Guinea Ebola outbreak over, WHO declares

Yahoo – AFP, Mouctar Bah with Ben Simon in Geneva, December 29, 2015

A health official works at the Ebola treatment centre run by the French red cross
society in Macenta, Guinea on November 20, 2014 (AFP Photo/Kenzo Tribouillard)

Conakry (AFP) - The UN's health agency on Tuesday declared Guinea's Ebola outbreak over two years after it emerged, spreading death across west Africa and pushing the region's worst-hit communities to the brink of collapse.

One of the poorest nations in the world, the former French colony was the host for "patient zero" -- an infant who became the first victim -- and health authorities went on to record some 2,500 deaths.

"The epidemic of Ebola virus disease in Guinea is over," Mohamed Belhoucine, the World Health Organization's local representative, announced in the capital Conakry.

The fever spread stealthily and terrifyingly from December 2013, striking two neighbouring countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia, with sporadic cases also in Mali, Nigeria and Senegal.

People gather for a concert to celebrate 

Guinea reaching the final stages of the

 battle with the Ebola epidemic on 

September 26, 2015 in Conakry 

(AFP Photo/Cellou Binani)

As world health watchdogs struggled to respond, deaths mounted at a dizzying rate, igniting fears in Europe and elsewhere of a virus that transgressed borders and national controls.

Around 11,300 people died out of almost 29,000 recorded cases, according to a WHO tally that many experts believe greatly understates the real impact of the outbreak.

Paying tribute to Guineans for "standing their ground and fighting with courage", Belhoucine also acknowledged the international community's help in battling the outbreak.

"At the peak of the epidemic... the country recorded hundreds of cases per week. The social fabric was severely tested," he said.

The last known case in Guinea was a three-month-old named Nubia, who was born with the disease but whose recovery was confirmed on November 16.

That triggered the countdown to the announcement, as a period of 42 days -- twice the virus's maximum incubation period -- is required to declare a country free of transmission.

'Au revoir, Ebola'

The WHO declared Sierra Leone' epidemic over on November 7, while Liberia discharged its last known Ebola cases on December 3.

President Alpha Conde is expected at an celebration in Conakry on Wednesday, flanked by representatives from donor countries and dozens of organisations involved in the recovery, from Doctors without Borders to the Red Cross.

Guests will pay tribute to the 115 health workers who died fighting Ebola and eight members of an Ebola awareness team killed by hostile locals in Guinea's forested southeast.

A range of top African musicians, including Youssou N'Dour and Mory Kante, will take to the stage for a "memorial" concert -- entitled "Bye-bye, au revoir Ebola" in the francophone country.

Amid the jubilation and hope for a return to normality, experts have sounded a note of caution, as the virus has been shown to persist in the sperm and other body fluids of survivors significantly longer than previously thought.

Shattered economies

Liberia was declared free of human-to-human transmission in May and again in September, but both times the fever resurfaced in small clusters.

"We have to be very careful because, even if open transmission has been stopped, the disease has not been totally defeated," said Alpha Seny Souhmah, a Guinean health technician and Ebola survivor.

The WHO said in a statement from Geneva that Guinea had entered a 90-day period of "heightened surveillance" to ensure any new cases are identified quickly before they could spread.

Guineans battling Ebola have been faced with huge obstacles, not least the country's grinding poverty and a crumbling medical infrastructure.

Frontline workers have also had to combat the rumour mill, entrenched denial, fear of Ebola stigma and resistance to confinement measures deemed authoritarian or unreasonable.

They also had to persuade people to abandon funeral traditions whereby mourners touch the body of their loved one -- a potent pathway to infection.

The epidemic devastated the economies of the worst-hit countries, as crops rotted in the fields, mines were abandoned and goods could not get to market.

Strong recent growth has been curtailed in Guinea and while Liberia has resumed growth, Sierra Leone is facing a severe recession, according to the World Bank, which has mobilised $1.62 billion for Ebola response and recovery efforts.

The bank's group president Jim Yong Kim called for continued support for Guinea and its neighbours, vowing to "do everything we can to help these countries and the world prevent another deadly pandemic".

