20100104

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave no indication on Monday of any resumption soon of peace talks with Israel, despite optimism of progress voiced by officials on both sides.

Abbas met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, but did not make any comment at a brief news conference about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal for an Egyptian-hosted summit with Abbas.

Israel, Egypt and the United States want Abbas to resume negotiations broken off a year ago over the Gaza war, but he refuses to sit down to talks as long as Israel allows construction of any kind in Jewish West Bank settlements.

Abbas said the Palestinian Authority's stance had not changed.

"Our stand is known from the past and our stand remains the same -- and in agreement with our brothers in Egypt -- which is that we have no objections on negotiations or meetings in principle and we do not set conditions," Abbas said.

There have been signs that progress was being made towards renewing the negotiations.

An aide to Abbas said last week the region would "see important political activity in the next two weeks". Israel's ambassador to Washington Michael Oren has said Mubarak has a key role to play in resuming talks.

U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected to return to the region early this year, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Head Omar Suleiman are due to visit Washington on Friday.

Abbas said he did not know what had happened in talks between Mubarak and Netanyahu in Cairo last week, and added he did not wish to comment on that meeting until after Aboul Gheit and Suleiman returned from Washington.

20100104

SANAA (Reuters) - A young Nigerian man charged with trying to blow up a U.S. plane on Christmas Day was not deeply religious when he arrived in Yemen in 2004 but evolved into a devoted follower of Islam, a former teacher said.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, stayed in Yemen for a year between 2004 to 2005, before returning for another stay from August 4 to September 21 of last year, Yemeni officials have said.

A teacher at the Sana Institute for the Arabic Language, who taught Abdulmutallab during his time in Yemen, said he was "closer to being secular" when he first arrived in the country.

"But during his visit last year, he was more committed to praying and Islam," the teacher said.

A fellow student who holds U.S. citizenship said Abdulmutallab had not exhibited any violent tendencies and a community leader in the neighbourhood where the institute is located said he had been very friendly to cleaning staff, even offering them chocolates.

"Nobody expected he would harm anyone," the student said.

Abdulmutallab was taken into custody after being overpowered by passengers and crew as the U.S. passenger jet approached Detroit on Christmas Day after taking off from Amsterdam.

Yemeni authorities have tightened entry-visa regulations for applicants looking to join Arabic language institutes, after the December 25 incident, a Yemeni security official said.

20100104

DAKAR (Reuters) - Guinea's junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has not been seen in public since he was evacuated to Morocco for hospital treatment after a failed December 3 assassination bid.

The junta's failure to explain his continued absence is prompting growing questions over the future leadership of the fragile West African state, the world's top exporter of bauxite and a major source of other minerals including gold.

WHAT IS THE STATE OF CAMARA'S HEALTH?

With no public sign of Camara for over a month, official reassurances that he is on the mend are meeting with wide scepticism -- even among ordinary Guineans with no access to independent media.

In the hours after the December 3 shooting, the junta said Camara had merely been grazed in the head by a bullet and that he would leave hospital within days. Subsequent promises that he would soon address the nation have also gone by the wayside.

The junta denies repeated speculation that Camara's head wounds mean he cannot talk or make decisions. Defence minister and interim leader Sekouba Konate visited Camara in hospital last week but made no clear statement on his health. The trade union which paralysed the country with strikes in 2007 threatened on Sunday to launch peaceful protests unless the junta agrees to an independent report on Camara's health.

HOW IS GUINEA IN CAMARA'S ABSENCE?

Konate, a professional soldier who has shown no sign of front-stage political ambition, has so far held off the threat of an army counter-coup.

20100104

ACCRA (Reuters) - A Nigerian man charged with trying to blow up a U.S. airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day spent weeks in Ghana immediately before starting his journey, a Ghanaian official said on Monday.

Ghana was unaware of any security alert on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, when he arrived in the West African country, Deputy Information Minister James Agyenim-Boateng told Reuters.

"He got in and was processed by immigration as any other ECOWAS citizen because we had no knowledge of any security alert on him," Agyenim-Boateng said, referring to a regional bloc.

