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The ASEA Daily News

Africa Southeast Area Monday 1 June 2015

The Daily News is now archived at U:Public

Africa Southeast Area Websites

The Church has: 37 General Authority Facebook Pages & 27 Church Organizations Pages

Africa Southeast Area (ASEA)

Countries Mormon Newsroom Site. Link from these sites to Facebook!

Mormon Newsroom Facebook sites.

Church HQ Mormon Newsroom Mormon Newsroom Facebook page

Angola Angola Mormon Newsroom Angola Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Botswana none Botswana Mormon Newsroom Facebook

DR Congo DR Congo Mormon Newsroom DR Congo Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Indian Ocean Indian Ocean Newsroom Indian Ocean Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Kenya Kenya Mormon Newsroom Kenya Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Madagascar Indian Ocean Newsroom Madagascar Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Malawi None Malawi Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Mozambique None Mozambique Mormon Newsroom Facebook

Namibia None Namibia Mormon Newsroom Facebook

South Africa South Africa Mormon Newsroom South Africa Facebook page

Uganda Uganda Mormon Newsroom Uganda Facebook page

Zambia none Zambia Mormon Newsroom

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Mormon Newsroom Zimbabwe Facebook page

Totals for ASEA 7

Country Mormon Newsrooms! 13

Country Newsroom Facebook pages!

AFRICASE Africa Southeast Area Facebook page We are in great need of “Faith Promoting” stories. Submit at this link:

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands - Africa Southeast Facebook page

Public Affairs All Public Affairs individuals are able to access the Public Affairs Network (Secure Site) at this link: Public Affairs Network

Online Resources

Use of Online Resources in Church Callings When carefully used, the Internet can help

coordinate the work of the Church, strengthen faith, and minister to the needs of others. The Internet can also help with missionary work as people connect with friends and family and share Church content. However, electronic communication should not replace face-to-face contact.

Emergency Preparedness: Emergency Preparedness and Response

Africa Southeast Area (ASEA)

Calendar

Wed-Fri 3-5 June 2015 World Economic Forum on Africa 2015 (Cape Town)

Saturday 6 June 2015 Burundi Parliamentary Elections moved from 26 May.

Tuesday 16 June 2015 South Africa, National Youth Day

Sunday 21 June 2015 South Africa, Father's Day

Friday 26 June 2015 Burundi, Presidential Elections

July 2015 Central African Republic Presidential and Parliamentary elections

Thursday 9 July 2015 South Sudanese General Election

Friday 17 July 2015 Burundi, Senate Indirect Elections

Saturday 18 July 2015 South Africa, Nelson Mandela Day

Sunday 9 August 2015 South African, National Women’s Day

Saturday 15 August 2015 ASEA Mormon Helping Hands handover/culmination of projects

25 October 2015 DR Congo Provincial elections

25 October 2015 Tanzania Parliamentary and Presidential elections

Tuesday 16 December 2015 South Africa, Day of Reconciliation

October 2015 Tanzanian General Elections

27 November 2015 DR Congo Presidential Election

Keyword News Topics below in Tan

Country Specific News Topics in Light Blue

Specially Selected items of interest from www.LDS.org

Did you know?…. You can read about Elder L. Tom Perry at www.lds.org ?

Church Miscellaneous

(Articles of Interest to Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

From MormonNewsroom.org

Elder L. Tom Perry Dies at Age 92. (2:59 vid)

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died today at about 3:00 p.m. at his home. He was 92 years old. Elder Perry was ordained an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 1974, after serving as an assistant to the Twelve since 1972. Elder Perry’s commanding physical