UN Security Council backs Libya unity accord

Yahoo – AFP, 23 December 2015

Libya's General National Congress deputy president Saleh al-Makhzoum (C-R),
new national government head Fayez al-Sarraj (C) and head of Tobruk-based
 House of Representatives Mohammed Ali Shoeb (C-L) celebrate after signing
deal on December 17, 2015 (AFP Photo/Fadel Senna)

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations Security Council voted Wednesday to endorse an agreement between rival Libyan political factions to form a government of national unity.

The 15-nation body gave its support to the deal signed last week in the Moroccan town of Skhirat between representatives of strife-torn Libya's two competing regimes.

Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, presented the motion and dubbed it "a strong collective sign of our commitment to Libya's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity."

"But it is only the start of a process," he warned.

Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with armed factions battling for territory and control of its oil wealth.

The internationally recognized government was expelled from Tripoli in August 2014 and is based in the east of the country, while another Islamist-backed body holds the capital.

On December 17, under UN guidance, envoys from both sides and a number of independent political figures signed a deal to unify the government.

Around 80 of 188 lawmakers from Libya's internationally recognized parliament and 50 of 136 members of the rival Tripoli-based General National Congress signed the deal.

It calls for a 17-member government, headed by businessman Fayez el-Sarraj as premier, based in the Libyan capital.

A presidential council would also serve for a transitional period of two years until legislative elections.

The United Nations envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, is now working on arrangements to allow the unity government to safely set up shop in Tripoli, which is under the control of militia fighters.

The unity deal does not include the extremist Islamic State group, which is gaining strength in Libya and has seized a pocket of territory around Kadhafi's hometown of Sirte.

International officials expect the new government, once it is installed, to have the authority to request international assistance -- perhaps even military intervention -- to subdue the threat.

Dutch courts to judge Shell in landmark oil spill case

Yahoo – AFP, Jan Hennop,December 18, 2015

Four Nigerian farmers and fishermen, backed by the Dutch branch of environmental
 group Friends of the Earth, first filed the case in 2008 against Shell in a court
case thousands of kilometres (miles) from their homes (AFP Photo/Carl Court)

The Hague (AFP) - A Dutch appeals court ruled Friday that four Nigerian farmers may take their case against oil giant Shell to a judge in the Netherlands, in a landmark ruling involving multinational corporate governance.

"The Dutch courts and this court consider it has jurisdiction in the case against Shell and its subsidiary in Nigeria," Judge Hans van der Klooster said at the appeals court in The Hague.

The four farmers and fishermen, backed by the Dutch branch of environmental group Friends of the Earth, first filed the case in 2008 against the Anglo-Dutch company in a court case thousands of kilometres (miles) from their homes.

They want Shell to clean up devastating oil spills in four heavily-polluted villages in the west African country's oil-rich Niger Delta, prevent further spills and pay compensation.

The three-judge panel also denied Shell the power to take its decision before the Netherland's top court.

Shell did not specifically say whether it would seek a review of Friday's judgement, but it said that the case over their responsibility for the spills "will be the topic of continuing litigation."

The farmers also wanted Shell to disclose a number of documents they believe could show the company's negligence in maintaining its oil pipelines and guarding against sabotage.

In return, court documents reveal, Shell wanted the judges to scrap Dutch jurisdiction over cases in Nigeria and rule the farmers' appeal inadmissible.

An aerial view of the Shell Cawtharine channels at Awoba in the oil-rich Niger 

Delta of Nigeria (AFP Photo/Pius Utomi Ekpei)

Nigeria is the world's 13th largest oil producer, pumping out more than 2.4 million barrels a day, but much of the Niger Delta region remains deeply impoverished.

In January 2013 a lower Dutch court threw out most of the farmers' lawsuit, saying the plaintiffs could not hold Shell's parent company responsible for the pollution which has for years blighted the southeastern delta system in Africa's largest oil producer.

In that ruling, judges said Shell's Nigerian subsidiary was partly responsible and ordered it to compensate farmers and fishermen in one claim, in the Delta village of Ikot Ada Udo, but not in the three other claims.

