Islamic State claims responsibility for Baghdad mall attack that killed 18

Baghdad: The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Baghdad mall attack that killed 18 people on Monday. Gunmen stormed into the Jawhara Mall after setting off a car bomb and launching a suicide attack at its entrance.

Iraqi officials say the attack which lasted over an hour, killed at least 18 people and wounded 50 in the city's mainly Shiite east.

The IS statement, posted online shortly after the attack, said a car bomb and four IS fighters carried out the attack, targeting an area where many Shiite Muslims are known to gather and warned of "worse" to come. Iraqi officials say the attack was carried out by seven men, one of whom died when he detonated his explosive vest at the start of the attack. The conflicting accounts could not immediately be reconciled.

Iraqi officials initially described the attack as a hostage situation, estimating that 50 people were trapped inside the complex. But Iraqi forces soon surrounded the building and landed troops on the roof. They clashed with the attackers inside, killing two of them, and arresting the other four.

At least four police officers were among those killed in the assault, which lasted around an hour and a half, according to police and medical officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Following the attack, authorities shut down the city's highly fortified Green Zone, home to a number of foreign embassies and most of the country's political elite. A number of major roads, shopping malls and bridges around the Iraqi capital were also closed for fear of follow-up attacks.

Also on Monday evening, a car bomb in southeast Baghdad in a crowded market area killed five and wounded 12, according to hospital and police officials.

Another deadly attack was carried out in the town of Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles (90 kilometers) north of Baghdad in Diyala province. A double suicide bombing at a cafe killed 24 and wounded 52, according to hospital and police officials. Police officials say the cafe was frequented by militia fighters under the government-sanctioned Popular Mobilization Forces and many fighters are among the dead.

The Islamic State group suffered a major defeat last month when Iraqi forces drove the extremists out of the western city of Ramadi, capital of the sprawling Anbar province. The group still controls much of northern and western Iraq.

The IS rampage across Iraq in the summer of 2014 was halted several miles away from Baghdad, but the group has claimed a number of attacks in the heavily guarded capital since then.

AP

Read More »

Facebook Free Basics: Regulatory principles versus Ideology

 

Should Facebook’s Free Basics initiative be stopped immediately? A response to this question cannot depend on claims, either of its promoter – Facebook – or its critics. And, the issue is not whether Facebook’s goal is to expand internet access to the poor or to further its business. It is whether there is any evidence that Free Basics violates any existing rule, harms consumers or other players in the market. An economic regulator, such as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will need to settle this, using data and well established tests, not petitions that support or oppose Free Basics.

Yet, several liberals, and even lawyers, want TRAI to do just this. They have pre-judged Free Basics and want it banned simply on suspicion of possible future mischief. They offer no evidence of harm to users or market-players – in India or in any other country where Free Basics is on offer.

However, critics’ misgivings and allegations deserve a response.

It is alleged that Facebook’s initiative will split the internet since Free Basics users will have little reason to explore beyond the few Facebook controlled free content. There are several reasons why this is far-fetched. The content on Free Basics is simply too small and unrepresentative. Free Basics – even if it expands 10 times – would be a negligible part of roughly billion websites on the Internet. Further, Free Basics offers no video, which is around 60 percent of internet traffic today, and expected to rise to over 80 percent in about 3 years. (Its technical guidelines explicitly discourage “high overhead” content that consumes too much bandwidth and may not work on low cost handsets.) To suggest that users will be satisfied with “unpopular” or “vanilla” internet content simply because it is free, is absurd. More so, since the other content, even if it is priced, is a proverbial click away.

Critics suggest that the partnering mobile operator gets to play a monopoly or “gatekeeper” role by making it impossible or expensive to access content not included in the Free Basics package. This too defies reason when applied to India’s telecom markets, where there is more competition than almost any country. While data speeds are admittedly, low in India, there are multiple ways to access the web – through private and government owned fixed and mobile operators, cable operators and other standalone ISPs. As for content on Free Basics, it is available with or without subscription to it. Far from being a restrictive gatekeeper, the operator offering Free Basics is one of the many doors to the internet. Any player with delusions of being a gatekeeper, risks losing business.

