7 Aug 2012 10:19 Africa/Lagos
Conference on the Role of Private Universities in Higher Education in Africa
ADDIS ABABA, August 7, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
When: Wednesday, 08 - Friday, 10 August 2012 9:00am daily
Where: African Union Commission Old Building Conference Complex, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Who: Jointly organized by African Union Commission (AUC), The Association of African Universities (AAU), and St. Mary's University College (SMUC).
Objectives:
The conference is being organized to achieve the following objectives:
• Assessing the impact of private higher education provision on the revitalization of higher education in Africa;
• Determining pedagogical reforms that would contribute to the core functions of teaching, learning and research in private universities;
• Exploring areas for effecti9ve collaboration in research between public and private universities in Africa;
• Reviewing the impact of globalization on the ‘true' values in higher education in Africa with particular emphasis on the ‘commodification' of higher education as a tradable good under the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATs); and
• Making recommendations for the maintenance of the maximum social benefit to be derived from the persuit of higher education.
Expected outcomes:
The conference is expected to produce the following outcomes:
• Commissioned papers and policy briefs as advocacy tools on quality assurance and accreditation issues in private universities;
• Facilitate collaboration and building of synergies between public and private universities in Africa;
• Contribute to strategic planning and pedagogical reforms towards the pursuit of the three core functions of teaching, learning and community service in private universities; and
• Provide an enhanced platform for networking amongst private universities in Africa.
Participants:
The participants expected at the conference will include vice- chancellors, rectors, presidents, and principal of public and private higher education institutions, as well as researchers, scholars; policy makers, development partners and other stakeholders.
Background: This Conference is being organized as the 10th in the series of consultative annual conference on private higher education provision organized by St. Mary's University College (SMUC) to promote dialogue and better understanding of their roles in the society. This year, SMUC is partnering with the Association of African Universities (AAU), which is the apex higher education body in Africa, to broaden the scope and theme beyond the Ethiopian experience, as had been in the past.
The Association of African Universities (AAU) is an international non-governmental organisation set up in November 1967 by universities in Africa to promote cooperation among themselves and between them and the international academic community. It has a current membership of 270 institutions comprising universities and other higher education institutions drawn from all parts of the continent. Its headquarters is in Accra, Ghana, and it officially operates in three working languages, English, French and Arabic. The AAU has over the years become the major actor and coordinator of activities for African higher education, including the implementation of regional programmes in research, leadership development, ICT capacity building, academic staff exchange, student fellowships, management and dissemination of scholarly information, gender, HIV/AIDS and quality assurance.
Journalists are invited to cover the Conference on the Role of Private Universities in Higher Education in Africa from Wednesday, 08 to Friday, 10 August 2012.
Attached the program of event:
Tuesday, 7th August 2012
16.00 – 18.00 Arrival/ Registration
Wednesday, 8th August 2012
08.30 – 09.00 Arrival/ Registration Continued
09.00 – 09.10 Opening Remarks by Organisers/Introduction of Participants
09.10 – 09.20 Introduction of Chairman, Keynote Speakers & Guests of Honour
09.20 – 09.30 Chairman's Opening Remarks
09.30 – 09.50 Short Addresses by (i) AAU Secretary General; (ii) VC of St. Mary's University College; (iii) VC of Covenant University
09:50 – 10:00 Message from AUC Commissioner His Excellency Jean-Pierre O. Ezin
10.00 – 10.15 Welcome Address by H.E. Ato Demeke Mekonnen, Minister, Ethiopian Ministry of Education
10.15 – 10.30 Keynote Address on the theme: The Role of Private Universities in Higher Education in Africa Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, Nigeria/Former AAU Secretary General
10.30 – 11.00 Group Photograph/Health Break
11.00 – 12.00
Chair: Dr Teshome Yizengaw, Africa Program Officer, Higher Education Development
Rapporteur: Ato Samson Tilahun, SMUC, Ethiopia
Plenary Presentation on the subtheme Public-Private Partnership in Higher Education in Africa Dr. Rajendar Dhoj Joshi
Plenary Presentation on African Union Commission's Programs on Higher Education AUC Representative
12:00 – 12:30 Discussion
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch Break
13.30 – 15.10 Parallel Sessions
Panel 1: Public-Private Partnership in Higher Education in Africa
Chair: Professor Belay Kassa
Rapporteur: W/t Selamawit Negasi, SMUC, Ethiopia