Abdulmutallab arrived in Ghana on December 9 from Dubai and left on December 24 for Lagos, Nigeria, from where he flew to Amsterdam and then to Detroit.

While in Ghana Abdulmutallab, who gave a Dubai address, did nothing to arouse suspicion, Agyenim-Boateng said.

Ghana has bought full body scanners to be installed at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra as part of measures to tighten security, he said. Explosives were found strapped to Abdulmutallab's leg.

Nigeria and the Netherlands have also said they will introduce full body scanners, Italy will use them on passengers boarding some flights, and Britain's BAA airport operator says it will move quickly to install them at London's Heathrow airport.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Maputo — Mozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, has appointed its former provincial delegate in the central province of Sofala, Fernando Mbararano, as head of the party's information department.

Cited on Mozambican Television (TVM), Renamo general secretary Ossufo Momade denied that the move had anything to do with the party's disastrously poor showing in Sofala in the 28 October general elections.

Sofala used to be a Renamo stronghold, but in October its vote collapsed. Renamo was beaten not only by the ruling Frelimo Party but by the breakaway Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), founded by the Mayor of Beira, Daviz Simango, who was expelled from Renamo in September 2008.

Far from blaming this collapse on Mbararano, Momade declared "he worked very well", and that the Sofala results had nothing to do with his performance. Since Mbararano was being moved from a provincial position to a national one, the change was actually a promotion, he added.

Manuel Bissopo, Renamo delegate in Beira, will now hold the job of Sofala provincial delegate as well, on an interim basis.

"Political life is not static", said Momade. "We are undergoing constant growth and we need to inject new strength into many sectors to face the current situation".

The real reason Renamo had lost in Sofala was fraud, Momade claimed, echoing the standard excuse for defeat made by the party's leader Afonso Dhlakama. Claims of fraud, however, hardly explain why Renamo came, not second, but third - unless Momade wants us to believe that the MDM is part of the fraud.

According to a report in the Maputo daily "Noticias", Renamo has also sacked the head of its defence and security sector, Jose Machava, replacing him with another former guerrilla from the war of destabilisation, Manuel Antonio (not to be confused with the former Interior Minister of the same name).

Momade refused to confirm or deny the sacking of Machava, telling the reporters "this interview was not called to discuss Brigadier Machava. This interview is now terminated".

Mbararano, Machava and the former Renamo Beira delegate, Faque Inacio Ferreira (sacked several months ago), were the leading figures in the inner-Renamo struggle against Daviz Simango in 2008. They seem to have been determinant in persuading Dhlakama that Simango was a threat to his leadership, and that he should not be allowed to run as the Renamo candidate for a second term of office as mayor.

This was an enormous blunder. Simango decided to run as an independent, and took 62 per cent of the mayoral vote, while the official Renamo candidate, Manuel Pereira, achieved a derisory 2.7 per cent. Renamo members and supporters deserted in droves to Simango and the MDM.

Regardless of claims about fraud, there is no doubt that the split severely weakened Renamo, and was a contributory factor to its poor showing in the October elections.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Johannesburg — THE family of Gloria Bongi Ngema -- President Jacob Zuma 's latest fiancee -- will today be closely following his nuptials, set for Nkandla in rural KwaZulu- Natal.

Zuma has already begun traditional processes ahead of what is expected to be another marriage. But today it will be the turn of Thobeka Mabhija, with whom Zuma has three children.

SA's political elite will throng to the Zuma homestead at Nkandla for what is expected to be a lavish traditional wedding. Busloads of neighbours are also due to feast on cows, goats and sheep, slaughtered for the ceremony.

The Presidency issued a statement yesterday describing Zuma's wedding as a "personal matter", and calling on the media to respect his privacy.

Mabhija will officially become Zuma's third wife, joining first wife Sizakele Khumalo, and Nompumelelo Ntuli, whom he married at another traditional wedding at Nkandla in 2007.

Zuma was also married to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma but they divorced in 1988. Another wife, Kate Mantsho, committed suicide in 2000.

The wedding bells have left political analysts marvelling at Zuma's chutzpah in taking more wives when his traditional lifestyle was among the reasons why his Presidency was initially viewed with trepidation.

