The News Review:

- INTERVIEW-Comoros military ready to attack rebel island
- Daily Times – Site Edition
- As chaos stirs Kosovo other nations ponder
- Advertiser Editorial: Africa can be continent of potential
- Six homes and then some
- United close in on Gunners as Magpies misery goes on
- Africa reports fewer meningitis cases: WT

INTERVIEW-Comoros military ready to attack rebel island
Reuters AlertNet – Feb 23, 2008
But he said their presence would also minimise the risks. "We know that if there are foreign troops probably Mohamed Bacar will not even try to resist" Salimou said. Sudan and Senegal are expected to provide 600 and 150 troops respectively. Tanzania already has 200 troops in Comoros to assist with an African Union election monitoring mission and Libya is set to provide logistical support Salimou said. The military head said he did not know of any concrete arrival dates for the foreign troops. He also declined to say where the pilots of two recently delivered Ukrainian helicopters were from or how many troops he had at his disposal. "What I can tell you is that we have enough troops for this mission" he said.

Daily Times – Site Edition
Daily Times – Feb 23, 2008
Daily Times – Site Edition [Printer Friendly Version]. The former French colony on Africa’s westernmost tip is hosting an rganisation of the Islamic Conference (IC) summit in less than three weeks. More than 5000 delegates including heads of state and ministers are expected from over 50 nations. The oceanside capital Dakar has been turned into a building site as the city struggles to prepare new highways conference centres and more than half a dozen luxury hotels some of which still appear to be bare concrete shells. “I’d like to ask all those who have nice villas to lend them to us for three to five days” Wade said in an appeal broadcast on state television late on Thursday… “When a head of state says I’m coming with 200 people you can’t tell him to come with just 50. The Senegalese must mobilise to meet this exceptional event” he said but added that he was confident everything was on track. Senegal is hoping the conference will boost its profile in the Islamic world not least among Gulf Arab nations who have stepped up their investment in West Africa in recent years. The March 13-14 summit will be the 11th held by the rganisation of the Islamic Conference which groups 57 nations from around the world and was created in Morocco in 1969. Its theme will be the role of Islam in the 21st century and delegates are expected to discuss issues ranging from relations with other religions to terrorism. Senegal has been gearing up for the IC summit for years. Dakar’s residents have grown accustomed to daily gridlock as traffic is forced through crowded back streets while flyovers are constructed.

As chaos stirs Kosovo other nations ponder
St. Petersburg Times – Feb 23, 2008
Wait and see Many Arab nations such as Syria and Egypt have declined to commit and no Arab country has recognized Kosovo. "ur Arab region in particular is full of groups of many religions faiths identities and nationalities" an editorial in Egyptian paper Al-Akhbar said. "What if Iraq should split into four or five countries and Lebanon into six regions?" Similar fears have held back many nations in Africa where only Senegal has recognized Kosovo's independence. Haven't and won't The main reason for opposition – in Spain Slovakia and elsewhere – appears to be homegrown. Slovakia part of Czechoslovakia until 1993 has a sizable Hungarian minority and fears encouraging ethnic tensions at home. Spain has dealt for decades with the violent Basque separatist group ETA which wants to carve out a homeland between Spain and France. ther Spanish regions – most notably economic powerhouse Catalonia – have pressed for more autonomy in moves some say could lead to the country's eventual breakup.

Advertiser Editorial: Africa can be continent of potential
NEWS.com.au – Feb 23, 2008
The other believes that African states under-perform so spectacularly precisely because they are so poor thanks in part to Western indifference or exploitation. Both positions leave the long-suffering individual African as a victim of forces beyond his or her control. In recent years there have been moves – led by Algeria Egypt Nigeria Senegal and South Africa – to develop a new vision to help the continent get its collective act together. This strategic framework for Africa’s renewal the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) aims to promote sustainable growth and international investment by rewarding those African states that implement and stick to principles of good governance. These political initiatives to promote better management have coincided with a new African resources boom – particularly in oil and gas – and a rise in commodity prices. This has produced an unlikely scenario in which Africa is expected to enjoy its highest economic growth in more than three decades in 2008 – this despite an anticipated slowdown in the global economy. Africa’s rising importance in international trade democracy promotion and security issues has provided a much-needed boost to the influence of the marginalised continent.

Six homes and then some
Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Feb 23, 2008
“At the Kingman home on Firehouse Lane tour-goers will learn that this 1950s-era home was once a candy store and then a French restaurant. Now it expresses the ambience of a Cape Cod cottage with the addition of African art. The homeowner served in the Peace Corps in Senegal. The home of Sel and Henry Medvin on a quiet lagoon shows the homeowners’ artistic talents and their effective use of Feng Shui principles in furniture placement. Tom and June Morse have created a true Florida home with wicker bleached wood glass and textiles in the colors of sea sand sun and sky. A circular staircase leads to the crow’s nest and offers a peaceful view of the bay. Themed rooms in the home of Bob and Shannon Gault will impress visitors.

United close in on Gunners as Magpies misery goes on
Soccerway – Feb 23, 2008
Within 11 minutes of the restart Scotland international Darren Fletcher had played Ronaldo into space and he coasted through the Newcastle defence before rounding Harper for his second of the game. Sir Alex Ferguson withdrew Ronaldo and the injured Nemanja Vidic with the win assured and the hosts finally forced home a goal of their own 11 minutes from time. Forward Andy Carroll headed James Milner’s corner into the path of Abdoulaye Faye and the Senegal international finished from two yards. Manchester United’s pride had been hurt and less than two minutes later the reigning champions had a fourth goal. Smith cleared a corner straight into the path of Rooney and a stunning finish from 22 yards left Harper clutching at thin air. Saha’s completion of a memorable rout was almost routine.

Africa reports fewer meningitis cases: WT
chinadaily.com.cn – Feb 23, 2008
Preliminary reports from 13 countries indicated 2312 cases including 324 deaths during the first six weeks of this year in the belt which stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia. The number of cases dropped 29 percent from the figure last year when 3274 cases including 413 deaths had been reported. However major outbreaks have still been reported in Burkina Faso the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) while Benin Cote d’Ivoire Ethiopia Ghana Mali Niger Nigeria and Togo have all reported cases of the highly contagious disease. But it is not enough to reach epidemic levels. And there have been no cases so far in Cameroon or Chad WH said.