presence combined with his enthusiasm and optimistic style made him a forceful as well as a popular figure among Church members across the world.

~~~~~~~ ASEA (Africa Southeast Area) has

THREE new Country Mormon Newsroom Faceboook pages!

(The in-country admins will shortly be posting content….be sure you ‘Like’ each page so that you can see what is taking place in each of these countries! (here are the links…it is very easy to click on these and ‘Like’ the pages!

Angola Mormon Newsroom Facebook,

Mozambique Mormon Newsroom Facebook,

Namibia Mormon Newsroom Facebook

13,000 youth to perform at upcoming Payson Temple Celebration Rehearsals are in full swing for the Payson Temple Cultural Celebration, set for June 6 at BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium. On the eve of the temple’s dedicatory sessions, 13,000 youth from the Payson temple district will gather to commemorate the history and culture of the area through narration, song and dance.

Interesting Stuff about Africa & ASEA area Found in the news stream.

Wreck Of A 221-Year-Old Slave Ship Is Confirmed Off South Africa Underwater archaeology researchers explore the site of the São José slave ship wreck near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Underwater archaeology researchers explore the site of the São José slave ship wreck near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. For some time, researchers suspected that the São José-

Paquete de Africa, a Portuguese slave ship, had crashed in 1794 off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. But only now, after years of painstaking work, have they finally confirmed it. THERE’S one place you don’t want to be when a black rhino calf is around — blocking its path to

mum.

Human Rights, Humanitarian Found in the news stream.

Medical News Found in the news stream.

Social Media/Media/Tech Found in the news stream.

Misc. Found in the news stream.

DNA will reveal if 124kg of rhino horn in Mozambique bust came from Kruger Park DNA samples from rhino horn recovered from a Chinese national in Mozambique have arrived in South Africa‚ for testing to determine if the animals were poached in the Kruger National Park. Police say the arrest of a Chinese man found in possession of 124 kilograms of rhino horn and 1‚126 kilograms of ivory is the biggest bust in

history. The combined value of the horns and ivory is estimated at R65 million‚ according to police. “This is a very positive development for us and we have been working closely with our counterparts in Mozambique. Should the results come back positive‚ we will most certainly initiate an investigation to determine if we can link these suspects to cases and individuals here in South Africa‚” said Police National Commissioner General Riah Phiyega. China will begin phasing out its ivory industry in an effort to fight poaching (No time line provided.-rb) For the first time ever, China has committed to phasing out its legal ivory industry, The Guardian reports. At an event this past week, workers destroyed 662kg of confiscated ivory in a symbolic gesture of the country's commitment to fighting African elephant poaching. China hopes to

eventually end the domestic manufacturing and sale of ivory in the country. "We will strictly control ivory processing and trade until the commercial processing and sale of ivory and its products are eventually halted," Zhao Shucong, head of China’s State Forestry Administration, reportedly said at the event. This move follows China's decision earlier this year to impose a one-year ban on ivory imports in an effort to reduce illegal trading. Since 1989's international ivory trade ban, …. As much as 70 percent of the world's illegal ivory goes to China, where it is seen as a status symbol for a rising middle class, according to a report in The New York Times. The demand for ivory in China is high, so part of phasing out the industry will have to include lowering consumer demand. A recent survey by the anti-trafficking group WildAid found 95 percent of respondents in China's three largest cities — Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou — support an end to the country's ivory industry. Pink is the new white for rhino horns Sabi Sand rhinos in South Africa are being administered a “pink poison,” made up of parasiticides and indelible pink dye in order to plug the flow of international poaching syndicates. The

parasiticides are known to make anyone who ingests the horn “seriously ill” and it’s known to show symptoms of nausea, stomach ache, and diarrhoea. The pink dye, however, is for a whole different reason. People know what a classic rhino horn looks like, and no one wants a pink one. It destroys the value of

the horns by discoloring them. I think this is a genius idea because it leaves rhinos with their horns intact, and makes anyone who consumes the horns seriously regret their decision. Sabi Sand is launching a whole media campaign about what they’re doing so that people will know ahead of time not to poach rhinos. While the horns can be bleached to try to get rid of the pink color, airport scanners can still detect the rhino horns which increases the chances that anyone carrying them will be caught. The best part about all of this? The process doesn’t hurt the rhinos one bit. Into hell: Photos capture smouldering lakes of lava and shifting crust INSIDE the crater of active volcano Mount Nyiragongo (DR Congo) (Very interesting pictures-rb)

Italian geologist Francesco Pandolfo travelled to Africa to study the volcanic activity on Mount Nyiragongo

He abseiled into the active volcano's crater to examine the lake of molten lava that sits on top of it

In one image the expert looks like a small dot as he sets up his camera next to the mile-wide crater

Multiple African Countries in articles

Scarcity in sea of plenty: 10 African nations produce lots of these items, but locals think it’s a rumour (A very interesting article with some surprises.-rb)

1. Fuel-Nigeria 2. Electricity-South Africa 3. Tourism-Kenya 4. Copper-DRC 5. Diamonds-Botswana 6. Ivory Coast-Cocoa 7. Gas-Mozambique 8. Burkina Faso-Gold 9. Lesotho-Water 10. Wheat-Egypt

Kenya: Man-eating lions of Tsavo return to strike terror into railway workers (Ghost and the Darkness) The descendants of the Tsavo Man-Eaters lions have emerged from the African Bush to strike terror in workers replacing the Kenya-Uganda Railway. In 1898, the notorious Tsavo Man-Eaters – a pair of lions with a taste for human flesh – killed dozens of Indian workers who built the British Kenya-Uganda Railway, before they were shot by a British colonial officer. Now their descendants in Kenya are attacking workers laying the £2.5bn replacement of the rail line by the Chinese. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), a ranger was attacked and badly injured by a lion earlier this week, whilst he was guarding an area near the construction of the new railway line. The area was to be visited by the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta. 10 genetic mutations and evolutionary traits found in Africa, with their surprising advantages - and downsides (very interesting article-rb)

Angola

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 64% / 26% Population: 22,116,360

Penetration of population w/ internet 19.4% Labor Force: 9,298,000

GDP per capita USD$ 8,100 Life Expectancy: 52

Unemployment / year est. 26% / 2014 Church Members: 1,436

Population below poverty line: 40.5% Congregations: 8