But the script has certainly not panned out as expected, since Zuma, in office for eight months, has so far won over critics of his suitability for high office. In November last year, his approval rating was 58%, up from 53% in September, according to a study by TNS Research Surveys.

Zuma's status as a polygamist has become a minor factor barely worthy of mention since he faced the crowds on the south lawns to introduce MaKhumalo at his inauguration in April.

That act, showing Zuma is unashamed of acknowledging his roots, seems to have cured most of the scepticism.

Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula spoke for many in August last year, during a dinner organised by the Progressive Women's Movement, when she thanked Zuma for honouring his unglamorous first wife.

Early speculation over which of the current three wives would be the "real" first lady has since disappeared, along with doubt over how his siz able household would live together at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, his official residence.

Steven Friedman, head of the Centre for the Study of Democracy, says there may also be a conscious attempt by some sections of the press to avoid the impression of prejudice against Zuma's lifestyle.

Zuma's brood, which totals about 18, has also not escaped the spotlight. Who can forget Duduzile Zuma's (daughter of Kate Zuma) defence of her father during the messy rape trial in 2006? Her antics, which included a lavish 27th birthday party, initially had her pegged as just another spoilt brat.

However, since Zuma's inauguration she seems to have undergone a metamorphosis. Gone is the wild child. What we see now are her efforts through the Duduzile Zuma foundation to focus on social and health issues. Teaching young people about the impact of suicide on families has been her big campaign.

The wedding of Zuma and Dlamini-Zuma's daughter, Gugulethu, an actress in the popular soap Isidingo, to Welshman Ncube, an opposition leader in Zimbabwe, caught media attention but not for the usual reason. It served as a symbolic unifier between Zimbabwe and SA's political elite at a time when hope was pinned on Zuma breaking the political impasse in Harare.

Zuma's private life challenges the traditional strictures of protocol, but resonates with the black working class. While he has taken MaKhumalo and MaNtuli on his official trips abroad, it is unknown if either of them has occupied the spousal office at the Union Buildings.

It is unclear whether Zuma's wives have gone for official training, a requirement for South African representatives abroad. But their interaction on the international stage, with the likes of US First Lady Michelle Obama and France's Carla Bruni- Sarkozy, suggests that they have been put through their paces.

Friedman says voters in SA do not make their decisions on the basis of politicians' personal lives. "Whatever else might be wrong with our system, South African voters are very good at ignoring this kind of thing," he says. Former presidents FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela remained popular despite their divorces, he adds.

Chances are that another wedding is unlikely to dent Zuma's popularity.

"If a politician is doing well, people tend to ignore those things they don't like; if he's doing badly, then everything about them is a problem," says Friedman.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Johannesburg — SOUTH African passengers might find themselves subjected to full-body scanners at local airports as aviation authorities implement stricter security measures in reaction to the attempted Christmas Day terror attack on a US-bound flight.

This comes after British airport operator BAA's confirmation, also yesterday, that it would move quickly to install the scanners at Heathrow airport in London after the failed attack by a Nigerian student .

The scanners can display objects or substances hidden under clothing, but are controversial as they create images of passengers without their clothing, raising privacy concerns.

SA's Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates local airports, had received a directive from the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and this was being implemented, it said.

Spokeswoman Phindiwe Gwebu declined to give details of security measures, saying that this was sensitive information. But Gwebu said Airports Company SA (Acsa) was considering introducing full-body scanners.

She said the issue was still under discussion, and had not been confirmed. If the scanners were introduced it would not necessarily be in response to World Cup security fears, but would be to keep up with industry trends.

SAA and Delta Airlines are the only airlines flying to the US from SA. Nicky Knapp, spokeswoman for Acsa which manages 10 local airports, said Acsa had not yet been required to introduce extra security measures after the US incident.

"Passengers travelling through an Acsa airport can expect the exact same procedures, vigilance and commitment to safety and security as was the case last week and last month," Acsa said.

Knapp emphasised that Acsa was responsible only for security at the security checkpoint within an airport, and that airlines could be required to implement additional security during check- in or boarding.

