Today Congo suffered it’s worst plane crash ever.
A russian made Simonove 66 plane with five people on board crashed in a congolese symetery near Kinshasa.
BBC correspondent reporting from the cimetery said 2 people have been seriously injured.
2,100 bodies have been recovered and rescuers expect to find more.
Police in South Africa have arrested suspects after the slaying of a Chinese man.
Tang Yiguang, a 33-year-old from Fujian province, was shot in the head on Sunday morning, apparently by armed robbers attempting to hold up his store in Vryheid, a town 400 km from Johannesburg.
Embassy officials are already liaising with investigators and warning that Chinese business people are becoming targets in the country.
“I contacted the police this morning,” said Lou Xiandi, counselor on security at China’s Embassy in South Africa.
“They have caught five of the eight suspects, including the suspected gunman. They have also found guns.”
Lou said the robbers also shot dead a local security guard before taking cash and goods from the supermarket, which specialized in the sale of Chinese products.
Tang’s father is on his way to the country and Tang’s brother-in-law is running the business.
“We will do what we can to help his father,” Lou said, adding that officials have visited Tang’s wife and relatives to express their condolences.
Police concluded on Monday that the killing was carried out by eight people, including Tang’s cashier and her relatives, said Liu Yantao, chief of China’s Consulate General in Durban.
Liu has asked police to step up patrols around Chinese businesses in the wake of the killing.
Around 300,000 Chinese people live in South Africa. In Vryheid, some 200 Fujian people run around 50 shops, said Lou.
He said Sunday’s robbery, the third in the country in a little more than a month, was “not accidental”.
“These recent cases show signs of employees conspiring with robbers,” Lou said.
On July 1, a Fujian native who ran a factory was robbed on pay day with collusion from an employee.
And on July 14, a Beijinger who ran a chicken farm was shot dead by two employees during a robbery.
Lou warned Chinese merchants in South Africa to be cautious.
Li Xinzhu, chairman of Fujian natives association in South Africa, said it is hard for Chinese businessmen to open bank accounts in cash, making them targets.
Fatal robbery in Zambia
On Monday morning, a Chinese man, surnamed Chen, was killed by a robber in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, according to China’s Embassy in Zambia.
His mother was seriously injured and was being treated in hospital. A mobile phone and cash were taken.
The case followed a slaying on April 22 in which a Chinese merchant was killed at his residence in Lusaka by robbers.
(ChinaDairly)
A CHINESE national was yesterday killed when one of his employees struck him on the forehead with a pistol butt.
Police said the suspected killer, who used his employer’s pistol, was on the run and police were looking for him.
The Chinese, who owned a company located on Lumumba Road in Lusaka, was killed after a fracas with his employee over the salary increment.
Lusaka Province police chief, Greenwell Ng’uni said the employer, whom he just referred to as a foreign national, was killed at the company premises in the morning.
Mr Ng’uni said the alleged killer would soon be apprehended because the police managed to trace some of his workmates.
Sources said the worker wanted a salary increment but the Chinese man pulled his pistol with which he allegedly threatened to shoot the employee.
The worker, however, struggled and overpowered the Chinese and managed to get the gun from him.
The angry worker then hit the employer on his forehead, instantly killing him.
The man ran away before the police were called
[Times of Zambia
Aug 4 (Reuters) - About 100 local residents and Chinese migrant workers fought using knives and bludgeons in the Algerian capital, witnesses said on Tuesday, in a flare-up of tension over Chinese immigration.
A diplomat with China’s embassy in Algiers said the incident would not deter Chinese companies from working in the North African country, where they are already among the most visible foreign investors.
Below are details of some of China’s growing economic interests in Algeria:
* ENGINEERING - Algeria is spending billions of dollars overhauling its infrastructure and in the process has become one of the biggest overseas markets for Chinese engineering contractors. Chinese firms are involved in sectors ranging from housing construction, public works and hydro-electricity projects to mining and transport.
* MAJOR CONTRACTS - China’s CITIC Group and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) were among several foreign firms which won contracts in 2006 to build Algeria’s 1,216 km (756 mile) East-West highway. The total value of the project is estimated at $11 billion. Earlier this year, the Chinese civil engineering group CCECC won three contracts worth a total of $2.10 billion to build railways in western Algeria.