Angola's Morais sentenced over diamond book A renowned Angolan journalist has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence for falsely linking military generals to the "blood diamond" trade. Prosecutors pushed for his conviction, despite his legal team saying last week that a deal had been reached with the generals to drop the case. A rights group said he had been sentenced after an "absurd process". Rafael Marques de Morais is a long-standing critic of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' 35-year rule. He spent 43 days in prison, including 11 in solitary confinement, in 1999 after he published the article, The Lipstick of the Dictatorship, in a private Angolan newspaper. Angola Journalist Rafael Marques Convicted of Defamation The International Press Institute (IPI) today condemned the suspended six-month prison sentence given to Angolan journalist Rafael Marques de Morais over his book outlining human rights abuses connected with the country's diamond mining industry, saying the outcome represented "a cynical abuse of law". A judge in Luanda yesterday issued the sentenced after finding Marques guilty of defaming seven Angolan generals in his book "Blood Diamonds: Torture and Corruption in Angola", which received wide international attention and numerous awards for exposing cases of torture and killings in the diamond fields of Angola's Lundas region. The sentence - which Marques could still be forced to serve if he is found guilty of any crime during the next two years - came despite an out-of-court settlement reached last week that led the generals to withdraw their complaints for defamation; a deal Marques has since described as a "double-cross". Comprehensive program to resolve Angola’s housing crisis takes shape Government acts vigorously to transform housing availability and accessibility Angola’s rapid growth since the turn of the century has inevitably put tremendous pressure on both the availability of housing and its cost. Nowhere is this more evident than in the capital, Luanda, where rents rival those in Paris, New York and Tokyo. Add to that issues of land tenure in a country coming out of a long civil war and an inadequate housing credit system and it becomes clear why resolving the housing crisis is one of the government’s major priorities. Angola’s burgeoning middle class is ever more eager to get on to the housing ladder as they aspire to a lifestyle in line with their ambitions and aspirations.

Botswana

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 164% / 26% Population: 2,115,710

Penetration of population w/ internet 13.2% Labor Force: 1,017,000

GDP per capita USD$ 16,000/2014 Life Expectancy: 47

Unemployment / year est. 17.8% / 2009 Church Members: 3,104

Population below poverty line: 30.3% Congregations: 12

Botswana opposition coalition rocked by resignation of MP Botswana’s opposition coalition, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), was Thursday rocked by the announcement that one of its Members of Parliament (MP) James Mathokgwane had resigned as representative for Good-Hope/Mabule constituency in southern Botswana. UDC members, who are mostly urban youth, expressed shock on social media on Thursday. UDC head of communications Moeti Mohwasa said Mathokgwane’s reasons for the resignation are personal.

Burundi

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 25% / 2% Population: 11,010,900

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.4% Labor Force: 4,806,000

GDP per capita USD$ 900 Life Expectancy: 54

Unemployment / year est. 35% / 2009 Church Members: 526

Population below poverty line: 68% Congregations: 3

Regional summit urges Burundi election delay, halt to violence Dar es Salaam (AFP) - Elections in Burundi should be delayed by at least a month and a half and all violence must stop, East African leaders said Sunday after a regional summit on the crisis. The leaders, however, stopped short of calling for Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to abandon his controversial bid for a third consecutive term, which has sparked weeks of civil unrest, a coup attempt and a refugee crisis. East Africa nations to meet on Burundi crisis, minus Nkurunziza East African officials were to meet in Tanzania on Sunday for a summit on the crisis in Burundi sparked by a divisive bid by President Pierre Nkurunziza to stand for a third term.

The Burundian president, however, will not be attending. His spokesman said he instead will be pushing ahead with a controversial re-election campaign that has sparked weeks of deadly civil unrest and a regional refugee crisis. It was during a first crisis meeting on May 13 in Tanzania's economic capital, attended by Nkurunziza, that a top general launched an unsuccessful bid to oust him -- and the president is also seen as being wary of again leaving the country. "President Nkurunziza will not go to Dar es Salaam," Gervais Abahiro told AFP. "He will be represented there by his foreign minister. He is campaigning and decided to delegate his minister." East African Leaders Call for Burundi to Delay Elections NAIROBI, Kenya — Burundi's government should postpone parliamentary and presidential elections for a six weeks because of unrest triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in office, an emergency meeting for the heads of state from the regional East African Community urged Sunday. Two Burundi electoral body members flee amid protests The vice-chairperson of Burundi’s National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), Spes-Caritas Ndironkeye, and Illuminata Ndabahagamye in charge of administration and finance at the CENI fled Burundi Friday night, the CENI spokesman confirmed Saturday. Burundi election panel vice president flees country The vice president of Burundi's election commission has fled the country, sources told AFP on Saturday, in a new blow to government plans to push ahead with next week's first stage of controversial elections. Spes Caritas Ndironkeye left the central African nation on a flight for neighbouring Rwanda on Friday evening, associates said, adding that she had left behind a letter of resignation. An electoral commission source said she "left without saying goodbye, without saying where she was going." A second member of the five-person commission, Illuminata Ndabahagamye, is also thought to have fled, sources said. "What has happened is a catastrophe, but it was inevitable," another commission source said. "Technically, the Election Commission can continue to work with four out of five members. But if two have left, no decision can be taken and it will be impossible to replace them before June 5," the source said. Burundi's crisis surrounds President Pierre Nkurunziza's controversial bid for a third term in office, with opposition and rights groups saying the move violates the constitution as well as the terms of a peace deal that ended a 13-year civil war in 2006. Burundi: Catholic bishops withdraw support for national elections amid political violence BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — Catholic Church leaders said on Thursday they no longer support the Burundi government's decision to hold elections next month amid political unrest over President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term. The European Union also said it was suspending its election observer mission here. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Burundi said in a statement that it is withdrawing from an earlier agreement with the government that would have seen priests monitoring elections across the country, piling more pressure on an administration that is facing international calls to postpone the elections. In a statement Thursday, the EU said it was suspending its election observer mission in Burundi over concerns about restrictions on the independent media, excessive use of force against demonstrators and the intimidation of opposition parties and civic groups. Burundi’s poll body downplays impact of withdrawal of Catholic church The withdrawal of the influential Catholic church from Burundi’s electoral process will not affect the operations of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and its affiliated commissions, CENI spokesman Prosper Ntahorwamiye said Thursday. EU suspends election observer mission to Burundi BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has suspended its mission to observe elections in Burundi because it cannot fulfil its role in a climate of media curbs and intimidation of the opposition, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Thursday. Rights groups say at least 20 people have died in Burundi since protests broke out on April 26, a day

