Obama magic winning the Arab world – Is he using his smile, a tricky move, to woe the Muslims?

US President Barack Obama points during actress Wanda Sykes’ comedy routine at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington May 9, 2009. REUTERS 

Posted Monday

 

WASHINGTON, Monday

President Barack Obama’s popularity in leading Arab countries far outstrips that of the US, a survey has shown.

President Obama, set to give a major speech to the Muslim world in Egypt next month, “currently enjoys widespread optimism among citizens of that region that he will have a positive effect on their own country, the Middle East, the US and indeed the world,” the polling outfit Ipsos said.

Ipsos said its poll, conducted in March, involved 7,000 adults in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.

Of those surveyed, 33 per cent had a favourable view of the US, 43 per cent had a negative view, 14 per cent were neutral and 10 per cent said they did not know, Ipsos said.

In contrast, President Obama received favourable ratings averaging 48 per cent in the region as a whole. Approval ran as high as 58 per cent in Jordan and was lowest among Egyptians, who gave Obama favourable ratings of 35 per cent, Ipsos said.

Negative effect

Only 22 per cent of Egyptians expressed a favourable view of the US, the lowest of the six countries surveyed.
Regionwide, only one in 10 residents thought President Obama would have a negative effect on their country, the poll showed.

The gulf between President Obama’s popularity and that of the US indicated “there is an opportunity for the president to literally ‘bridge the gap’ where his reposit goodwill lifts the goodwill towards America,” Ipsos said.

The White House announced on Friday that President Obama would deliver a speech to the Muslim world in Egypt on June 4. (Reuters)

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Israel limits Christians as Pope visits – Is the Pope ready to apologise to the jews on what his country Germany did to them?

Pope Benedict XVI (C) waves during a welcoming ceremony on his behalf after his arrival at Mount Scopus in Jerusalem May 11, 2009. Pope Benedict, beginning a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Monday, called for free access to Jerusalem for people from all the religions with holy sites in the city. REUTERS 

Posted Monday

 

JERUSALEM, Monday (Reuters)

Israel shut a Palestinian media centre in Jerusalem and limited entry to Christians from the Gaza Strip on Monday as Pope Benedict, on a historic visit to the Holy Land, urged open access to the city.

Shortly before the pontiff’s arrival, Israel handed a written order to a hotel in East Jerusalem barring the opening of a media centre for the 5-day papal visit sponsored by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s government.

In Gaza, Christian clerics and Palestinian officials said some 150 of 250 Christians who applied to leave the Hamas-ruled coastal territory to attend a papal mass in Jerusalem or Bethlehem had been denied permits to do so.

Israel confirmed that about 100 had been permitted entry from Gaza. Israeli officials have said they do all they can to ensure free access to holy sites, but have imposed some restrictions because of security concerns.

On his arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport, Pope Benedict said Christianity, Islam and Judaism all held Jerusalem sacred.

“One thing that the three great monotheistic religions have in common is a special veneration for that holy city,” he said.

“It is my earnest hope that all pilgrims to the holy places will be able to access them freely and without restraint.”

The order blocking the launch of the Palestinian media centre was signed by Israel’s minister for internal security and cited an interim peace deal from the 1990s, which Israel says left it in charge of Arab East Jerusalem.

Israel has controlled all of Jerusalem since the Middle East war of 1967 and claims the city as its undivided capital. Its annexation of Arab East Jerusalem, including the Old City with its many holy places, is not recognised internationally.

Palestinian official Hatem Abdel-Qader said the closure of the press office “shows the situation in Jerusalem is abnormal”. He said he hoped the pope, who has called for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel, would intervene.

The selection of Gaza Christians was done on the basis of age. Only Palestinians older than 35 were permitted entry to Israel for the visit, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

“I wanted to take the children to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem so they can have some joy and attend the prayers,” said Samia Tarazi, one of those denied a permit.

“I wanted also to see the Pope and spend the whole day praying.”

Some 3,000 Christians live among 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are Muslim.