* LABOUR - Chinese companies awarded engineering and construction projects by the Algerian government often use Chinese labour. As a result, Chinese workers can frequently be seen building apartment blocks or new roads.
* ENERGY - Chinese state-owned energy giants Sinopec and CNPC have won exploration contracts in Algeria, an OPEC member and major oil and gas producer. Chinese firms have indicated interest in bidding for new acreage in a fresh licensing round this year.
* SMALL-SCALE BUSINESS - Chinese entrepreneurs often rent out properties where they set up shops selling imported clothes or other items. These businesses can be found across the country, not just in the capital.
* POLITICAL TIES - These have reflected the growing economic links between Beijing and Algiers. Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Algiers in February 2004. His Algerian counterpart, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, visited China in October 2000. The two leaders have also met several times on the sidelines of international meetin
Chinese and other non-South African owned wine distribution companies are responsible for the majority of our sales in China, yet none of them ever lift a finger to promote Brand South Africa as a source of leading wines, and for the most part try to make the most money off the cheapest wines - not exactly a sustainable approach for our country’s industry.
Very low-key
Official promotions of Brand South Africa wines are very low-key. While the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and Wines of South Africa (WOSA) have limited themselves to exhibition participation, the South African Embassy for its part ensured that numerous wine tasting events were included in last year’s South Africa promotional campaign, which included media engagement activities resulting in media coverage of our wines in local publications.
South Africa Tourism has also included the wine route in the itinerary of visiting Chinese journalists to SA that has resulted in some local media coverage of our wines.
No matter from which angle you look at it, however, SA wines are promoted too irregularly in China, if at all, and for the most part China’s burgeoning middle class has little inkling that our country produces any wine, never mind being a source of excellent wines.
French wines sell themselves with little effort due to an enviable country brand positioning they hold in China. Australian wines, especially the Jacob’s Creek brand, is advertised so extensively that its posters could rival Coca-Cola billboards in Africa. All this while this year we celebrate 350 years of SA producing wine, yet nothing is being done to generate awareness of this in China.
Most puzzling
What I find most puzzling is SA wine producers’ complacency in promoting their own wines in China. It is always easy to point fingers at government efforts but, to date, I have personally observed no consortiums or companies proactively targeting the Chinese market.
This is why it was so inspiring to meet Oscar Foulkes of Cloof Wines.
Cloof Wines had signed up with a large Chinese distribution company but was determined to promote its products above and beyond the local partner’s efforts. Being virgin territory, it agreed to roll out a Cloof promotional event on a shoestring budget to serve as pilot study. A SA restaurant, fittingly called Pinotage, was selected as the venue and seven Beijing food and beverage bloggers were invited to the event. On the night itself, the restaurant served traditional SA food and Oscar Foulkes kicked-off the event with the Cloof wine tasting session.
Being from such an ‘exotic’ country, the culturally curious Chinese media could barely contain their excitement and ask numerous questions. The most impressive aspect of the event was how the bloggers genuinely enjoyed themselves, as opposed to the usual run-of-the-mill media events, where journalists usually arrive late, grab a media kit and leave as soon as humanly possible (but understandably so, considering the numerous drab events their editors send them to). The Cloof event resulted in over 10 blog posts achieving an impressive 30 000 hits, an excellent return on investment.
Just as investment advisors will advise against placing all your investment eggs in one basket, it is equally necessary for SA wine companies to develop multiple export markets to spread potential risk.
Ignorant or scared
Yet while this logic is apparent to most, SA wine exporters seem either completely ignorant of China’s growing consumption market - or are so utterly scared of the foreign of foreign markets - that it is not even considered. Of equal concern are the companies already exporting to China that do little to promote their brands in the local market; for them I have included some takeaway points.
Successful event checklist:
BEIJING, — The union is the second crucial step taken by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, or COMESA, as the continent moves toward economic integration. The 19-member bloc was established in 2000 to become Africa’s first free-trade area.
As Africa’s largest trading group, the regional customs union aims to lift tariffs among member states and reduce trade barriers with third parties.
Sunday’s summit followed a Council of Ministers meeting from Tuesday to Thursday, and talks between COMESA foreign ministers on Friday and Saturday.
In other developments, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe replaced his Kenyan counterpart, Mwai Kibaki, as COMESA’s chairman.
