Diepsloot couple back in court over mutilated baby

childrape3A Diepsloot couple accused of murdering and neglecting the woman’s seven-month-old baby is scheduled to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Nokuthula Gumede, 23, and her boyfriend Fernando Sidanvo, 35, have been held in police custody since their arrests last week.

The baby was found dead and mutilated in a shack in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, on November 10.

Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said at the time that rats bit off the baby’s foot while it was alone in a shack.

Gumede was arrested in a Randburg tavern last Tuesday. Sidanvo was arrested in Diepsloot the next day.

The baby’s two-year-old sister was placed under the care of social workers last Thursday because her grandmother was being investigated, said Mofokeng.

“There is a possibility of the grandmother being charged with child negligence, but we are still investigating.”

Mofokeng said the toddlers were initially in her care, and she was not supposed to give them to their mother, who allegedly often neglected them. – Sapa

Soccer: France beats Ukraine 3-0 to qualify for World Cup

France's Karim Benzema (right) shoots and scores the second goal for the team during their 2014 World Cup qualifying second leg playoff football match against Ukraine at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis near Paris Nov 19, 2013.
France’s Karim Benzema (right) shoots and scores the second goal for the team during their 2014 World Cup qualifying second leg playoff football match against Ukraine at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis near Paris Nov 19, 2013.

by Andy Scott

France produced a stunning performance to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit and qualify for the World Cup finals on Tuesday, beating Ukraine 3-0 in Paris.

In front of a raucous crowd at the Stade de France, Les Bleus took the lead on the night midway through the first half through Mamadou Sakho and levelled the tie on aggregate when Karim Benzema netted from an offside position on 34 minutes.

That strike came shortly after the Real Madrid man had seen a perfectly good goal disallowed, and the controversy continued as Ukraine defender Yevhen Kacheridi was sent off early in the second period.

France made their one-man advantage count as an Oleg Gusev own-goal put them ahead in the tie for the first time in the 72nd minute and Didier Deschamps’ side saw out the rest of the game to win 3-2 on aggregate.

As expected, Deschamps rang the changes, making five in all to his starting line-up from Friday’s 2-0 loss in Kiev, with Raphael Varane, Sakho, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Valbuena and Benzema coming in.

For Ukraine, there were three changes, notably in defence, where the banned Oleksandr Kucher and Artem Fedetskiy were replaced by Yaroslav Rakitskiy and Vitaliy Mandziuk respectively.

The visitors must have been braced for a backs-to-the-wall job, but they could scarcely have expected France to play with such a high level of intensity in the first half.

Ukraine were pinned back from kick-off, and goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov turned a Valbuena shot around the post inside three minutes before Paul Pogba headed a Valbuena corner over the bar.

And just as the away side thought they had taken some of the early sting out of the contest, their defence – which had gone eight successive matches without conceding before this game – was finally undone in the 22nd minute.

When a Valbuena set-piece delivery from the right fell to Franck Ribery on the edge of the box, the Bayern Munich man’s shot was blocked by Pyatov, but Sakho was on hand to convert the rebound from a tight angle, the Liverpool defender netting his first goal at international level.

France’s hope turned to genuine belief, and the home fans rose to their feet as a glorious shooting opportunity fell to Pogba on the edge of the box. However, the young midfielder could only blaze his effort over the bar.

Controversy was just around the corner, as Benzema bundled a low Ribery cross from the left into the net at the back post, only for the offside flag to cut short his joy.

It was the wrong decision by the Slovenian officials but remarkably another error on their part allowed France to level the tie on aggregate.

A scramble in the Ukrainian box saw the ball come off Valbuena and fall to Benzema barely six yards out. This time, he was offside but the assistant’s flag stayed down as he gleefully fired home.

Ukraine knew that an away goal would swing the tie right back in their favour, but they scarcely produced an attempt on target in the opening half and their hopes were dealt another massive blow just after the restart as Khacheridi, who had already been cautioned late in the first half, was booked again for a late challenge on Ribery.

Down to 10 men, Ukraine remained a threat and Roman Bezus just missed the target from long range, but France continued to press relentlessly in search of a third goal and they got their reward with under 20 minutes remaining.

When a Patrice Evra shot was pushed out by Pyatov, Ribery returned the ball across the face of goal and unfortunate substitute Gusev turned it into his own net under pressure from Sakho.