13:30-13:50. Financing University Education through Public-Private Partnership at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. Jephias Matunhu, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
13:50-14:10. Financing Higher Education in Kenya: Public-Private Partnership Approach Calleb Gudo (PhD), KCA, Kenya
14:10-14:30. Public-Private Partnerships for Research in Private Universities in Uganda. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo (PhD), Uganda Christian University
14:30-14:50. Deregulation, Private-Public Partnerships, and Private Universities in Nigeria Prof. Anthony Osagie, Benson Idahosa University, Nigeria
14:50-15:10. Discussion
Panel 2: Private Higher Education Provision in Africa: Strategies for Success and Opportunities
Chair: Mr Tedla Haile
Rapporteur: Ato Goitom Abrha, SGS, SMUC
13:30-13:50. Study Conditions at a Private University in Tanzania: A Perspective on Students' Experiences Bernadette Müller (PhD) and Max Haller University of Graz, Austria
13:50-14:10. Distance Education as a Tool for Development: The prospect of private distance education in Ethiopia Taye Mohammed and Tesfaye Teshome (Associate Professor), HERQA
14:10-14:30. Private Higher Education in Africa is a better alternative: The Case of Monash University, South Africa Geoffery Sestswe (Professor), Monash University, South Africa
14:30-14:50 21st Century Private Higher Education in Africa: Improving the quality of Curriculum Development with Financial Intelligence Samuel Faboyede
Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
14:50-15:10. Discussion
15.10-15.30 Health Break
15.20-16.50
Parallel Sessions
Panel 1: Private Higher Education at the Crossroads: Strategic Planning and the Pursuit of the Public Good
Chair: Dr. Kebede Kassa
Rapporteur: Dr. Eyilachew Zewdie, SGS, SMUC
15:30-15:50. Private Universities, Endogenous Knowledge Regime and Problem Solving Scholarship in Africa: A Polycentric Planning Perspective. S., R. Akinola (PhD), Covenant University, Nigeria
15:50-16:10. Private Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Challenges, and Ways Forward. Kassahun Kebede and Tesfaye Teshome (Associate Professor), HERQA, Ethiopia
16:10-16:30. Higher Education in Africa and the Role of Private Universities: A Focus on Nigeria. Iruonagbe, Tunde Charles (PhD), Covenant University, Nigeria
16:30-16:50. Discussion
Panel 2: Private Higher Education Provision in Africa: Strategies for Success and Opportunities
Chair: Prof. Daniel Aina, VC Adeleke University, Nigeria
Rapporteur: Dr. Nigussie, SGS, SMUC
15:30-15:50. Performance of the Higher Education Sub-Sector in Ethiopia. Fitsum Zewdu, Ethiopian Economic Association, Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute, Ethiopia
15:50-16:10. Bridging the Gap in Education: The Role and Impact of Privately owned Learning Institutions in Zambia. Velenasi Mwale Munsanje, M., Evelyn Hone College, Zambia
16:10-16:30. Students' Expectations and Attitude towards Foreign-supplied Post-Graduate Programmes through Ethiopian Private Higher Education Institutions. Rakshit Negi (Ph.D) and Guta Kedida, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
16:30-16:50. Discussion
16:50 – 17:20 Chair: Professor Olugbemiro Jegede
Rapporteur: Dr. Eyilachew Zewdie, SGS, SMUC
Plenary Presentation on the subtheme Funding of Private Universities in Africa Dr Mrs Esther O. Asekun-Olarinmoye
17:20 – 17:35 Discussion
17:40 End of session
Thursday, 9th August 2012
08.30 – 09.00 Welcome/Review of Day's Activities
09.00 – 10.00 Chair: Prof. Aize Obayan, Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Nigeria
Rapporteur: Rahel G/Chirstos
Plenary Presentation on the subtheme Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Private Universities in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities Prof. Barney Pityana, Rector Anglican Theological Seminary, South Africa
Plenary Presentation on the subtheme Private Higher Education at the Crossroads: Strategic Planning and the Pursuit of the Public Good Professor Paul Omaji
10:00 – 10:15 Discussion
10.15 – 10.30 Health Break
10.30 – 12.40 Parallel Sessions
Panel 1: Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Private Universities in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
Chair: Dr. Getnet Tizazu, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Rapporteur: Dr. Wondimagegn Chekol, Quality Assurance Office, SMUC, Ethiopia
10:30-10:50. Implementation Barriers to Internal Quality Assurance in Private Higher Education in Ghana. John Kwame Boateng (PhD), Wisconsin International University College
10:50-11:10. Quality Assurance Challenges and Opportunities faced by Private Universities in Zimbabwe. Evelyn C. Garwe (PhD), Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, Zimbabwe
11:10-11:30. Collecting Feedback from Students in Ethiopian Private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Implication for Quality Assurance and Enhancement. Melaku Girma, St. Mary's University College, Ethiopia
11:30-11:50. Internationalization and Quality Assurance in a Private University College. John Kwame Boateng (PhD), Wisconsin International University College
11:50-12:10. Cross-Border Partnership and Collaboration in Maintaining Quality Education in Private Higher Education Institutions in Africa: Some Selected Cases from Ethiopia. Wondimeneh Mammo (Asst. Prof.), Alpha University College, Ethiopia.