The summit, which had originally been set for last year, was postponed twice, the first time to allow the host country Zimbabwe to complete its electoral process amd form an all-inclusive government.
The meeting was postponed again while organizers studied issues related to Free Trade Areas and common external tariffs.
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Victoria Falls. (XHTV)
Editor: Chris
The Chinese lender acquired a 20-percent stake in Africa’s largest lender last year and the investment has produced a 7.7-percent return so far, outperforming its overseas bonds, ICBC said in an emailed statement.
ICBC and Standard Bank have cooperated on 65 projects, including funding China Oilfield Service’s 2.5-billion-dollar purchase of Norway’s Awilco Offshore Asa in September, the statement said.
As of the end of the first quarter, ICBC’s outstanding export credit totalled almost 1.1 billion dollars, the statement said, without giving comparative figures.
Beijing-based ICBC has been active in its overseas acquisitions since it purchased controlling stakes in Indonesia’s Halim Bank in December 2006 and Macau’s Seng Heng Bank in August 2007.
State media reported earlier in May that ICBC was eyeing more foreign targets, including troubled US banks, and could make more acquisitions later this year.
(AFP)
Experts say the number of swine flu cases around the world is growing, but not an an alarming rate. And now there are indications the spread of this flu is similar to a typical flu outbreak.
So what’s fueling all the fear?
People are buying up masks. Pharmacies are running out of Tamiflu.
“We dispensed what little we could get,” said pharmacist Steve Cone.
Even Seattle’s Polyclinic removed all of its equipment from its physical therapy center and created an isolated flu clinic.
“The main object is to make all of our patients feel safe,” said Tracy Corgiat, the clinic’s spokesperson.
Doctor’s say the masks and Tamiflu are all prudent measures. But what about school closures — is that really necessary?
“There’s nothing we’ve seen so far that shows that this influenza is different than any other influenza,” said University of Washington epidemiologist Ira Longini, a nationally-recognized scholar who has made a career out of studying the flu.
“It’s just another flu virus,” Longini said. But he added: the flu can kill.
In an average flu season, 36,000 Americans die from the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And between 5 to 20 percent of all Americans get the flu.
So why is the swine flu fear so big? Fear is based on what we don’t know, and scientists say we don’t know how strong this virus is. We also don’t know how easily it’s transmitted.
But surprisingly, it’s what we do know that’s generating the most fear — that there is no known human immunity for this flu. If you remember anything from this story, remember what I just said: there’s no known human immunity.
So that’s why you’re hearing the phrase repeated times over.
The CDC has said it is taking measures “out of the abundance of caution,” and President Barack Obama echoed that sentiment.
“It may turn out that H1N1 runs its course like ordinary flus, in which case we will have prepared and we won’t need all these preparations,” the president said, using the flu’s scientific name.
It’s out of an abundance of caution officials are closing schools. Experts say the only wise course is to prepare for the worst.
“Social distancing is being practiced,” Longini said.
“Social distancing”: another buzz term which means forcing people to stay away from others showing flu symptoms. That’s good advice whether or not it’s swine flu.
(seattlepi.com)
MANILA, May 1 — Rattled by last year’s food price crisis, governments and corporations have signed a slew of deals to lease or buy arable land in cash-strapped nations, mainly in Africa and Southeast Asia. The entire harvest is shipped to the buyer.
Water-scarce Gulf states, along with China and South Korea — both have rising populations and food security concerns — are leading the rush for fertile land. When Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete was in Riyadh last month for a state visit, he met a Saudi investor group eager to lease 500,000ha of his country’s farmland to grow wheat and rice for the desert kingdom.
“The food and financial crisis combined have turned agriculture land into a new strategic asset,” said the sustainable farming advocacy group Grain.
The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) estimates the value of signed farmland deals in recent years, as well as those in the pipeline, at between US$20 billion (RM72 billion) and US$30 billion, covering an area of 20 million ha — 20 per cent of the entire amount of arable land in the European Union.
“We see opportunities and threats,” said IFPRI’s director-general Joachim von Braun in a conference call this week with reporters from around the world.
For IFPRI, which is funded by government and development banks, these agreements have the potential to inject much-needed investments into neglected farm sectors in developing countries.
But they also raise concerns over their impact on the rights of small farmers and on the environment.
