"); NewWindow.document.close(); return false; } // end hiding from old browsers -->

Saturday 4 March 2006


Search

Regions

IRIN SA Weekly Round-up 271 for 18 - 24 February 2006

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

CONTENTS:

MOZAMBIQUE: Concern over aftershocks in wake of huge quake
ZIMBABWE: Mugabe delivers broadside to neighbours
SOUTH AFRICA: Bird flu ruffles few feathers among street traders
ANGOLA: Ready to play larger security role in Africa
ZAMBIA: Avian flu - govt's plan emphasises prevention
SWAZILAND: Poverty on the increase, says govt
MADAGASCAR: Down-and-out in Antananarivo

MOZAMBIQUE: Concern over aftershocks in wake of huge quake

Mozambique was hit by the most powerful earthquake in over a century this week. At least two people died and 17 were reported injured in the quake, which had a magnitude of 7.5 and was felt as far away as neighbouring South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

Protest over re-printing of Prophet Muhammad cartoons

An independent Mozambican weekly's reprinting of some of the controversial cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad, sparked protests from the local Muslim community. Editor-in-chief of the publication, Savana and respected journalist, Fernando Goncalves, subsequently apologised. He explained the purpose of reprinting the cartoons was to show pictorially what had become the subject of intense worldwide debate, and no offence was intended.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

ZIMBABWE: Mugabe delivers broadside to neighbours

President Robert Mugabe has hinted at constitutional reforms, possibly to smooth the way for a chosen successor. Speaking in a televised interview to commemorate his 82nd birthday over the weekend, Mugabe also lashed out at his critics within the African Union, who, he said were acting under pressure from western governments. This week also saw the return of Arthur Mutambara, an academic and a former militant student leader to lead the pro-Senate faction ahead of their congress in Bulawayo this Saturday.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

Huge response to appeal to help restore women's dignity

Ordinary South Africans have responded generously to an appeal by sanitary pads for Zimbabwean women, hit by shortages and rocketing prices. A packet of 10 sanitary pads costs US $10 in Zimbabwe, where the average salary ranges between $50 to $100 a month. Women have been forced to use old rags and even newspapers as a substitute for the sanitary pads.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

SOUTH AFRICA: Bird flu ruffles few feathers among street traders

A campaign to provide information on the bird flu to poultry vendors is proving to be a challenge for NGOs like the Society for Protection against Cruelty to Animals, as the country braces itself for any outbreak. Most of the chicken sellers have not heard of the disease or are foreigners who don't speak English or any of the South African languages.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

Govt adopts more focused approach to help orphans

The South African government has begun addressing some of the problems over its delivery of social services, particularly help to orphans and vulnerable children. In the past two years, a strategy to address the shortage of social workers and mechanisms to fast-track access to grants for those placed in foster care has produced results.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

Murder of young lesbian sparks homophobia concerns

The murder of a lesbian in a Cape Town township has raised issues of homophobia and tolerance. Activists feel that patriarchy, rather than sexual orientation, is the problem.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

ANGOLA: Ready to play larger security role in Africa

Angola, recently emerged from decades of civil war, is now turning its attention to playing a larger peace and security role in Africa. The country may see its ambitions boosted by assistance from former coloniser Portugal, which has indicated a willingness to help Angola establish a peacekeeping capacity within its large and relatively well-equipped armed forces.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

Cholera outbreak confirmed - 8 dead

Cholera, a disease associated with poor sanitation and access to potable water has claimed eight lives in a suburb of the Angolan capital, Luanda. According to the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO), 40 cases of the highly contagious disease, spread through contaminated water or food, were reported in the last few days in the Boavista shantytown located to the north of the capital.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

ZAMBIA: Avian flu - govt's plan emphasises prevention

The Zambian government announced that it has approved a US $4.8 million budget to tackle avian flu. Health Minister Sylvia Masebo told parliament that as the country did not have the capacity respond to an outbreak, it would focus on preventive strategies such as surveillance and education campaigns.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

SWAZILAND: Poverty on the increase, says govt

Releasing Swaziland's budget this week, the Finance Minister Majozi Sithole revealed that more than half the population earned less than a dollar a day. About 800,000 Swazis out of 1.2 million - or 69 percent of the population, survive on about US $21 a month, less than 70 US cents a day, enough only to buy a loaf of bread.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

MADAGASCAR: Down-and-out in Antananarivo

Since 2003, the capital, Antananarivo, has been running a clean-up operation along the main thoroughfares where the homeless find shelter. Regularly, city workers hose and fumigate these night camps. Sometimes the clean-ups are followed by round-ups. As part of a joint agreement between the city and the ministry, the homeless are rounded up and trucked to government land, ranging as far as 20-100 km from the capital. But, however hard the authorities try and relocate the destitute, an estimated 40 percent find their way back to Antananarivo.

Full report

[Top of the Page]

[ENDS]

Theme(s)	Other

Other recent SOUTHERN AFRICA reports:

IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 272 for 25 February - 3 March 2006, 3/Mar/06

Islands struggle to keep Chikungunya outbreak in check, 28/Feb/06

Policy revised to shed light on urban refugee blind-spot, 17/Feb/06

IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 270 for 11-17 February 2006, 17/Feb/06

Too white to be black - the challenge of albinism, 16/Feb/06

Other recent reports:

SOMALIA: Abducted UN staff member released, 3/Mar/06

CENTRAL ASIA: Weekly news wrap, 3/Mar/06

CENTRAL & EASTERN AFRICA: IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 320 25 Feb to 3 March 2006, 3/Mar/06

WEST AFRICA: IRIN-WA Weekly Round-up 319 covering 25 February - 3 March 2006, 3/Mar/06

SOUTHERN AFRICA: IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 272 for 25 February - 3 March 2006, 3/Mar/06

[Back] [Home Page]

Click here to send any feedback, comments or questions you have about IRIN's Website or if you prefer you can send an Email to Webmaster

Copyright © IRIN 2006
The material contained on www.IRINnews.org comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian news and information service, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.
All IRIN material may be reposted or reprinted free-of-charge; refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use. IRIN is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.