She said passengers should check with the airline as to whether additional security measures were required, and arrive earlier at the airport.

Passengers should also be vigilant in taking care of luggage.

Rogere Mazzolini, station manager for Delta Airlines at OR Tambo International, said Delta had implemented a 100% physical hand-luggage check and a 100% physical pat-down of each passenger. This was in addition to the normal security checkpoints manned by Acsa.

Mazzolini said in-flight restrictions would also apply, although the TSA had softened its initial order that passengers would not be able to use blankets or access hand luggage one hour before landing. Passengers may now access hand luggage and use blankets until the seatbelt sign is turned on.

However, in-flight maps were still disabled, and pilots would not announce the aircraft's location, he said.

SAA spokeswoman Azure Janneker said the airline had received the TSA directive, and was implementing it.

She advised passengers to factor additional time into their travel arrangements to accommodate the increased security measures.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Maputo — Afonso Dhlakama, leader of Mozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, has proposed negotiations between himself and President Armando Guebuza to avoid the demonstrations which he has proposed to call in protest at the results of the 28 October general elections.

Interviewed in the northern city of Nampula, where he is currently living, by the Beira daily paper "Diario de Mocambique", Dhlakama claimed that dialogue with Guebuza "is the only way that will allow us to avoid a national climate of panic", arising from the proposed demonstrations.

He said he was prepared to speak with Guebuza "at any time and in any place", and threatened that, if the demonstrations went ahead, "the country will stop". Yet in the next breath he insisted that the demonstrations will be entirely peaceful.

The elections were a crushing defeat for Dhlakama and Renamo. Guebuza won the presidential election with 75 per cent of the vote to 16.4 per cent for Dhlakama and 8.6 per cent for the third candidate, Daviz Simango, leader of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).

In the parliamentary election, Frelimo won 74.7 per cent of the vote, Renamo 17.7 per cent, and the MDM 3.9 cent, while the remainder was divided between 16 minor parties standing in one or more constituencies. Frelimo has thus won 191 of the 250 parliamentary seats, Renamo 51 and the MDM 8.

Dhlakama claims that the Guebuza and Frelimo victories are the result of fraud. While there certainly was fraud in a minority of polling stations, it was not on such a scale as to explain the Frelimo landslide.

The day after the election Dhlakama threatened that "Mozambique will burn", but he soon toned this down to a call for "peaceful demonstrations" across the country, but without ever suggesting a date for them.

"Many Mozambicans are discontented with the election results", he told the paper. "They are just waiting for the moment to demonstrate".

He also claimed that the ruling on the elections last week by the Constitutional Council proved that he was right about his allegations of fraud. "For the first time the Constitutional Council went public to confirm that what we said about the irregularities is true", he said. "This proves that we are not psychopaths, but realists committed to democracy".

In fact, the Council did not endorse most of the Renamo claims - for instance, that Frelimo had organised a parallel voter registration, and had switched the real electoral registers for phoney ones, or that Frelimo had a clandestine printing press which issued a parallel set of ballot papers, or that all teachers had instructions to fill the ballot boxes with ten extra votes each.

The Council specifically stated that the various irregularities it denounced "did not influence the election results", and it therefore validated the same results which the National Elections Commission (CNE) first announced on 11 November.

Dhlakama's desire to speak to Guebuza contrasts sharply with his refusal to meet the President over the past five years. As the runner-up in the 2004 elections, Dhlakama was invited to all major state events, but boycotted them all. He refused even to attend an informal lunch which Guebuza gave in 2005 for the other presidential candidates.

But now he declared "Guebuza has experience of negotiations, and so he should open up to dialogue for the good of Mozambique".

Among the objectives of the planned demonstrations, Dhlakama added, was to persuade the new government not to take office and to hold new elections instead. But Guebuza's investiture is set for 14 January, and it is clearly impossible for Renamo to organise demonstrations before then.

The head of the outgoing Frelimo parliamentary group, Manuel Tome, told AIM that Dhlakama's demands "make no sense. We've already had the elections and the results have been validated and proclaimed".