12:10-12:40. Discussion
Panel 2: Private Universities in Community Service in Africa
Chair: Professor Paul Omaji, VC Salem University
Rapporteur: W/ro Ergogie Tesfaye, Gender Office, SMUC
10:30-10:50. University-Community Engagement for Sustainable Development: An Analysis of the Context of Private Universities in Zimbabwe. David Chakuchichi (Prof.), Zimbabwe Open University
10:50-11:10. Higher Education and Entrepreneurship Development: What roles are private universities playing in Ethiopia? Hailemelekot Taye, St. Mary's University College, Ethiopia
11:10-11:30. Higher Education as an Agent of Inclusive Development: The Role of Private Universities in Africa. Tsitsi Chataika, University of Zimbabwe
11:30-11:50. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS, Risk Reduction Behaviors and Readiness to undergo Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT): Focus on Public and Private College Students in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Kabtamu Ayele Jimma (Asst. Prof.), Asela College of Teacher Education, Ethiopia
11:50-12:10. The Role of Private Higher Education Institutions in Student Readiness for HE. Misganaw Solomon, SMUC, Ethiopia
12:10-12:40. Discussion
12.40 – 13.30 Lunch Break
13.30-14.00 Chair: Professor Barney Pityana, Rector Anglican Theological Seminary
Rapporteur: Dr Daniel Kubuafor, AAU
Plenary Presentation on the subtheme Private Universities in Community Service in Africa Professor Everett Standa
14.00 – 14.15 Discussion
14.40 – 15.40
Parallel Presentations
Panel 1: Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Private Universities in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
Chair: Dr Getnet Tizazu, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Rapporteur: Dr. Mulugeta Taye, SGS, SMUC
14:20-14:40. Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Private Universities in Uganda: Challenges and Opportunities. Francis Otto and Benon Musinguzi, Uganda
14:40-15:00. Academic Staff Capacities in Private Universities in Tanzania. Simon Peter Ngalomba, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
15:00-15:20 Assessing Graduate Employability Skills: Implications for Quality in Higher Education. Zenawi Z., (PhD), Assefa A., Biadglign D., & Tsegazeab K., Mekelle University, Ethiopia
15:20-15:40. Discussion
Panel 2: Private Universities in Community Service in Africa
Chair: Professor Aize Obayan, VC Covenant University
Rapporteur: Dr. Bekabil Fufa, SGS, SMUC
14:20-14:40. Private Uuniversities in Community Services: Bridging the Gap in the Provision of Appropriate Sanitation. Chigunwe Gilliet and Ndoro Mercy, Zimbabwe
14:40-15:00. Factors Dictating Students' Career Choice in the Ethiopian Higher Education Environment. Asaye Teklu, St. Mary's University College, Ethiopia
15:00-15:20. The Role of Private Higher Education Institutions in Community Service in Africa: The Ashesi Approach, Elspeth Adzo Ashie, Ghana
15:20-15:40 The Engagement of African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Response to HIV/AIDS Daniel Kweku Kubuafor (PhD), AAU, Ghana
15:40-16:00 Discussion
16:00 – 16:30 Health Break
16.30-17:00 The International Fellowship Program of AAU, Araba Botchway, AAU
17:00 -17:15 Adoption of the Addis Ababa Declaration on the Role of Private Universities in Higher Education in Africa Professor Michael Omolewa, Former President of the General Conference of UNESCO
17.15 – 17.30 Closing Remark Tedla Haile, Executive Vice President, SMUC, Ethiopia
Friday, 10th August 2012
09.00 – 12.30 Excursion (Optional) to Entoto Mountain- Menelik Museum, Addis Ababa University Museum (Site of objects related to Emperor Haile Selassie), Trinity Cathedral (Ark of Covenant Site)
12.30 – Departure
Source: African Union Commission (AUC)
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Maurel & Prom ? H1 2012 Consolidated Sales ?226m
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Andy Garcia Narrates New Documentary Featuring Stories of Cuba's Former Political Prisoners
7 Aug 2012 13:35 Africa/Lagos
Andy Garcia narrates new documentary featuring stories of Cuba's former political prisoners
NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating Life in Union, a new documentary narrated by Andy Garcia, will premiere at the 2012 New York City International Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas, August 14 at 6: 00p.m. The film unveils the tragedy and brotherhood of a group of former political prisoners from the Cuban Revolution, who fought for, and then were betrayed by their leader, Fidel Castro.
Director and human rights activist Gladys Bensimon, known for her award-winning documentary Crossing our Borders, learned that a group of these former prisoners, now in their 70s, was living and gathering weekly in Union City, New Jersey. She began attending the meetings as her curiosity grew about what really happened to the people of Cuba during the Revolution. Garcia, a Cuban-American, joined the project to support the former prisoners and to help tell their stories.
"These men were young and passionate when they initially joined Fidel Castro's revolution in Cuba to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista," said Bensimon. "They were students, teachers, farmers, businessmen who sacrificed everything to change Cuba for the better. After all that effort, they were betrayed by Castro and forced to lead a counter-revolution in the Escambray Mountains."
Celebrating Life in Union juxtaposes the former prisoners' stories with the stories of their families, who prayed they survive the firing squads that claimed the lives of thousands in a tumultuous Cuba. The men recount the physical and mental abuse they endured during their decades incarcerated. Thousands paid with their lives and many more with their freedom and sanity to fight for a free Cuba.
"I didn't want their stories and the human rights violations of the Castro regime to be forgotten," said Bensimon. "We need to remember what our freedom is worth, and pay respect to those who are brave enough to fight for it."
For more information about Celebrating Life in Union, visit celebratinglifeinunion.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/CelebratingLifeInUnion.
To attend the New York City International Film Festival, visit nyciff.com
About HBR Production Company
HBR Productions is an award-winning multilingual film and video production company with over 20 years of experience in a wide range of genres including commercials, features, animated shorts, short narrative films and documentaries, located in Hoboken, NJ. HBR is led by Gladys Bensimon, an award-winning producer/director, and the President of the company.
Contact:
Gladys Bensimon
HBR Production Company
732-598-4278
gbensimon@gmail.com
www.hbrproductions.com
SOURCE HBR Production Company
Web Site: http://www.hbrproductions.com
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15,000 Useful Phrases
Behold 15,000 of the most useful phrases to be found anywhere. Use these uniques phrases to increase your writing ability and to entice people to read your works. Written over 80 years ago by the brilliant and wonderfully literate Grenville Kleiser and now republished in 2008 by Digital Legend Press. 6x9 Trade Paperback 415 pages.
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Shine With the Stars
Shine with the Stars. Shine with the Stars is the brainchild of Shine
SHINE is 96.9 Cool FM celebrity radio presenter and has been in the entertainment industry since 2007. She actually stared as a television presenter before she moved to radio but still does a bit of television when she is needed but for now radio is her world “Shine” shines both on radio and on stage as a Mc/Compare and presenter for various events and show and has graced the stage co-hosting with other popular names in the industry like Ali Baba, Nomoreloss, Jedi, Head master, Rems, Samsonsay and recently hosted the recently concluded Kennis Music Fester.