A political worry is the spectre of a re-emergence of the “banana republic syndrome with foreign investors getting involved in national problems”, said von Braun, noting that this was exactly what happened in Latin America in the 1970s.
Wheat rather than rice seems to be the main crop in these ventures right now. “We are hearing that plenty of investments are planned by commercial interests for rice, although not much has happened on the ground yet,” said Dr Achim Doberman, deputy research director at the International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines.
Spain-based Grain views the sharp escalation in deals since last year’s food price crisis as a sign that “food-insecure” governments have lost faith in the market and are trying to secure supplies through the direct control of farmland overseas.
Foreign governments and companies with deep pockets that are making large land investments in the developing world clearly have the potential to cause trouble, especially in these raw times of global recession.
There was widespread public anger in Madagascar when South Korean conglomerate Daewoo leased 1.3 million ha of farmland — a huge chunk of the impoverished island’s arable land — to grow corn for South Koreans. The backlash played a role in the coup overthrowing the country’s president in March. One of the first acts of Madagascar’s new leader was to scrap the agreement with Daewoo.
The Philippines suspended an agreement with China to lease 1.4 million ha to grow crops for Chinese consumption two years ago. The government said it needed to take a closer look at the social impact after protests from local farmers’ groups and the country’s politically active Catholic Church.
The deal would have brought in nearly US$4 billion over several years for the Philippines.
“The interest of foreign direct investors in agriculture is potentially very good because small farm holders in developing countries have been starved of capital because of the credit crunch from the financial crisis,” said von Braun.
Groups tracking these transnational land deals are noticing fewer government-to-government agreements and far more commercial ones.
IFPRI wants an international code of conduct set up for foreign investors — whether governments or corporations — and the host countries to protect the interests of small farmers, as well as address environmental concerns on biodiversity and water and land resources stemming from the impact of large-scale farmland investments.
And in times of national food security — in the case of a drought, for instance — domestic supplies should have priority, it said in a policy brief: “Foreign investors should not have the right to export during an acute national
(.themalaysianinsider.com)
BEIJING (Reuters Life!) - Dozens of Chinese students who saw little prospect of getting into a top medical school have secured admission by becoming nationals of the tiny west African country of Guinea-Bissau, a newspaper said on Thursday.
Among the 112 international students that entered Peking University Health Science Center in 2007 and 2008 were 48 from Guinea-Bissau — all ethnic Chinese from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the Shanghai Morning Post said.
“Only themselves know the reason,” a university official was quoted as saying when asked why they chose to change nationalities to Guinean and pay much more in tuition fees.
The center is one of the most competitive medical colleges in China, but the entrance examination for international students was easier than the one for Chinese students, the newspaper said.
Guinea-Bissau, a country of under two million people, was once the Portuguese colony of Portuguese Guinea.
Hong Kong, a former British colony, and Macau, a former Portuguese colony, are now “special administrative regions” of China with wide-ranging autonomy, while China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.
(Reporting by Yu Le and Nick Macfie; Editing by David Fox)
(reuters.com)
Maputo, Mozambique, – The chairman of the association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises of Macau, Stanley Au Chong Kit, Wednesday in Maputo called for reciprocity in business investments with Mozambique, noting that China also has business opportunities for Mozambican businesspeople.
Stanley Au, who is also the principal shareholder of Banco Delta Ásia of Macau, noted the “window of business opportunities” that the Special Administrative Region of Macau and China represented, when speaking at a meeting between a group of Chinese and Mozambican businesspeople, as part of a business mission by China to Mozambique, which has been running since Monday.
“Business exchange between China and Mozambique could and should be both ways: A flow of Chinese investment in Mozambique and another flow of investments by Mozambican businesspeople in China,” said Kit.
According to Kit, Mozambican businesspeople should take advantage of the economic and commercial relationship between Mozambique and China, based on the numerous economic cooperation deals signed between the two countries.
Opening up the Chinese market to Mozambican and African businesspeople, in general, will be a way of correcting the imbalance of the balance of trade between the two countries, which has been favourable to China, Kit noted.
Speaking at the meeting, Nuno Maposse, a project manager from teh Mozambican Centre for Investment Promotion (CPI), which is promoting the visit by the Chinese mission, prefferred to noted, “the enormous potential and incentives for investment that is as yet unexplored in Mozambique.”
