South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana named most promising markets in Africa

South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana are the most promising markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a survey by Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index for 2016.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Geoffrey White, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agility Africa on Monday.

The annual survey reported that Africa’s requirement for logistics services and supply chain expertise was huge and growing daily.

by a fast-growing middle class was as important a growth driver for Africa.

It said that Nigeria’s enormous potential had become clearer since its recent decision to update the methods by which it collected economic data.

The statement, however, said the most promising markets would have been huge markets if not for poor infrastructure, lack of power generation and corruption.

It said despite the recent growth and surging foreign investments, Sub-Saharan Africa remained a challenging frontier for many.

It said that many of the companies that needed logistics to enter the markets did not know how to get started in Africa or were not willing to take the risk.

The statement noted that the market was open to first movers who could navigate risk and nurture African talent.

It said that there was a huge opportunity for those seeking to build long-term sustainable businesses that would bring world-class practices that could adapt to local conditions.

According to the statement, the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index, now in its 7th year, offers a snapshot of logistics industry’s sentiment.

It said that South Africa had Africa’s most advanced logistics industry and transport infrastructure, but its economy had been hobbled by chronic power shortages.

It also identified slumping commodity prices, a plunging currency and labour unrest as factors militating against the South African economy.

The statement ranked the following countries at the bottom of the ladder- Ethiopia (37), Tanzania (40), Kenya (43) and Uganda (45).

Among countries in North Africa, Morocco ranked 20, trailed by Egypt (22), Algeria (30), Tunisia (36) and Libya (41).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agility is a global provider of integrated logistics.

It brings efficiency to supply chains in some of the globe’s most challenging environments, offering personal service and customized capabilities in developed and developing economies alike.

Independence Day Trouble: U.S. Fighters Intercepted Incoming Russian Bombers on July 4th

                                               Image Source: www.examiner.com

Tensions between the USA and Russia escalated on Independence Day, when the European superpower decided to send two pairs of Tupolev Tu-95 long-rangestrategic bombers, capable of carrying nuclear payloads, close to the coast of California and Alaska. The Air Force scrambled fighter jets to intercept them.

The first incident occurred at 10:30 a.m. ET on July 4th, FoxNews reports, off the coast of Alaska, when two Air Force F-22 fighters intercepted two Tu-95 bombers. Half an hour later, two F-15s were sent to intercept a pair of Tu-95 Bear bombers off the central coast of California.

NORAD would not confirm if either pair of bombers was armed. Neither pair of Tupolev entered U.S. airspace, 12 nautical miles off the coast. One official told ABC News that the interception could have taken place “as far out as 200 miles.”

While the Russian airplanes were in the air, Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Obama to wish him a happy July 4th.

A similar incident took place two years ago on the same day. Since the start of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has increased its military exercises over Europe and the Pacific, with the U.S. and European allies having intercepted Russian planes. The European Leadership Network estimated that Russia and the West had 40 military encounters, of which three were designated as high-risk incidents, Business Insider reports.

“They are messaging us. They are messaging us that they are a global power,” head of NORAD Adm. Bill Gortney told reporters in April, adding that the U.S. does “the same sort of thing” to Russia in Europe.

Barcelona sign forward from Atletico Madrid

Barcelona have beaten Manchester United and Chelsea to the signing of Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid

Barcelona completed a £29million signing ofAtletico Madrid forward Arda Turan.

The Catalans beat Manchester United andChelsea to the signing of the 28-year-old despite a transfer ban which will ensure that Turan will not play for them till Janauray.

Barcelona will pay £24m upfront and £5m in add-ons for the Turkish international, who has signed a five-year deal.  

The deal also includes the option for Barcelona to send the player back to Atletico before July 20 if the club's new president, who will be elected on July 18, does not want to confirm the deal.

Barcelona would lose 10 percent of the fee they have paid to  Atletico if the elected president choose to opt out of the group.

Barcelona's managing commission are currently running the club until the upcoming elections and have approved the deal but presidential candidate Josep Maria Bartomeu has claimed that manager Luis Enrique specifically asked the club to sign Turan.

Turan has been signed to replace Xavi who has joined Qatari side Al Sadd.

Arda joined Atletico in 2011 from Galatasaray and made 127 appearances for the 2014 La Liga Champions.

He won the La Liga, Europa League, Copa del Rey and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League during his time at the Vicente Calderon.

This is the second summer signing by Barcelona after the snagging full back Aleix Vidal on a permanent transfer from Sevilla last month.

 Turan joined Atletico in 2011 and has won La Liga, Copa del Rey and Europa League 

Girl Loses Phone in Vegas, Claims Ronaldo Found It and Took Her out for Dinner

Girl Loses Phone in Vegas, Claims Ronaldo Found It and

took Her out for Dinner

Bad news is I lost my phone two days ago. Good news is Cristiano Ronaldo found it. Better news is he took us to dinner last night.

Imagine losing your phone while holidaying in Las Vegas, only to have it returned by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo himself—who then takes you out for dinner.

Well, according to the Instagram page of one Austin Woolstenhulme, that is exactly what happened.

Woolstenhulme updated her Instagram account—which now has 4,503 followers and counting—with a photo alongside what certainly appears to be the Real Madrid superstar. 

In the post, she claims to have lost her phone two days previous before the heroic Ronaldo returned it and then took her and her friends out for dinner.

Now that's what you call being a gentleman. 

Bomb explosion rocks Zaria, Kaduna state 

A deadly bomb blast on Tuesday killed at least 20 people in the Sabon Gari area of Zaria town, Kaduna state.

The governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, confirmed the casualty figure via his Twitter handle.