On Friday morning, the Dutch appeals judge however -- in a verdict lasting less than five minutes -- agreed with the Nigerian farmers' appeal.

"All appeals by Shell are rejected," judge Van der Klooster said as he also ordered the massive energy group to hand over the documents.

'Major victory'

"The ruling is a major victory, not only for the farmers, but indeed for the people of Nigeria," Friends of the Earth spokesman Geert Ritsema told journalists afterwards.

"It sets a massive precedent, which means that Dutch courts can make judgements about Dutch companies in other countries," he said.

None of the four farmers were at court, but a Friends of the Earth official said they followed proceedings via Skype "and were overjoyed with the verdict."

"It is vital that multinationals are made to answer for action abroad that would never be accepted in their home countries," added Amnesty International researcher Mark Dummett.

Four Nigerian farmers, seen here in court in The Hague in 2012, first filed 

the case against Shell in 2008 (AFP Photo/Robin Utrecht)

Shell reacted with disappointment.

"We are disappointed the Dutch court has determined it should assume international jurisdiction over SPDC (Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria)," the oil giant said in a statement.

"In 2013, the court found that Royal Dutch Shell has no liability in relation to these claims," it added.

"As the claims against SPDC relied on the Royal Dutch Shell claims to establish jurisdiction in the Netherlands, in our view the court should have declined to exercise jurisdiction over SPDC on this occasion," the statement said.

Judge Van der Klooster also denied leave to take the case to the Dutch highest Supreme Court for a further decision, saying the four farmers' case will be heard next year.

'Double standards'

Environmental groups have long accused multinationals of following less stringent standards in developing countries than in Europe and North America.

They want the Netherlands and other Western nations to pass laws ordering companies to enforce the same environmental responsibility standards where they operate as are used at home.

Shell has been drilling in Nigeria for the last half-century and is the country's biggest producer.

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Bill Gates funds Dutch malaria project which uses insecticide-laced netting

DutchNews, December 12, 2015

A house in Tanzinia fitted with the eave tubes. Photo: In2Care

A Dutch company has a key role in a malaria prevention project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the tune of €9m. 

Wageningen-based In2Care is part of the five-year project which is being coordinated by Penn State University researchers. The aim is to investigate a new method for preventing the transmission of malaria. 

The method involves limiting mosquito access to houses by screening windows and installing tubes under the eaves that contain a unique type of insecticide-laced netting developed by In2Care. 

The beauty of the technology is that the people living in the house don’t have to do anything. ‘It is passive technology,’ In2Care director Bart Knols said. The netting in the tubes requires replacing every few months but the system is low cost and suitable for most types of African houses. 

An earlier project, funded by the EU, showed the tubes reduced indoor mosquito densities by up to 90%. 

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Institut Pierre Richet in Ivory Coast are also involved in the project.

Taste for luxury: Ethiopia's new elite spur housing boom

Yahoo – AFP, Justine Boulo, December 2, 2015

Large villas are seen at a new housing development on the outskirts of Addis
 Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia White fences and manicured lawns surround the
 villas of an elegant housing estate in Ethiopia, a potent symbol of the emerging elite
 in a country better known for drought and famine. Just 10 years ago, the affluent
suburb of Yerrer View was little more than fields. Today, imposing villas with
pillars stand behind neatly-trimmed oleander hedges. (AFP Photo/Zacharias Abubeker)

Addis Ababa (AFP) - White fences and manicured lawns surround the villas of an elegant housing estate in Ethiopia, a potent symbol of the emerging elite in a country better known for drought and famine.

Just 10 years ago, the affluent suburb of Yerrer View was little more than fields. Today, imposing villas with pillars stand behind neatly-trimmed oleander hedges.

A comfortable commuting distance of 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, the 600-hectare (1,500-acre) estate has tapped into a growing taste for high-end luxury among wealthy Ethiopians, who are looking for a home which reflects their success in business.

Over the past decade, this Horn of Africa nation has seen an annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent, World Bank figures show, due to a boom in construction, manufacturing, trade and agriculture.

For those in Africa's second most populous country who are enjoying that growth, the estate symbolises much more than a home.