Shine with the Stars is an event where fans are given the opportunity to Rave with one of radio's finest celebrity radio presenter SHINE together with other celebrities, A fusion of party rave and mini concert giving everyone an avenue to unwind, creating a suitable environment for "Connecting" with major players in the entertainment industry (Musicians, Actors, Producers, Directors, Bloggers, Models, and Comedians, as well as Radio and TV personalities and the likes. SHINE wants to create that bond between fans and their favorite celebs ...these fans see the stars only on TV or on stage during a concert but cant go close to them and know them for real plus there are some fans who are talented and all they need is just a word or an advice from their icon and together we all would have made a legend bloom..while for some people, just one night of partying with their icon will complete the puzzle in their life.
This will be the second (2nd) Series as the first (1st) was held on June 9th, 2012 at Shunz bar and Lounge at Murphy plaza.
Check out some few pictures frm the series 1 celebrity club rave.. http://t.co/9iUgPQIE
This event is presented by Millz Group because Millz believes in SHINES vision, “connecting fans and celebrities”.SHINE is using the power of fun and Social media as a means of connecting people/Networking and realizing dreams.
Shine with the Stars is using fun (Music, Entertainment and Style) as a means of networking potential talent with Stars
SHINE WITH THE STARS is an event that roams with themes also and this time around been the 2nd series of the event SHINE is bringing
to you the first ever celebrity pool rave so come party and network hard with your favorite celebrities in the 9ja entertainment industry.
CONFIRMED GUEST APPEARANCE AND PERFORMANCES BY :Eldee tha don and the and Trybes record crew , Alibaba, Ay, Headmaster, CEO Swanky signature designs, Illbiss, Nomorloss, Dj Jimmy jatt , HansMills ,Dj shy shy ,Dj Neptune ,Chidnma, Monica ,Iyanya, Illryhmes, Morachi, Uzi, TillaMan, Ruggedman, DammyKrane, Dayo, Eric Arugbai ,Damola Cruz ,Morachi, Dipp, tha suspek ,Fliptyce ,D’prince omoba, Kenis music all stars ,keke and D1,Yung6ix ,Nomorloss, Brymo and the list goes on.
9ja Edition Polos to be won and more
Tickets been sold for N3,000
Your host: SHINE herself
Red carpet Host: STEVE of Nigezie TV and SAY of Gameduptv
DJ’S : DJ NEPTUNE ,DJ SHYSHY AND DJ SNOOP DA DAMAGER
HYPEMEN : N6 AND SENSEUCHE
SHINE WITH THE STARS series 2 CELEBRITY POOL RAVE is happening at HOTEL BONVOYAGE. 57A AJ MARINHO DRIVE OFF TONY ANEGBODE STREET, Island Lagos
AUGUST 25TH 2012 …Red carpet starts 8pm
come looking hot in comfy outfits plus don’t forget to bring your swimsuits people, we are swimming and partying till dawn, there will be loads of daring and crazy games to be played and freebies to be won.
SUPORTED BY : BONVOYAGE HOTEL, 9JA EDITION, B ENERGY DRINK!,HAIR FUSSION, KENNIS MUSIC CHANNEL 5IVE28 ENT, NIGEZIE TV , GAMED UP TV , HIP TV, ARTISTEZONE TV, UBERNAIJA, ACADA MAGAZINE, LIVEBEAT TV, DYNAMIX TV AND MAGAZINE, BLAZE TV….
OFFICIAL RADIO SUPPORTERS :COOLFM AND WAZOBIA FM.
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Monday, August 6, 2012
New Genetic Study Defines the Genetic Map of the Jewish Diasporas
6 Aug 2012 20:00 Africa/Lagos
New Genetic Study Defines the Genetic Map of the Jewish Diasporas
BRONX, N.Y., Aug. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new genetic analysis focusing on Jews from North Africa has provided an overall genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas. The findings support the historical record of Middle Eastern Jews settling in North Africa during Classical Antiquity, proselytizing and marrying local populations, and, in the process, forming distinct populations that stayed largely intact for more than 2,000 years. The study, led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, was published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120531/DC16559LOGO)
"Our new findings define North African Jews, complete the overall population structure for the various groups of the Jewish Diaspora, and enhance the case for a biological basis for Jewishness," said study leader Harry Ostrer, M.D., professor of pathology, of genetics and of pediatrics at Einstein and director of genetic and genomic testing for the division of clinical pathology at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Ostrer noted that obtaining a comprehensive genetic fingerprint of various Jewish subpopulations can help reveal genetic links to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other common diseases.
In a previous genetic analysis, the researchers showed that modern-day Sephardic (Greek and Turkish), Ashkenazi (Eastern European) and Mizrahi (Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian) Jews that originated in Europe and the Middle East are more related to each other than to their contemporary non-Jewish neighbors, with each group forming its own cluster within the larger Jewish population. Further, each group demonstrated Middle-Eastern ancestry and varying degrees of mixing with surrounding populations. Two of the major Jewish populations—Middle Eastern and European Jews—were found to have diverged from each other approximately 2,500 years ago.
The current study extends that analysis to North African Jews—the second largest Jewish Diaspora group. Their relatedness to each other, to other Jewish Diaspora groups, and to their non-Jewish North African neighbors had not been well defined. The study also included members of Jewish communities in Ethiopia, Yemen and Georgia. In all, the researchers analyzed the genetic make-up of 509 Jews from 15 populations along with genetic data on 114 individuals from seven North African non-Jewish populations.