“I am sad that a terrorist bomb attack just killed 20 people in Sabon Gari Zaria. May the souls of our innocent departed rest in peace, Amen.”

“We call on our citizens to be vigilant and avoid crowded places like markets, mosques, churchesand motor parks in the next few weeks.”

“We call on our people to report any suspicious persons and movements to law enforcement agents, traditional rulers and religious leaders”

The Kaduna State government is working with Federal security agencies that are taking proactive measures to frustrate such terrorists.”

'Garage' churches challenge Pope for the faithful

Young people from an evangelical church make the rounds in Atucucho, Ecuador, visiting the sick and needy.

Quito, Ecuador (CNN)In the dusty streets of Atucucho, on the outskirts of Quito, it's hard to walk more than two blocks without bumping into an evangelical church.

In one cinder block church overlooking the city, parishioners sing and pray along with the Rev. Lema. Some break down in tears. Outside, children dressed in their church best play in the dirt.

These so-called "garage churches" have popped up in poor suburbs across Latin America, catering to communities that have been pushed to the periphery. Many of the pastors are local indigenous leaders.

They have become perhaps the biggest challenge for the Catholic Church in Latin America, where Pope Francis is on a weeklong, three-country tour.

According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of Latin Americans were Catholic in 1970, but that has dropped to 69%. Protestant congregations, on the other hand, are growing. The Pew data shows protestants were at 4% in 1970 and are currently at 19%.

On Saturday in Atucucho, young men and women carrying Bibles make the rounds visiting the sick and elderly.

"God put us on Earth for a reason," said evangelical Lizbeth Quiroz, on her way from visiting a man who'd been in an accident. "And my reason is to visit those in need and talk to them about God."

In Atucucho, which means "Place of the Sun" in the native Quechua language, there is one Catholic Church.

But with the emergence of Pope Francis, also a champion of the poor, there is renewed enthusiasm among Catholics.

In Quito, children have been practicing a song for the first-ever Latin American pontiff. They belt out the lyrics as they snack on slices of green mango outside their school. They sing: "Welcome Pope Francis, Ecuador receives you with songs of love!"

Two girls tell us they will be going with their families to Bicentennial Park for the Pope's Mass on Tuesday.

Others say they will try to get a glimpse of him as he passes in his Popemobile.

But while the excitement is tangible, the big question is can Pope Francis get people back in the pews and stem the exodus from the Catholic Church?

According to a recent Gallup Poll, many Latin Americans believe Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, will change the Catholic Church for the better. A total of 68% of those polled said he brings hope to the poor, including 37% of non-Catholics.

We ask the Rev. Robin Calle if there has been a noticeable impact at the El Carmelo Church in Quito, where he celebrates Mass.

"What the Pope is saying is that we need to be like Jesus and focus on the most miserable, on the most excluded," he said.

"He's generating a kind of internal movement in the church to build on that foundation. But it's too soon to talk about impact."

He said parish priests must carry the Pope's message forward.

During his visit to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, Pope Francis will visit many of the neighborhoods where evangelical congregations have flourished.

It remains to be seen if he can inspire them to return to the fold.

Gruesome weekend for Chicago leaves city, police chief reeling By Holly Yan and Leslie Holland.

Gruesome weekend for Chicago leaves city, police chief reeling

When a city has eight killings in two days, including the death of a 7-year-old boy, something is seriously wrong with the system.

That's what Chicago's police chief said after a spate of bloodshed that tormented the city over the weekend.

"We need to repair a broken system," Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy told reporters Sunday. "Criminals don't feel the repercussions of the justice system."

Take, for example, the death of 7-year-old Amari Brown. McCarthy said the boy was the unintended victim of a bullet meant for his father, a ranking gang member.

The system failed Amari, the police chief said. Amari's father, who has been arrested 45 times and has a lengthy criminal record, should not have been on the streets, McCarthy said.

Existing laws, McCarthy said, made it easy for the man to get out of jail the day after he was arrested on a firearms charge in April.

"If Mr. Brown is in custody, his son is alive," McCarthy said.

According to McCarthy, the father isn't cooperating with investigators looking into his son's killing.

"He gave us a statement, but it was a vanilla statement that he didn't see anything. You know, I can't reveal the circumstances that we know occurred at that scene at this time, but he could do a lot better for us, let's put it that way. And you know, the fear is, he's going to take care of it himself," McCarthy told CNN's "AC360." "So while we're being held accountable for violence here in the city, and I accept our accountability, as a cog in the wheel, there's a much bigger picture here. If he wasn't on the street, the shooting doesn't occur. Now that he is on the street, I'm worried that the next shooting will occur in retaliation."

At a vigil Sunday for Amari, family friend Michael Singleton told the media that unless real changes are made, the cycle of violence will continue.

"All of you all will be back out here next week, on another corner, filming the same thing, from somebody else, saying exactly what I'm saying," he said.

"So I'm tired of doing news conferences. I'm tired of listening to them. I'm tired of talking about them. Until we make a better decision as a community and as a city, this is all that's going to happen."

A gruesome weekend

Even with a 30% increase in the number of police on the streets over the holiday weekend, seven people were killed between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon, the superintendent said.

Another 40 people were wounded in weekend shootings, McCarthy said.

And since Friday morning, Chicago police have recovered one illegal gun per hour across the city, McCarthy said.

"We must stem the flow of guns into the city," he said.

This year's statistics may sound staggering, but compared to last year, the number of violent incidents is down. For the same period in 2014, there were 64 shootings, 69 nonfatal victims in those incidents and 15 slayings.

McCarthy said he is incredibly proud of the men and women of his department amid the challenges they face every day.

But "we need some help here, folks," McCarthy said. "We have to fix this broken system."