He thought Dhlakama was now trying to push himself centre stage, and repair his image "which has been greatly damaged over the past five years". Tome did not see why Frelimo and Guebuza should help him in this.

As for the alleged national panic about impending demonstrations, Tome could see no sign of this. Like Dhlakama, Tome has been spending much of his time in Nampula in recent months, since he was head of the Frelimo election brigade in that province. He was aware that some Renamo members in Nampula were spreading rumours that a new war was about to erupt, "but nobody pays them any attention. Life goes on normally".

Dhlakama also insisted that the 51 Renamo deputies will not take their seats in the new parliament, "because that would mean legitimizing the elections and the government".

The new parliament is sworn in on 12 January. If the Renamo deputies do not turn up to take the oath of office within a month of that date, they will lose their seats, and their parliamentary wages.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Harare — It's all systems go as the Parliament Select Committee on constitution-making starts the process today by training Members of Parliament who chair thematic committees.

The training of deputy chairpersons of the thematic committees and members of the consultation team will follow tomorrow.

The Parliamentary Select Committee agreed that thematic committees would come up with a common position as a reference point during the consultation process that is to start on January 12.

In separate interviews last Friday, two of the Co-chairpersons of the committee, Cde Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF) and Mr Edward Mkhosi (MDC-M), said the thematic committees would not be taking any documents to the people except reference points.

"The thematic committee training next week will resolve what should be encompassed in the consultations. Our party hasn't changed its position on the (Kariba) draft document, but we are waiting for the training next week where the committees are expected to come up with a common position.

"After the thematic committees' recommendations, we will then consult our respective parties on the way forward concerning what would have been agreed by the committees during training," he said.

Cde Mangwana who is also Zanu-PF's MP for Chivi Central constituency said the parties would be consulted before the consultation process roll-out which is expected to begin a week after training.

"The training process is in two phases. One is to elicit information to the people and the other one concerns coming up with a position as reference point, but this will work after we have consulted parties," he said.

Mr Mkhosi said thematic committees would start training after having familiarised themselves with all the drafts at hand.

He said the people would have the opportunity to write their own constitution without interference.

"When they go for training, the thematic committees would have acquainted themselves with all the drafts including the Kariba draft, National Constitutional Assembly and all other drafts so that when they discuss, they will be informed," Mr Mkhosi said.

Mr Mkhosi who is MDC-M House of Assembly Member for Mangwe constituency, said consultation teams would not be taking any document to the people.

"What the teams will only carry are the talking points they would have extracted from all the drafts.

"They cannot just go empty-handed because it will become vague, but they will be guiding people according to their area of interest," he said.

Mr Mkhosi expressed confidence that the process would start earnestly in early January since 'partners' had come on board.

"We expect the programme to roll out smoothly because now we have everything in order, our partners have come handy with contributions like transport and accommodation for thematic committee members.

"We have also managed to bring in people who have past experience in the constitution-making process and that will be an added advantage for us," he said.

The thematic committee recently announced 540 members who will be going to the provinces to gather people's views on specific subjects and then report back to the full select committee. The whole constitution-making process is expected to last 65 days and will be followed by a referendum.

20100104

LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria described on Monday as unfair its inclusion alongside Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen on a list of countries whose air travellers will face tighter screening on journeys to the United States.

The procedures, which take effect on Monday, follow the botched Christmas Day bombing attempt on a Detroit-bound U.S. airline blamed on Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who U.S. officials believe was trained by al Qaeda in Yemen.

Nigerian Information Minister Dora Akunyili -- who has been spearheading a "rebranding Nigeria" campaign since last year meant to shed the country's reputation for corruption -- said Abdulmutallab's act was a "one-off" and that it was unfair to punish the rest of the nation as a result.

The U.S. list includes passengers travelling from or through nations listed as "state sponsors of terrorism" -- Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria -- as well as Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.

"Abdulmutallab's behaviour is not reflective of Nigeria and should therefore not be used as a yardstick to judge all Nigerians. It is unfair to discriminate against over 150 million people because of the behaviour of one person," Akunyili said.