North African Jews exhibited a high degree of endogamy, or marriage within their own religious and cultural group in accordance with custom. Two major subgroups within this overall population were identified: Moroccan/Algerian Jews and Djerban (Tunisian)/Libyan Jews. The two subgroups varied in their degree of European mixture, with Moroccan/Algerian Jews tending to be more related to Europeans—most likely stemming from the expulsion of Sephardic Jews from Spain during the Inquisition, starting in 1492. Ethiopian and Yemenite Jewish populations also formed distinctive genetically linked clusters, as did Georgian Jews.
Dr. Ostrer's paper is titled, "North African Jewish and non-Jewish populations form distinctive, orthogonal clusters." Additional Einstein contributors include: Christopher Campbell, Gil Atzmon, Ph.D., Carole Oddoux, Ph.D., Alexander Pearlman, Ph.D., and Edward R. Burns, M.D. Other contributors include: Pier Francesco Palamara and Itsik Pe'er, Ph.D. (Columbia University, New York, NY); Laura Rodriguez -Botigue and David Comas Martinez (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain); Marc Fellous, M.D., Ph.D. (Cochin Institute, Inserm, Paris, France); Li Hao, Ph.D. (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ); Brenna Henn, Ph.D., and Carlos Bustamante (Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA); Maya Dubrovsky and Eitan Friedman, M.D., Ph.D (Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel).
The research was supported by grants from the Lewis and Rachel Rudin Foundation; the Iranian-American Jewish Federation of New York; the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation; National Cancer Institute (CA121852) of the National Institutes of Health; and Ruth and Sidney Lapidus.
About Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Einstein is home to 724 M.D. students, 248 Ph.D. students, 117 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 368 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has 2,522 full time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2011, Einstein received nearly $170 million in awards from the NIH. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Through its extensive affiliation network involving Montefiore, Jacobi Medical Center – Einstein's founding hospital, and five other hospital systems in the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island and Brooklyn, Einstein runs one of the largest post-graduate medical training programs in the United States, offering approximately 155 residency programs to more than 2,200 physicians in training. For more information, please visit www.einstein.yu.edu and follow us on Twitter @EinsteinMed.
SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine
CONTACT: Kimberly Newman, +1-718-430-3101, Sciencenews@einstein.yu.edu
Web Site: http://www.aecom.yu.edu
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London Olympics Photos of the Day: Usain Bolt and Andy Murray
And seemingly just like that, he had done it. Some 76 years since a British man had won a title at Wimbledon, and 100 since any member of Team GB had won a singles gold in tennis at the Olympics, Andrew Murray became a champion, sinking to his feet as the rest of the country rose on theirs to salute him.
~ By Bryony Gordon, 10:39PM BST 05 Aug 2012.
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What is Going On in Africa Today?
Africa / Background Briefing
WASHINGTON, August 6, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Special Briefing
Senior Official
Intercontinental Hotel
Nairobi, Kenya
August 4, 2012
MODERATOR: All right, everybody. Great to be back with you. We are in Nairobi, Kenya. Here to give us a readout on the meetings with the Kenyans and also with the Somali TFG is [Senior State Department Official].
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: [Moderator], thank you very much. Let me start by saying a little bit more about the great success that has been achieved in the last 48 hours as a result of the governments of South Sudan and Sudan achieving oil agreement.
The Secretary went to Juba in order to use her diplomatic influence and credibility to strongly encourage President Salva Kiir and the leadership of the South Sudan Government to embrace an acceptable and reasonable agreement that would bring to an end one of the most difficult and thorny issues left unresolved prior to that government's independence from Sudan. She achieved that.
And it should be seen as her achievement; it should be seen as a major diplomatic success. This is – the issue of oil revenues has been one that has deeply divided South Sudan and Sudan since independence and was one of the issues unresolved in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
All of you know that when South Sudan achieved its independence, it, in effect, took somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all of the oil revenues that were formerly going to the Government of Khartoum. And this was a whole – I should say 75 to 80 percent of all the oil that was being produced in Sudan. This meant an enormously large loss for the Government in Khartoum. As a result of the lack of an agreement here, there were ongoing political tensions, sequestration, illegally, of oil, and finally a decision on the part of the South not to ship any further oil through the North.
When that happened, it, in effect, closed down 98 percent of the foreign exchange of the new Government of South Sudan. And after the fighting in Heglig, the destruction of the oil wells there probably shut in the 50 or 60 percent of the remaining oil that South Sudan had in its territory. Both of these countries were in a downward economic spiral that was accelerating at a rapid pace that would have led them into major economic destruction. Ninety-eight percent of the revenues of South Sudan lost 95 percent of their budget – lost. And from all indications from the World Bank, from the IMF, and from independent economic analysis that we've done, would've shown that the South would have probably run out of foreign exchange sometime between the end of August and the first of October. Others say they might have been able to last up until December of this year or January, but this was a major disaster waiting for a new government.
In the North, you can see what was also happening. For the first time probably in a decade, we were seeing on the streets of Khartoum daily an increasingly vocal and violent demonstrations against the government. We saw a large rise in inflation; we saw spiraling high fuel prices and fuel shortages and higher food costs in the North, demonstrating that they were in economic trouble as well.
So what the Secretary was able to do by convincing Salva Kiir and key members of his cabinet who were with him, was to bring an end to one of the five contentious points that divided those two countries. We are hopeful that this agreement will signal the beginning of a new era in goodwill that may translate into being able to resolve some of the other issues that remain. But it certainly helps to remove the issue that was most worrying to us, and that was looking at economic collapse in the South and looking at increasingly difficult economic problems in the North. We did not want to see that happen.