after President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would seek a third five-year term. Burundi Opposition Leader Declares Election Boycott Burundi's most prominent opposition leader said on Friday his party is boycotting national elections amid political unrest stemming from the president's bid for a third term. Agathon Rwasa, who leads the opposition party known by its initials as FNL, told The Associated Press that he is pulling out because he no longer feels safe on the campaign trail. He added that he believes credible elections cannot be held amid persistent violence as the security forces try to quell protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid to extend his time in office. Burundi: 'Elections behind closed doors' as opposition leaders withdraw from vote (warning-some content graphic-rb) …. 'Elections behind closed doors' The refusal to participate in the polls comes after a majority of international observers announced their decision to pull out, including the Catholic Church, after the electoral campaign, which started on Sunday 10 May, was tainted by claims of political persecution and intimidations. Burundi ruling party youth rattles nerves in ethnic tinderbox NGOZI: In the Burundian president’s rural stronghold, his party’s youth wing dismisses the fears of those who have fled the east African nation that it is gathering arms and sharpening knives for a new bout of ethnic bloodletting. “Whoever has a machete uses it for cultivating, not for other purposes,” said Patrice Barutwanajo, 28, a member of the so-called Imbonerakure in Ngozi in northern Burundi. “It is impossible to say that people have machetes for killing.” Explosions rock Burundi capital as deadly protests continue BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Two explosions shook Burundi's capital on Friday but no one was hurt, police and a witness said, as deadly unrest against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in office rumbled on. Pictures circulated on social media showed three charred vehicles in front of a KCB bank branch in downtown Bujumbura, until Friday an area largely free from the demonstrations that erupted on April 26. Burundi: Grenade attack on bank in capital Bujumbura resonates with economic standstill A child was injured after a grenade was thrown under a car during an apparent attack on a Kenyan bank in Burundi's capital Bujumbura on 29 May. The attack, which targeted a vehicle parked near the headquarters of the KCBank in Bujumbura's town centre, near the country's Central Bank, is a stark reminder of how fragile Burundi's economy has become after a month of violent protests. "The power generator was burned in the fire following the explosion, and this will affect even more the economy," Teddy Mazina, a local journalist, told IBTimes UK from Bujumbura. More than 30 people have been killed and 500 wounded since 26 April, when Burundi's ruling party National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) nominated President Pierre Nkurunziza to stand for re-election, triggering daily and often violent protests. Claims Burundi Police Using ‘Deadly’ Response To Protests Gunfire kills fifth youngster in Burundi clashes Violence in Burundi has claimed the life of a fifth youngster since the start of political demonstrations last month, the UN said Friday. The victim sustained bullet wounds in the capital Bujumbura on Thursday morning and was between 15 and 16 years old, the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF said. To date, 200 youths have been injured since the start of street protests against President Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term in office. Burundi Refugee Children vaccinated against Measles and polio

Cameroon

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 71% / -% Population: 23,248,261

Penetration of population w/ internet Labor Force: 9,105,000

GDP per capita USD$ 3,000 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 30% / 2001 Church Members: 1,498

Population below poverty line: 48% / 2000 Congregations: 7

Cameroon food stocks dwindle as Boko Haram violence disrupts farming LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Food shortages threaten some 200,000 people in northern Cameroon after cross-border raids by Islamist sect Boko Haram forced people to flee their homes and fields, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday. Cameroon’s third mobile provider, Nexttel, lands 2 million subscribers in 8 months of activity (Business in Cameroon) - The first in Cameroon to receive a 3G licence, Nexttel has announced that it has nabbed an estimated 2 million customers in only eight months after launching in September 2014. The Viettel telecom company has just launched a raffle to “celebrate” its two million subscribers to win a total of 30 million FCFA in prizes. Taking into account the number of subscribers announced by Nexttel, Cameroon now has approximately 18.3 million mobile subscribers out of a population of 20 million. At the end of 2014, MTN Cameroon, the market leader, announced a customer base of 10.1 million subscribers compared to 6.2 million for Orange Cameroon. Cameroon: 63,000 Children Targeted for Polio Vaccination

Central African Republic

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 33% / 1% Population: 4,851,884

Penetration of population w/ internet 3.4% Labor Force: 2,217,000

GDP per capita USD$ 600 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 8% / 2001 Church Members: 216

Population below poverty line: na Congregations: 1

Central African Republic: After militias hacked community apart with machetes, Bangui starts to rebuild Three words come up in any conversation among Bangui’s residents about the state of their city: “le cinq Decembre”. That was the day, 5 December 2013, when the capital of the Central African Republic was ripped apart by fighting between Muslim and Christian militias. Bangui’s Christians and Muslims had long worked, studied and traded together. But nine months earlier, the Seleka, a mostly Muslim coalition, had swept into the country and forced the then-President François Bozizé into exile. On that day in December, Christian militias known as the anti-balaka (“anti-machete”) launched an assault to drive the Seleka back out of the city, triggering months of sectarian warfare. By early last year, mixed communities had ceased to exist. Only now, slowly, is the city beginning to pull itself back together. “In the months after 5 December, if a Muslim crossed from the third to the fifth arrondissement, he was dead; if a Christian crossed from the fifth to the third, he was dead,” says Sinai Guitimo, a 25-year-old geology student who fled the city and now lives in a refugee camp of mostly Christians at Bangui’s airport, at the edge of the city. Six in 10 children experience post-traumatic stress in Central African Republic, Save the Children finds After Child Sex Abuse Allegations, France And Central African Republic Cooperate In Probe

Chad (This country borders ASEA)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 47% / -% Population: 13,288,797

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.4% Labor Force: 4,919,000

GDP per capita USD$ 2,600 Life Expectancy: 51

Unemployment / year est. 22% / 2009 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 80% / 2001 Congregations:

Boko Haram clash kills 4 Chad soldiers, 33 Islamists: army A child walks past burnt out houses following Sunday's attack by Boko Haram militants in Gubio, Nigeria, Tuesday, May 26, 2015. (AP)

Around Lake Chad: Boko Haram's legacy of ruin and fear – in pictures (some very compelling pictures.-rb)

Congo Rep. (Brazzaville)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 100% / 7% Population: 4,753,445

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.0% Labor Force: 2,890,000

GDP per capita USD$ 6,600 Life Expectancy: 59

Unemployment / year est. 53% / 2012 Church Members: 6,053

Population below poverty line: 46.5% / 2011 Congregations: 17

DR Congo (Kinshasa)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 59% / 8% Population: 71,509,992

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.0% Labor Force: 27,590,000

GDP per capita USD$ 700 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 46% / 2009 Church Members: 42,689

Population below poverty line: 63% Congregations: 145

Congo to allow completion of some foreign adoptions despite 2013 ban KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo plans to allow 71 children whose adoptions were interrupted by a 2013 suspension to join families in the U.S. and four other countries next week, an official told The Associated Press on Saturday. In December 2013, Congo announced a suspension on foreign adoptions, citing reports that children had been mistreated or abandoned by their adoptive families while others had been "sold to homosexuals." The move prompted a pressure campaign from hundreds of frustrated American families who were in the process of arranging adoptions from Congo. As of last year, 148 Congolese children had been legally adopted by U.S. families and given U.S. visas but were waiting for exit permits to leave the country, according to a letter to President Barack Obama signed by 167 members of Congress. More than 900 U.S. families seeking to adopt from Congo were "stuck in limbo" because of the suspension, according to the letter, which was timed to coincide with Congo President Joseph Kabila's visit to the U.S. last August for a U.S.-Africa summit. Officials in Congo are reviewing about 1,000 individual cases of children whose adoptions were already in progress when the suspension was announced, Albert Paka, a judicial adviser at the interior ministry, said on Saturday. "The interior ministry is going to authorize as soon as Monday the departure of 71 children adopted

