Westmeath Senior hurler Conor Shaw is hosting a series of workouts on St Stephen’s Day in aid of Tanzanian Heavenly Homes.
The personal trainer is calling for everyone and anyone to attend at Brownstown Community Centre on December 26 and take part.
Mr Shaw said he decided to do the fundraiser in advance of a trip to the African country next summer.
“Me and my girlfriend Aoife have been thinking about going to Tanzania for a while as we’ve heard all about the great work that John [McCauley] has been doing there,” he said.
“He places an emphasis on the people and spends a lot of time working with the children in orphanages and stuff like that and I come from a teaching background.
“I’m also looking to get some perspective on life and appreciate the things we have at home more.”
Mr Shaw said the money raised through the workouts will all go to the people of Tanzania.
“We’re going to do workouts on December 26 and there will be a bucket at the door for donations,” he said.
“I know there’s lots on around the Christmas, but we’re doing it nice and early in the morning so hopefully we can get a good turnout for a good cause.
“Even if you donate €1 or €2, I really don’t care, I’m just hoping to get the ball rolling with fundraisers before I go over there.”
Mr Shaw said he’s “grateful for the opportunity” to go to Tanzania and is looking forward to the trip.
“The workouts should be fun too and it’s doubly beneficial in the sense that you get your exercise in over Christmas and give money to something worthwhile,” he said.
The time slots available are 8.30am, 9.15am and 10am and they can be booked by calling Conor Shaw on 0857279426. Westmeath Examiner
In the 2023 report to the US Congress, the US-China Economic and Review Commission claims that the majority of the African countries, including Kenya, fall victim to China's demands owing to the challenges of servicing the debt.
Some of the demands issued to Kenya include the deportation of 45 Taiwan nationals to face charges in a telecom scam involving Chinese nationals.
"In one high-profile case, Kenya, one of the highest recipients of BRI investment in Africa, agreed to extradite to mainland China 45 Taiwan citizens implicated in a telecom equipment scam that targeted Chinese nationals, despite protests from Taiwan."
The US noted that following the deportation, Kenya received a Ksh768 billion loan from China to open a railway from the Mombasa port to Naivasha.
"Kenya continues to deepen its economic relations with China. The year following the deportations, Kenya opened a major railway from the port of Mombasa to the city of Naivasha, financed by a Ksh768 billion ($5 billion) loan from a Chinese bank, and as of 2022, China serves as Kenya’s largest external creditor, at 22 per cent of its external debt," read part of the report.
"Amid Kenya’s deepening reliance on Chinese financing, in 2023 Kenya’s Cabinet endorsed a formal extradition treaty with China that appears to encompass Taiwan citizens, as well, if ratified by the National Assembly."
The aim, according to the report, is to expand the One-China policy.
The One-China policy is the principle held by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that states there is one sovereign state under the name of China, which involves the inclusion of Taiwan as part of China.
President Joe Biden-led administration accused China of using programs such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to achieve the policy.
Launched in 2013, the BRI project aims to strengthen China's connectivity with the world by changing Africa's infrastructure. Currently, over 155 countries have signed up for the project, signalling over 75 per cent of the world's population.
"After a decade of predatory lending through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), nearly 60 per cent of China’s loan holders were in financial distress in 2022, up from just 5 per cent in 2010. Beijing has resisted global appeals to address these debt challenges, instead seeking to leverage these troubles and international events to expand the use and reach of the Chinese currency." By Brian Kimani, Kenyans.co.ke
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç has announced that the Somali president's son Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was involved in the accident that led to the death of motorcyclist Yunus Emre Göçer, will be brought to Türkiye.
Haberin Devamı
"We have met with the Somali judicial authorities, and in the coming days, the accused will come to Türkiye and participate in the trial process. We will not allow any of our citizens to lose their rights against a foreigner in this way," Tunç said.
"Especially in recent days, there are some criticisms on this issue on social media. This issue is being used against us. We will follow the case until the end. In this context, I personally met with the justice minister of Somali,” he added.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in an interview with The Associated Press that his 40-year-old son, who is a doctor, stayed at the scene of the crash and remained in Istanbul for several days afterward.
“It was an accident. He did not run away, and he hired a lawyer for this purpose and there was no arrest warrant. He has a business and he came out of the country,” he said.
Göçer, a 38-year-old, died in a hospital on Dec. 6, six days after he was hit by a car driven by the president’s son on a busy highway in Istanbul.
Turkish authorities ordered the president's son arrested and barred him from traveling abroad following the motorcyclist’s death, but reports said the younger Mohamud had already left Türkiye by the time the warrant was issued.
“He still is linked to the country, and I am talking to him to go back and present himself to the court. The decision is his, but I am giving that advice,” he added.
“I want to take this opportunity to send my condolences to the family, which I don’t know how to contact. We share with them the grief of their loss. We are sorry for their loss,” he said.