So we congratulate Salva Kiir, and we congratulate the Government of Sudan for acting wisely in this. And again, we have to acknowledge that the Secretary who, in going to Juba, was in fact a wise, and in this case, prescient diplomatic move that has made significant contributions to bringing these countries a little closer together, where they had, in fact, been drifting widely apart.
Let me stop right there on that little segment and say a little bit about the trip here. The trip here to Kenya is just as profoundly and significantly important as the stop in Juba. And the Secretary's diplomatic efforts here, quite frankly, have been focused on trying to ensure that the forthcoming presidential elections here – scheduled for March 4th, 2013 – do not end up the way Kenya's last presidential and parliamentary elections ended in December of 2007, where those elections were close, highly contested, and resulted in nearly three months of widespread violence, bloodshed, and retribution. We saw Kenya nearly split in two in February and March of 2008. And if it were not for the diplomacy of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, this country could've easily slipped over the precipice.
The Secretary in coming here was intent on meeting all of the political forces in the country – the members of the coalition government, led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga – to encourage them to support free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections, to speak out and use their voices against those who would promote ethnic and tribal divisions, those who would promote hate speech, and those who would undermine the process of having transparent and credible elections.
In her conversations with President Kibaki and members of the Cabinet, including the Vice President Musyoka, she made this a clear point: Kenya must have good elections. The consequences of not doing so are both political and undermining the country's democracy – they can be violent and destabilizing for the citizenry of this country. And it also can undermine the country's economy. Not too many people realize that in '07 and '08, as a result of the violence, this country lost $1 billion in revenue. The number of tourists coming into the country over the next 18 months dropped precipitously. The amount of new investment coming into the country also dropped, and the GDP of the country collapsed from some 7.5 percent down to under 3 percent. All of this was as result of those elections.
So in those conversations with President Mwai Kibaki and Vice President Musyoka and then later with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, making the points that it was important to complete the reforms which came out of the Kofi Annan political and diplomatic exercise, to have elections that were similar to the referendum on the new constitution; to complete the reform process and to implement it; and to support the integrity of Kenya's independent electoral commission.
The Secretary also during the day met with the Chief Justice of the High Court – Doctor Willy Mutunga who is probably one of this country's leading jurists and lawyers – and he heads that part of the reform process, which has gone tremendously well. The judiciary has been reformed, and they have, under the new Chief Justice, one of this country's best lawyers and a person who is known for his credibility and his integrity.
The Secretary wanted to demonstrate our support for the independence of the judiciary and wanted to encourage him to use the court to defend the constitution and the rights that people have under the constitution and not to allow impunity to reign either in political excesses or in business and commercial activities. So it was a clear signal that we believe that the court here I probably the strongest element of this country's current democracy, and she wanted to give support to that court.
The Secretary also met with the chairman of the election commission along with its executive director and one of its members as well as members of civil society. And in that meeting, she was able to hear the concerns of the election commission, and also to hear the concerns of the Kenyan civil society as well. The Secretary wanted to again impress upon the election commission the need to run a process, which is free, fair, transparent, and credible. And we heard some very, very good things from the election commission and from civil society about the integrity of the election commission.
The message that we want to hear is that the politicians should not try to undermine the integrity of the independent election commission, that the election commission should be outside politics, and that it should not – in its activities, should not be politicized.
The election commission is doing some things, which they hope will prevent a repeat of '07 and '08. They will allow a parallel vote count from civil society groups. They will have an electronic posting results from each of the constituencies, and when those results are posted to the election commission here in Nairobi, they will be simultaneously given to the media of this country, which will have stations at the election commission to be able to have those results as well. And they will also allow these reports, these election reports results as they come in, to be given to a number of NGOs so that the public will have the same information that the election commission is having from each of its polling places at the same time, so there can be no data manipulation.
These are all very positive things. We are encouraging the election commission to go out and do more in terms of civic education and voter education, and we're encouraging them to have as transparent a voter registration process as possible. Some of you may recall that in the 2007 elections, those elections didn't end in disaster because of the vote counting in the various constituencies, it ended badly because of a lack of transparency when the numbers actually arrived in Nairobi to the old and now disbanded election commission. There's a new election commission. It's independent, has an independent budget, broad set of new members, and we want to give encouragement to that commission to maintain its independence, to remain outside of politics, and also to say to the political politicians, don't try to influence or undermine the work of the election commission. But again, it's a mission here on the part of the Secretary to help stave off a process, which would lead to a repeat of '07 and '08.
Finally, the Secretary had a meeting with the key signatories of the roadmap, leading to the end of the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia. That roadmap calls for a new constitution; a constituent assembly to approve that constitution; a constituent assembly to select, indirectly, 275 members of parliament, which would make the parliament half the size as it currently is today; and then the selection by direct election of a new speaker of parliament, and then the indirect election of a new president.
All of that is to culminate on August 20th. We have been heavily invested in making sure that this roadmap is completed. The Secretary participated on February 23 in a conference in London hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron on Somalia, and we have pushed the TFG very hard to complete this roadmap on time on the 20th. A lot has been done. A constituent assembly has been convened; a new constitution has been written and adopted unanimously. The constituent assembly is now in the process of selecting members of parliament. Those members of parliament will select – will elect a new speaker, and the members of parliament then will select a new president.