"We are selling a lifestyle more than just housing," says Haile Mesele, a civil engineer who heads Country Club Developers, the property firm behind the development.

"We don't do any advertising. We prefer that the residents themselves spread the news, and in a way, chose their own neighbours," he said.

According to a recent study by New World Wealth (NWW), a South Africa-based market research consultancy, there are now 2,700 millionaires in Ethiopia, reflecting an increase of 108 percent between 2007 and 2013 -- the fastest growth rate in Africa.

"There is a demand for luxury real estate," said Wunmi Osholake, who runs the Ethiopian branch of online real estate platform Lamudi, which focuses on emerging markets, with customers eyeing property costing over $330,000.

The price, she adds, has no upper limit.

A new Manhattan?

And the luxury boom is not just in the suburbs.

In the centre of Addis Ababa, the bustling Kazanchis business district is also undergoing major renovations.

Eighteen months ago, May Real Estate Development began a new residential development called the Addis Gojo project, which incorporates 113 apartments in three 10-storey towers located near several embassies.

"For those working for the UN or diplomats, it is very central. The district is a new sort of Manhattan," says project manager Bitania Ephfrem.

"The lifts work, which is not the case elsewhere," says Bitania, adding they are planning rooftop swimming pools, a gym and a restaurant "so that residents don't need to leave the premises."

A standard apartment between 140-170 square metres (1,500-1,800 square feet) rents for about $1800 per month (1700 euros).

Villas for locals

Such luxury housing has been designed to meet the needs of Ethiopia's emerging new middle class. At the estate in Yerrer View, hundreds of the homes from stand-alone villas to modern apartments are already occupied with plans for a total of 5,400 houses for some 20,000 people.

When completed, the estate will also include a golf course, a five-star spa hotel, a shopping centre, school and clinic and an organic farm covering about 200 hectares.

"When we began, economic growth wasn't very strong," recalls Haile. "Half of our clients came from the diaspora. But since then, the economy has become a lot stronger and nearly 85 percent of our residents are local."

The customers have high expectations. Pushing open the door, Mesele shows off a 500 square metre (5380 square foot) property built on a plot measuring 1,000 square metres.

A large open plan kitchen and a curved imitation-marble staircase leads up to the first floor where there are three bedrooms, all en-suite.

The master bedroom has a fireplace and a dressing room, while the bathroom has "an open space in case the owners want to install a sauna," he explains.

All that remains is to install surveillance cameras able to read a licence plate before opening the gate, smoke detectors and a security system.

And the price tag? $400,000 (377,000 euros) -- a fortune in a country where the gross domestic product per capita is $565.

"No matter what we build, it will always be too little to meet demand," he says.

But others have spotted the growing demand, with several other sites popping up nearby.

Labour challenge

Since the overthrow of a Marxist junta in 1991, Ethiopia's political and economic situation has stabilised, although rights groups have criticised the government for suppressing opposition.

The economy is still heavily dependent on agriculture, especially coffee, with the vast majority of the country's workers involved in that sector.

Meeting the demand for new housing has called for bringing in foreign workers as Ethiopia lacks a skilled work force.

Haile said his firm recruited around a thousand specialist workers from China.

Yoseph Mebratu, the major shareholder in May Real Estate Development, also complains that he had to import 70 percent of raw materials.

"Windows, doors, wood panelling... everything comes from China," he told AFP, adding that taxes are "very heavy."

Inflation, which hit a record 64.2 percent in July 2008 but has since stabilised at around 13 percent, has also caused delays.

"We had to slow down our business and missed deadlines... but since last year, we have become profitable again," Mesele added.

Pope: Condom issue is 'morally complicated'

Pope Francis has dismissed a question about condoning condoms in the fight against AIDS, saying that the world is facing bigger issues. The pope left Africa after visiting Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic.

Deutsche Welle, 30 Nov 2015

The Roman pontiff admitted that condom use is "one of the methods" which could prevent the spread of HIV, while talking to journalists aboard the papal plane on Monday.

Francis was flying back to Rome after a five-day tour in Africa, when a reporter asked him if the Catholic Church should allow the use of condoms to combat the spread of AIDS.