Pyatov saved from substitute Olivier Giroud’s header as France sought to put the final outcome beyond doubt, but they held on to secure their ticket to Brazil. – AFP

Soccer: France, Portugal nervous ahead of World Cup match

france_soccerFrance and Portugal, two of Europe’s footballing heavyweights, face a fraught test of nerves on Tuesday with their places at the 2014 World Cup finals at stake.

France, the 1998 world champions, are 2-0 down to Ukraine after the first leg of their play-off ahead of the return in Paris while Portugal, semi-finalists in 2006, take a slender 1-0 advantage to Sweden.

Elsewhere, Greece look well set to make the finals in Brazil next year as they enjoy a 3-1 lead over Romania while Iceland, bidding to become the smallest country to reach the World Cup, are 0-0 with Croatia ahead of their trip to Zagreb.

France are clearly most at risk of failing to qualify for a major championships for the first time since they missed the boat for the 1994 World Cup.

And although Ukraine have lost their previous three play-offs — against Croatia (1998), Germany (2002) and Greece (2010) — they arrive in Paris with a two-goal cushion from the first leg, a psychological advantage and facing a home team smarting from a pasting in the press.

The manner of their defeat in Kiev on Friday prompted the sports daily L’Equipe to write off their chances.

“In terms of what we saw on Friday night … the French would do well just to draw the second leg,” offered the newspaper.

And if they are to overcome the Ukrainians, they will have to do so without Laurent Kolchensky at the heart of their defence after the Arsenal defender was sent off late on following a clash with Oleksandr Kucher as tension spilled over.

France coach Didier Deschamps, who admitted his side were undone by Ukraine’s sheer physicality in the first leg, said: “We’ve got to put them under pressure, to go at them. On Tuesday, we’ve got to be in the battle. We have the ability to turn it round and that’s what we have to do.”

In Solna, near Stockholm, things are more finely poised, with Sweden taking on Portugal in the second leg a goal down from Lisbon, predictably scored late in the game by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Swedish hopes rest even more squarely than ever on the broad shoulders of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, especially with his phenomenal goalscoring record at the Friends Arena, where he has found the net 10 times since the stadium was inaugurated a year ago.

Elsewhere, Greece should complete the formality of qualifying in Bucharest, having racked up a surprising 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Piraeus.

But little Iceland travel to Zagreb with their improbable World Cup dream still just about alive after a desperate draw in the goalless first leg in Reykjavik.

That match saw them fight a constant rearguard action against relentless waves of Croatian attacks after being reduced to 10 men for the last 40 minutes after defender Olafur Skulason was sent off.

Yet they still have everything left to play for and should they achieve the unthinkable and win in Zagreb they would become the fist nation with a population of under a million ever to reach the final stages of the competition.

Springboks en route to Paris after 28-0 victory over Scotland

Springbok rugby players
Springbok rugby players

The Springboks move on to Paris on a roll of two wins out of two from their November tour of Europe, and with their try-line yet to be breached.

Having succeeded in shutting out Wales on the try front in their 24-15 victory in Cardiff eight days previously, South Africa managed to prevent Scotland from scoring a single point in a clinically-executed 28-0 victory at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield on Sunday.

“You’ll always take four tries to nil in Test match rugby,” said South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer.

“The great thing for me is that we wanted to work harder on our defence. Last week was awesome; we didn’t give away any tries against Wales. And this week we didn’t give Scotland any points.

“I was very happy with that — especially at the end, when we were down to 14 men (replacement flanker Marcell Coetzee was in the sin-bin for the final 10 minutes).

“We had a back-line player on the scrum (centre Jaque Fourie).

“That’s what I like about this team. They don’t like giving points away. They put their bodies on the line. It was awesome defence.”

The Springboks effectively had victory in the bag at half-time. Tries from Willem Alberts, Willie le Roux and JP Pietersen, making his 50th Test appearance, plus three conversions from Patrick Lambie, put them 21-0 up at the interval.

A fourth try 13 minutes into the second half, scored by replacement prop Coenie Oosthuizen and converted by Lambie, completed the routine victory as Meyer’s charges looked ahead to their final tour match against France in Paris this Saturday.

There was, however, some collateral damage to the South African squad.

Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe limped off in the 33rd minute and is unlikely to feature against the French, whom the Springboks have not beaten away from home for 16 years.

“Frans has got a ripped cartilage,” Meyer reported. “We’re not sure if he’s going to be fine. The doctor will make a decision tomorrow (Monday) but at this stage we’re not very hopeful that he will be able to continue.”

