GIST ALOUD

Picture Credit: The Observer

 President Yoweri Museveni has praised US President Donald Trump for being 'frank' and telling Africa that they are a weak continent.

In reference to recent comments attributed to Trump, when, he allegedly expressed discomfort in allowing in more immigrants from “shithole countries”, Museveni says the US president must thanked for telling Africa the truth.

While meeting US lawmakers recently Trump allegedly referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries”.


While the US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac earlier today said she regretted the “disturbing” and “upsetting” comments attributed to Trump, Museveni later told parliament that Africa must thank Trump for his honesty, and perhaps it will reawaken Africans to reunite and work together to focus on developing the continent.

“I love Trump, because he tells Africans frankly,” said Museveni. “Africans need to solve their problems. In the world, you cannot survive if you are weak.”
Museveni also urged the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) legislators to focus on prosperity as opposed to fighting for speakership for the congress.

Read more at observer.ug

Less than an hour away from Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, there is an unusual lake that will surely catch the unsuspecting visitor’s eye because of its unusual yet vivid pink colour.

Lake Retba (or Lac Rose as it is known by locals) is separated only by some narrow dunes from the Atlantic Ocean and, as expected its salt content is very high. Its salinity content compares to that of the Dead Sea and during the dry season it exceeds it.

Its distinct pink colour is caused by the Dunaliella salina bacteria, which is attracted by the lake’s salt content. The bacteria produces a red pigment in order to absorb the sunlight, thus giving the lake its unique colour. Its colour is especially visible during the dry season (which lasts from November to June) and less during the rainy season (July-October).

He was the third President of Uganda, ruling from 1971 to 1979. Amin held the rank of major general in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its commander before seizing power in the military coup of January 1971. He later promoted himself to Field Marshall while he was the head of state.

Amin's rule was characterized by human right abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extra judicial killings, nepotism, corruption and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers to range from 100,000 to 500,000.

Amin became the chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1975. After Britain broke diplomatic ties with Uganda, Amin declared he had defeated the British and added "CBE" for "Conqueror of the British Empire", to his title. His entire title was then announced by Radio Uganda as "his Excellency President for Life, Field Marshall Alhaji Dr. Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE".




Amin's attempt to annex the Kagera province of Tanzania in 1978, lead to the Uganda-Tanzania war and the demise to his eight-year regime. He fled into exile to Libya and Saudi Arabia where he lived until his death on August 16, 2003. 

Another legend has fallen. Father of South African Jazz, Hugh Masekela was reported dead earlier today, at age 78. He was one of the earliest African musicians to receive a Grammy nomination in 1968. Rest in peace. #aloudafrica

A new study from China has found that eating spicy foods may have health benefits. Eating pepper, ginger, garlic and other hot spices do more than burn your tongue. These foods may help you live longer.

According to researcher from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, data collected from 2004 to 2008 as part of the China Kadoorie Biobank. Using self-reported questionnaires, they revealed that nearly half a million people between the ages of 30 and 70 who consume spicy food had lower risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases.


The outcome of the research also shows that people who eat spicy foods six or seven times a week had 14% lower risk of premature.





Source: CNN

Renowned Ghanaian diplomat, K. B. Asante, has died at age 93.

Born Kwaku Baprui Asante on March 1, 1924, K.B. Asante was the Secretary to Ghana’s First President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and served under a number of Heads of States in Ghana.
He also served as the Principal Secretary at African Affairs Secretariat from 1960 to 1966.
He became Ghana’s Ambassador to Switzerland and the United Nations Offices in Geneva, and the UN establishment in Vienna, and also the Ambassador to Australia from 1967-72.
He also served as the Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Economic Community from 1976-1978.

Education
K.B. Asante attended Achimota School where he later taught mathematics from 1945 to 1948, before proceeding to Durham University in Britain, where he obtained a BSc Mathematics in 1952.
He also became a member of the Institute of Statisticians in 1953, before again returning to Achimota College, where he continued teaching mathematics from 1953 to 1955.

Life in politics
K.B. Asante retired from the Civil Service in 1978, to form the Social Democratic Front to contest the 1979 election where his party won three parliamentary seats in that election.
He was the Secretary for Trade and Tourism in the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) administration in 1982, and later Secretary for Education and Culture from 1986 to 1990.

Source: Citifmonline.com

From the confines of a bed, a desk or anyplace where negativity finds its way, consider these six breathing techniques to help keep calm and carry on.

