Bolsonaro says ‘something wicked’ done to Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira

 

The Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has said he believes “something wicked” was done to the missing British journalist Dom Phillips and the Brazilian Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, amid unconfirmed claims their bodies had been found in the Amazon.

British relatives of Phillips said they had been contacted by the Brazilian embassy in London on Monday morning and informed that two unidentified bodies had been found during the search operation.

“He didn’t describe the location and just said it was in the rainforest and he said they were tied to a tree and they hadn’t been identified yet,” said Phillips’s brother-in-law, Paul Sherwood.

However, the federal police later denied the claims that two bodies had been found. Indigenous activists involved in the search effort also said they had no information about such a discovery but do believe the men’s remains will soon be found in an area of flooded forest where their search teams found some of the men’s belongings on Saturday.

Speaking to Brazilian radio on Monday, Bolsonaro said the evidence gathered by investigators suggested the two men, who went missing on the morning of 5 June while travelling by boat along the River Itaquaí, were unlikely to be found alive.

Bolsonaro said tests were being conducted on suspected human material found floating in one of the region’s rivers. “The indications are that something wicked was done to them,” the president added.

SOURCE:THE GUARDIAN

UNICEF calls for greater investment in health sector

 

Talatona - The UNICEF representative in Angola, Iván Yerovi, said Thursday it was urgent to ensure more investment in the health sector, to avoid newborn deaths and inequalities in the access of the population to rural and urban areas.

Speaking at the 1st Forum on Primary Health Care and Immunisation, he stressed the need for more investment in the health sector, as mentioned in the April 2001 Abuja Declaration, which Angola signed.

In this way, he said that primary health care should be intensified as a guarantee of effective responses to the current gaps in the sector in the maternal, neonatal and infant areas, at accessible costs for the most vulnerable, at a time when the country is preparing itself to respond to emerging diseases such as outbreaks and natural disasters.

For his part, the Representative of the Melinda Gates Foundation, Orion Levine, said that the Angolan government has improved in terms of care, highlighting the fight against the Covi-19 pandemic and access to primary care.

In his view, the country has improved control of the polio outbreak by 70 percent and shown it has the capacity to respond to its African neighbours.

The WHO deputy regional director, Elizabet Lindwe Maphosa, said it was necessary to support the Angolan government to speed up the health care programme, using measurable technologies to improve access to care for children.

Angola becomes 55th member of Extractive Industries Transparency

 

Luanda – Angola joins as of Thursday (16 June)the group of more than 50 member countries of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard that promotes responsible management of oil, gas and mineral resources.

The integration of Angola as the 55th member country was decided at the 53rd Meeting of the EITI Council, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium and the European Commission, held  Brussels.

The event was attended by the Angolan Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (Mirempet), Diamantino Azevedo.

According to Diamantino de Azevedo, who headed the Angolan delegation at the event, the acceptance of Angola's candidacy as a member of the EITI represents the culmination of a preparatory work cycle started in 2019.

In that year (2019), President of the Republic, João Lourenço, declared publicly the country's intention to join this initiative.

The EITI is a voluntary platform to promote transparency and responsible management of revenues from the extractive sectors (mining and oil) implemented by interested countries and companies operating in these industries.

The purpose of the EITI is to allow the proper and monitorable use of these revenues so that they can contribute to the economic and political stability of the countries with extractive industries and, in this way, strengthen the fight against corruption.

BREAKING – Inaugural UK deportation flight to Rwanda aborted

 

A European Human Rights Court ordered the stoppage of the UK’s deportation flight to Rwanda at the eleventh hour to the chagrin of  British officials.

The immigrants being deported were already enplaned with a few minutes left before departure to Kigali when the court order came at which point all the passengers were deplaned.

According to the UK’s PA Media news agency, “all migrants have been removed from the plane and the flight to Rwanda will not take off as scheduled tonight.”

Britain’s government had announced the deal with the east African country in April. Those people granted asylum would then be allowed to resettle in Rwanda.

The government insisted the program was aimed at disrupting people-smuggling networks and deterring migrants from making the dangerous sea journey across the English Channel from France.

It remains unclear if the program will be continued.

DNT News with Correspondent reports from London.

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Canada To Contribute $132.9 Million To Establish The Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund

 The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana H.E. Kati Csaba has revealed that the Canadian Government is set to contribute $132.9 million to establish the Canada-African Development Bank Climate to support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts on the continent.

She said the fund will enhance women’s economic rights and participation in climate action, and mobilize private capital to fill the climate investment gap in Africa he hopes that this is an investment that resonates with those of you in this room and that you will find ways to tap into these funds through African Development Bank mechanisms.

According to her, Canada understands that urgent action is needed to support climate action and that is why a doubling of our international climate finance commitment to $5.3 billion over the period 2022 – 2027 will respond to the current climate emergency, particularly in support of African countries which are disproportionately affected.

These funds will contribute to strengthening Ghana’s ability to respond to the economic and social impacts of climate change and the damage caused by COVID-19.  240 small-scale and medium-scale men and women entrepreneurs will be supported with proof of concept grants and business advisory services, to develop profitable and locally-appropriate solutions to mitigate or adapt to climate change “she said”

She said addressing inequality is central to his mandate here in Ghana.  Following the visit to Ghana of Canada’s Minister for International Development, and then most recently our Minister for Environment and Climate Change, it has become abundantly clear to me that climate change will continue to drive poverty unless we can tap into the innovation, the energy and the creativity of young entrepreneurs who have the potential to drive large-scale change.

She said they are all vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, women and girls in developing countries are uniquely affected by the damaging effects of climate change and environmental degradation.  It is especially important to ensure that they have access to and influence on environmental decision-making and climate action.

The needs of women and girls are at the heart of Canada’s development assistance efforts, which are grounded in the six pillars of our Feminist International Assistance Policy.  Environment and climate action and ensuring growth that works for everyone are priorities that frame Canada’s work in Ghana.

Speaking at the 2022  Incubating Climate Innovation symposium she said Canada partners not only with international institutions but also directly with civil society organizations to implement solutions that are adapted to the local context.  I am so pleased that Canada has been able to support green entrepreneurship and the sustainable growth of small- and medium-sized businesses in Ghana.  An example of this commitment was announced by our Minister for International Development in March 2022 with $10 million (CAD) in partnership funding to Ashesi University’s Ghana Climate Innovation Centre.

Keeping our Feminist International Assistance Policy in mind, half of the 240 entrepreneurs will be women and I cannot wait to see what results arise as these entrepreneurs take advantage of new opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, waste and water management, to contribute to a green recovery from the damage of the climate crisis and the impact of COVID-19 in Ghana.

Recognizing the important role that entrepreneurs play in the development of innovative solutions to address climate issues, in creating more jobs, and in improving livelihoods, it is not a stretch to expect, as they successfully expand their climate-smart enterprises, that GCIC-supported entrepreneurs can address some of the drivers of inequality.

She added that GCIC will contribute to Ghana’s transition to a safer, healthier, more equitable and more prosperous green economy. I challenge you to dig deep and dream big as you participate in this symposium, as you have such an important role to play in ensuring the impact of innovation in achieving our collective vision for climate action. I wish you rich conversations, bold ideas, strong connections and collaboration.

Professor Angela Owusu-Ansah, Provost of Ashesi University highlighted the importance of simple, novel and effective solutions to solving the complexities of climate change.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

 

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