking from the capital Kinshasa at the onset of a regional tour to support peace in DRC but violence continued to rage a thousand miles to the east, near the regional hub of Goma.The first major flare-up between the army and a rebel group known as the M23 in six months left 19 dead since Monday, according to the government, and civilians displaced by the previous spate of violence were forced on the road again."Now is the time for peace and development for the people of DRC and of the region," Ban said in Kinshasa after a meeting with President Joseph Kabila at the start of a three-day tour that will also take him to Uganda and Rwanda."That is why we are here that is what we will continue to do one hundred per cent," he said, following the World Bank's announcement of new funding to promote health, education, trade and infrastructure in the region.Despite vast mineral wealth, the country -- which covers an area roughly the size of western Europe -- is ranked by the UN as the world's least developed and has been devastated by some of Africa's deadliest wars."We made extraordinary efforts to secure an additional $1 billion in funding because we believe this can be a major contributor to a lasting peace in the Great Lakes region," Kim said in Kinshasa.The rebellion launched in the east last year, which led to the brief capture of Goma in November, threatened to drag the region into a fresh fully-fledged war amid UN claims Rwanda and Uganda backed the M23.Regional and international diplomatic pressure forced peace talks on the warring parties but fresh fighting broke out on Monday, with each side blaming the other for the resumption of violence.The government said 15 rebels and four army troops died in the clashes but the M23 said the figures were inflated.The UN's refugee agency said the new spate of fighting less than 10 miles of Goma had led around 30,000 displaced civilians to flee their temporary shelters."The Mugunga I camp for the displaced, which housed 55,000 people, emptied by 45 percent while Mugunga III, which had 13,000 registered residents emptied by 70 percent," spokesperson Simplice Kpandji told AFP.Ban said during a visit to Mozambique earlier this week that the deployment of a rapid UN intervention force made up of about 3,000 African troops should be accelerated in view of the fresh unrest."Considering what has happened I think we must expedite the deployment so they will be fully responsible as soon as possible," said Ban, who is also accompanied on his trip by UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and Mary Robinson, the world body's special envoy for the Great Lakes region.The force was approved by the UN Security Council in March as its first ever "offensive" peacekeeping brigade.Ban is due on Thursday to visit Goma, where troops from the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world have been deployed for years but chronically failed to prevent bloodshed and most recently failed to pin back the M23.A UN source said there was no question of Ban cancelling his trip to Goma because of the latest unrest, which comes barely a week after the first troops from the new UN intervention brigade arrived in the east.M23 -- a largely ethnic Tutsi group -- vowed to retaliate if attacked by UN troops.They said they had come under attack from government forces early Wednesday."The FARDC (Congolese army) has been attacking us since 6:00 am (0400 GMT) with mortars, tanks and rocket launchers in the Mutaho area," M23 military spokesman Vianney Kazarama told AFP.Colonel Olivier Hamuli, spokesman for the army in North Kivu province, denied government forces had started the fighting."It is they who began (to attack) as they want to take Mutaho at any price... We are fighting back to defend our positions and so far we have suffered no losses," Hamuli told AFP.He accused the rebels of deliberately firing mortar shells on civilians to rekindle a crisis and wreck international peace efforts.UN and other aid groups said six people living near the Mugunga camp were wounded by shelling on Tuesday.&#13; &#13; ]]></description>
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		<title>Recovering Bouteflika to &#8216;return soon&#8217; to Algeria</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/recovering-bouteflika-to-return-soon-to-algeria/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:31 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/recovering-bouteflika-to-return-soon-to-algeria/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika attends a press conference on February 8, 2009, in Algiers. By Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; PARIS (AFP) - Hospitalised Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is recovering well in Paris and will return home soon, Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said on Wednesday."The president is in good health; he will return soon to Algeria. ]]></description>
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		<title>Pregnant Cheruiyot out of world championships</title>
		<link>http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/pregnant-cheruiyot-out-of-world-championships/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:28 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ghanamma.com/2013/05/pregnant-cheruiyot-out-of-world-championships/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#13; &#13; &#13; Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot reacts after winning the 5000m Women's Race on September 8, 2011, in Zurich. By Sebastian Derungs (AFP/File)&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenya's double world 5,000m and 10,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot is expecting her first child and will not be defending her titles in Moscow this summer, the runner said Wednesday."I am very happy to announce that I will take some time off from athletics this year as I am pregnant with my first child. ]]></description>
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