in five different countries," Paka said. He said the U.S. and Belgium were among the five countries but did not specify the others.

Equatorial Guinea

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 87% / -% Population: 802,008

Penetration of population w/ internet 16.0% Labor Force: 195,200

GDP per capita USD$ 32,600 Life Expectancy: 53

Unemployment / year est. 22.3% / 2009 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

Ethiopia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 26% / 49% Population: 101,683,016

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.7% Labor Force: 47,320,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,500 Life Expectancy: 64

Unemployment / year est. 17.5% / 2012 Church Members: 1,854

Population below poverty line: 39% / 2012 Congregations: 64

Gabon

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 175% / -% Population: 1,742,265

Penetration of population w/ internet 9.9% Labor Force: 636,000

GDP per capita USD$ 21,600 Life Expectancy: 63

Unemployment / year est. 21% / 2006 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

Kenya

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 83% / 67% Population: 46,764,772

Penetration of population w/ internet 36.7% Labor Force: 17,700,000

GDP per capita USD$ 3,100 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 40% / 2008 Church Members: 12,471

Population below poverty line: 43,4 / 2012 Congregations: 62

Kenya toasts 52 years of independence - 10 things you might not know about this East African powerhouse (interesting article-rb) Stateless Shona trapped in Kenya …. Kenya is home to some 100 000 stateless people from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Somalia and Asia, according to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), many of whom were brought to work on Kenya’s highland tea and coffee estates in colonial times. 5 more die of malaria in western Kenya, death toll rising to 12 KISUMU, Kenya, March 29 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of malaria has hit Kakamega County in Western Kenya after five more children below the age of five died at the region's referral hospital Thursday evening. The latest development has brought the death to 12, with at least 100 children currently admitted at the facility. Last week, seven children died of malaria in the hospital. Augustine Ajevi, hospital's Medical Superintendent, cited Friday blood shortage in the hospital as the major cause of deaths.

Lesotho

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 95% / 24% Population: 2,074,095

Penetration of population w/ internet 5.3% Labor Force: 894,400

GDP per capita USD$ 2,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 49

Unemployment / year est. 25% / 2008 Church Members: 867

Population below poverty line: 49 / 1999 Congregations: 2

Madagascar

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 40% / ? Population: 24,540,641

Penetration of population w/ internet 73.5% Labor Force: 12,150,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,400 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 65

Unemployment / year est. 3.6% / 2013 Church Members: 10,322

Population below poverty line: 50% Congregations: 38

Madagascar's President Faces Impeachment Attempt ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR — Political instability is looming in Madagascar, where lawmakers voted this week to impeach the country's president for what they say are his repeated violations of the constitution. The parliamentarians say they secured a two-thirds majority required for an impeachment motion, which now goes to the constitutional court for review. However, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina says they fell short of the majority and that the lawmakers are bitter about not being granted certain perks such as new vehicles. Relations between parliament and the president have been strained for months. Madagascar endured political turmoil and economic deterioration after a 2009 coup. Rajaonarimampianina took office after elections at the end of 2013.

Malawi

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 37% / 10% Population: 17,393,962

Penetration of population w/ internet 72.2% Labor Force: 5,747,000

GDP per capita USD$ 800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 6.6% / 2013 Church Members: 1,931

Population below poverty line: 53% / 2004 Congregations: 8

Mauritius

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 128% / 40% Population: 1,322,860

Penetration of population w/ internet 6.2% Labor Force: 600,200

GDP per capita USD$ 17,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 74

Unemployment / year est. 8.3% / 2013 Church Members: 458

Population below poverty line: 8% / 2006 Congregations: 2

Mauritius' ceremonial president resigns, as expected Mauritian President Rajkeswar Purryag resigned on Friday from his ceremonial position in accordance with an agreement with Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, his office said. Purryag said in a statement he had agreed with Jugnauth in January that he would step down in May.

"The President is honouring his commitment by submitting his resignation to the speaker of the national assembly this afternoon," his office said. During last December's election campaign, Jugnauth's party said it would nominate Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a researcher and scientist, to the post. If confirmed, Gurib-Fakim would be the first woman to be president of the Indian ocean island. Purryag was appointed in July 2012 by the former Labour party government.

Mozambique

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 58% / 22% Population: 27,282,161

Penetration of population w/ internet 5.6% Labor Force: 12,250,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,100 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 17% / 2007 Church Members: 7,943

Population below poverty line: 52% / 2009 Congregations: 26

Poaching slightly falls while elephant population declines by almost half in Mozambique Poachers slaughtered 40 elephants in Mozambique’s Niassa National Reserve, in the northernmost province of Niassa, from this January to May, local radio reported on Saturday. Mozambique: Gunmen terrorise central region residents A group of armed men suspected to be members of the main opposition Renamo party in Mozambique are said to have launched a terror campaign in parts of the country, local media reports said on Saturday. State-controlled Radio Mozambique says the insurgents, known as Renamo residual forces, are allegedly threatening Maratoni area residents in the Ile district of the central Zambezia province.

The broadcaster says the armed men are accused of forcibly and violently demanding food from people in the area.

Namibia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 137% / 32% Population: 2,325,019

Penetration of population w/ internet 14.8% Labor Force: 1,168,000

GDP per capita USD$ 10,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 64

Unemployment / year est. 27.4% / 2012 Church Members: 793

Population below poverty line: 28.7% / 2010 Congregations: 2

Niger

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 25% / 2% Population: 19,289,323

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.6% Labor Force: 5,800,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 58

Unemployment / year est. 2.25% / 2009 Church Members: 793

Population below poverty line: 63% Congregations: 2

How Illegal Mining Led To the Deaths of 28 Children In Niger Last week, the federal government, through the minister of state for Health, Mr Fidelis Nwankwo

confirmed the deaths of 28 children as a result of an outbreak of lead poisoning in Madaka, Rafi local government area of Niger State. Abu Nmodu, Minna, reports on the circumstances of the deaths The outbreak, LEADERSHIP Weekend findings revealed, was more devastating in Kawo village of the area, located down stream of a tributary of River Kaduna, where mining of gems and gold usually takes place.

