Igihe

Tag: InternationalNews

  • Fidel Castro Attacks ‘Lies’ About His Health

    Cuba’s revolutionary former leader Fidel Castro has written a strongly-worded article condemning persistent rumours that he is on his death bed.

    The 86-year-old attacked international media “lies”, and published photos of himself in Cuba’s state media.

    He said he was in good health, and could not even remember the last time he had a headache.

    Venezuelan politician Elias Jaua said on Sunday he had a five-hour meeting with Mr Castro the previous day.

    He presented a photo of the encounter, and said the former Cuban leader was “very well, very lucid”.

    The last images of Mr Castro to be made public had been from March, when the Cuban ex-leader briefly met Pope Benedict during the pontiff’s visit to the Communist island.

    Mr Castro’s long absence from the public stage had fuelled rumours on social media sites that his health had deteriorated, or that he may even have died.

    “Although a lot of people in the world are taken in by the organs of information, almost all of which are in the hands of the privileged and the rich that publish these stupidities, people are increasingly believing less and less in them,” Mr Castro said in his article.

    He went on to say that he was keeping himself busy writing and studying, but had decided to step back from public life “because it certainly is not my role to occupy the pages of our newspaper”.

    He finished off by saying: “I don’t even remember what a headache is. To show what liars they are, I’m offering these photos to accompany this article.”

    A series of photos, taken by his son Alex, show him outside wearing a cowboy hat and a checked shirt. In some photos, he is reading Friday’s copy of the Communist Party newspaper Granma.

    Fidel Castro led Cuba after the revolution in 1959, first as prime minister (1959-1976) and later as president.

    In 2006, surgery took Fidel Castro out of public view. His brother Raul became acting president.

    In February 2008, Fidel Castro officially handed over power to Raul who has been leading the country since then.

  • Fidel Castro Attacks ‘Lies’ About His Health

    Cuba’s revolutionary former leader Fidel Castro has written a strongly-worded article condemning persistent rumours that he is on his death bed.

    The 86-year-old attacked international media “lies”, and published photos of himself in Cuba’s state media.

    He said he was in good health, and could not even remember the last time he had a headache.

    Venezuelan politician Elias Jaua said on Sunday he had a five-hour meeting with Mr Castro the previous day.

    He presented a photo of the encounter, and said the former Cuban leader was “very well, very lucid”.

    The last images of Mr Castro to be made public had been from March, when the Cuban ex-leader briefly met Pope Benedict during the pontiff’s visit to the Communist island.

    Mr Castro’s long absence from the public stage had fuelled rumours on social media sites that his health had deteriorated, or that he may even have died.

    “Although a lot of people in the world are taken in by the organs of information, almost all of which are in the hands of the privileged and the rich that publish these stupidities, people are increasingly believing less and less in them,” Mr Castro said in his article.

    He went on to say that he was keeping himself busy writing and studying, but had decided to step back from public life “because it certainly is not my role to occupy the pages of our newspaper”.

    He finished off by saying: “I don’t even remember what a headache is. To show what liars they are, I’m offering these photos to accompany this article.”

    A series of photos, taken by his son Alex, show him outside wearing a cowboy hat and a checked shirt. In some photos, he is reading Friday’s copy of the Communist Party newspaper Granma.

    Fidel Castro led Cuba after the revolution in 1959, first as prime minister (1959-1976) and later as president.

    In 2006, surgery took Fidel Castro out of public view. His brother Raul became acting president.

    In February 2008, Fidel Castro officially handed over power to Raul who has been leading the country since then.

  • Japan Makes Phone Call Translater App

    In Japan , an app offering real-time translations is to allow people in Japan to speak to foreigners over the phone with both parties using their native tongue.

    NTT Docomo – the country’s biggest mobile network – will initially convert Japanese to English, Mandarin and Korean, with other languages to follow.

    It is the latest in a series of telephone conversation translators to launch in recent months.

    Lexifone and Vocre have developed other products.

    Alacatel-Lucent and Microsoft are among those working on other solutions.

    The products have the potential to let companies avoid having to use specially trained multilingual staff, helping them cut costs. They could also aid tourism.

    However, the software involved cannot offer perfect translations, limiting its use in some situations.

  • Japan Makes Phone Call Translater App

    In Japan , an app offering real-time translations is to allow people in Japan to speak to foreigners over the phone with both parties using their native tongue.

    NTT Docomo – the country’s biggest mobile network – will initially convert Japanese to English, Mandarin and Korean, with other languages to follow.

    It is the latest in a series of telephone conversation translators to launch in recent months.

    Lexifone and Vocre have developed other products.

    Alacatel-Lucent and Microsoft are among those working on other solutions.

    The products have the potential to let companies avoid having to use specially trained multilingual staff, helping them cut costs. They could also aid tourism.

    However, the software involved cannot offer perfect translations, limiting its use in some situations.

  • France Says Ready to Work With Rwanda at UN

    France has announced, its ready to work with Rwanda after joining the Security Council of the UN as a non-permanent member.

    “We hope that Rwanda, as a new member of the Security Council, will fully contribute to the maintenance of peace and international security, in accordance with the role that is assigned to this chamber by the UN Charter,” said Philippe Lalliot, spokesman of the Quai d’Orsay, in a press briefing.

    Outside Rwanda, four other countries (Argentina, Australia, South Korea and Luxembourg) were elected as non-permanent members of the Security Council of the UN.

    France welcomed the five states of their election and congratulate them for non-permanent position to serve on the Council from 1 January 2013.