The head of the Catholic Church did not provide a definite answer on the "morally complicated" issue, criticizing the question instead.

"I don't like getting into questions or reflections that are so technical when people are dying because they don't have water or food or housing," he told the German reporter, according to the AP news agency.

"The problem is bigger than that," he added.

Pope Francis also pointed to slave labor, environmental exploitation and arms trafficking as some of the more significant problems facing humanity.

Questions like condoms and AIDS can be addressed when the other issues he mentioned are resolved, according to the pontiff.

Abstinence against AIDS

The topic of AIDS and HIV has taken a back seat during the pope's visit to the three African countries.

However, the Vatican chief took the time to visit the HIV-infected children at a Uganda hospital, and thank the church's health care workers for looking after the infected.

AIDS is the number one cause of death among adolescents in Africa.

Francis' predecessor Benedict XVI sparked international criticism during his 2009 Africa visit by saying that condoms could make the AIDS situation worse.

The previous pope later admitted that using condoms was justified in some cases, but insisted they were not a "moral solution."

The Church discourages Catholic believers from using artificial birth control methods. Instead, the Vatican recommends abstinence as a way to stop AIDS.

dj/gsw (AP, AFP, Reuters)

Related Articles:

Pope says Catholics do not need to breed 'like rabbits'

"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“…  3 - Longer Life is Going to Happen, But…

Here is one that is a review. We keep bringing it up because Humans don't believe it. If you're going to start living longer, there are those who are frightened that there will be overpopulation. You've seen the way it is so far, and the geometric progression of mathematics is absolute and you cannot change it. So if you look at the population of the earth and how much it has shifted in the last two decades, it's frightening to you. What would change that progression?

The answer is simple, but requires a change in thinking. The answer is a civilization on the planet who understands a new survival scenario. Instead of a basic population who has been told to have a lot of children to enhance the race [old survival], they begin to understand the logic of a new scenario. The Akashic wisdom of the ages will start to creep in with a basic survival scenario shift. Not every single woman will look at herself and say, "The clock is ticking," but instead can say, "I have been a mother 14 times in a row. I'm going to sit this one out." It's a woman who understands that there is no loss or guilt in this, and actually feels that the new survival attribute is to keep the family small or not at all! Also, as we have said before, even those who are currently ignorant of population control will figure out what is causing babies to be born [Kryon joke].

Part of the new Africa will be education and healing, and eventually a zero population growth, just like some of the first-world nations currently have. Those who are currently tied to a spiritual doctrine will actually have that doctrine changed (watch for it) regarding Human birth. Then they will be able to make free choice that is appropriate even within the establishment of organized religion. You see, things are going to change where common sense will say, "Perhaps it would help the planet if I didn't have children or perhaps just one child." Then the obvious, "Perhaps I can exist economically better and be wiser with just one. It will help the one!" Watch for these changes. For those of you who are steeped in the tradition of the doctrines and would say that sounds outrageously impossible, I give you the new coming pope [Kryon smile]. For those of you who feel that uncontrolled procreation is inevitable, I encourage you to see statistics you haven't seen or didn't care to look at yet about what first-world countries have already accomplished on their own, without any mandates. It's already happening. That was number three.….”

'No to hatred, vengeance and violence' Pope tells Central Africans

Pope Francis has wrapped up his first ever trip to Africa by calling for reconciliation in the Central African Republic, which has been wracked for more than two years by violence between Christian and Muslims.

Deutsche Welle, 30 November 2015

"God is great" the jubiliant crowds called out in Arabic to Pope Francis as he drove by in his Popemobile. Francis was on his way to the Koudoukou mosque in PK 5, the Muslim enclave in Bangui, capital of Central African Republic. This was the climax of his six-day tour of Africa, which also took him to Uganda and Kenya.

The mood in Bangui during the papal visit was upbeat, but security was tight. The capital's Muslims have been unable to leave PK5 for months because armed Christian militia fighters have surrounded its perimeter.

But on Monday (30.11.2015) Francis sought to promote reconciliation between the two faiths. Seated inside the mosque, he said Christians and Muslims were brothers and should behave as such. "Together, we say no to hatred, to vengeance and violence, especially that committed in the name of a religion or God."