Blindside flanker Francois Louw was stretchered from the field in a neck brace with four minutes remaining but Meyer said: “I’ve spoken to the doctor and it was precautionary. He’s injured his neck but he should be fine. We’re still monitoring him.”

On the subject of his squad’s form, having followed up their impressive second-place in the Rugby Championship with two clinical victories in Europe, Meyer commented: “I’m very proud of the guys and the way we’ve been playing. There are a lot of youngsters coming through and there’s a great blend. To have a 75 percent winning record this year is awesome. I’m very, very happy with our consistency.

“We’ve scored seven tries to nil on this tour so far. If we win next week, I think it will be an 80 percent win record for the year, which hasn’t happened a lot.

“But we have to keep our feet on ground and stay humble. I believe we’re on the right track but there’s still a long way for us to go.”

As for Scotland, they were left licking the wounds of their first blank on the scoreboard since a 40-0 Murrayfield defeat by New Zealand during the 2007 World Cup.

“We let ourselves down early on and put ourselves under a heap of pressure,” Scotland’s interim head coach, Scott Johnson, reflected.

“We were up against a clinical side who took all of their chances.”

Scotland finish their November home series against Johnson’s native Australia at Murrayfield this Saturday. – AFP

ANC Limpopo conference interdicted

 Lehlogonolo Masoga
Lehlogonolo Masoga

The ANC in Limpopo was served a court interdict at its Peter Mokaba regional conference in Polokwane on Sunday, the party’s provincial task team said.

“Members of the ANC are interdicting us because they not happy with the result of the conference,” convenor Elleck Nchabeleng said.

“Our legal team is busy studying the interdict and conference will proceed as scheduled, our response will follow later.”

He would not comment further on the matter.

The SABC reported that Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema’s former ally Lehlogonolo Masoga was elected chairman of the region on Sunday.

Masoga is also MEC for roads and transport in Limpopo.

Masoga and Malema reportedly fell out in 2010 during the African National Congress Youth League’s provincial conference in Makhado.

This was after Masoga accused Malema of dictating how the conference should have been run.

Masoga was subsequently suspended from the ANC after he took the party to court over alleged maladministration in the way the conference was run.

According to the SABC, a group of delegates walked out of the Polokwane conference on Sunday saying some people had been denied the opportunity to vote. – Sapa

Obama: ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry’

mercer_ilanaby Ilana Mercer

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So where do we stand in the health care chain reaction, cooked-up in the Barack Obama command-and-control centers? Let’s see. Having destroyed the market for health insurance, the president turned to another parlor game, hailed by the daytrippers at CNN and the New York Times as a “health fix” and a “fix for canceled plans.”

Yes, the fix is in. Parsed, the president’s advice to the millions who’ve lost coverage is, essentially, “I’ll let you keep your already canceled policies through 2014. Feel free to take it up with your insurance company.”

In the preceding weeks, and against the backdrop of polls in which 50 percent of voters said, “President Obama knowingly lied when he repeatedly told Americans they could keep their plans under his signature health care law,” the paper of record took a “different” view. Obama, the apple of their eye, “wrongly assured Americans that they could retain their health care plans.”

An “incorrect promise” was another euphemism used by NYT story tellers.

Quite the opposite, opined Patrick J. Buchanan:

WHO’S THE BIGGEST LIAR OF THEM ALL? In the grand scheme of history, Obama’s rank lie “now enters presidential history alongside George H.W. Bush’s ‘Read my lips! No new taxes,’ Bill Clinton’s ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,’ and George W. Bush’s tales of yellow cake in Niger and hidden arsenals of WMDs.”

As wrecking balls go, Obama and “W” are tied in ignominy. Christopher Conover of Duke University estimates that “129 million, or 68 percent of Americans, may not be able to keep their current health-care plans once Obamacare is fully implemented. [Conover’s] study also suggests that 18 to 50 million people will lose their plans altogether.”

The butcher’s bill of human suffering—Bush’s—has been tallied. Obama’s is still to come.

LAWYERING OR LYING? Obama stool pigeon Jake Tapper of CNN went in search of character witnesses for the disgraced 44th U.S. president. Who better to galvanize than the mountain of opportunistic flesh, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie? Fresh from his triumph in the New Jersey gubernatorial race, the popular Republican governor was eager to offer advice to the president whose political epitaph will be: “If you like your health care plan, you will keep it, period.”