We think that we're optimistic and think that this will be accomplished by the 20th. If it is, it will be a significant step forward in helping to end two decades worth of civil strife and unrest in South Central Somalia. The Secretary met with President Sheikh Sharif here in Nairobi at our embassy in August of 2009 -- he had only been President for approximately five months at that time. We made a significant political judgment to work as hard as we could to ensure that the transition would end at this period and that a new constitution and a new government would be put in place. Three years of diplomacy in this area looks like it is taking off, and that diplomacy has also been aided quite significantly on the ground by the AMISOM peace force that is here.
We have been significant contributors to the AMISOM effort. And three years ago in August, the TFG controlled probably one to two square miles of Mogadishu. We all know today that AMISOM has effectively defeated and driven al-Shabaab out of all of Mogadishu. They have taken significant parts of the country back to the North. They are en route to moving against Merca, Kismayo. And we have an AMISOM force of some 17,000 people on the ground, all-African contingent, and they have had enormous military and security success.
Again, it's been a part of our policy effort to stabilize Somalia, move both the security and the political process forward. Approximately three and a half weeks ago (inaudible) went into Mogadishu for the first time an assistant secretary had been there in two decades, the first time since Black Hawk Down that a senior State Department officer had been on the ground in Mogadishu. That testifies to what is, in fact, happening there. We have seen enormous change as a result of our policy of pushing for political reform and greater security on the ground.
So we, again, wanted to reinforce. The Secretary took this opportunity to say we're two weeks away from the 20th, we've got only three major things to do – new parliament, new speaker, new president – and we will have achieved a great deal in advancing the political agenda there. It will close a chapter and open a new one, but we will have seen quite substantial changes on the ground, which, in fact, will result, we believe, in a major policy success.
I'll stop right there.
QUESTION: Is there anything really standing in the way of that at this point, of (inaudible)?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: No. But the Secretary wanted to reinforce the need for everyone to remain focused and to remind them of what she said in London on February 23rd. We will be looking for spoilers, and if there are any spoilers, we will take action against them bilaterally, and we will encourage the international community to take action against them on a multilateral basis.
Thus far, we have not seen those spoilers. Thus far, we have seen cooperation from all of the key players in South Central, including the leadership in Galmudug and the leadership in Puntland. They've all played responsible and thoughtful roles. But it's still two weeks out; it's still Somalia. If, in fact, we're able to get a government in place there, it will probably be the first time in 22 years that we've seen this. And so it marks a very significant step forward.
Again, a lot has happened. The British have reopened an office in – an embassy office in Mogadishu. The Italians have reopened an office there. The Turks have reestablished and have an embassy and an ambassador on the ground there. These are all indications of the enormous progress that has been made. That's also an indication of the enormous amount of solidarity and cooperation among key states working with IGAD, the states in the region, and key players in the international community to push this forward.
MODERATOR: If I may, [Senior State Department Official], she also stressed that it doesn't all end on August 20th, that they – the current members of the Transitional Government – have a responsibility to ensure that the new leader should stand up. And then they talked also quite a bit about what Somalia is going to need in the next stage as it moves towards self-sustaining security, increasingly we hope. But that's going to take a lot of help from the international community.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Absolutely. We also recognize that AMISOM can't do it all and that as AMISOM continues to expand the liberated spaces throughout South Central Somalia, it puts an enormous amount of responsibility on the new government after August 20th to begin to stand up a Somali security force that is responsive to and subservient to civilian authority, but is disciplined and is able and capable of providing security in areas where AMISOM is not operating, but equally a responsibility on the part of the government to provide services as well as security to its citizens. Reopening schools, reopening health clinics, helping to revive agriculture and livestock rearing, putting in wells, doing microfinance and microcredit projects – these are all very important elements that are going to be a part of the next stage. And those are just as important going forward as the progress that we've made over the last three years.
QUESTION: Was there anything specific that the Secretary told President Kiir in terms of – I mean, the “carry a stick” metaphor is used a lot in Sudan, but was there any sticks that were used, maybe in terms of the deadline or (inaudible) strike a deal or these consequences --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: The Secretary did not threaten Salva Kiir. She pointed out the enormous advantages of moving ahead, preventing a further economic decline and deterioration, and noted, as she did in one of her press conferences, that a percentage of something is better than a percentage of nothing. And right now, the South, without the oil, had nothing. They'd lost 98 percent of their revenue. Their foreign exchange is dwindling rapidly. They've had to cut their budget by some 35 percent. They are having to reduce significantly money going into education, into healthcare, into construction of new roads, and infrastructure.
And so the Secretary did point out very clearly that the prospects of the situation getting worse economically were very, very apparent. But she also said to President Salva Kiir and his leaders that the global economic community, which has helped South Sudan over the last several years with large infusions of money, is going through a tough time itself and that it could not expect an international bailout of the type that would be needed to be able to provide for all of the lost revenue and assistance that it was losing as a result of the oil shortages.
But again, it was an appeal to Salva Kiir to look at the consequences of this continuing to drag out and saying that he had a responsibility to his people, and he also had an obligation and responsibility to listen to those who have been most supportive of the SPLM and their right to self-determination over the last several years.
QUESTION: The fact that this deal mean – or does it – will it open the door to any sort of new or adjusted U.S. approach to Khartoum? I mean, (inaudible) that Sudan feels very hard (inaudible) about it. They didn't get the material benefits out of the deal that they thought they would out of the sort of allowing the succession to happen. Do you now see them being more cooperative, or have you offered them any new incentives to make them more cooperative that might resolve some of these broader tensions?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: We did not offer any incentives to the Government of Khartoum to strike this deal. We focused our efforts mainly on the South. But we have and continue to recognize the significance to both states of ending the political tensions that exist. It is in Khartoum's interest, as much as it is in the interest of the Republic of South Sudan, to end the political tensions that have existed since independence on July 9.
