Brussels airport delays reopening, attacks toll 32

Brussels Air has moved aircraft and crews used for inter-continental flights to Frankfurt and Zurich to maintain links with the US and a number of African destinations where it's the main European carrier. Authorities had no information on specific targets, but based on the weaponry, the attack would have been "extremely serious", Molins said.

A religious service involving all major faiths has been held at the Brussels cathedral to commemorate the victims of last week's attacks that killed 35 people. One has been charged in relation to a plot to attack Paris which was thwarted on Thursday.

The inquiry into the attacks has been dogged by accusations that Belgium missed a series of leads in cracking down on a jihadist network linked to the Brussels bombings as well as the November 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people.

Tuesday, Airport authorities inspected the construction and fire safety of the temporary constructions and airport staff tested the temporary arrangements and infrastructure for the check-in procedure.

"When terrorists plan an attack, they will do it no matter what", Alderweireldt said, "even if there are dozens or hundreds of soldiers or police on the street".

"There will be no passenger flights into or out of #brusselsairport today 30 March. We already know that we have a huge amount of work ahead of us".

"The evaluation of the trial is still ongoing and will take at least till tomorrow afternoon".

- Mr. Van der Sijpt told New York Times following the Brussels Attacks. Talks aimed at reaching a deal were underway.

Photographs taken inside Brussels airport one week after bombings which left dozens dead have revealed the extent of the damage, as officials warned it may not reopen "for months".

Much of Belgium, like France, remained on edge.

The metro trains through the Belgian capital are less frequent and only stop at about half the stations. The station was evacuated due to a suspicious vehicle a week ago.

The Maelbeek station hit by a suicide bomber in the morning rush hour remains closed.

"Nothing indicates... preparations for an attack on the government of Charles Michel", officials with the Belgian federal prosecutor's office told VTM.

Prosecutors had charged the suspect, named by media as Faycal Cheffou, with "terrorist murder" and were investigating whether he was the third airport attacker who fled after his bomb did not detonate.

White House: Money isn't there to fight the Zika virusTim Frieden, the director of the CDC. "Congress needs to act and do its job", said White House Homeland Security Advisor Amy Pope. This year, Zika has been recorded in five Pacific countries, with more than 400 cases detected in American Samoa .

Source: Brussels airport delays reopening, attacks toll 32

Gauteng's Mall of Africa to open on 28 April

The new Mall of Africa, which is southern Africa's largest single-phase shopping centre development to date, is a R5 billion, 130,000m² super-regional mall that will set a new benchmark for shopping centres on the continent and is set to open on 28 April 2016.

Louis van der Watt, CEO of Atterbury.

Commenting on the Mall of Africa development, Louis van der Watt, CEO of the developer, Atterbury, said: "In line with the Atterbury vision to create working, shopping and entertainment spaces for everyone to live to their full potential, the development of this breathtaking shopping and leisure destination introduces an unmissable, unmatched retail experience. Mall of Africa's exceptional scale, design, location and retail mix places it at the forefront of development."

Van der Watt added: "The development has enhanced the diversity of the retail sector in South Africa, changed Gauteng's skyline and stimulated the economy."

Mall of Africa is co-owned by two leading South African property companies: JSE-listed real estate capital growth fund Attacq holds the commercial development rights to Waterfall and owns 80% of the Mall of Africa; Atterbury Property Developments owns 20% of Mall of Africa and is responsible for the Mall of Africa development project, on behal f of Attacq.

All amenities Mall of Africa will feature over 300 retailers, restaurants, entertainment and services. It also has all amenities that shoppers may need. Atterbury Asset Managers is responsible for Mall of Africa's asset management for its co-owners.

Atterbury began the construction of Mall of Africa nearly three-and-a-half years ago, on 28 October 2012.

While the mall comprises some 130,000m² of gross lettable area, James Ehlers, MD of Atterbury Property Developments, noted that its construction area covers 550,000m² – or 78 rugby fields. A stroll around the building's perimeter will take you on a walk of 1.75 kilometres.