The Pontiff concluded his remarks with "Salaam" meaning God is peace. It was a gesture appreciated by Bangui's Muslims.

Abdel Aziz Magbadakara, a Bangui iman and Secretary General of the Communuity of Central African Muslims (CICA) told DW ahead of the visit that the pope's presence would contribute to social cohesion in the capital and could bring about reconciliation between Christians and Muslims.

"The message to the two communities in Central African Republic is that we should silence our quarrels in order to welcome our guest," he said.

Almost 4,000 dipslaced persons have
 sought sanctuary in the Saint Sauveur
camp

Those quarrels have the dimensions of a civil war. Central African Republic was plunged into violence in March 2013 when the mainly Muslim Seleka rebels toppled Christian President Francoise Bozizze. That ushered in a brutal reign. When the rebel leader Michel Djotodia left power the following year, anti-balaka Christian militia launched a swift and horrific backlash against Muslim civilians. Before the violence 120,000 Muslims lived in Bangui, now there are just 15,000.

Bangui mass highlight for Catholics

There was always a question mark hanging over the Pope's visit to Central African Republic because of the precarious security situation. An extra 3,000 UN blue helmets and 100 troops from French special forces were deployed to Bangui to ensure the Pope's safety. Yet in spite of concern for his security, the Pope made most of the journey from Bangui airport to the presidential palace for a meeting with interim president Catherin Samba Panza in his open-sided Popemobile.

During a mass at Bangui Cathedral on Sunday evening Francis opened a "holy door," marking the beginning of a Jubilee year dedicated to forgiveness and reconciliation.

In his sermon, Francis appealed to all fighters to lay down their weapons and urged the nation's youth to "always forgive, never hate."

Pope Francis with interim President
 Catherine Samba-Panza. Elections in CAR
 have been postponed until the end
of December

According to the rights group Amnesty International, thousands of Central Africans have been killed in the violence over the last two years. Just a few week ago, renewed clashes left 80 people dead and 400 injured. Parliamentary and presidential elections, originally scheduled for mid-October have been put back until December 27, 2015 because of friction between religious and ethnic groups. It is still uncertain whether they will take place on that date. However, shortly before the Pope arrived all presidential candidates met together for the first time. The meeting in itself was seen as a glimmer of hope for the country.

On Sunday the Pope visited the Saint Saveur refugee camp, which houses 3,700 internally displaced persons. "The conditions here are appalling. Many of the refugees have nothing to eat," camp coordinator Maurice Nguenda told DW. But he said the Pope's visit had boosted his confidence. "We are prepared to work towards reconciliation with our [Muslim] brothers," he said.

Despite the optimism, some believe the Pope's visit will turn out to have been little more than a symbolic gesture. "The Pope can't automatically spread peace wherever he goes," said Ali, a young trader in PK5.

Francis arrived in Central African Republic after paying visits to Uganda and Kenya where hundreds of thousands joined him in celebrating mass. At the United Nations Environment Program in Nairobi he warned of the dangers of letting Paris climate conference fail. It would be catastrophic if particular interests were to prevail over the common good, he said.

Hippolyte Marboua and Jeff Murphy Bares contributed to this report

Pope arrives in Central African Republic on last leg of Africa tour

Pope Francis has arrived in the capital of the Central African Republic, kicking off the last part of his Africa tour. He plans to visit not only Christians displaced by the ongoing violence, but also Muslims.

Deutsche Welle, 29 Nov 2015

Pope in Central African Republic

Pope Francis arrived in the Central African Republic capital of Bangui on Sunday, as a years-long conflict between Christians and Muslims continues to spark bloodshed and massive displacement. The country will be his last stop on a six-day tour of Africa that began with a visit to Kenya and continued with a trip to Uganda.

Shortly before his plane touched down in Bangui, the pope took to Twitter to impart a message to the country.

I come to the Central African Republic as a pilgrim of peace and as an apostle of hope.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 29, 2015

Upon arriving, he called on the country to begin a "new chapter" in its tormented history.