Actually, the line Obama had repeated at every turn, from 2009 to 2012, morphed in November of 2013 to, “What I really meant was that Americans could keep their healthcare plan if it hasn’t changed since the law passed.”

“Don’t lawyer it,” cringed Christie. “People don’t like lawyers. I’m a lawyer. They don’t like ‘em. You know? Don’t lawyer it. When I saw that [namely, the Lie’s new iteration]… this morning for the first time, I thought, he’s lawyering it. That’s Barack Obama the lawyer.”

Correction, Gov. Christie: That’s Barack Obama the liar talking.

Still, some strides were made.

Into the Cannibal's Pot

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD. A term reserved to denote Mao Zedong’s catastrophic transformation of China into a communist, collectivized society—a great leap forward of sorts was made by dummy Dana Bash. Four years on, this CNN reporter belatedly admitted that the Republicans had forewarned of the fiasco that is Obamacare:

… When the President made that statement [“If you like your health care plan, you will keep it”] during the heat of the health care legislative battle, Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia, dismissed the commander in chief’s promise in a weekly Republican address.
“If you read the bill, that just isn’t so,” Price said. “For starters, within five years, every health care plan will have to meet a new federal definition for coverage, one that your current plan might not match, even if you like it.”
Fast forward three years, and that’s exactly what’s happening.

Indeed, 2:43 minuets into his August 22, 2009 address, Rep. Price explained the simple stuff with which the great hulking mass of America is only just grappling, thanks in no small part to a press whose members all sang from the same press releases.

LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY. Remember that line from the tender 1970 film, “Love Story”? Given the unconditional love Barack Obama has received from America, the president believed he would never have to say he was sorry.

Still, like jilted lovers, The People began to demand an apology from their beloved.

What is more obscene: the idea that one can apologize for the hubris and deceit that is Obama and his health care, or the actual need some have for an apology from an entity so evil that he would toy with the lives of millions as though they were insects and he God? This is hard to tell.

For what it’s worth, here’s Hussein’s “apology” for the pox he has unleashed on the land:

“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me. Obviously we didn’t do a good enough job in terms of how we crafted the law … And, you know, that’s something I regret. That’s something we’re gonna do everything we can to get fixed … We’re looking at a range of options.”

And what, pray tell, is the matter with Christians that they hunger to forgive evil, without any evidence of expiation? Some sins are simply unforgivable.

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EFF berets in high demand

Julius Malema with beret
Julius Malema with beret

The Economic Freedom Fighters has started running out of stock of its signature red berets, City Press reported on Sunday.

Berets were even being snatched off members’ heads as support for Julius Malema’s party swelled, according to the newspaper.

It reported that EFF members could be seen wearing the red berets on street corners, public places, hangout spots and even at funerals, where they were recruiting new members.

One of its leaders, Andile Mngxitama was quoted as saying: “We are replacing money with people. Wherever we go, there is excitement that is generated.

“If you wear a red beret, you get stopped every other second. It doesn’t happen if you wear an ANC or Agang T-shirt.”

He told the newspaper that demand for the red berets “generally exceeds supply”.

Northern Cape co-ordinator Mbuyiselo April complained that the province’s stock had run out.

North West provincial convenor Alfred Mutsi said berets were being stolen from people’s heads.

“When we can’t give people berets, they just grab them off our heads and run away,” he was quoted as saying. – Sapa

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj rejects Media24 story about Motlanthe

Mac Maharaj
Mac Maharaj

According to presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj in a statement, “The Presidency strongly rejects the allegations made in the Media24 titles this weekend that President Jacob Zuma had a hand in an alleged withdrawal of an academic honour for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in the People’s Republic of China and that they no longer work together.

“The reports are baseless and ridiculous. Neither the President nor his Private Office had any knowledge of this honour that was apparently turned down until enquiries came from Media24 or Naspers newspapers.

“Earlier this year the Presidency was also surprised by fictitious reports in the Sunday Independent newspaper that President Zuma was apparently preventing the Deputy President from travelling outside the country.

“We explained then that the international programme of the President and Deputy President is coordinated with DIRCO in consultation with the Presidency.

“The President and the Deputy President continue to work well together and share responsibilities including Cabinet.

“It would thus assist greatly if the media probed deeper before believing and publishing spurious allegations of this nature so as not to peddle falsehoods.”