“Türkiye is a brotherly country. We respect the laws and the judicial system. As a president of Somalia, I will never allow anybody to violate this country’s judicial system,” he added. Daily News
BOR – The suspended secretary of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party in Jonglei State Bartholomew Biliew has accused his boss, interim chairperson Jacob Akech Dengdit, of sending security threats to his residence.
Speaking to Sudans Post on Wednesday on phone, Biliew claimed that a group of security officers allegedly sent by Dengdit, also the deputy governor of Jonglei, arrived at his home late Saturday evening, demanding keys of his car.
He said he refused, citing the officers’ unofficial hours, and questioning their motives.
“It was on Saturday evening round 8:30pm when a group of officers from CID department police HQ were sent comrade Jacob Akech deputy governor of Jonglei to my resident. They were six in the first place but subsequently their number increased to 10 people,” he said.
“Similar condition happened on 30th November when I was call to IGP office and threatened to give the car out by one of the officers’ call comrades Aleer Deng who claimed to be order by Akech.
“I asked them, why coming at night not during the daytime and why are they coming at weekend yet am not a criminal. They said we follow order from Jacob, and IGP [Inspector General of Police].
“The officers used all means to intimidate, harass and threaten me until the major whom I don’t know his name order his colleagues to forcefully search me,” he added.
Biliew said he sought safety at the house of a neighbor who he identified as James Hoth, fearing for his life, and said he will blame Dengdit for any future harm.
“My life is at risk and therefore, anything happens to me whether now or in future shall be labelled on Akech, this is for your information and public at large,” he said.
When contacted by Sudans Post, Dengdit’s camp vehemently denied Biliew’s accusations.
Acting assistant secretary for information Jacob Achiek insists there were no threats, claiming instead that Biliew was asked to return office equipment and stop signing documents as SPLM secretary while residing in Juba.
The SPLM official further accuses Biliew of fabricating the story to tarnish Dengdit’s image.
“No one threaten him, there was no any kind of threat in this regard but what we have learned from him he was told to hand over the office equipment because he is also writing some documents in Juba and signing as the secretary of the SPLM in Juba there,” Achiek said.
“Biliew was suspended by Jacob, and he is operating illegally in the hotel and when he was summoned to come to the secretariat he fails to come and then run back to juba and lobby for some nonsense talking about the chairperson of the SPLM in Jonglei state,” Achiek added.
Biliew maintains that he was not officially informed of his suspension, adding to the confusion, and fueling speculation.
The car, allegedly SPLM property, remains at the center of the dispute. - Sudans Post
Experts weigh in on President Ruto's controversial free visa policy announcement. [Standard, File]
President William Ruto’s announcement that Kenya will become a visa-free country for all visitors starting in January 2024 has sparked a debate among experts on its implications for the country’s economy, security, and regional integration.
While some praise the policy as a bold and progressive move that will boost tourism and trade, others warn of the potential risks and challenges that it may pose.
The policy, which Ruto made during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on Tuesday, December 12, is part of Kenya Kwanza’s promise to eliminate the visa requirement for travellers who want to visit Kenya.
He added that all visitors will need to obtain an electronic travel authorization instead.
“It is with great pleasure, as President of this extraordinary country, to make this historic announcement of the decision of the Government of Kenya. Beginning January 2024, Kenya will be a visa-free country,” he said.
This policy follows a similar one that Ruto announced in October, when he said that Kenya would grant visa-free entry to all Africans by the end of December 2023.
Currently, only Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin offer visa-free access to all African citizens.
Mohammed Hersi, the former chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation, praised Ruto’s no visa policy as a positive step for the country’s economy and tourism sector.
He said that many people make last-minute travel plans and do not want to deal with visa hassles.
“The policy to waive visa requirements is an incredible step in the right direction. People who wish to travel, but do not want to be bogged down by the visa bureaucracies, or those who make up their mind to travel at the last minute, will take advantage of it,” he said.
Hersi also said that this policy will attract more businesses to Kenya because of the ease of movement.
“Obviously, with these aspects, this policy is bound to mean well for job creation, enhanced revenue and foreign exchange,” he added.
However, Prof. Noah Midamba, a Senior Associate with the Global Centre for Policy and Strategy, expressed some reservations about the policy.
He said that it is the right move, but it does not help when other East African countries are not on board.
“They will take advantage of Kenya. People will be pouring into the country from DRC Congo, from Tanzania and elsewhere. And then when Kenyans go to Tanzania, they block you,” he said.
Midamba pointed out that intra-African trade is very low compared to other regions, because of the lack of integration.
“We have a great opportunity in the East African bloc right now. There are 300 million people in the eight countries together. And hopefully, Ethiopia and other countries can join this big East African Community. And then we can set up a fully integrated system,” he said.
He said that such a system would entail borderless travel, open skies for flights, and infrastructure development through a common corridor for Africa.
“Until that is done, whatever President William Ruto does is almost a token. Then there are going to be consequences, where people will start coming into the country illegally and compete for jobs, housing and healthcare,” he said.
“It is the right move for the country, but it is being done in isolation,” he added. By David Njaaga, The Standard
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