“Mozambique has comparative advantages in attracting investments, such as security and protection of property rights, flexibility in repatriation of capital and dividends and a legal Framework for investment conflict arbitration,” said Maposse.
Mining resources, the hydroelectric sector and agriculture are areas that offer “great” business opportunities to Chinese businesspeople in Mozambique, said the CPI Project manager.
The Chinese delegation is due Thursday to travel to Luanda and also plans to travel to Portugal on Saturday.
On Friday in Luanda the mission is due to meet with the Intergovernmental China-Angola Bilateral Commission to analyse bilateral cooperation in various sectors and outline future activities for 2009-2010.
A statement from the Angolan Foreign Affairs Ministry also said that the 4th session of the Commission will be presided over by Angola Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Exalgina Gamboa and the Chinese side will be led by Chinese Deputy Trade Minister, Juang Zengwei.
The statement added that during its brief stay in Luanda the Chinese delegation would visit some Chinese projects underway in Angola. (macauhub)
On March 24, 2009, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Joseph Kabila met with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun in Kinshasa. During the meeting, Kabila said the two countries enjoy a profound traditional friendship and their pragmatic cooperation is fruitful. DR Congo will further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China to achieve win-win results.
Zhai conveyed the greetings from President Hu Jintao to President Kabila and expressed welcome for a series of major positive changes recently taking place in the situation of the eastern part of DR Congo. He said China is ready to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role for an early resumption of peace, stability and development in the eastern part of DR Congo.
Zhai emphasized that against the backdrop of the current global financial crisis, China and DR Congo should join hands to overcome difficulties. He expressed belief that with the joint efforts of both sides, their traditional friendly, cooperative relations will continue to develop in a healthy and smooth manner and bring more benefits to both peoples.
Zhai Jun arrived in Kinshasa on March 23 for a visit. He also held talks with Congolese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignace Gata Mavita and Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito on the same day.
(fmprc.gov.cn)
(BBC
This is a must read - and don’t stop until the end because that’s when it really hits you! Apparently a jilted Chinese girl sent this message to the Swedish Embassy to warn them of the disaster this man will inflict on Chinese women. I feel bad for the poor girl.
From: XXX
Date: XXX
To: XXX
Subject: Please Help Protect Chinese Women From This ManI am writing you to inform you of the perverse and inexcusable behavior of Johan Otto Englund who is studying chinese at Shanghai Jiao Tong University now. In Early February of 2009, Johan visited me in my hometown of Changsha city in china. We met online several months earlier and established a cyber relationship ( He contacted me there firstly. ) Johan said to me he was studying International politics in sweden before, who is very interested in chinese politics . He need to see Chair Mao’s, Lei Feng ’s home town in Changsha.
He asked me if i will show him around and meet him in person in changsha. He said to me in letters and phone calls at MSN. I was friendly to see a western friend from overseas to china who is special to see Characteristics in Changsha. I was enjoyed and be proud to be his tour guider that’s all my feeling.
When i was leading Johan to Hunan Museum, Changsha Museum and Martyrs Park , Johan said he was thinking to being a nurse in Africa to help poor ppl and he was working in Nursing home in Sweden, taking care of old ,retired ppls. He traveled lot places in Europe, Africa,South Asia . He will work in European Unions or United Unions forhuman rights. He is also a Vegetarian who doest want to kill animals.
Tour on the road, Johan was sincerely talking about the price of Mineral water, food, travel fee was expensive, he is thrifty . I respected his honest, Sympathy with his student status. I paid myself, sometimes I also paid his travel fee and food.
He said to me many beautiful words all leading me to believe that he is a noble humanitarian wanted a chinese girlfriend as Capable as I. His words persuaded me that he was falling in love with me and I liked him in lot in his noble Integrity. It seems Johan and I were happily togather after this so, I relented to his demand.
I taken Johan to my home twice . My mom cooked dinners for himduring Spring festival to Lantern. My mom was very happy to see a western ppl can speak chinese to her and Johan said ,he ‘d love to have Table Tennis ‘ competitions with my mom . My mom laughed lot and gave him expensive gree tea and good fruits as gifts. Johan didnt give me or my mom anything. He was very enjoyed visited my home and praised house’s decoration deluxe and my mom’s wonderful cooking.
