LONDON-NAIROBI, 16 June 2011 (IRIN) – The growth of piracy off the coast of Somalia from an occasional nuisance to shipping into a multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise has another, often deliberately overlooked cost: the worsening violence meted out to thousands of captured crew members. “There definitely has been a change, and we don’t know why,” Pottengal Mukundan, Director of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), told a June meeting on the subject in London. “It may be to do with the fact that there is now a different kind of people looking after the captives. These are just gangs of thugs;... Continue Reading
Charges of treason, conspiracy and sedition have been brought against former communications minister Dr Amadou Scatred Janneh and three others at the Banjul Magistrates Court presided over by acting principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe. Janneh, who was reportedly arrested since Tuesday 7th June was arraigned alongside Michel C. Ucheh Thomas, Modou Keita and Ebrima Jallow. The accused persons Monday evening appeared before the Banjul Magistrates Court, where the charges were levied against them, though they did not take their pleas. The charges, on count one, indicated that the accused persons will stand trial for conspiracy to commit a felony, to... Continue Reading
The African Media Initiative (AMI) and the Sub-Sahara Africa Media Programme of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS Media Africa) today announced a strategic partnership, beginning with the hosting of a joint annual media conference on the African continent later this year. The 2011 conference will be held under the banner of the African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, on November 10 and 11. Both parties are motivated and united by the objective to strengthen the role of the independent media and to make a valuable contribution towards media sustainability and democratization across Africa. AMI and KAS Media Africa... Continue Reading
By Elias Mhegera – FORMER President of Germany Dr Horst Köhler has counseled African countries to find ways to solve the growing population of the youths who go without employment. Prof Benno Ndulu BoT Governer Dr Köhler who is an economist served as the Germany president from 2004 to 2010. Prior to that, he was President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1998 to 2000 and head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2000 to 2004. Paschal Lesoinne standing MD- TPCC He was speaking before delegates from various circles in Tanzania from politicians to... Continue Reading
By Augustine N. Myers – The Government of the Republic of Liberia has announced that it has decided to break diplomatic relations with Libya and to withdraw the Liberian Ambassador and diplomatic staff from the Libyan capital, Tripoli. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf A release from the Government of Liberia through its Foreign Affairs Ministry, also says it has suspended the operations of the Libyan People’s Bureau in Monrovia and terminated diplomatic status for its diplomats who remain loyal to Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi’s regime. According to the release, the Liberian Government took the decision after a careful review of the... Continue Reading