1. Sama Vritti or “Equal Breathing”
How it’s done: Balance can do a body good, beginning with the breath. To start, inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four — all through the nose, which adds a natural resistance to the breath. Got the basic pranayama down? More advanced yogis can aim for six to eight counts per breath with the same goal in mind: calm the nervous system, increase focus and reduce stress.

When it works best: Anytime, anyplace — but this is one technique that’s especially effective before bed. 

2. Abdominal Breathing Technique
How it’s done: With one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates with enough air to create a stretch in the lungs. The goal: Six to 10 deep, slow breaths per minute for 10 minutes each day to experience immediate reductions to heart rate and blood pressure. Keep at it for six to eight weeks, and those benefits might stick around even longer.

When it works best: Before an exam, or any stressful event. But keep in mind, those who operate in a stressed state all the time might be a little shocked how hard it is to control the breath.

3. Nadi Shodhana or “Alternate Nostril Breathing”
How it’s done: A yogi’s best friend, this breath is said to bring calm and balance, and unite the right and left sides of the brain. Starting in a comfortable meditative pose, hold the right thumb over the right nostril and inhale deeply through the left nostril. At the peak of inhalation, close off the left nostril with the ring finger, then exhale through the right nostril. Continue the pattern, inhaling through the right nostril, closing it off with the right thumb and exhaling through the left nostril.

When it works best: Crunch time, or whenever it’s time to focus or energize. Just don’t try this one before bed: Nadi shodhana is said to “clear the channels” and make people feel more awake. It’s almost like a cup of coffee.

4. Kapalabhati or “Skull Shining Breath”
How it’s done: Ready to brighten up your day from the inside out? This one begins with a long, slow inhale, followed by a quick, powerful exhale generated from the lower belly. Once comfortable with the contraction, up the pace to one inhale-exhale (all through the nose) every one to two seconds, for a total of 10 breaths.

When it works best: When it’s time to wake up, warm up or start looking on the brighter side of things.

5. Progressive Relaxation
How it’s done: To nix tension from head to toe, close the eyes and focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group for two to three seconds each. Start with the feet and toes, then move up to the knees, thighs, rear, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw and eyes — all while maintaining deep, slow breaths. Having trouble staying on track? Anxiety and panic specialist Dr. Patricia Farrell suggests we breathe in through the nose, hold for a count of five while the muscles tense, then breathe out through the mouth on release.

When it works best: At home, at a desk or even on the road. One word of caution: Dizziness is never the goal. If holding the breath ever feels uncomfortable, tone it down to just a few seconds at most.

6. Guided Visualization
How it’s done: Head straight for that “happy place,” no questions asked. With a coach, therapist or helpful recording as your guide, breathe deeply while focusing on pleasant, positive images to replace any negative thoughts. Psychologists explain that while it’s just one means of achieving mindfulness, guided visualization helps puts you in the place you want to be, rather than letting your mind go to the internal dialogue that is stressful.

When it works best: Pretty much anyplace you can safely close your eyes and let go (e.g. not at the wheel of a car).

 By Jordan Shakeshaft(Greatist.com)

The Seperewa instrument, historically known as Sanku, is attested to at least the 17th century, as the then newly established Asanteman empire incorporated elements of its heavily Mande-influenced northern predecessor state Bonoman into its musical repertoire. Various harp-lutes similar to the sanku which were once exclusively played in northern Ghana (which culturally was much more heavily influenced by the Mali Empire and today is still inhabited by several Manden groups; the Ligbi, Bissa, Dyula and Wangara) eventually gave way to kologo and molo calabash-lute types instead. The harp-lute tradition since then was preserved predominantly among Akan groups in what became southern Ghana, with the only exception being the koriduo 6 string harp of the Dagari and Sisaala groups of northwestern Ghana.

King Osei Tutu, the mythical founder of the Asante empire, was said to have loved the instrument so much that his successor Opoku Ware caused a replica of it to be made in his memory. The instrument was wrapped in gold leaf, and placed among the paraphernalia of the Golden Stool, which Osei Tutu established as "the soul" of the Asante nation with the help of his counsellor, the great priest Okomfo Anokye.
The Seperewa was used to entertain kings, similar to a griot tradition followed by northern Ghanaian tribes, and was also played at palm wine bars, and at funerals. The instrument was said to speak kasa and was either used by itself or along with song.