I sent Johan back to Shanghai from airport in changsha . Then i havnt hear any informations from him. I called his cell phone , firstly nobody answer. Later, Johan said, he is busy and has a new gf in Shanghai. It is too late for me but, I hope in all my heart that you will be able to do something about Johan Otto Englund so he will not be able to hurt other girls like he has hurt me. Please do not let him hurt more chinese girls ’s kind heart and friendly respect to ppl from other countries.
P.S. Johan gave me bad flu and asked too much sex.
Name: Johan Otto Englund Pass & Visa No. xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
Other posts you might be interested to check out:
(funtouristattractions.com)
Chinese President Hu Jintao ended his tour of four African nations this week, having promised to deepen ties with the continent. See where President Hu visited by scrolling down to our interactive map.
A lot of chatter has surrounded China’s interests in Africa. Media have branded China’s role in Africa as an invasion or an era of neo-colonialism with ulterior motives of pillaging Africa’s raw materials. Rhetoric from Chinese and African leaders includes words like “friendship,” “partnership” and “brotherhood,” stressing a shared history and common experience.
Worldfocus traveled to East Africa last summer to explore the strengthening trading ties among China and African countries — Sino-African trade amounted to almost $107 billion last year and has expanded tenfold since 2000. Chinese investment has encouraged new infrastructure projects and growth on the continent.
Some of this trade, however, involves countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe, where human rights abuses have been cited. Some also criticize the flood of cheap Chinese goods because it has eliminated Africans’ jobs.
Worldfocus.org’s weekly radio show examined the roots of the China-Africa relationship dating back 50 years, exploring what it means for Africa and China and whether the U.S. has become an uncomfortable third wheel.
Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge hosted the following guests:
Li Anshan is a professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University and the director of the Institute of Afro-Asian Studies. His publications include “A History of Chinese Overseas in Africa” and “Social History of Chinese Overseas in Africa: Selected Documents, 1800-2005,” among others. His interests include African history, China-African relations, colonialism, Chinese overseas, comparative nationalism and development studies.
David H. Shinn is a former Ambassador to Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. He is currently an adjunct professor at George Washington University. Amb. Shinn’s research interests include Africa, terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism and U.S. foreign policy in Africa. He also blogs regularly here.
Mariana van Zeller is is a correspondent for Vanguard, an original documentary series on Current TV. She’s a native of Portugal and has spent the last several years traveling the globe to cover the emerging trends that are reshaping our world. Mariana has reported on conflict, immigration and the environment. In 2008, she traveled to Angola to produce the documentary “Chinatown, Africa,” which examines China’s rapidly growing presence on the continent.
Each year since 1991, a Chinese foreign minister has selected Africa as the first overseas trip. China has diplomatic relations with 49 of Africa’s 53 countries and has ambassadors in all these countries, except for Somalia due to the security situation. Below is an interactive map detailing recent visits by President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to African nations. Click on the highlighted African countries below to see China’s recent high-level visits.
Customs officials at the Beijing airport Tuesday announced they have detained a Nigerian man who was carrying a suitcase filled with more than 87 kg of marijuana earlier this month.
Police claimed it was this year’s biggest drug haul.
|
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The man, whose identity was not disclosed, arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport from Lagos, Nigeria, on March 2, and left his suitcase at the airport, fearing tight security, police said in a statement.
When frisked at the security check, the officials found only a bag, containing some clothes, and $1,600 cash on the Nigerian, police said.
However, the man returned to the airport the next day to claim the suitcase and was nabbed.
A total of 72 bricks of marijuana - wrapped in black plastic bags - weighing 87.25 kg were found in the suitcase, it said.
The police have detained the man, the statement said.
Drug smugglers have started using more “sophisticated ways” to transport illegal and banned substances, but the police will continue to crackdown on them, it said.
Chinese customs handled 387 cases of drug trafficking last year, seizing 774 kg of drugs, China News Agency said.
Drugs smuggled into China have almost “doubled” in the past few years, the General Administration of Customs said.
The number of registered Chinese drug addicts has risen by a third in the past three years, and reached 1.08 million as of October 2008, the Ministry of Public Security said.
The number is continuing to increase and the situation is serious, Deputy Minister Zhang Xinfeng said. According to the ministry, the number of addicts in 2005 was about 785,000.