  • France Says Ready to Work With Rwanda at UN

    France has announced, its ready to work with Rwanda after joining the Security Council of the UN as a non-permanent member.

    “We hope that Rwanda, as a new member of the Security Council, will fully contribute to the maintenance of peace and international security, in accordance with the role that is assigned to this chamber by the UN Charter,” said Philippe Lalliot, spokesman of the Quai d’Orsay, in a press briefing.

    Outside Rwanda, four other countries (Argentina, Australia, South Korea and Luxembourg) were elected as non-permanent members of the Security Council of the UN.

    France welcomed the five states of their election and congratulate them for non-permanent position to serve on the Council from 1 January 2013.

  • Whitney Houston Daughter to Inherit US$20million

    The family of the late Whitney Houston is battling over a $20 million inheritance to the singers daughter.

    Houston’s 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was slated to receive the money in a trust set up before the singer’s death just before the Grammy Awards broadcast in February.

    But now Whitney’s mother, the singer Cissy Houston, and Marion Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and business manager, have filed a petition as executors of the Houston estate against Brown in Georgia state court.

    Cissy Houston wants to restrict the inheritance payments to Brown, calling Brown ” a highly visible target for those who would exert undue influence over her inheritance and/or seek to benefit from respondent’s resources and celebrity.”

    Court documents say that the schedule of distributions of Brown’s inheritance aren’t in keeping with Whitney’s “intent to provide long-term financial security and protection for her child.”

    Media reports say Cissy Houston is worried that the money will make Brown a target for financial predators or tempt her into a dangerous lifestyle.

    While the Houston family has its own particular problems (and there have been many), wealthy families frequently confront the same question: how to leave millions to your kid without ruining her life?

  • Whitney Houston Daughter to Inherit US$20million

    The family of the late Whitney Houston is battling over a $20 million inheritance to the singers daughter.

    Houston’s 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was slated to receive the money in a trust set up before the singer’s death just before the Grammy Awards broadcast in February.

    But now Whitney’s mother, the singer Cissy Houston, and Marion Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and business manager, have filed a petition as executors of the Houston estate against Brown in Georgia state court.

    Cissy Houston wants to restrict the inheritance payments to Brown, calling Brown ” a highly visible target for those who would exert undue influence over her inheritance and/or seek to benefit from respondent’s resources and celebrity.”

    Court documents say that the schedule of distributions of Brown’s inheritance aren’t in keeping with Whitney’s “intent to provide long-term financial security and protection for her child.”

    Media reports say Cissy Houston is worried that the money will make Brown a target for financial predators or tempt her into a dangerous lifestyle.

    While the Houston family has its own particular problems (and there have been many), wealthy families frequently confront the same question: how to leave millions to your kid without ruining her life?

  • Pope Names first Native American saint

    Pope Benedict XVI will name 17th century Mohawk Kateri Tekakwitha the first Native American saint.

    Another newly named saint is Marianne Cope, a German-born woman who emigrated to the United States as a child, became a nun and went on to devote 30 years of her life helping lepers in Hawaii.

    Their canonization, along with that of five other saints, will be celebrated at a special Mass in St. Peter’s Square Sunday morning.

    “This is a great weekend for America in the Vatican, and it’s really a great weekend for Native Americans. Sainthood is the guarantee that this person is close to God,” said Vatican senior communications adviser Greg Burke.

    “There’s a vast history of people the Catholic Church has made saints over the centuries. Holiness is absolutely a matter of equal opportunity, but this certainly is special because it marks the first time a Native American becomes a saint.”

    Kateri Tekakwitha’s canonization follows what has been judged a miracle by the Roman Catholic Church in the 2006 case of an American boy with a flesh-eating bug.

    Jake Finkbonner was only 5 when he became infected by the bacterium after falling down while playing basketball, CNN affiliate King 5 News in Seattle reported. The infection spread quickly through the tissue of his face, with drugs and surgeries apparently powerless to stop its progress.

    “It was dire,” his mother, Elsa Finkbonner, told the network. “He was air-lifted to children’s hospital, and he was fighting for his life at that point.”

  • Pope Names first Native American saint

    Pope Benedict XVI will name 17th century Mohawk Kateri Tekakwitha the first Native American saint.

    Another newly named saint is Marianne Cope, a German-born woman who emigrated to the United States as a child, became a nun and went on to devote 30 years of her life helping lepers in Hawaii.

    Their canonization, along with that of five other saints, will be celebrated at a special Mass in St. Peter’s Square Sunday morning.

    “This is a great weekend for America in the Vatican, and it’s really a great weekend for Native Americans. Sainthood is the guarantee that this person is close to God,” said Vatican senior communications adviser Greg Burke.

    “There’s a vast history of people the Catholic Church has made saints over the centuries. Holiness is absolutely a matter of equal opportunity, but this certainly is special because it marks the first time a Native American becomes a saint.”

    Kateri Tekakwitha’s canonization follows what has been judged a miracle by the Roman Catholic Church in the 2006 case of an American boy with a flesh-eating bug.

    Jake Finkbonner was only 5 when he became infected by the bacterium after falling down while playing basketball, CNN affiliate King 5 News in Seattle reported. The infection spread quickly through the tissue of his face, with drugs and surgeries apparently powerless to stop its progress.

    “It was dire,” his mother, Elsa Finkbonner, told the network. “He was air-lifted to children’s hospital, and he was fighting for his life at that point.”