British colonisation in the later 19th century saw the instrument decline in use as the guitar was introduced, and new chords and musical patterns from Europe entered Akan areas.

By the early 20th century, as the Akan kingdoms became incorporated into the Gold Coast colony, and Christianity was introduced by British missionaries, the Seprewa found its way into churches, Christian weddings and conferences.

For a period, the seperewa enjoyed a status as perhaps the centrepiece of Ghanaian highlife and palmwine music. That is, until the guitar’s entry, which saw several palmwine and highlife music transported to the new instrument as the 19^th century drew to a close. “So the guitar is actually playing the music the seperewa was playing in the 1930s,” says Colter Harper, the ethnomusiciologist who has spent some time studying traditional music in Ghana.

Besides its semblance to the guitar, the seperewa also shares a kinship with the harp lute and the kora, the famous string instrument from the Sahel region. “The music doesn’t sound like Malian music but the structure of the instrument is similar,” says Harper.

Before technology revolutionised how we hear music through ipods, phones and online streaming, it altered how that music was made. With the hi-technology equipment available to the music producer today, it can be said, is more synthesised than made. Today music instruments are superfluous, none more so than the traditional African music instruments like Seperewa.

Ref.: Music In Africa & Ghana Arts Center

The Casela Nature & Leisure Park is located in the western part of Mauritius and covers an area of about 14 ha.In the park you can see around 1500 birds of over 150 species and a variety of animals such as the impressive giant turtles and various mammals such as lions and monkeys.

The park is set up with a variety of beautiful exotic plants and flowers. Moreover on the grounds of the park are located the delicious restaurant Le Mirador and a beautiful lookout point with stunning views over the west coast.

Casela owns about 9 lions of three different generations and four cheetahs. These wild cats have been tamed with great care and affection so that you have the opportunity to get in direct contact with these amazing animals and enjoy the time you spend with them during your visit at the park. There is a brief introduction to the important rules of behaviour which one should follow during the visit of the lions you can touch and stroke the animals. Moreover you even have the possibility to walk with the lions. On the walk you can observe the animals in the wild while playing and climbing on trees. Guides will accompany you on the walk and they will give you much information about the behaviour of the giant cats.

Avalanche Mine

The park has two 'Avalanche' circuit but if you plan to do one of those though make sure to come equipped with closed shoes as otherwise access will no be granted for security reasons. Visitors can also be accompanied by birds wandering around.

There is pet farm where you can get closer to animals and nurture them.

 Casela Nature Park provides a serene environment, and it's without a doubt, a great place to relax and experience nature.

Source: Mauritius Guide

Picture credit: discoverformen.org

1. Don't  let the power control you: This is perhaps, the most important rule of leadership. As a leader your main purpose is the show the way. You are like a compass on the journey. Your main aim is to serve in the interest of your followers since they may not directly benefit from you. An instance is my school project scenario, these were people I didn't pay, I just needed their collaboration for a successful project. Hence it was very necessary to treat everyone with maximum respect. You should see people, not subjects, even if they are on your payroll. 
2. Be willing to do extra work: As a leader, I had to do everything possible to make sure our targets were met. I faced situations where I had to do extra work to enable us subsidize our budgets. Having extra skills really helped me in this case. I printed t-shirts and handled graphic design works to help my team make some cutoffs. There were times I had to handle tasks deserted by members they were assigned to. It's important to gain diverse skills as a leader. You don't know when they'll be needed.
3. Don't expect everyone to like you: Never expect complete adoration. Some will like you, others will hate. This is inevitable as humans. Others may have liked you before, but would hate you due to your position. The hatred may be invisible, but it does exist. It's important to realize that not all smiles are real. The hate becomes visible when you fall, but that is a part you don't want to get to. Don't be overwhelmed with mind-blowing attributes and admiration. Don't go beyond your means to gain the love of those who hate you. It won't work. Nonetheless, you should correct hatred resulting from bad leadership.
4. Get used to criticisms: Criticisms will always keep you in check. Through this, you'll know the thoughts of your people. It would help you realize one of these two things; your path may not always be right or you'd have to prove to your people why you think your move is the right one. Accept criticisms with no emotions attached.
5. Be yourself, no matter what: Don't abandon your personal and social life. Be who you want to be, be with whomever you'd want to be with, and do whatever you'd want to do so far as these have no negative influences. There are times when people would probably want to change their outfit, or move with a particular sect of people but would be uncomfortable because other might think they've been acting up or superior since they became leaders. Be humble, but don't live to the satisfaction of people. Do what makes you feel happy once they're positive.