We want, as a matter of policy, to see two states living peacefully and amicably next to one another. And we also recognize that the security and stability of South Sudan has an impact on the security and stability of Sudan and vice versa. When one is suffering, the other is also likely to suffer as well. So it's in their interest to make peace, to end the disagreement over borders, to end the political stalemate over Abyei, to resolve the issue of citizenship. And it's really in the interest of the Government of Sudan to open up international access corridors for humanitarian assistance into the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan region. And it's in the interest of Sudan to establish and open a political dialogue with the leadership of the SPLM-North, both in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan. This is in their interest.
And finally, the United States has said over and over again that our desire is to have good, normalized relations with both the government in Juba as well as the government in Khartoum. And Khartoum can in fact do things that will help speed the process of improved relations. We have made, over the last two years, a number of overtures. They have to do things as well, and we will respond.
QUESTION: Did the Secretary take up the issue and allegations from Khartoum that South Sudan has sponsored rebels and – on their side of the border? And might it further the discussions between the two if the United States could get – and somehow resolve (inaudible)?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: The Secretary discussed a whole range of issues with Salva Kiir, but the most important issue that she brought up was the need to resolve the oil issue. But in our ongoing discussions, including the ones that have recently taken place, but especially those between Ambassador Princeton Lyman, who's just been in the region himself, we have told the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan that they should stop all support to proxies operating against one another, that it is not in their interest to do so. We have said to Khartoum, don't support proxies working against the Government of South Sudan; and we have told the Government of South Sudan, on more than one occasion, that they cannot and they should not support, directly or indirectly, proxies working against the Government of Sudan.
The issue did come up. The Secretary addressed it and encouraged there be an effort to resolve these kinds of issues. I'll say that Salva Kiir did tell the Secretary that he wanted to be helpful to the government in Khartoum in helping them deal with the political issues in South Kordofan and Blue Nile and that he recognized the importance of having a stable and peaceful neighbor next to him.
QUESTION: Did he make any assertions one way or the other about whether he had supported --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: I won't – you've seen most of the public statements, and most of their public statements reflect and mirror the things that they say diplomatically.
QUESTION: Can I just –
MODERATOR: Let's do two more. We're going to have to rush.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yes. I need to --
QUESTION: The (inaudible)?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: This is my lunch. I'm drinking my lunch here. (Laughter.)
MODERATOR: For the record, it's a Coca-Cola.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yes. My lunch, my Coca-Cola. (Laughter.)
MODERATOR: One more here and then --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: And it's not even a diet Coke.
MODERATOR: Go ahead.
QUESTION: They predicted starting the oil again will take like six months and you said government shuts without oil by end of October. So now that a deal --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: No. I didn't say – I said they would run out of foreign exchange.
QUESTION: Okay.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Foreign exchange.
QUESTION: But given that --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: I think they've been very – I think – let me just say, I think people have a very clear understanding of how long it will take to restart some of the oil fields. I'm told that in some instances, it's only a matter of weeks. In some, it is a matter of months. And in some, it may be close to a year or more.
QUESTION: Yes, sir. I just have a general question on the meaning of the trip in Africa. And it's similar to a question, which has been asked by Matt on the plane: What do you have in mind in Africa? Do you have China and India in mind (inaudible) different way of doing business in being more open and transparent? And you have made – you have been forward (inaudible), France and Britain, and Italy, in France, in democracy, the end of patronage and your partnership?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: The Secretary is here to promote and advance a U.S. partnership strategy and agenda for Washington. The Secretary is – for the United States Government. The Secretary is here to underscore the new U.S. strategy for Africa, which was published in June, and that strategy is quite clear. It has four pillars in it.
The first pillar is clearly to help strengthen democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law across and around Africa. That reflects U.S. values, U.S. policy. The second one, which is quite important, is to help to spur market-oriented economic growth across Africa through trade, through commercial activities, and new investment. And that, too, reflects our U.S. interest and strategy. And thirdly, we're interested in helping to promote peace and stability, as we are doing in Sudan and Somalia. And finally, we're promoting the Administration's economic development agenda, our Feed the Future program, our MCC program, our Global Health program, our extension of PEPFAR. And these are American principles, American values, and this is what the Secretary is out there doing.
People will say that they contrast with things that others do, but that is a reality. Our reality is is that we've got an agenda. We think it is a positive agenda. And it's an agenda of partnership, mutual respect, mutual responsibility, and one that reflects where we are in the United States. If people want to contrast that, they can, but we are promoting American principles and American policy and American agenda, which is, as I say, based on partnership, mutual respect, mutual responsibility, and trying to do everything that we can to make Africa a more inclusive partner in the global community.
QUESTION: Can you say one quick thing about Malawi tomorrow? What's the --
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Again, a part – again, it's a part of that pillar one, just as in Senegal with President Macky Sall, the Secretary will be applauding the smooth, democratic transition that has resulted in the second African woman becoming a president of a democratic state. The Secretary wants to underscore the democratic transition, the peaceful democratic transition, that occurred there, recognize the significance of President Joyce Banda as the second female president, and to underscore our support for a very large MCC program of $350 million, our support for the Global Health Initiative and PEPFAR program that we are supporting there, and to continue to encourage the democratization that is moving across Africa.
MODERATOR: Thanks, everybody. Thanks.
Source: US Department of State
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