Some critics find it difficult to accept that the mobile operator offering Free Basics receives no money to do it. According to them, such an operator would have no commercial incentive to offer free services. They ignore that given the relatively small size of data markets,the operator, especially one without sufficient revenues from data services may see it differently. It might see Free Basics as a way, eventually, to bring its subscribers to popular content, for which data charges do apply.

It is suggested that Free Basics violates the concept of net neutrality which requires all players to treat all content at par. One can look at this in several ways. For a start, India currently has no such rule or legislation. Secondly, a country like US, which does have such a provision, still does not see free access to selected websites (“zero rating”) as necessarily a violation.

A separate issue is the relevance to India of an inflexible net neutrality legislation. Less than 20 countries have it. Several developed and developing countries, including India, currently permit some differential pricing for web content and have not incurred noticeable damage. Also, virtually no country has an internet market like India’s. Almost all have extensive fixed line networks and little competition for access. India relies predominantly on wireless and is therefore constrained for network capacity. And, it has abysmally low (20 percent) level of internet penetration. The critics have offered no serious evidence that consumers in countries with net neutrality regulation are doing better or that those without it, are doing worse. Therefore, even if Net Neutrality – no blocking, no throttling or paid prioritisation of internet traffic – is a sound principle the case for copycat rules is hardly clear cut.

Several critics have raised concerns related to privacy and security. It would be naïve to dispute the importance of these issues. However, they are generic to almost all popular internet content, cloud services, mobile apps, etc.

Several critics feel Free Basics is unlikely to work in expanding internet access to the poor. They believe offering a free data package without restrictions is a better idea. They may well turn out to be right and Facebook wrong. However, this is hardly reason for a market regulator to bar any alternate approach.

This is not to suggest that mischief by market players is an impossibility or that consumers may never be at risk in future. TRAI cannot afford to ignore market developments. However, TRAI’s responsibility is not to pick winners- or ease out players on suspicion! – but to protect consumers by ensuring that markets work effectively. It is obliged to act proportionately after determining the nature, size and likelihood of possible harm to consumers or markets.

Stopping Free Basics, without any data or subsequent analysis, is simply bad regulation.

Mahesh Uppal is consultant specialising in regulatory aspects of telecom and internet markets and has advised diverse players in the sector. He can be reached on mahesh.uppal@gmail.com

Read More »

Tanzania: Demolition Now Limited to Msimbazi Valley, Says Govt

 The government said yesterday it has reviewed the countrywide demolition exercise to avert a humanitarian crisis and excessive economic loss to residents and businessmen.

A statement released by the Vice-President's Office said the government has also rescinded its decision for a Dar es Salaam citywide demolition and instead limit the exercise to the Msimbazi valley.

Throughout this week, officials from the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) went around the city marking houses for demolition. On Thursday, 885 houses were marked in Pugu, Ukonga and Gongo la Mboto in the Ilala district.

"The demolition exercise will continue in the Msimbazi valley in a manner that will not cause much disturbance and harm to residents," the statement reads in part, adding: "And we have decided to limit this phase of the demolition to the Msimbazi valley only." This time around, the statement added, those having valid title deeds which they obtained from relevant authorities will only have their houses demolished after being offered alternative settlement.

Last week, some 600 Msimbazi valley residents rushed to court where they successfully got a court injunction to stop demolition pending the determination of the main case.

In the main application, the residents said they have been living in the area for more than 60 years, possessed valid residential permits and have been paying property taxes. They wanted the court to determine that they be given enough time to relocate and be offered compensation for the demolition of their property.

The government said in its statement yesterday it will respect court injunctions but will seek speedy court processes so as to continue with the demolition exercise.

"And civil servants who issued them those documents will be traced and taken to task for allowing people to build in areas that are not fit for human settlement," it added.

The demolition of houses built on open spaces and river valleys, which started late last year, met with severe criticism and complaints from various stakeholders, especially after it emerged that there were no plans to relocate the victims.

Sights of elderly persons and mothers cuddling their little children stranded in the rubble and surrounded by open sewers shocked many people and led to calls for a review of the process to avert a humanitarian crisis.

The victims also complained that the demolition affected even house owners who had proper and valid title deeds.