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Attention on Zuma’s Cabinet – As president, he will demand his ministers deliver on the ANC election promises

Newly installed South African President Jacob Zuma gestures as he names his cabinet in Pretoria May 10, 2009. REUTERS 

Posted Monday

 

PRETORIA, Monday

South African President Jacob Zuma has said his priority is to ensure his ministers start delivering the governing ANC’s pledges.

President Zuma unveiled his Cabinet on Sunday, a day after his inauguration

Mr Zuma expressed confidence that the financial markets would react positively to the appointment of the new Finance minister, Mr Pravin Gordhan.

The Cabinet is expected to meet within the next week to map out its plan of action.

The ANC won the general election last month, albeit with a slightly reduced majority.

Surprise appointment

Mr Zuma’s other key Cabinet posts:

Deputy President: Kgalema Motlanthe

National Planning Commission: Trevor Manuel

Monitoring and Evaluation: Collins Chabane

Finance: Pravin Gordhan

Justice: Jeff Radebe

Defence: Lindiwe Sisulu

Health: Aaron Motsoaledi

International relations: Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

Minister of Human Settlements: Tokyo Sexwale

Mr Gordhan replaces Trevor Manuel, the world’s longest-serving Finance minister.

Mr Motsoaledi takes the key post of Health minister, as the country tackles an HIV/Aids epidemic.

Communist Party leader Blade Nzimande was named minister of Higher Education and Training, but analysts say it is not a post likely to give him much influence over economic policy.
One of the biggest surprise appointments was Dr Pieter Mulder, leader of the Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front Plus party, who becomes deputy minister of Agriculture.

This will give white Afrikaners a voice in government, the BBC’s Peter Biles in Johannesburg says.

The ANC has pledged to improve education and healthcare, create jobs and tackle a soaring crime rate.

President Zuma is under pressure from his grassroots supporters to increase state spending on job creation, delivering services such as water, housing and electricity and improving the education system.

But analysts say investors would be alarmed if spending was increased too much.

The military

Meanwhile, the choice of a military man with no telecoms background as South Africa’s Communications minister has baffled the industry and may complicate efforts to improve Internet and phone services in Africa’s biggest economy.

Mr Siphiwe Nyanda was sworn in as Communications minister by President Zuma today.

A former South Africa National Defence Force chief with the rank of full general, Mr Nyanda is little known outside the military and the ruling ANC.

But few in the industry have ever heard of him, raising questions about his ability to lower high communication costs, which are impeding growth and deterring foreign investment, and to oversee telecoms operator Telkom .

“I’m very surprised. It certainly wasn’t what people within the industry were expecting,” a Johannesburg-based telecoms industry source said. “It’s interesting that they should appoint a rank outsider. It’s a bit odd.”

Mr Nyanda was chief of staff of the ANC’s military wing before holding senior armed forces posts after the ANC won power in 1994.

Analysts said it was difficult to predict which policy tack Mr Nyanda might take.

“He’s a totally unknown quantity,” the industry source said. “But he’s a party man, so I guess he will take the party line.”

More attractive

Lack of experience could mean Mr Nyanda takes a cautious approach, steering clear of bold steps, such as further reducing the government’s almost 40 per cent stake in Telkom, Africa’s biggest telecoms firm, or selling part of signal distributor Sentech or national broadcaster SABC.

But decisive action is needed to spur competition, which may help cut prices and boost broadband access from a paltry 10 per cent, making South Africa more attractive for investors.

Arguably, Mr Nyanda should unbundle the local loop, giving rival operators access to the network of phone lines into homes and offices, and reduce interconnect fees.

His predecessor Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, who died last month, was criticised for protecting Telkom for too long.

Troubles at Telkom will be near the top of the new minister’s to-do list.

Telkom is selling part of its stake in mobile operator Vodacom, the country’s biggest, to Britain’s Vodafone , and is unbundling the rest to its shareholders, leaving it without a key earnings driver.

Some shareholders doubt CEO Reuben September and his management team, who have a less than impressive record on delivery, can implement a strategy of expansion into Africa and into providing corporate IT services.

(Reports by BBC online and Reuters)

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Kenya PM and Blair holds talks in Nairobi – What is the former colonial master representative telling a free Kenya?

Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga in a discussion with former British Premier Tony Blair in Nairobi. Photo/PMPS 

By PMPS

 

Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former British Premier Tony Blair held talks on Sunday night on the challenges facing the grand coalition.

Mr Odinga said Mr Blair expressed concern at the slow progress in the reform agenda and pledged British support.

The former premier was on a stopover at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“Our talks were fruitful and he indicated that the United Kingdom was ready to offer financial assistance for the reform agenda,” Mr Odinga said.

He said the gesture was timely especially now that the country was going through difficult economic times marred by ravaging drought, widespread hunger and the global financial crunch.

Mr Odinga said the nation was at crossroads due to unfavourable economic tide after the post election crisis and required support to sustain and keep the reform agenda on track.

The PM informed Mr Blair that vital institutional structures necessary for the entrenchment of the reforms were established and assured that things were on course.

“We have already formulated commissions for the constitutional review process and reforms on the electoral, judicial, police and others to restructure the boundary demarcation,” he said.

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They almost got him: Kenya police boss in plane mishap – many have been fighting for his sacking

Police Commissioner Hussein Ali. The plane carrying him and other officials was involved in a mishap in Kapsabet, Rift Valley province on Monday. Photo/FILE 

By NATION Team

In Summary

• Major General Ali says the Russian made chopper lost power as it took off and crash landed.
• The Police Commissioner had accompanied Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti on a tour of various police stations in the North Rift.

 

A plane carrying Kenya Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and other government officials has been involved in a mishap in Kapsabet, Rift Valley province.

Also on board were a team of journalists.

Those on board the helicopter suffered injuries. They were rushed to a hospital in the area where they received treatment.

Major General Ali said the Russian made chopper lost power as it took off and crash landed.

“I have a few bruises as expected,” he said in an interview shortly after the incident.

“We are glad that we do not have any fatalities. We only have minor injuries, a few bruises here and there. There’s nothing life threatening.”

The Police Commissioner had accompanied Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti on a tour of various police stations in the North Rift.

He was on board with Internal Security Assistant minister Orwa Ojode and Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan.

However, Prof Saitoti was in another plane together with Internal Security PS Francis Kimemia. 

The party had just commissioned a set of police houses, which were constructed by the ministry of Public Works in the area and were on their way to another function when the accident occurred.

Prof Saitioti said the chopper was in sound condition as it was well maintained by engineers in the police force.

“In fact, the engine had just been overhauled a few months ago. We are yet to ascertain what exactly happened,” he told the Nation.

Internal Security Assistant minister Orwa Ojode said: “We are all safe except for the journalists and two officials from the ministry of Public Works.”

He said that the injured would be rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for specialised treatment before they are brought to Nairobi.

Mr Ojode, who is also the Ndhiwa MP, said the chopper would have crashed onto an electric post but expert steering by the pilot saved the day.

“God is good. The chopper is a write off. It would have been a disaster had we hit the electric lines,” he said.

Kenya has a history of plane incidents, including some that have claimed lives.

In January 2003, an aircraft carrying four Cabinet ministers and several MPs crash landed shortly after take-off at the Busia airstrip. Labour minister Ahmed Khalif died instantly while Cabinet colleagues Martha Karua, Linah Kilimo and Raphael Tuju suffered injuries. The politicians were flying back to Nairobi after attending a home-coming party of then Funyula MP Moody Awori.

In 2006, a plane carrying a peace delegation to Marsabit crashed in bad weather killing all on board, among them MPs from the larger volatile area: Bonaya Godana (North Horr), Guracha Galgalo (Moyale) and Abdi Tari Sasura (Saku). Also killed was assistant minister Mirugi Kariuki.

Last year, a plane carrying Orange Democratic Movement politicians Kipkalyia Kones and Lorna Laboso crashed at Enoosupukia in Narok killing them instantly. They had flown to the area as an advance party to organise logistics for the Ainamoi by-election.

 Above is The Chopper that almost killed the Police Commissioner ALI, the man some people want to be sacked from his post. Was it an accident or …….. and a quick way to get him dead?

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