Ehlers also reveals that over six kilometres of shopfront has been created inside the Mall of Africa. More than 530 kilometres of post tension cable has been used in its construction, as well as 18,500 tons of rebar and 205,000 cubic metres of concrete.

Hundreds of jobs During the construction of the Mall of Africa, 3,078 people were employed for the project and, by January 2016, they had worked 10.41 million man hours.

"When the centre opens, hundreds of permanent and part-time jobs within the centre will be created on a sustainable basis," said Ehlers.

A mall of the magnitude of Mall of Africa has massive pulling power for shoppers in the region and beyond, driven by its distinctive retail experience across two levels of exceptional shopping.

Lucille Louw, MD of Atterbury Asset Managers, confirmed that the Mall of Africa will open with seven anchor tenants and an array of international retailers that have chosen to debut their brands to South Africans at the mall, as well as an appealing line-up of flagship stores for all major South African retailers.

"Mall of Africa's carefully considered retail mix creates a unique experience that is a major attraction. It offers a well-balanced variety of local and international bra nds, services, speciality shopping, entertainment and eateries. There will be something for everyone, with 2.4 kilometres of shopping and an exciting selection of 300-plus stores," said Louw.

Anchor tenants at the Mall of Africa include Checkers, Edgars, Game, and Woolworths. They will be joined by leading South African brands from The Foschini Group, Mr Price and Truworths.

Top international brands Louw revealed that top international brands opening their first stores in South Africa at the Mall of Africa include: Armani Exchange, Helly Hansen, Asics, Zara Home, The Kooples, Under Armour, Mango Man, women'secret and the Amsterdam-based Soap Stories.

These new retailers opening in the country for the first time will join a full pack of favourite brands like: H&M, Forever 21, Forever New, River Island, Mango, Starbucks, and Versace.

Louw added: "In addition to its exciting shopping appeal, Mall of Africa also includes endless entertainment. Customers can enjoy a state-of-the-art nine-screen Ster Kinekor cinema complex with Imax, and an extensive selection of 12 restaurants, fast food stores, coffee shops and cafés."

One of the many leisure highlights at the Mall of Africa is a magnificent outdoor park with a children's play area featuring an interactive musical water fountain.

A major benefit of the Mall of Africa is its central location in Gauten g and easy access from all areas. It is situated in Waterfall City, halfway between Joburg and Pretoria. It is highly accessible, located adjacent to the Allandale Road exit of the N1 Highway, the first free-flow intersection of its size in Africa. Atterbury has undertaken major road upgrades around the development to make it easy for shoppers to arrive at the Mall of Africa's 26 entrances.

The mall has around 6,500 parking bays, most of which are undercover. It also offers valet parking, special drop-off facilities for buses and dedicated Uber pick-up and drop-off points – a first in the South African retail environment. It is also minutes away from the Gautrain Midrand Station.

Green strategies Cobus van Heerden of Atterbury Property Developments commented: "Our commitment to responsible development, energy efficiency, sustainability and the implementation of green strategies is evident in Mall of Africa's inspired design, construction and operational practices. As a developer, it is crucial to ensure the assets we create are environmentally responsible and as energy efficient as possible."

The project implemented multiple green technologies, including a massive photovoltaic installation on the roof of the Mall of Africa. The installation will be the largest in Africa and will provide 4.8MVA of sustainable power for the centre. The mall will use grey water harvesting in all public toilets and for the irrigation of the entire development. Its design means natural light is maximized in the mall in such a way that shopper comfort is also optimised.

Van Heerden said: "Atterbury's vision was to develop the highest quality retail property that offers an exceptio nal overall shopping experience and is a real asset to its owners, retailers and customers. We are excited this is now becoming a reality and can't wait to share the Mall of Africa experience with everyone when it opens on 28 April."

Posted on 4 Apr 2016 10:20

Source: Gauteng's Mall of Africa to open on 28 April

Migration Is An Opportunity For Africa, If Managed Properly

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 3 April 2016, -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Africans are among the most mobile people on earth. 31 million people from the continent have migrated to various parts of the world, including many African countries. Some people choose to migrate, while others are forced to do so either due to war, poverty or persecution. Many become refugees, asylum seekers and labour migrants.