It was gathered that individuals with means, ranging from politicians to businessmen, would usually buy portions of these mining sites, with or without mining permits, and conduct the search for gems and gold, usually using unorthodox methods. Afterwards, they engage unemployed youths of the area to do the open cast mining, paying them peanuts, without recourse to due process. …. It was gathered that after they are mined, the gems and gold are washed in a stream which flows down to Kawo village, where the villagers use water from it for domestic purposes. The villagers are vulnerable to poisoning since the mined substances contain lead.

Nigeria

(This country borders ASEA)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 97% / 15% Population: 179,825,664

Penetration of population w/ internet 37.6% Labor Force: 54,970,000

GDP per capita USD$ 6,100 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 52

Unemployment / year est. 23.9% / 2011 Church Members: 129,989

Population below poverty line: 70% Congregations: 416

Nigeria swears in a new president ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s new president was sworn in on Friday and pledged to tackle Boko Haram “head on,” asserting the fight against the Islamic extremists wouldn’t be won until hundreds of schoolgirls abducted last year and other kidnapping victims were brought home alive. Muhammadu Buhari’s new administration won a signal of support from the United States, which indicated it was prepared to increase military aid. Nigeria's Maiduguri city hit by deadly bomb, overnight attack A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque in Nigeria's Maiduguri city on Saturday afternoon killing at least 18 people, a hospital source said, after a night-time attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the outskirts. The attacks occurred a day after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who swore to

crush the Islamist militant group and move the command center for military operations away from the capital Abuja to Maiduguri. Suicide bomber, RPGs kill 30 in Nigerian birthplace of Boko Haram MAIDUGURI, Nigeria -- A suicide bomb blast outside a mosque and rocket-propelled grenades that exploded into homes as people slept killed at least 30 people in the Nigerian city Maiduguri on Saturday, residents and officials said. The explosion killed people who were prostrating themselves for afternoon prayers outside the mosque, including traders from the nearby crowded marketplace in the largest city in Nigeria's troubled northeast, survivors said. Trader Ali Bakomi said the bomber was pushing a wheelbarrow and pretending to be an itinerant trader when he joined them. Nigeria, others’ debts to hit $393b Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S& P) said the sovereign commercial and concessional debts of Nigeria and 17 other sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries under its rating services will reach about $393 billion by the end of this year. The global rating agency indicated that Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and 15 other SSA countries will borrow an equivalent of $56 billion from long-term commercial sources in 2015. About $44 billion of the total commercial borrowing are expected to be raised in local currency. About 29 per cent, equivalent to $17 billion, of the sovereigns’ gross borrowing are expected to be used to refinance maturing tong-term debts. …. “Although South Africa is consistently the largest commercial borrower and has the highest net new borrowing requirement in out sample in 2015, Nigeria and Angola’s average debt maturity is much shorter and hence their rollover ratio is higher—than South Africa’s. This leads to our projection of relatively high gross long-term issuance needs in 2015 for Nigeria and Angola, equivalent to $11 billion and $13 billion respectively,” the report stated.

Reunion Island

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 105% / 48% Population: 874,345

Penetration of population w/ internet Labor Force:

GDP per capita USD$ Life Expectancy:

Unemployment / year est. 40% / ? Church Members:

Population below poverty line: Congregations:

Tourists flock to see Réunion's erupting volcano

Rwanda

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 61% / 28% Population: 12,540,798

Penetration of population w/ internet 9.2% Labor Force: 6,061,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,700 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 64

Unemployment / year est. 3.4% / 2012 Church Members: 281

Population below poverty line: 44.9 / 2011 Congregations: 3

Rwandans impose 'indefinite suspension' on all BBC broadcasts KIGALI Rwanda (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) has suspended the broadcasts of BBC Radio programmes in national Kinyarwanda language "forever" in the country with immediate effect, an official source has said. The suspension comes months after the British channel broadcast a new controversial documentary entitled, "Rwanda: The untold story". In a communiqué issued in Kigali, the Rwandan public regulatory body said it had based its decision "on the resolutions made by the commission of inquiry that was set up by the Rwandan government to investigate allegations of genocide denial and revisionism against the BBC in the new documentary produced by BBC journalist, Jane Corbin". "An investigation has been closed into those allegations, and the outcome has recommended that BBC should be suspended," added the communiqué. The suspension of the broadcasts of the BBC programmes on FM radio and via satellite comes few weeks days after thousands of demonstrators, mainly youths and women, took to the streets of Kigali to denounce the controversial documentary. Similarly, the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, recently questioned the partisan attitude of the British broadcaster, which, he said wanted to "willingly discredit several authorities of the country" through the new documentary. Speaking in the Rwandan Parliament in October 2014, President Kagame said with regard to the documentary that Rwanda and the African continent were for decades subjected to bad media coverage by several western media, with bad motives. At least 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, died in the genocide in 1994 triggered by the death of the then president Juvenal Habyarimana when his plane was shot down while returning from peace talks with Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels. More clean power for Rwanda – good news for development While in Rwanda during the last week did news emerge that another 25 MW of power will become available in July, when the long awaited Methane gas plant on Lake Kivu will begin production. Burundian refugees turn to prostitution in Rwanda

Somalia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 50% / 2% Population: 10,742,489

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.5% Labor Force: 3,011,000

GDP per capita USD$ 600 / 2010 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 25.4% / 2012 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

Somalia: At Least 10 Killed in Clashes Near Somalia-Ethiopia Border Heavy fighting broke out between Somali Regional State of Ethiopia forces and pastoralists in small towns in central Somalia, leaving At least 10 people dead and injured 10 others. The battle erupted after forces from Somali Regional State of Ethiopia invaded in small towns in central Somalia and clashed with pastoralists over pasturelands and domestic animals. A local resident told Shabelle Media in Mogadishu that heavily Somalia-Ethiopian forces clashed with pastoralists in small towns border with Ethiopia, adding that 10 died in the battle.

South Africa

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 154% / 35% Population: 51,621,506

Penetration of population w/ internet 46.8% Labor Force: 20,230,000

GDP per capita USD$ 12,700 Life Expectancy: 57

Unemployment / year est. 24.9% / 2013 Church Members: 61,221

Population below poverty line: 31.3% Congregations: 159