(chinadaily.com.cn)
One Chinese was killed and another seriously injured in an armed robbery late Tuesday in Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam.
Eyewitnesses said three gunmen came to the shop by motorcycles and opened fire at the two Chinese who were attending the shop in the city’s Kariakoo area before looting their shop.
The injured was still hospitalized for gunshot wounds in the head.
Fu Jijun, charge d’affaires of the Chinese embassy to Tanzania, told Xinhua that he had already notified related institutions of the Tanzanian government, demanding a fast and definite solution of the robbery case. The official also sought due protection for Chinese businessmen in Tanzania.
According to the embassy, several robberies, some done with firearms, have occurred lately aiming at Chinese businessmen in Tanzania.
()
Maputo - China has injected a total of $60m to construct a stadium in Mozambique as a way of tapping into the 2010 World Cup tournament to be held in neighbouring South Africa.
The stadium, financed by a Chinese loan, is the biggest sports construction since Mozambique’s independence from Portugal in 1975 and 16 years of ruinous civil war.
Authorities now hope to attract fellow Portuguese-speaking 2010 teams, including five-time champions Brazil, to use the stadium to train for the soccer festival.
But with kick-off in South Africa in June next year, it faces a race against the clock.
“That’s why we are working 24 hours a day,” the state’s project director Celso Mabjaia said as labourers prepared at sunset to hand over to the night shift.
The project has employed 273 Chinese and 331 Mozambicans so far, with the figures expected to reach 500 and 1 000 by the end of the project.
Maputo is expected to start paying back the loan in 2017.
The final result will be a multi-facility sports park anchored by the 42 000 capacity stadium.
It is one of several Chinese-backed projects worth millions of dollars in Mozambique.
Small village
On the site on the Maputo outskirts, the Chinese have set up a small village with a vegetable garden, communal dormitories, dining and bathroom areas, and a ping-pong table.
“They work very hard - 24 hours - and they look for daily results,” said Jose de Sousa Pereira, the Mozambican sports ministry spokesperson.
“They are high performance workers, so we are learning from them, this culture of working.”
Communication and cultural differences have been a challenge overcome through practicalities and many hand gestures.
“I know how to greet in Chinese now,” said Domingos Porfirio, 24, dubbed “amigo” by his welding team leader. “We speak about lots of things… women, sightseeing… They want to know about the country.”
“They received me very well and they treat me very well. I thought they were racist, now I found they are not racist. They are friendly,” he said.
Others said they were happy to have a job but that the work was hard.
World’s poorest nation
Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest nations - ranking 172 out of 177 countries in the latest UN human development index - with foreign aid making up 51% of the country’s $3.2bn budget last year.
Built on ties established during the Marxist-led fight for independence from Portugal in the 1960s, China is the country’s sixth largest foreign direct investor.
In 2007, China’s President Hu Jintao pledged further loan assistance of $170m for the strategically placed nation whose 2 000-kilometre coastline offers access to land-locked Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Officials believe the football stadium will allow Mozambique to benefit from the World Cup as Maputo is just 450km from the main host city Johannesburg.
Regional countries completely support South Africa’s hosting of the Cup, said Pereira.
“It’s very important to give to the world the opportunity to see that in southern Africa development is going on and that we have ability and capacity to receive this kind of project,” he said.
- AFP
Note: Even though I have made a policy not to post no English content to this website, I just got this message from a friend : Fabrice Barutwanayo and found it particulary Interesting. Sorry for Non my non-french speakers readers.
Savoureuse lettre d’une maman
sénégalaise
Cher fils,
No mbada ? —–
Je t’écris ces lignes pour que tu saches que je
t’écris. Alors, si tu reçois cette lettre, c’est qu’elle est bien
arrivée. Si tu ne la reçois pas, tu me préviens pour que je te la renvoie.
Je t’écris lentement parce que je sais que tu ne lis pas
très vite.
L’autre jour, ton père a lu que selon les enquêtes la
plupart des accidents arrivent à 1 km de la maison, ainsi nous nous
sommes décidés à déménager plus loin. La maison est superbe; elle a une
machine à laver, mais je ne suis pas sûre qu’elle fonctionne.
Hier, j’ai mis le linge dedans, j’ai tiré la
chasse et je n’ai plus vu le linge depuis, mais bon.