"He was not influenced in Nigeria, he was not recruited or trained in Nigeria, he was not supported whatsoever in Nigeria," she told Reuters by telephone.

Abdulmutallab, 23, has been charged with trying to blow up Northwest Airlines flight 253 as it approached Detroit from Amsterdam on December 25 with almost 300 people on board. He transferred to that flight from a KLM flight from Lagos.

The son of a well-respected banker from northern Nigeria, he was educated at a boarding school in Togo before studying engineering at University College, London and doing a masters degree in Dubai. He also took study trips to Yemen.

20100104

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan immigration authorities will deport a Jamaican Muslim cleric they suspect has links to terrorism groups, a police spokesman said on Monday.

Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal was in the east African country on a preaching tour but intelligence officials were afraid his speeches would have encouraged radicalism in a country that has suffered two al-Qaeda-linked attacks.

"The minister in charge of immigration has declared him as an unwanted immigrant. We don't want him in this country," police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told Reuters.

"He has known terrorism links and was once jailed in the UK for five years. They are so annoyed with him that they can't even grant him a transit visa on his way to Kingston, Jamaica."

Faisal was also deported from Britain in 2007 for preaching racial hatred and asking his audiences to kill Jews, Hindus and westerners.

"From what he says, he was coming to preach," Kiraithe said.

"The contacts he was maintaining, according to our intelligence, are not the best, are not in our national interests. The contacts were ... in some neighbouring countries."

Attacks in Kenya include a 1998 bomb at the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, a hotel bombing and a botched missile attack on an Israeli airliner leaving Kenya's Mombasa airport in 2002.

Some Kenyan Muslim clerics demonstrated against Faisal's arrest on Sunday and said he was going to preach on greater autonomy for Muslims.

20100104
NAIROBI (Reuters) - At least 20 people have been killed in flash floods in Kenya over the last week following torrential rains that have left tens of thousands in need of aid, the Red Cross said on Monday.

The heavy rains have been blamed on El Nino weather patterns across east Africa, which have caused landslides and affected an estimated 70,000 people in eastern and northeast Kenya.

"The rains have caused death, swept homes away and destroyed food crops leaving an estimated 30,000 people in dire need of relief aid," said Abbas Gullet, the secretary general of the Kenya Red Cross Society.

Gullet told Reuters the flooding had killed at least 20 people across the country but numbers were likely to rise once a countrywide assessment is complete.

Though the rains are destructive, they are expected to make life easier in some areas that are still emerging from one of the worst drought spells in years.

"This also means that Kenya will have more water supply and pasture for livestock compared to last year," said Gullet.

El Nino, which means "little boy" in Spanish, is driven by abnormal warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean and can have a major influence on global weather.

20100104

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's rand strengthened against the dollar on Monday, largely tracking trading partner currency the euro, while stocks ended their first trading session in 2010 stronger, led by platinum miners.

The Johannesburg Top-40 index rose 1.01 percent to 25,250.23 points, while the broader All-Share index gained 0.83 percent to 27,895.19 points.

By 1525 GMT the rand was 0.93 percent firmer at 7.3215 to the greenback compared with its previous close at 7.39.

"The rand has pretty much tracked the movement in the euro and other commodity currencies, and with the euro, gold and the Aussie being up, dollar/rand has come off about 12 cents since this morning. It's been pretty much dollar weakness across the board," a trader in Johannesburg said.

"There's still very thin liquidity with some of the players still being away on holiday," the trader said, adding that the market should be back on full steam from next week.

The rand ended 2009 nearly 30 percent firmer against the dollar, with both the government and central bank saying on several occasions that the currency's rally had left it over-valued and could hamper the economy's recovery after a recession.

On the local bourse, Impala Platinum climbed 4.19 percent to 211.50 rand, heading towards a five month high, while rival Lonmin jumped 3.53 percent to 240.20 rand, near a two month high. Anglo Platinum added 1.58 percent to 805 rand.

"Platinums were up quite nicely and the heavyweight miners like Anglo American and BHP Billiton are also up. The commodity prices have shot up quite nicely," said Michael Carlsson, a portfolio manager at Consilium Capital.