Ombudswoman blasts Zuma exoneration in spending scandal Johannesburg (AFP) - The South African public official who led a probe into allegations that President Jacob Zuma spent millions of public money upgrading his home on Sunday blasted a report clearing the embattled leader of any wrongdoing. Zuma was last week exonerated by the police minister over the long-running scandal and will not have to repay any of the $24 million spent on improvements at his rural homestead, which included a swimming pool, an amphitheatre and a cattle enclosure. Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, the country's ombudswoman, had originally ruled in March last year that Zuma and his family had "benefited unduly" from the work on his home in Nkandla in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province SA Council of Churches blasts Zuma's behaviour in Parliament CAPE TOWN – President Jacob Zuma’s response to his budget vote debate in Parliament this week was appalling, the SA Council of Churches (SACC) said on Friday. “Jesting about the scandalous Nkandla issue and investigation during his response to Parliament was an undeniably low point in the Presidency, of which there are becoming too many,” the church council said in a statement. “Behaving and speaking like a ‘court jester’ was disappointing, embarrassing and inappropriate for the head of state.” The SACC was responding to Zuma’s conduct in the National Assembly on Wednesday where he mocked opposition parties for taking him on over the use of taxpayers' money to upgrade his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal. Police Minister Nathi Nhleko's conclusions that Zuma does not have to pay back a cent of the public funds used on the Nkandla project, had also disappointed the church council, with its president and presiding bishop of the Methodist Church, Zipho Siwa, describing it as a “grave mockery of justice”. “We are gravely concerned about the failure of the president and the relevant ministers to accept moral and political responsibility in relation to the unjustifiably high costs of the upgrades,” Siwa said in the statement. “Having ministers defend the indefensible damages the moral integrity of the whole governing system.” MAIMANE: ZUMA MUST EXPLAIN SETTLEMENT REACHED WITH NXASANA …. Earlier this month, Zuma shut down an inquiry into whether or not Nxasana is fit to hold office after the discovery that he had been acquitted of criminal charges, including murder, before his appointment. …. 2 Youths From Indian Township in South Africa Die Fighting for Islamic State Johannesburg: Two youths belonging to the Muslim community of a small Indian township south of Johannesburg have died allegedly fighting for the Islamic State, becoming one of the first South Africans to have died in Syria. Articles in media outlets today said a confidential report had indicated that Fayaaz Valli, 23, had gone to Syria claiming to be working for an orphanage but ended up being killed while fighting with Islamic State. Mr Valli's father Riyad told the weekly Sunday Times that he was heartbroken by the death of his son but did not believe he had joined the IS. South Africa to investigate ISIL recruitment South Africa will launch an investigation into recruitment by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in the country, after an Al Jazeera investigation revealed that at least 23 South Africans had joined the group, the Ministry of State Security has said. Brian Dube, spokesperson for State Security, said on Saturday that the ministry would be looking into the findings made in an Al Jazeera investigation published on Friday that entire families had traveled to ISIL-held territory. Dube’s comments came after David Mahlobo, minister of State Security, told South African television channel ENCA on Friday that officials were working hard to verify the information revealed by Al Jazeera. South Africa dominates new Africa university rankings No freedom without proper services - Maimane South Africa frees anti-apartheid hero murder mastermind THE right wing politician who masterminded the killing of a South African anti-apartheid hero was granted medical parole on Friday, setting aside an earlier decision by the justice minister to block his release. Clive Derby-Lewis, an ultra-right wing politician who masterminded the 1993 assassination of Communist Party leader Chris Hani in an attempt to trigger a race war, had been serving a life sentence for the murder. Derby-Lewis was diagnosed with cancer and had asked to be paroled. But Justice Minister Michael Masutha denied his request in January on grounds that his cancer was Stage 3 and not Stage 4, a prerequisite for medical parole to be considered. He then asked the court to review the minister's decision. "The applicant has made out a case for placement on medical parole. The applicant is placed on medical parole with immediate effect," said High Court Judge Selby Baqwa, adding that the parole board would determine his release conditions.

Derby-Lewis, who escaped the death penalty when capital punishment was abolished, has served over 20 years in prison.

Sudan

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 70% / 31% Population: 40,313,269

Penetration of population w/ internet 24.0% Labor Force: 11,920,000

GDP per capita USD$ 4,500 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 20% / 2012 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 46.5 / 2005 Congregations:

South Sudan

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 28% / 12% Population: 11,749,434

Penetration of population w/ internet unkn Labor Force:

GDP per capita USD$ 2,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 12% / 2008 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 50.6% / 2009 Congregations:

UNHCR relocates over 40,000 flood affected S. Sudan refugees in Ethiopia

Swaziland Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 70% / 11% Population: 1,280,595

Penetration of population w/ internet 23.8% Labor Force: 435,000

GDP per capita USD$ 7,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 49

Unemployment / year est. 28.5% / 2010 Church Members: 1,768

Population below poverty line: 69% Congregations: 4

Tanzania

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 62% / 24% Population: 50,998,619

Penetration of population w/ internet 15% Labor Force: 25,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 61

Unemployment / year est. 10.7% / 2011 Church Members: 1,336

Population below poverty line: 36% / 2002 Congregations: 6

Tanzania vows to punish DR Congo rebels for killing its soldiers Tanzania government said on Friday that it will hunt down and punish Alliance Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels who killed two of its soldiers who were in a UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Uganda

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 64% / 11% Population: 40,777,196

Penetration of population w/ internet 16.8 Labor Force: 18,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,800 Life Expectancy: 59

Unemployment / year est. 4.2% / 2010 Church Members: 13,248

Population below poverty line: 25.5% Congregations: 26

Uganda Opposition Wants Electoral Reforms, Vote Postponed A prominent opposition leader says Ugandans will no longer tolerate rigged elections, after what he says have been years of voter irregularities and polls that are skewed in favor of President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling National Resistance Movement. Kizza Besigye says there is a need for electoral reforms to ensure an equal playing field for opponents of the NRM before elections are held. Uganda is scheduled to hold a general election next year. But opposition and civil society groups have called for a postponement of the poll until the electoral reforms are implemented to ensure transparent, free, fair and credible future elections. Fraud and deceit at the heart of US adoptions in Uganda LONDON/KAMPALA — Ugandan families have been bribed, tricked or coerced into giving up their children to US citizens and other foreigners for adoption, a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation has found. Leaked documents, court data and a series of exclusive interviews with officials, whistleblowers, victims and prospective adoptive parents has revealed: - a culture of corruption in which children’s birth histories are at times manipulated to make them appear as orphans when they are not - a lucrative industry in which lawyers acting on behalf of foreign applicants receive large payments - a mushrooming network of unregistered childcare institutions through which children are primed for adoption - an absence of reliable court data to counteract allegations of negligence or fraud by probation officers involved in the adoption process Across Uganda church-backed orphanages and private child care institutions are springing up. "Fifteen years ago there were just two dozen orphanages, now there are as many as 400 such institutions," said Stella Ayo-Odongo, executive director of the Uganda Child Rights NGO Network. "But this is steeped in problems. Inter-country adoptions constitute a booming industry in which child traffickers are profiteering," she said. According to Ugandan law, foreigners are required to spend at least three years in the country before adopting, but they can acquire a legal guardianship days after arriving and complete the process back home. Data from the US State Department shows that 201 children were adopted from Uganda by US citizens in 2013/2014, making it the third biggest source country in Africa. In all, Americans adopted 6,441 children from around the world last year. Uganda: Oil brings quick cash, dashed hopes The discovery of oil in a remote part of Uganda has broken up families, ruined crops and torn the