Toronto Council strips Mayor Rob Ford of powers

Rob Ford
Rob Ford

Toronto’s City Council voted overwhelmingly Friday to strip Mayor Rob Ford of some of his powers, trying to box in the brash leader who has rebuffed huge pressure to resign over his drinking and drug habits and erratic behavior. Ford vowed to challenge the measure in court.

The motion, approved in a 39-3 vote, suspends Ford’s authority to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, which runs the budget process. In a separate vote, the council voted to give the deputy mayor authority to handle any civic emergency. The effort will continue Monday when the council moves to strip the mayor of most of his remaining powers.

The votes capped another frenzied week of twists and turns in the scandal that has consumed Canada’s largest city and financial capital for months.

Newly released court documents showed that the mayor became the subject of a police investigation after news reports surfaced in May that he had been caught on video smoking crack. In interviews with police, former staffers accused the mayor of frequently drinking on the job, driving while intoxicated and making sexual advances toward a female staffer. Ford stirred up further controversy – even offending Canada’s oldest football team – when he used profanity Thursday while angrily addressing the latest allegations.

Most city councilors are frustrated by Ford’s refusal to step aside but they lack the authority to force him out of office unless he is convicted of a crime.

An unusually subdued Ford said he had no choice but to fight the motion in court while also saying he understood why the council was taking the measures – a typical display of defiance followed by a flash of remorse.

“If I would have had a mayor conducting themselves the way I have, I would have done exactly the same thing,” Ford said.

The mayor, a conservative who touts his efforts to curb public spending and keep taxes low, later made it clear he intends to seek re-election next year.

“Councilors spoke today. The taxpayers of this great city will have their say Oct. 27,” Ford told a crush of reporters, referring to the date of the municipal elections. City Hall. A few hecklers shouted “Resign! Resign!”

Ford’s lawyer, Dennis Morris, called the council’s actions a “coup” and said they have hired a municipal law expert to challenge it.

The vote came a day after yet another series of antics from Ford that outraged city councilors, anti-drunk driving advocates and even Toronto’s football team, which protested when Ford wore a team jersey while making a profanity-laced statement.

“We need to take away his power for the good of the city,” said Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a former ally. “The tide has turned and there are very few people that are prepared to defend him given his vulgar comments and his admission that not only does he takes drugs but that he seems to be comfortable drinking and getting behind the wheel.”

Morris, Ford’s lawyer, said he thought the council’s overwhelming support to strip the mayor’s power came about because of the public outcry over the obscenity that Ford spouted a day earlier while denying that he pressured a female employee for oral sex. The mayor said on live television that he was “happily married” and used crude language to say he enjoys enough oral sex at home.

“If it wasn’t for that stupid comment he made yesterday no one would have thought this (the council’s action) was appropriate,” Morris told The Associated Press. “It was a turning point for public sympathy. That type of remark is never every appropriate in public. There’s no doubt about it, he’s going to have to do a lot of leg work to gain back public confidence in him.”

Morris said the “media have been attacking him like jackals” and Ford “lost it.”

Ford announced Thursday that he was seeking help form a team of medical professionals, though he declined to provide details. Although the mayor has admitted to excessive drinking and using and buying illegal drugs, he and his family have insisted he is not an addict and does not need rehab.

But even Morris said the recently released court documents corroborate the fact that the mayor has a problem with alcohol. Morris said he doesn’t understand how police allowed him to drink and drive while the mayor was under surveillance the past six months.

“The problem drug Rob has is alcohol, that’s obvious,” Morris told The AP. “What I found very strange is that the police allowed a lot of this to go on under their supervision. If he was drinking and driving and he was impaired they should have stopped him.”

Ford’s troubles began escalating in May when news reports of the crack video surfaced. After months of evading the question, the mayor admitted to having smoked crack when Toronto police announced they had obtained the video. Police have said the video does not amount to enough evidence to charge the mayor and it has not been released because it is evidence before the court.

Revelations have rapidly surfaced of other startling behavior, including a video showing the mayor threatening to kill someone in an incoherent rant.

It has been a stunning decline for the 44-year-old mayor who was elected three years ago with fervent support from Toronto’s conservative-leaning outer suburbs, where many voters felt angry about they considered wasteful spending and elitist politics at City Hall.