Antioxidants are compounds which inhibit oxidation in the body or in foods.  Oxidation is a chemical process which involves the transfer of electrons or hydrogen producing harmful free radicals in the body.
These destructive substances can cause cell damage or death in the body through altering DNA, which can in turn lead to development of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, due to cellular mutations.
External factors such as cigarette smoke, air pollution and excessive alcohol consumption can all lead to production of free radicals and are therefore harmful to the body.  Antioxidants help to stop the damage done by free radicals and therefore may be effective in reducing risk of disease.
Oxidation is also the process that makes food go bad after a certain time and antioxidants are often used in food manufacturing to slow down this process, giving food a longer shelf life.

Why we need antioxidants

Although your body produces some antioxidants on its own, which work to battle the on-going small amounts of oxidative damage in the body, in the modern world, we are exposed to many free radical forming substances.  It is therefore suggested that we include some antioxidants in our diet to combat this.
There is some evidence that a diet high in vitamin antioxidant containing foods may reduce the risk of developing lifestyle diseases, although there is some question as to whether other antioxidants which appear to be beneficial in laboratory conditions actually assert any effect in the human body.
The best sources of antioxidants are plant based foods and there is suggestion that a high intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with lower risk of many diseases, so whether or not the antioxidants are as powerful as they seem or whether another mechanism is in play, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet is a good way to ensure a healthy diet and reduce risk of disease.

Common antioxidants

Some common antioxidants include particular vitamins, flavonoids and polyphenols.
Vitamin C works to stop the oxidative chain reaction before it starts, whilst vitamin E breaks the chain further along.  Flavonoids and polyphenols are also common antioxidants, with different forms found in a variety of plant based foods.

Only the vitamin antioxidants have been proven to have beneficial antioxidant effects in the human body, whilst the other forms have been shown to be effective in a laboratory, but are not thought to maintain this efficiency in the human body.

What foods are high in antioxidants?

Foods that are naturally high in antioxidants are mainly from the fruit, vegetable and legume families.  Berries contain the highest amount of antioxidants for fruit, in particular blueberries, cranberries and blackberries, whilst artichokes are a good source from the vegetable family.  Red beans and pinto beans are the highest in antioxidants of the legumes.

Fat soluble vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, wheat germ and whole grains.  Flavones, a type of polyphenol antioxidant are found in berries and tea, whilst carotenoids, which include the antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene are found in a variety of vegetables.

Many spices and compounds such as cocoa have high antioxidant levels; however, our intake of these products is in such small portions that it is unlikely they have any effect in the human body.
Dried fruits are also a good source, as the removal of water concentrates the antioxidants.

Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary is Ghana's most famous example of traditional African conservation. The sanctuary is nestled in between the two villages of Boabeng and Fiema; the sanctuary is home to over 200 Geoffrey’s Pied Columbus and 500 Campbell's Mona Monkeys.

For more than 150 years the people of Boabeng and Fiema have considered the monkeys sacred. The traditional beliefs in both communities prohibit physical harm to the monkeys. Additionally, the 2 communities came together in 1975 to pass a local modern law prohibiting harm to the monkeys.


The guide will also lead you on a tour of the villages where you can see monkeys interacting with the people. You will see monkeys on the ground, op roofs, jumping from house to house, and in the courtyards of homes. You may also explore the villages on your own after the initial guided tour. Please respect local people when exploring the villages.

Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of our comfortable 6-room guesthouse with flush toilet, bathing facilities, and borehole supplying potable water.

Ghana can now boast of 2,900 millionaires whose net worth has been estimated to be in dollars after some 200 more Ghanaians joined the list categorised as elite group in 2016.

Out of the number, at least 10 people joined the ranks of those with net wealth more than $10 million, with no addition to the pool of those worth $30 million and above.

This revelation is contained in the latest Wealth Report by Stanbic Bank in collaboration with International Consultancy Group, Knight Frank. It revealed that the financial service sector in the country is the primary source of wealth for most of the "Ghanaian dollar millionaires."

The Editor of the report, Andrew Shirley, told JOY BUSINESS' Editor Emmanuel Agyei, the number of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) in Ghana is projected to almost double in the next 10 years.

Read more at myjoyonline.com

Source: myjoyonline.com