Migration is often considered in the context of the "brain drain" rather than an opportunity, with the perception of African migration being driven essentially by underdevelopment. Increased migration out of Africa is rarely seen as an asset for Africa's growth.

According to Takyiwaa Manuk, the Director of the Social Development Policy Division at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), this misconception has several causes. The most prominent is the current European migration crisis, which dominates media coverage and pushes the migration debate into a negative territory. Irregular migration from Africa to Europe has received extensive attention, but in reality intra-African migration dominates the flow of migrants.

Ms Manuk said that 80% of Africans who migrate do so inside the continent, with only 15% to 20% taking the route to Europe. Ms Manuk was speaking during the ECA's African Development Week in Addis Ababa. At a side event on international migration in Africa, the panel of experts deconstructed the main causes of the negative perceptions on migration in Africa with a view to changing the discourse around migration and discussing the future of migration on the continent.

Mustapha S. Kaloko, the Commissioner for Social Affairs at the African Union's Special Session of the Labour and Social Affairs Commission said, "If we consider immigration in a positive way, the brain drain becomes a gain of brains." Pointing to the opportunity that migration could represent for Africa, he stressed the importance of recognising migration as an i mportant part of development.

Migration, he said, has the potential to reduce unemployment by contributing to economic development through remittances and by importing skills, knowledge and technology to both the countries of origin and destination. Remittance inflows to Africa have quadrupled since 1990, reaching nearly $40 billion (2.6 percent of GDP) in 2010, becoming the continent's largest source of net foreign inflows after foreign direct investment (FDI).

Good political management of inter-African migration is also required in order to establish long-term "attractive programmes". Mr Kaloko called on AU member states to design policies that secure the benefits of migration at global and regional levels with involvement of the countries of destination and the countries of origin. These policies could range from facilitating more orderly and safe migration and visa free travel in Africa, to promoting the integration of migrants into the host country.

The discus sion highlighted the role that African governments can play in securing the benefits of migration for regional integration and economic development, stating that more effective policies and markets could help to improve the match between labour market demands and the huge supply of skilled workers.

The weakness of current data on migration was highlighted by Awil Mohamoud, Director of the African Diaspora Policy Centre, who pointed out that reliable data would help change overall perceptions on migration, as well as helping the development of appropriate strategies. The Forum panellists concluded that with the world's youngest population, Africa needs to develop the right policies in order to transform migration into an economic and social opportunity for the continent.

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Source: Migration Is An Opportunity For Africa, If Managed Properly

Australia beats competition hands down, top choice for wealthy

NEW DELHI: Australia seems to be the most preferred destination for the global rich, with Sydney leading the pack with the biggest net inflow of millionaires, as some 4,000 of them shifted base to the city in 2015, says a report.

Overall, the figure for the entire continent stood at 8,000 as Melbourne and Perth attracted 3,000 and 1,000 high net worth individuals (HNIs) and secured second and eighth positions, respectively, according to a report by New World Wealth.

"Sydney, Melbourne and Perth all benefited from millionaire inflows from China, Europe, the UK, the US and South Africa. Other Australian areas such as the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Noosa and the Sunshine Coast also experienced inflows," the report said.

Tel Aviv drew a large chunk of millionaires from Europe, especially France. The city was ranked third, with as many as 2,000 HNIs making this city their domicile.

Other Israeli cities such as Herzliya, Jerusalem and Netanya too saw inflows.

There wer e large millionaire inflows to San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver from China and South East Asia while Dubai pulled in many from North Africa (Egypt, Algeria and Morocco) and Turkey.

Interestingly, in 2015, London saw an inflow of 3,000 millionaires, but 2,500 super-rich left the city and moved to other parts of England. A large number also moved overseas, mainly to English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.