John Filion, the councilor who introduced Friday’s motion, has said the goal is to prevent Ford from firing executive committee members who speak out against him. A motion to be considered Monday, already signed by 28 of the 44 council members, will take away his budget and appoint the deputy mayor as head of the executive committee.

Earlier this week, the council voted overwhelmingly to ask Ford to take a leave of absence, but the motion was non-binding. – AP

EU wants to stop S. African citrus imports

citrusThe European Union (EU) is preparing a ban on South African citrus imports that could take orange juice off Europe’s breakfast tables next summer and sour efforts in Brussels to broaden trade with Africa’s biggest economy.

The move follows the interception of 35 citrus shipments this year from Europe’s chief summer supplier that were contaminated with the fungal black spot disease, which growers in southern Europe fear could take hold in their citrus groves.

In response, the European Commission, the EU executive, was drawing up plans for a ban that could be adopted by European governments by the end of November, said a person with knowledge of the plan who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another person close to the matter said EU trade chief Karel de Gucht told South African officials during a visit to Johannesburg this week that the contaminated shipments were “serious and problematic”, and that a response was needed.

South Africa exports about 600,000 tonnes of citrus fruit — mainly oranges, lemons, limes and tangerines — to the EU each year worth about €1bn. It is the main source of orange juice drunk by consumers in Britain, Germany and France during the European summer months.

The dispute comes at a sensitive time because the EU is seeking South Africa’s support to unlock stalled trade deals with sub-Saharan Africa.

During negotiations in South Africa this week, EU officials offered to improve the terms of a bilateral free-trade deal dating from 1999 by granting South African sugar farmers duty-free access to Europe for the first time.

For now the planned citrus ban would be largely symbolic, as it would only apply to this year’s South African citrus harvest, which ended in October, meaning EU imports have already stopped.

But the bloc’s food safety watchdog is analysing the situation and if its studies show the disease has a risk of taking hold in Europe’s estimated 500,000ha of citrus groves, the EU could extend the ban.

Citrus Growers Association CEO Justin Chadwick warned the commission against a ban.

“Global experts have confirmed that citrus black spot is not a risk, so a ban would seem unnecessary,” he said.

Spanish pressure

Citrus black spot is harmless to humans, but causes unsightly lesions on the fruit and leaves of affected plants, reducing both harvest quality and quantity. There is no known cure but fungicides can be used to control the spread of the disease.

It is found in many citrus-growing regions in the southern hemisphere as well as China and the US, but has never established itself in Europe.

Since 2011, the number of citrus shipments from South Africa found to contain black spot has averaged about 35 each year.

Following calls by citrus growers in top EU producer Spain to take a tougher stance on the issue, the commission said it would be forced to take action if more than five contaminated shipments were intercepted from the country this year.

“Every day, South Africa displays its inability to control the pests in its crop,” Spanish farming association AVA-ASAJA said. “Political interests prevail over the risk that such imports pose to the future of Europe’s citrus farms.”

In its draft scientific opinion published in July, the European Food Safety Authority said the chance of citrus black spot taking hold in Europe was “moderately likely”. But it said there was a high level of uncertainty due to a lack of knowledge over how the disease would respond to the EU climate.

The European Food Safety Authority is due to finalise its assessment by the end of the year and its findings will largely determine what further moves, if any, the commission will take to restrict South African imports.

But a group of citrus black spot experts from countries affected by the disease said it had identified “factual errors and omissions” in the European Food Safety Authority’s draft assessment and there was no recorded case of the disease ever having spread via fruit exports. – Reuters

Microsoft opens new cybercrime center

cyber-crime-500Microsoft said Thursday it has opened a new cybercrime center, using its resources to combat malware, intellectual property theft, child exploitation and other ills in cyberspace.

“The Microsoft Cybercrime Center is where our experts come together with customers and partners to focus on one thing: keeping people safe online,” said David Finn of the Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit.

“By combining sophisticated tools and technology with the right skills and new perspectives, we can make the Internet safer for everyone.”

The center on Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, uses technology to visualize and identify online organized crime networks, child pornography, online fraud and other crimes.

It also has a secure location for third-party partners, including from academia and law enforcement. – AFP

Africa forces UN vote over ICC trial for Kenyan president

Uhuru Kenyatta
Uhuru Kenyatta

African nations will Friday launch one of the biggest challenges yet to the International Criminal Court by forcing a UN Security Council vote on suspending the trial of Kenya’s president.