Le temps ici n’est pas trop mauvais. La semaine dernière il a plu
seulement deux fois. La première fois, la pluie a duré 3
jours, la deuxième 4.
A propos de la veste que tu voulais, ton oncle Ibrahima m’a dit que si
nous te l’envoyions avec les boutons, comme ils sont lourds,
ça coûterait plus cher; alors, nous avons enlevé les boutons et
les avons mis dans la poche.
Je te raconte que l’autre jour, il y a eu une explosion
à gaz dans la cuisine, et ton père et moi sommes sortis
propulsés dans l’air au dehors de la maison; quelle émotion ! c’est la
première fois que ton père et moi sortons ensemble depuis des années..
Le médecin est venu à la maison pour voir si nous étions bien et il
m’a mis un tube en verre dans la bouche. Il m’a dit de me taire pendant 10
minutes,ton père lui a proposé de lui racheter le tube.
Et puisqu’on parle de ton père, je t’annonce qu’il a du travail, il en est
fier, il travaille au-dessus d’à peu près 500 personnes. Ils l’ont pris
pour couper le gazon dans le cimetière.
Ta soeur youmané, celle qui s’est mariée avec son
mari, elle a enfin mis au monde, mais on ne sait pas encore le sexe, je ne
saurais pas te dire si tu es oncle ou tante.
Ton père a demandé à ta soeur youmané si elle
est enceinte, elle lui a dit que oui, de 5 mois déjà; mais là, ton
père a demandé si elle était sûre qu’il était d’elle. youmané lui a
dit que oui. Quelle fille solide, quelle fierté, tel père telle fille.
Ton cousin Poulho s’est marié et il prie tous les
jours devant sa femme, parce qu’elle est vierge.
Par contre,on n’a plus revu l’oncle Amadou ,
celui qui est mort l’année dernière.
Ton chien gnouky nous inquiète, il
continue à poursuivre les charettes à l’arrêt.
Mais ton frère Diagara , c’est pire. Il a fermé la
voiture et il a laissé les clefs à l’intérieur. Il a dû aller
chez lui chercher le double pour pouvoir nous sortir tous de là.
Bon, mon fils, je ne t’écris pas l’adresse sur la lettre, je ne la connais
pas. En fait, la dernière famille qui a habité ici est
partie avec les numéros pour les remettre dans leur nouveau
domicile.
Si tu vois Fatimata , passe lui le bonjour. Si
tu ne la vois pas, ne lui dis rien.
Ta mère qui t’adore.
P.S. J’allais te mettre quelques sous, mais j’ai
déjà fermé l’enveloppe
From Fabrice Barutwanayo
Southern Times Writer
Despite its failure to host the 2011 All-Africa Games, Zambia has been assured by the Chinese government that its 50 000-seater Ndola Stadium will still be constructed.
Chinese President Hu Jintao last week said his country is committed to improving sports infrastructure in Africa and will soon commence construction of a modern stadium in Zambia.
Hu, who was speaking at the inauguration of the 65 000-seater National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, said Beijing Construction and Engineering Group Company would soon start constructing the stadium in Ndola.
Hu said his country attaches great importance to relations with African countries in improving sports infrastructure.
The US$56 million stadium was largely funded with a grant from the Chinese government.
Beside President Jakaya Kikwete, former Tanzania presidents Benjamin Mkapa and Ali Hassan Mwinyi and ex-prime minister Rashid Kawawa attended the ceremony.
Late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa negotiated for the construction of a 45 000 capacity modern stadium in Ndola when he visited China in 2007.
But after the death of Mwanawasa and Zambia’s backtracking on hosting the All-Africa Games 2011, the future of Ndola stadium’s revival had remained in doubt.
The stadium is still in its infant stages as it was meant to replace Ndola’s currently largest sports arena, Dag Hammerskjold Stadium.
Dag Hammerskjold Stadium was destroyed and razed to the ground in the late 80s when Zambia won the bid to host the 1988 African Nations Cup, before retracting at the last minute. It was never rebuild.
Works and Supply Permanent Secretary Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika told The Southern Times that plans for construction of a modern stadium were now back on schedule.
Col Nkunika said a team of officials from ministries of Sport, and Works and Supply had already been to China to finalise the construction contract.
“We hope to be completed with the stadium before the 2010 World Cup,” he said.
(southerntimesafrica.com)