"Most of the millionaires who left London were UK-born whereas almost all of the millionaires coming into the city were from other countries," the report said, adding "this may be a trend that continues in future as several wealthy UK-born people remain "concerned" about the way London and the UK in general had changed over the past decade or so.

Paris saw the biggest outflow, with as many as 7,000 of millionaires heading the exit door. The other cities with large outflows of millionaires include Rome (5,000), Chicago (3,000 ) and Athens (2,000).

The factors responsible for millionaire migration varied widely. For Paris, it was rising religious tension and lack of opportunities; for Rome, economic slump; for Chicago, rising racial tension and rising crime levels, and for Athens, economic slump and migration crisis with Syria/Turkey.

Millionaires refer to individuals with net assets of USD 1 million or more excluding their primary residences.

Source: Australia beats competition hands down, top choice for wealthy

The ‘next Einstein’? She’s from Africa

Neil Turok

Back in 2008, South African physicist Neil Turok gave a speech in which he declared his wish that the next Einstein would be from Africa.

It was a rallying call for investment in maths and physics research in Africa. The "Next Einstein" slogan became a mission for the organisation Neil Turok had founded to bring Africa into the global scientific community: the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).

That search for an African Einstein now has some results, with 15 "Next Einstein Fellows" and 54 "Next Einstein Ambassadors" announced at an event last month.

These are young African scientists, often leaders in their fields, working and studying in Africa.

'Revolutionary and fearless'

"Einstein is a natural, easy role model for people to look at – not just because he was a spectacular scientist, but also he thought about the way we should care for social justice as well as science," says the 36-year-old South African cosmologist Amanda Weltman, speaking to the BBC Discovery programme.

Her work on the Chameleon field, a way to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, is seen as a continuation of Einstein's work.

"Where Einstein triggered all these completely new ideas and brought about revolution, that's what we want to do. It's not necessarily to be that person, but to be revolutionary and fearless," Dr Weltman adds.

When Neil Turok made his declaration, he wasn't thinking so much of a literal African Einstein, but of creating opportunities to nurture young scientific leaders who would challenge the stereotypes of Africa and champion its development through science.

"There is a huge youth demographic in Africa and this will get bigger; 40% of the world's youth will be African by 2050," he says.

"Many scientists around the world are more than happy to come to Africa for a few weeks a year and share their knowledge and insights with the most able young Africans."

The apparent gap between studying maths or physics and Africa's needs – in public health and disease control, for example – might seem huge. But one branch of science can inform another.

Changing thinking

Thierry Zomahoun, the CEO of AIMS, cites the example of the west African Ebola outbreak, where local work on mathematical modelling of the virus might have slowed the spread of the disease at an earlier stage.

"It's urgent for mathematical epidemiologists to be trained on the continent, for lab technicians to be trained so that we don't have to invest billions of dollars paying expatriate technicians from France or the US to do the work that we could have done here," he said.

Mr Zomahoun is also the chair of the Next Einstein Forum – an AIMS initiative which held a gathering in March in Dakar, Senegal, both to celebrate the Next Einstein Fellows and to raise the political profile of the need for investment in scientific research in Africa.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame was one of the speakers.

"We cannot be satisfied with just ending extreme poverty. Our aim is shared and sustainable prosperity and the key to that is science and innovation," he told the conference.

Foreign donors, especially former colonial powers, have played a big part historically in developing African education – particularly in science – but have also dictated what kind of research is done.

That model is changing, says Evelyn Gitau, adding that her Kenya-based research into cellular immunology and malaria is only possible because of large-scale funding and a hands-off approach from the UK's Wellcome Trust.

In order to own scientific progress, Dr Gitau says, African governments must get more involved.

"African governments have to change how they think. Travel grants are great, but $10 to $20,000 is not going to fund research at the cutting-edge level."

From the beginning, AIMS had a funding policy which compelled African governments to step up to the plate. Its institutes get half their funding from the governments of the countries in which they are based – South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon – and the rest from foreign governments and private foundations.

New AIMS institutes are planned for Morocco and also Rwanda.