In the unsigned statement, the government said it would offer assistance to the victims who would be found to be stuck in the squalid conditions with nowhere to go.

Officials carrying out the demolition exercise who contravene the law and procedures will be immediately taken to task, the statement added.

"Houses and other buildings that were constructed well before the enactment of the laws being enforced now will be spared, except when they are located in areas unfit for human settlement.

Likewise hotels located too close to the ocean in the Masaki area will not be demolished but owners will be advised on how to protect the environment to prevent further environmental degradation and avoid natural disasters for their clients," the statement said.

Stakeholders' reaction

Various stakeholders were quick to react to the new government's move yesterday. Ali Mufuruki, a prominent businessman, commended the change of policy, saying it addressed most of the criticism, suggestions and complaints levelled against it by stakeholders and the victims. However, his concern is that the requirement that all property built within 60 metres from the beachfront should be demolished will adversely affect a lot more people while other mitigation measures could be taken to avert environmental problems.

As far as the ongoing demolition in river valleys is concerned, he said the government should use its experts to design better ways to fight floods, including cleaning the river valleys, building levees along the river banks, deepening the existing waterways and constructing new ones to ensure that the flow of water is controlled.

"We should be smart this time. We should use our experts and let them come up with plans that will ensure that water flow in the city is controlled," he said.

Yefred Myenzi, director of HakiArdhi also said he supported the government's review of the exercise but it was supposed to be done with a human face.

He wondered why the same policy had not been used before the exercise started. "This shows there weren't adequate preparations before the exercise," he noted.

"The government was supposed to form a team of experts from the beginning, who would have conducted a comprehensive analysis and advise the government on the real situation on the ground and how to approach the issue," he said.

He charged that the government's statement is counterproductive and waters down the message it has been so strongly sending from the beginning that the new administration is keen on enforcing the law, he noted, adding that the decision to spare the Masakai hotels that are situated within 60 metres is indicative of selective justice.

To avert further socio-economic losses, the government must issue a schedule that will enable people living in demolition-designated areas time to relocate, he noted.

Read More »

Tanzania forest project runs into trouble

SQUABBLES: The project is aimed to promote good governance and improved accountability in the forestry sector in Tanzania, REDD is the source of the entire dispute and we are not ready to give our land to Kisongwe come what may,” he vowed.

KILOSA, MOROGORO -  Reducing emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) that is being implemented in Kisongwe village, Kilosa district boundary (over 500km from Dar es Salaam) has caused dispute with their neighbouring village of Rudewa-Batini, after the former claimed to have invaded the latter’s location in a bid to expand  its project. 
The dispute is said to have started some 10 years ago, but became more serious after the REDD project prospered in Kisongwe.
The project is aimed to promote good governance and improved accountability in the forestry sector in Tanzania. The initiative is a partnership between the Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania, known as MJUMITA and the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group.
Speaking to a team of experts and journalists who visited the two villages under MJUMITA Rudewa - Batini Village Executive Officer (VEO) Juma Mfaume Mdangu said they were surprised when they saw Kisongwe villagers surveying a portion of land at the boarder claiming it was theirs only for the purpose of expanding their REDD project.
“They requested our people to vacate the area and that it was part of their village as they had been given by the Division Secretary (of whom he didn’t mention his name),” he told the team.
He said the Rudewa-Batini residents refused after noticing that even the people from Kisongwe didn’t know the exact boundary between their village and Rudewa-Batini village.
“We are aware that their boundary is located at Msele Mountain. There is a signboard there pasted in a tree indicating where our village ends and theirs commences,” he said.
The VEO said they advised them (Kisongwe) leaders to provide maps that indicate the boundary and /or come with elders who will help identify the old boundaries of the two villages, but all in vain.
“We reported the matter to the Division Secretary but he told us blankly that what he had decided was final,” he said.
Adding “We are aware that all this is because we think these leaders have stake in the REDD project. REDD is the source of the entire dispute and we are not ready to give our land to Kisongwe come what may,” he vowed.
 Rudewa –Batini councilor Subira Joseph Mwanamsisi claimed that they were not involved when the district government was surveying land for Kisongwe’s project to improve forest governance and local livelihoods.
“It was only done on one side while we are neighbours. We have our village map and we have the elders who know well our boundaries and we are aware that Kizunguti River is part of our land,” he said.
He emphasized that Kisongwe border is located at Msele Mountain, though the Division secretary dictates that the boundary must be at the river. “We are not ready for that,” he said.
The Rudewa-Batini village Chairman Omary Mohammed Maboga noted that they refused to follow the government directive for allowing their boundary to be deterred forcibly. “All administration matters, including all elections, census etc are done within our location why today our people and land be shifted to Kisongwe,”? he queried.
He pointed an accusing finger and threw all the blames to the district authorities for allowing the REDD project at the expense Rudewa-Batini residents while benefiting only Kisongwe residents.
Speaking to Kisongwe forests committee and village leadership, MJUMITA Eastern Zone Coordinator, for Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Coast region Fatma Kitine said the boundary dispute between the two villages had lasted long and greatly hampered the forestry projects.
 “These problems concern forest conservation hence Kisongwe village leaders have done their best but in vain. They have held meetings, met district leaders and their neighbours but nothing has been achieved,” she said.
The Coordinator said the solution has failed because leaders from Rudewa-Batini have refused to collaborate and they continue living inside Kilungula forest reserve thinking they had the right to do so.
Thomas Chiduo a Kisongwe elder and former village chairman said although the dispute started in 1998/1999, things became worse in 2012 when the REDD project started bearing fruits. “When the project became a success, Rudewa residents invaded the forest reserve claiming it was theirs and that is when they started cultivating, cutting down trees, harvesting timber and carrying out other activities,” he explained.
He said worse was when the Rudewa-Batini residents decided to pull out beacons located as boundaries between Kisongwe and Rudewa - Batini villages.
The Kilosa District Forest Officer Sebastian Malisa said the dispute was a serious one that needed the support of top district officials and advised both parties to send the matter to the district commissioner for further action.