"It is my fervent wish that the various national consultations to be held in coming weeks will enable the country to embark serenely on a new chapter of its history," he said.

Mired in conflict

The capital has seen heavy violence over the last couple of months, fueling speculation that the pontiff would cancel his visit. In preparation for his arrival, security forces patrolled the streets leading to the airport where his plane was expected to land.

The pontiff is expected to first visit a community for displaced Christians, followed then by a visit to a similar community for uprooted Muslims.

The Central African Republic has been mired in conflict since Muslim rebels overthrew Christian president Francois Bozize in 2013. The ensuing violence between Christians and Muslims has divided the country and led to the displacement of some one million people.

Changing 'the negative into the positive'

Since arriving on the continent, Pope Francis has urged Africans to overcome the challenges plaguing their societies through faith and responsible leadership.

In Kenya, the pontiff visited the slums of Nairobi and lashed out at the injustice faced by the roughly 100,000 people living in extreme poverty there.

"I am here because I want you to know that I am not indifferent to your joys and hopes, your troubles and your sorrows," he told a packed church on Friday.

In Uganda, the pope chided the country's leaders, insisting that they use the country's bountiful resources in a responsible manner. He also visited a shrine dedicated to Christians murdered by the king in the late 19th century.

blc/jlw (AFP, AP, Reuters)

Egyptian head of Coptic Orthodox Church makes rare Israel trip

Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Pope has visited Jerusalem to attend the funeral of a bishop. The religious leader made the visit despite a travel ban to Israel imposed by his predecessor.

Deutsche Welle, 28 Nov 2015

Coptic Pope Tawadros II

Pope Tawadros traveled to Jerusalem to attend a funeral on Saturday, defying a travel ban to Israel that had been put in place by his predecessor.

Tawadros made the visit to honor a senior Coptic official who had passed away. He said his trip should not be seen as an official one, but rather merely as a visit made to "bid farewell to a very important person," the Associated Press reported.

Shenouda III, Egypt's previous Coptic pope, banned worshippers from travelling to Israel, even after the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979.

Defying the ban

Since the death of Shenouda in 2012, however, hundreds of Egyptian Copts have gone on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, exalted as the burial place of Jesus.

Despite this, the church said the ban remains in place. "The position of the church remains unchanged, which is not going to Jerusalem without all our Egyptian (Muslim) brothers," a spokesperson told the AFP news agency on Thursday, the day the pope left for Jerusalem.

The funeral is being held for Archbishop Anba Abraham, the head of the Coptic Church in Jerusalem. He died on Wednesday aged 73.

blc/rc (AP, AFP, Reuters)

Danish auction house stops ivory sales after protests

Yahoo – AFP, 24 Nov 2015

Ivory, as displayed here at an auction on October 28, 2008 in Windhoek, Namibia,
is sold for jewellery and decorative objects, with much of it is smuggled to China,
where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets (AFP)

Denmark's second largest auction house said Monday it had stopped selling ivory products amid a social media storm over its planned sale of two tusks belonging to an African elephant.

The nearly two-metre (80 inch) tusks, weighing 28 kilogrammes (62 pounds) each, were to have gone under the hammer for a total of 150,000 kroner (20,107 euros, $21,344) on Wednesday.

"We try to be as aware as possible of what can cause offence," Kasper Nielsen, a sales director at Bruun Rasmussen, told AFP.

The move had been based on "the reactions we have received both" from the conservation group WWF "and our customers on social media," he said.

The decision also covered any tusks and horns belonging to the endangered species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the company said.

The auction had been slammed by the WWF as immoral, and on the company's Facebook page one user had left comments that said: "Supporting the poachers is horrific!" and: "I will never do business with this outfit again."

Rampant poaching of elephants in Africa has caused a major drop in their numbers over recent decades.

There are between 419,000 and 650,000 elephants left, according to conservation group Save the Elephants.

In a bid to show their determination to end the trade in ivory, Kenya's wildlife authority last week vowed to destroy its vast ivory stockpile from several thousand elephants, nine times more than the largest pile torched so far.

Ivory is sought out for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China, where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success.