The JSE Platinum index rose 3.11 percent as the metal hit a 16-month high, thanks to the dollar's weakness.

20100104

NKANDLA, South Africa (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma married for the fifth time on Monday, giving the Zulu traditionalist his third current wife, witnesses and family members said.

Multiple marriages are allowed in South Africa and form part of Zulu culture but the practice has drawn criticism from HIV/AIDS activists in a country with one of the highest infection rates in the world.

The ceremony took place at Zuma's traditional home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal province, where the 68-year-old president, in Zulu tribal dress, married Tobeka Madiba, 37, according to clan custom.

"This is a traditional affair and there is a lot of dancing and celebrating. Later we will slaughter some animals and have a feast with the guests," Mike Zuma, the president's brother, told Reuters.

"It is a very happy day for the president and the Zuma family".

Madiba and Zuma have three children together and were married according to South African law ahead of Monday's traditional ceremony.

A statement issued by the presidency on Sunday said the wedding was a private affair. The media were barred from the village.

A Reuters photographer in Nkandla said hundreds of people were bused into the village early on Monday, while cabinet ministers and other politicians also attended the ceremony.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Tunis — As part of the development process in Tunisian regions, Kairouan's library will soon turn digital.

The library which will be equipped with the latest cutting edge technology in 2010, aims at providing Kairouan people and those in remote rural areas with the benefits of digital technology.

This achievement will boost the dissemination of digital culture and the advent of knowledge society in Tunisia.

Inscribed since 1988 on the UNESCO's World Heritage List and proclaimed as Capital of Islamic Culture for 2009, Kairouan was and remains a scientific and technological pole.

During an international symposium on the "digital divide and ways to cope with it in the Islamic World", "2009 Call of Kairouan" was launched to dessiminate digital practices and technologies in Islamic countries.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Tunis — As part of the celebrations, this year, of the centenary of Tunisia's laureate poet Aboulkacem El Chebbi, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali will inaugurate on January 7 the new Aboulkacem El Chebbi library at the Medina of Tunis.

At the same time, a tribute will be paid to several personalities from the world of culture who have contributed to the development of Tunisian culture and intellectual scene and promoted the Chebbi's heritage.

The ministry of culture and Heritage Preservation has also prepared a guidebook, an agenda, and a final report on the centenary of Aboulkacem El Chebbi as well as a bibliography on the great Tunisian poet.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Tunis — Foreign investments (IE) in Tunisia have witnessed a qualitative turning point in recent years as a result of structural reforms policies.

During the first 11 months of 2009, Tunisia's foreign investments increased to reach 1972,6 million dinars including 1899,5 million dinars of direct investments and 73,1 million dinars in portfolio.

The manufacturing sector has posted 495,8 million dinars of foreign direct investments (FDI), an increase of 2,3% compared to the same period in 2008. This rise concerns the mechanical, electrical and electronic industries (+ 47%) and textile clothing sectors.

In 2009, foreign investments enabled the creation of 13600 jobs where 12000 in manufacturing sector.

191 new foreign investment companies have launched production operations and 189 extensions have been carried out by foreign companies in Tunisia, as part of their developmental activities.

The countries of the European Union member states namely France, Italy and Germany are Tunisia's first partner representing 85% of total establishments of foreign contributions working in Tunisia.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Tunis — Tunisian-African relations have witnessed in recent years an increasing activity in political, economic and cultural sectors which provides opportunities of cooperation and exchange of experiences as well as triggering partnerships.

In order to boost Tunisian-African relations, the Tunisian centre for the promotion of exports "CEPEX", organizes in collaboration with Tunisia's embassy in Kenshasa from January 17 to 23, 2010 a multi-sectoral mission of Tunisian businessmen to the Congo.

Business meetings are scheduled to be held by Tunisian businessman with their Congo counterparts as part of the event.

The visit is also an opportunity for Tunisian and African businessmen to organize conferences at the headquarters of the Housing Bank in Brazzaville.

Among Tunisia's presence in African events, its participation in April 2009 in the second edition of the services fair held in Bamako which was organized by CEPEX and Tunisia's embassy in Bamako.