Read More »

How famine affects children in Dodoma

Dr Vincent Assey, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

 As food shortage ravages Dodoma Region, children are the most hit as at least four percent of patients admitted in hospitals are children with malnutrition complications, it has been revealed.

 

Acting Regional Medical Officer (RMO), Dr Mzee Nassoro, told The Guardian this week that malnutrition was one of the challenges for healthy growth in children in the region.

 

He said the situation was attributable to the serious shortage of food that has struck almost all the districts of the district.

 

Some districts in the region have reported food shortage following poor harvest in the last season, forcing people to resort to eating wild fruits and vegetables.

 

Speaking with this paper during an interview in his office, the RMO said Dodoma remained the leading region in micronutrient deficiency in the country.

 

He said the rate of deficiency was quite alarming, calling on parents in the region to use fortified foods in order to reverse the trend. 

“Most people are unaware of the benefits of fortified flour, which is the easiest way to control malnutrition,” he said.

 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the stunting prevalence in the region was 56 percent, with an estimated number of stunted children under five years old at 30 per cent. Maternal under malnutrition and underweight rates were also extremely high, at 24.5 per cent and 26.8 per cent, respectively.

 

The acting RMO made the remarks a few weeks after the first annual Dodoma Fortification Advocacy Meeting hosted by SANKU, a company focused on the fortification of grain flour, such as wheat and maize, using small-scale technology.

 

Speaking during the meeting on behalf of the Dodoma Regional Commissioner (RC), Chiku Gallawa, Regional Nutrition Officer Mary Bonaventure noted that poor nutrition was one of the biggest obstacles to Tanzania’s development.

She said according to the Tanzania Demographic Health Survey (TDHS) 2012, micronutrient deficiency was high among women of child-bearing age, with 40 per cent anaemic, 36 per cent iodine deficient, 30 per cent iron deficient and 37 per cent vitamin A deficient.

 

“Chronic under-nutrition affects 45 per cent of all rural children in Tanzania, and it is highly prevalent in the region of Dodoma,” she said.

The regional nutrition expert added that wasting indicated a recent and severe process that had led to significant weight loss, usually as a consequence of acute starvation or severe disease. 

 

According to her, wasting, which represented recent failure to receive adequate nutrition, was over 5.2 per cent in the region.