Unique advantages

Rwanda styles itself as the place to do business in Africa, making it easy to set up there, especially for entrepreneurs from other African countries.

It sits, however, in a region with a history of instability and autocratic government. That doesn't sound like a place for free-thinking scientists to thrive.

This is an issue Neil Turok is only too aware of.

"This does not mean we are an instrument of the Rwandan government. AIMS is all about freedom – it's about freedom to learn, freedom to express opinions… Science is all about critical thinking. Nothing we do will compromise that," he says.

"We feel by getting involved in Rwanda now, we can be on the side of progress."

Africa might seem an unlikely destination for high-end scientific research, but this is becoming a reality and the continent has some natural scientific advantages.

Amada Weltman cites the example of the Square Kilometre Array – the world's largest radio telescope, currently under construction. This "south south" project (the second section of it is in Australia) could not have been built in more densely industrialised countries, due to the amount of radio-wave pollution in their skies.

"We didn't get that project just because of some sort of sympathy towards Africa. We consider the night sky as a resource, where Africa is perhaps more empowered than the global north, which is already overly polluted with radio waves. So this gives us a fresh angle to how we think about the universe."

There are advantages in other fields, too. For scientists using bioinformatics to explore the origins of genetic disease, Africa holds a unique place as the cradle of humanity – and therefore the repository of our oldest genetic information.

The continent's future scientific development could have a profound impact on the future of mankind.

Source: The 'next Einstein'? She's from Africa

President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi may visit Africa to boost socio-economic ties

NEW DELHI: Little over six months after the mega Indo-Africa summit here that saw the participation of over 40 heads of state, the Modi government is preparing for key visits by the President, Vice President and Prime Minister who would crisscross the continent over the next fewmonths to elevate partnerships.

While Vice President Hamid Ansari is planning trips to the northern part of Africa in the near future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning trips to Eastern and Southern Africa during the next few months, people familiar with the matter told ET.

It has been learnt that the PM might travel in July, and will be connecting with the Indian diaspora in some of these countries, many of whom have migrated from Gujarat in the past.

Meanwhile, President Pranab Mukherjee is likely to travel to key and old partners in Western Africa. "The dates and destinations of the big trips are still being finalised. Availability of hosts are a key factor in finalising the destinations," one of the persons said without divulging details. There are speculations that Mukherjee might travel to oil-rich Nigeria and Ghana, a vibrant democracy and the most stable nation in West Africa.

While foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had travelled to few African nations, including South Africa and Egypt since May 2014, she will make maiden trips to Africa, a continent that will not only play a key role in Delhi's UNSC membership ambitions but also in its fight against terror, piracy and stability in the Indian Ocean besides being the destination for natural resources and outward investments.

Ansari had earlier planned to travel to Morocco and Senegal in April second week, but the visit was p ostponed due to scheduling issues of the hosts and could now take place in May, depending on the Parliament session.

Morocco is key counter-terror partner for India in North Africa amid Rabat's de-radicalisation initiatives, including training of imams of various countries. Delhi is also eyeing investments in infrastructure sector in Morocco, including building railway network in that country.

Even as Delhi is expanding its economic assistance across African nations and the continent accounts for 50% of the total Line of Credit extended by India, defence and security partnerships are no longer taboo.

"Some of these big visits by Indian leaders will see firming up of defence programmes including training and exchange of military personnel. Today, there is less hesitation on India's part to involve itself in defence matters and partnerships in Africa as civil wars are on the decline in the continent," a source noted.

It may be recalled that countries where the President, Vice President and the PM are planning to visit had their leaders among others who were present at the third edition of India-Africa summit here last October when Modi announced a fresh Line of Credit (LoC) of $10 bn for the continent.

The Export Import Bank of India had earlier extended 140 LoCs covering 41 African countries, amounting to credit commitment of $ 7.23 billion. Some of the major sectors covered under LoC are Power, Sugar, Agriculture, Roads & Transport and Engineering.

Source: President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi may visit Africa to boost socio-economic ties

Jamaica, Beyond the Beach

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