Tunisia was also present in the various crises faced by the African continent, for example, the sending of a plane load of emergency aid as a sign of solidarity to Burkina Faso following the floods in September 2009.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Former boss of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Col. Abdulmumuni Aminu (rtd), fancies the chances of the Super Eagles beating defending champions, Egypt, when both sides clash in their African Nations Cup opener on January 12.

The Nations Cup gets underway this weekend in Angola as 16 teams battle to be crowned the continent's soccer king in what promises to be a prelude to the main action at the 2010 World Cup holding this summer in South Africa.

With five of the six teams that would be representing Africa at the World Cup set to field strong squads in Angola, the battleline has been firmly drawn, with Egypt, who missed out on a World Cup place seeking atonement through the Nations Cup, baying for blood against Nigeria, who barely managed to scrape through to Rainbow nation on the last day of the qualification series.

But Egypt's title aspirations are somehow being threatened by the injuries setbacks which have hit several of their star players, comprising, Mohamed Aboutrika, Amir Zaki and lately, Mohamed Zidan, a trio, which contributed a great deal to their title defence two years ago in Ghana.

It is against this setting that Aminu, who was in charge of the NFF, when the Eagles campaigned at the 1998 World Cup in France, has told coach Shaibu Amodu-tinkered side to capitalise on Egypt's misfortunes, if they are to make headway at the tournament.

Eagles' other group opponents are Mozambique and Benin Republic, with the two best placed finished qualifying for the next round.

"It is not as if one is happy with what is happening to Egyptian players, most of whom, are down with injuries and may not be fit for the Nations Cup but this is an opportunity for our players to take advantage of whatever opportunity that comes their way and see to it that they beat whoever they face," Aminu said.

20100104
ALLAFRICA

Masaka — In a significant blow to Buganda Kingdom, President Museveni on Saturday said CBS radio will not be re-opened until Kabaka and clan leaders hold talks with him on a matter that has caused discontent in the country.

President Museveni also used the funeral of the late retired Bishop of Masaka Diocese, Adrian Ddungu, who passed away on Tuesday to re-launch his attacks on opposition politicians, whom he accused of hiding behind the Kabaka and CBS radio to fight political wars.

"....reopening of CBS radio will be after full consultation with the Kabaka, and the clan leaders," Mr Museveni told mourners at the late Bishop Ddungu's burial service at Villa Maria, Masaka District, adding: "These are the people with whom I discussed the return of the Buganda Kingdom."

However, Mr Museveni's comments pre-empt the outcome of the on-going talks between the 11-member Cabinet sub-committee chaired by the ICT Minister Agrey Awori and the closed CBS board of directors.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Awori said: "For us we are going ahead with our work and we hope to submit our report to the President to decide. By the end of January our report will be ready and it will be upon the President to re-open CBS or not."

It's not known when these talks will take place - dampening hopes of any immediately re-opening of the radio station.

Mengo Minister for Local Government and Mobilisation Jolly Lutaaya had in his speech appealed to the President to forgive the wrongs that were committed by CBS radio and grant its reopening.

However in his response, the President said he would need to be reassured that CBS radio will not engage in what he described as "subversive broadcasting, sectarianism, and inciting violence" before it is allowed to reopen.

In direct reference to the Institution of the Kabaka, Mr Museveni said: "It is dangerous for the institution to allow politicians to hide in it."

Museveni put conditions
"Before the restoration of the Kabakaship, I held consultations with the Kabaka himself and clan leaders like Omutaka Ndugwa, Omutaka Nadduli and Omutaka Kaita, with a condition not to mix the Kabaka with politics," Mr Museveni said.

"Peter Mayiga (Buganda's information Minister) was not around. He is just an opportunist who knows nothing about culture. It took me a lot to convince the Army Council to approve of the idea. Now the likes of Mayiga have messed up the whole issue. He is just an idler whose only job is to abuse Museveni on radio."

CBS was closed after violent riots broke out in parts of Buganda last year (September 10-12) after the government blocked the Kabaka from visiting Kayunga District. As a result of the clashes, 27 people were killed.