 

However, Dr Vincent Assey, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, revealed that Tanzania lost Sh 800 billion in revenue every year owing to malnutrition cases.

 

“Globally, over two billion people are affected by malnutrition and food fortification is the most effective way to prevent malnutrition” he said.

He said despite the government efforts to promote the importance of nutrition advocacy, still exists a major issue of lack of consumer demand for fortified maize flour at district level, making it a challenge for millers to comply with the government’s mandate of fortification.

 

“Not only are consumers unaware of the benefits of fortified flour, but there also seem to be limited knowledge of the government mandate among its officials at the regional and district levels.” he added.

 

Celestine Mgobe from Tanzania Food Nutrition Centre observed that 2.7 per cent of the national GDP was lost annually through malnutrition, with Dodoma and Lindi leading other regions in malnutrition rates

-The Guardian

Read More »

Attacking AU forces in Burundi a mistake, says Uganda

The minister of Defence, Doctor Crispus Kiyonga addresses journalists during a press conference about the peace talks of Burundi at Uganda Media Centre, Kampala on 8/1/2016. PHOTO BY JULIET KASIRYE

Uganda, the chief mediator in the Burundi talks, has said the president of the East African nation, Pierr Nkurunziza, would be committing a grave mistake by attacking the African Union (AU) peacekeepers.

Burundi has been ensnared in a political crisis in which close to 400 people have died and about 300,000 forced to flee into neigbouring countries in the East African region.

The violence erupted after Nkurunziza launched his bid to stand for another term in office after completing the constitutional two five year terms. He won the controversial election with a resounding victory in July, triggering further violence that has concentrated in Bujumbura and its suburbs.

The 54-member AU gave Burundi a four-day deadline on December 17 to accept a 5,000-strong force to halt months of violence. However, Nkurunziza on December 30 threatened to fight the proposed AU peacekeepers if they set foot on Burundian soil, defying intense global pressure to accept the force.

“Shooting at the African Union peacekeepers would be a big mistake. We are all members of AU and we are bound by its resolutions. If one is not satisfied with AU’s decision, they can challenge it through proper channels like through the AU summit,” Uganda’s defense minister, Crispus Kiyonga on Friday.

Read More »

Adelaide Strikers go top with convincing win

Mahela Jayawardene scored a breezy half-century. © Getty

Brisbane Heat's slim chances of making the semi-finals vanished in front of a record Gabba crowd as they lost by eight wickets to a near-perfect Adelaide Strikers on Friday (January 8). Strikers moved to the top of the table by making short work of their target of 176, with each of their top three contributing breezy half centuries.

Man of the match Mahela Jayawardena's silky strokes and deft touches were on display as he raced on to 20 from eight balls with a couple of sixes and a four in the second over. He pulled a muscle shortly after that early blitz and received some treatment, but that hardly slowed him down. The Sri Lankan brought up his second successive half-century in the 10th over before he was trapped in front of the stumps by Samuel Badree.

Travis Head, who walked out next, raced to a 25-ball 50 before getting out in the 17th over. The in-form left-hander smashed four sixes and a four in his whirlwind knock. Opener Tim Ludeman remained unbeaten until the end on 57 with five boundaries.

Asked to bat first, Brisbane Heat lost their overseas star Lendl Simmons in the second over. That brought the tournament's leading run-getter Chris Lynn out to the middle and it took him just five balls to score his first boundary which was followed by two more. Adil Rashid, who has been in tremendous form this season, removed Lynn in his very first over for 34. Opener Jimmy Peirson carried on to register a 36-ball 51 that included three hits over the fence.

From there on, Nathan Reardon's unbeaten 40 and James Hopes' little cameo carried the Heat to 175. Rashid ended up with figures of 2 for 17 off his four overs.

The bottom-placed Heat will now come up against the Sydney Sixers who are just one spot above them. Strikers, on the other hand, will host the Hobart Hurricanes in their next game.

Brief scores: Brisbane Heat 175 for 6 (Jimmy Peirson 51, Nathan Reardon 40*, Adil Rashid 2-17, Travis Head 1-12) lost to Adelaide Strikers 179 for 2 (Tim Ludeman 57*, Jayawardene 53, Samuel Badree 1-25) by 8 wickets.

Read More »