A resolution seeking to defer crimes against humanity charges against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice President William Ruto for one year is almost certain to fail through lack of support.

But diplomats and justice experts say the action risks heightening tensions between the ICC and Africa.

The two leaders are accused of masterminding unrest after a 2007 presidential election in 2007 in which at least 1,100 people died. Kenyatta and Ruto took office after an election this year.

Ruto’s trial has started, while that of Kenyatta gets underway February 5 after being delayed three times.

Both have so far cooperated with the ICC. But Kenya has made two written requests to the council to suspend or halt the cases.

Scores of Kenyan victims of the violence have also withdrawn from the ICC case because of what diplomats and experts call “intimidation.”

The resolution to be voted Friday is the most serious bid yet to suspend proceedings.

The Security Council can ask for an ICC case to be deferred for a year under Article 16 of the court’s founding Rome Statute if a trial is considered a threat to international peace.

The resolution has been pressed by Rwanda, a temporary Security Council member, but not an ICC signatory, with strong backing by Ethiopia, another ICC opponent.

It would need at least nine votes on the 15 member council to pass. But with the council’s seven ICC signatories and the United States against them, the resolution has no chance, diplomats said.

The draft resolution says the court case is “distracting and preventing” Kenyatta and Ruto from their duties.

It takes up African Union complaints that the two should be left to handle Kenya’s role in battling Islamist militants in Somalia and the aftermath of September’s Westgate mall attack in Nairobi which left 67 dead.

But western diplomats and activists see a largely political campaign to halt the proceedings and more generally by countries opposed to the ICC to discredit the court.

African leaders frequently complain that the ICC discriminates against their continent.

All eight cases being investigated by the ICC concern Africa. But nearly all were called by the countries involved and Africa’s 34 members make up a key chunk of the court’s 122 signatories.

“The Africans have now reached a stage where they are talking about this is as a test of whether you are in favour of Africa or against Africa,” said one UN diplomat who has taken part in the often highly emotive talks on the resolution.

This was “deeply resented” by countries who oppose the resolution, added the diplomat, who highlighted how the Security Council voted this week to increase an African force in Somalia which is almost entirely paid for by the European Union.

“This is turning into the biggest challenge to the court since it was set up,” added a second council diplomat.

“Undoubtedly, the pressure exerted by Kenya, by Rwanda, by Ethiopia increases strain on the court as it tries to strengthen its impact,” commented Richard Dicker, justice specialist with the Human Rights Watch group.

He said part of the motivation for the vote was to “ratchet up pressure” ahead of an assembly of the Rome Statute member countries in The Hague starting next Wednesday.

The assembly is to discuss possible measures such as allowing defendants to take part by video-conference and to give courts’ extra leeway to allow absences, which could help Kenyatta and Ruto.

Some African leaders have agitated for an African withdrawal from the ICC.

“I don’t think this would lead to a mass walkout, but if this vote goes ahead the atmosphere will be so bad at the assembly it is going to make it so much more difficult to reach agreement on things that could make a difference,” said the UN diplomat.

“And it would increase the likelihood that Kenyatta will not cooperate with the court,” the official added. – AFP

Murdered teen’s mom collapses

Murder_titleThe mother of pregnant teenager Zanele Khumalo, who was strangled in her bed, collapsed in the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday .

This happened shortly before her daughter’s former boyfriend was convicted of murder and rape.

Busi Khumalo wailed hysterically and had to be helped out of court after collapsing during Acting Judge Johan Kruger’s judgment.

Kruger found the father of Zanele Khumalo’s unborn child, 26-year-old Thato Kutumela, guilty of murdering and raping her at her parents’ home in Garsfontein on April 21, 2011.

Kutumela was also found guilty of stealing his former girlfriend’s nightclothes and underwear to hide the fact that he had raped her.

He did not testify, but claimed in his plea explanation that they had consensual sex that morning and that she was alive and well when he left.

He initially claimed in the magistrate’s court that he was at work all day.

Khumalo’s naked body was discovered under a blanket on her bed when her parents arrived home from work.

They rushed her to hospital, but she had already been dead for about six hours by then.

A pathologist testified that the 18-year-old girl’s heart had stopped because of intense pressure to her neck. She was five months pregnant at the time of her death.

Kruger said the couple had a turbulent relationship, which included Khumalo suffering a wound on the back of her head and her father barring Kutumela from their house after he apparently assaulted her and took her cellphone.