Local and foreign volunteers play with abandoned babies at children at a home in Uganda's capital, Kampala. Picture: REUTERS/JAMES AKENA

fabric of social life

Zambia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 73% / 10% Population: 15,549,296

Penetration of population w/ internet 15.4% Labor Force: 6,338,000

GDP per capita USD$ 4,100 Life Expectancy: 58

Unemployment / year est. 15% / 2008 Church Members: 3,359

Population below poverty line: 60.5% Congregations:

Zimbabwe

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 102% / 85% Population: 15,762,551

Penetration of population w/ internet 19.5% Labor Force: 5,0 63,000

GDP per capita USD$ 2,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 60

Unemployment / year est. 95% / 2009 Church Members: 26,156

Population below poverty line: 68% / 2004 Congregations: 64

Mugabe's knives still out as Zimbabwe ruling party suspends 89 members, deepening purge It is striking that despite several rounds of purges over six months now, Mugabe feels he hasn’t yet subdued Mujuru loyalists. PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) barred 89 officials from holding office for two to three years, deepening a purge in the ruling party. The officials, including Deputy Mines Minister Fred Moyo and former environment minister Francis Nhema, were suspended for allegedly working with former Vice President Joice Mujuru to topple Mugabe, Zanu-PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo told reporters Friday in the capital, Harare. The action follows the dismissal of seven senior officials and the suspension of 13 more on May 22 for the same reason. The party’s disciplinary committee has completed investigations in six provinces, and more suspensions and dismissals may follow when it finishes probes into the remaining four, Moyo said. Xenophobic Mugabe (and Zuma) wants xenophobia redirected towards SA whites Dzamara: US Slaps renewed Sanctions on Mugabe The United States government, concerned about abducted activist Itai Dzamara’s long absence and the police’s inaction in obeying a High Court Order to find him, has announced it is slapping Robert Mugabe with renewed sanctions due to Robert Mugabe’s failure to observe the rule of law. The U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Shannon Smith, told VOA’s Zimbabwe service after a recent trip to the country that the United States was sticking to its wait-and-see strategy regarding the possible lifting of travel bans and other sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his leadership. She noted that the sanctions were “very targeted.” Mugabe Dead Corpse Caster In an explosive revelation embarrassingly offloaded by ZANU PF Gokwe Town Centre chairperson Innocent Choto, who for 13 years had allegedly tormented opposition supporters, details have emerged how dead people’s ID cards were printed by the party and roped in for voting. Grace Mugabe fails to perform duties AFTER her dramatic and controversial entry into mainstream politics, President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace has disappeared from public view and is now failing to fulfil her party constitutional obligations and other duties as the Zanu PF Women’s League boss amid reports that she is ill. Zimbabwe: Govt to Seize More Farms for Grace Mugabe GOVERNMENT says it is considering increasing the land allocated to First Lady Grace Mugabe and her Children's home "as a way of appreciating" her work in Mazowe. Lands minister, Douglas Mombeshora told a field day at Grace Mugabe Foundation farm that the 1600 hectare plot is proving to be small for what the First Lady could do. "When we gave her this farm, we were attacked but today I am happy that she is proving to be farmers worthy her salt. "I will not hesitate to sign any papers for more land for her or the president because they are productive farmers who are really in need of the land," Mombeshora said. Grace Mugabe grabbed three farms from three different entities among them was Citrus producer, Mazoe Estate which was farming Oranges to make a single farm. "Here we combined three farms which were lying idle and gave to productive people like the First Family," he said.

United States Data Provided for comparison

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 102% / 85% Population: 324,343,287

Penetration of population w/ internet 86.8% Labor Force: 156,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 54,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 79

Unemployment / year est. 5.5% / 2015 Church Members: 6,466,267

Population below poverty line: 15.1% / 2010 14,018 Congregations

Travel Advisories/Warnings US issues travel advisory for Burundi (17 May 2015) Washington - The United States issued a travel warning on Thursday for strife-torn Burundi, telling its citizens not to go there and urging those in the country to get out as soon as possible. Burundi's government survived a coup attempt this week that saw fierce fighting between rival army factions. It was the culmination of weeks of violent street protests against the president's bid to seek a third term in the poor east African country. In a statement, the US state department said Burundi was faced a "deteriorating security situation". It said it had ordered all non-emergency US government personnel and dependents of American staff to leave Burundi on Thursday.

US warns airlines against flying over Somalia (17 May 2015) A United States aviation safety agency has listed the Somali airspace as too dangerous to fly over, citing the threat posed by the armed group Al Shabab following the downing of MH17 by Ukrainian rebels fighting the government forces in Ukraine. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned all US airlines from flying over Somalia deeming it too dangerous, an advisory rejected by many countries, among them Australia airlines.

Central African Republic Travel Warning 2 May 2015 Washington DC - infoZine - The Government of Chad closed its border with CAR May 12, 2014. Only citizens of Chad returning home will be able to cross the Chad-CAR border. U.S. citizens who have decided to stay in CAR despite this warning should review their personal security situation and seriously consider departing. This replaces the Travel Warning of November 5, 2014, to reflect the risk of remaining in CAR and continued lack of security.

Britain issues Burundi travel warning after protests in capital 30 April 2015

Sources of information:

All church membership information is provided by Mormon Newsroom by clicking on the ‘Africa’ continent on the map (at the right) and then finding the desired country on the list. The information is reviewed from the list each month for correctness.

All keywords and country information is collected from an Internet scan of about 60 specific keywords that is supplied to me at 0300 each morning via Google alerts. This keyword list is reviewed and updated daily.

All Population data are from Country Meters and is updated each month for correctness.

All Cellphone and smartphone data are from GMSA Intelligence and is updated each month for correctness.

All Internet users by country data are from Internet Live Stats and Internet World Stats is reviewed each month for correctness.

GNI (Gross National Income per capita) and Life Expectancy data is from The World Bank

Unemployment and other data are from Photius , IECONOMICS, Quandl, Wikipedia, Theodora & The World Factbook.

Elder Berg Elder Berg & Sister Berg Africa Southeast Area Assistant Director of Public Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Email: ASEAPublicAffairs@ldschurch.org Cellphone……. +27 (0)83 443 3829 Office…………... +27 (0)11 645 1538

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