They had exchanged several long phone calls in the early hours of the morning before her death and she thereafter refused to answer three further calls from Kutumela.

It was clear from the evidence that Khumalo went to her house to finish “unfinished business” that morning, but that she refused to open the gate for him.

Several witnesses saw Kutumela at Khumalo’s house that day and a neighbour saw him slipping into the kitchen while she was talking to Khumalo.

Kruger said Kutumela had not been invited to the house that morning, but had clearly planned his trip, even phoning a colleague to say that he would be late.

He had tried to cover his tracks by wearing a blue work suit similar to those worn by workers at the complex and falsifying the time of his arrival at work no less than three times.

He also erased all signs of telephone conversations from Khumalo’s cellphone and later claimed he was not there at all.

He entered the complex with an empty looking backpack, but left with it bulging.

Kruger found that no other person than Kutumela had been at Khumalo’s house that day and that the only reasonable inference was that he had murdered her, taking her nightclothes with him, which must have shown signs that he had raped her.

He had viciously grabbed Khumalo by the throat and throttled her so that she lost consciousness and offered no resistance when he raped her.

“The scenario is one of a vicious and cold-blooded attack on the deceased, leaving no doubt that he had forced himself on her, raped her and viciously throttled her.

“His is not the conduct of an innocent man visiting his lover.

“From the very outset he attempted to move incognito and cover his tracks.

“His conduct was cunning and designed to mislead. It bears the signs of a planned mission with the intent to kill,” Kruger said.

The judge ordered that Kutumela remain in custody until Thursday, when his advocate will oppose the State’s request to withdraw his bail.

Khumalo’s father, Themba Khumalo, who is the chief of media liaison at the water affairs department, told reporters he was relieved that the pain and uncertainty of two-and-a-half years had come to an end.

“We prayed every evening for a conviction. The verdict puts us at the end of a very dark period.

“We know Zanele is no longer feeling the pain she felt that night and that she’s at peace with herself.

“She visits us in our dreams to say that she is at peace.

“I feel pity for his [Kutumela’s] family because when our children are punished, we feel it.

“It’s a case of a man brought up in a proper family, but losing his way,” he said.

He warned teenagers to be careful when they chose who to love, and to do research and more research to establish their boyfriends’ backgrounds.

Zanele Khumalo’s sisters Lindi and Confidence said the court’s ruling gave them closure about their fun-loving sister’s death.

Lindi said she hoped Kutumela would be “gone forever” and get life imprisonment. Confidence said she had always known in her heart Kutumela was guilty.

“Even though he’s in jail his family still have him. My sister would have turned 21 last Sunday and it was sad to have to celebrate her coming of age without her,” she said. – Sapa

Australian officers used army computers for home porn videos

Australian_Defence_ForceThe Australian military has sacked six male officers over their role in the so-called “Jedi Council”, a group which allegedly produced and shared videos of themselves having sex with women.

The Australian Defence Force said six officers and non-commissioned officers had been fired over the production or distribution of “highly inappropriate material demeaning women” on defence computers and the Internet.

“The standard of behaviour we expect of our serving members is clear,” chief of army Lieutenant-General David Morrison said in a statement received Friday.

“It is also clear that if you engage in misconduct, or you fail to uphold the army’s standards, then you will be held to account.”

Reports in June said the officers had allegedly filmed themselves having sex with women, including colleagues and civilians, and distributed the images to military personnel around the country without the women’s knowledge.

The revelations, which followed a government report detailing more than 1,000 claims of sexual or other abuse in the forces from the 1950s to the present day, prompted Morrison to tell troops to respect women or quit the military.

“I will be ruthless in ridding the army of people who cannot live up to its values,” he said at the time.

The six men sacked ranged in rank from sergeant to major and three of them have been investigated by New South Wales police. A further seven also face termination while four are subject to administrative sanctions.

Disciplinary and/or administrative action was also being considered against a further 172 people, predominately army personnel, who were identified as peripheral to the group’s email exchanges, defence said.

Morrison said a total of 122 regular army and reservists had had their service terminated so far this year due to serious misconduct or unacceptable behaviour, taking drugs and civilian offences.

The Australian Defence Force has been hit by a series of sex scandals, including the 2011 Skype incident in which a young male recruit had sex with a female classmate and streamed the encounter online to cadets in another room without her knowledge.

Last week the male cadet officer at the centre of that incident was kicked out of the army following his conviction in court. – AFP