South Africa launches gold coin for Mandela anniversary;Obama announces 'African summer read'

1.SA launches gold coin for Mandela anniversary

South Africa have launched a limited edition of bank notes and gold coins to mark the 100th anniversary on 18 July of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

The South African Reserve Bank said the notes depict key moments of Mandela's life including his upbringing in rural Eastern Cape as the son of a chief, his 27-year incarceration and the end of apartheid in 1994 when he became president.

The launch forms part of events across the world, which will culminate locally in an annual Mandela Day lecture by former US president Barack Obama next week.

Mandela died in 2013 aged 95.

The gold coin was designed by Zimbabwe-born Sindiso Nyoni.

"Growing up and living most of my life under a dictatorship, we were not able to experience this feeling of democracy that South Africans have," he is quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

2.Alarm over HIV rates in Mozambique army

Health authorities in Mozambique have expressed concern at the prevalence of HIV among the country's militarily.

They say 11.5% of the force is HIV-positive.

The head of military health, Agueda Duarte, said the force also had a lower level of adherence to anti-viral treatment compared with the civilian population.

The agency has introduced a rapid testing and treatment programme which will see all HIV-positive soldiers receiving treatment immediately after diagnosis.

Mr Duarte said: "One of the biggest challenges continues to be the increasing number of people with HIV starting treatment and maintaining the regimen. What we want is continuous efforts to reduce the prevalence – reduce as much as possible."

The Mozambican military received a lot of support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

HIV prevalence among Mozambicans aged between 15 and 49 is 13.2%.

However, only 64% know their HIV status.

3.Obama announces 'African summer read'

Former US president Barack Obama has tweeted a list of books by African authors that he recommends for his annual summer reading list.

They include: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Return by Hisham Matar.

Mr Obama said the authors were the "best writers and thinkers – each of whom illuminate our world in powerful and unique ways".

He made the announcement ahead of his trip to the continent, which will see him visit his ancestral home in Kenya and then head to South Africa where he will deliver the annual Mandela Day lecture.

4.Dozens in hospital after Egypt chemical factory blast

At least 12 people were injured and taken to hospital after an explosion on Thursday night in a chemicals factory outside Egypt's main airport in Cairo.

A plume of smoke could be seen rising from at the scene of the explosion:

Egyptian army spokesman said the blast was caused by high temperatures in a storage facility belonging to a local petrochemicals company.

Aviation Minister Younis al-Masri said air traffic at the airport was unaffected by the explosion, which could be heard across the area.

5.Prince Louis's christening marked by family portrait

The christening of Prince Louis has been marked by the release of a set of family photographs.

The four images were taken by celebrity photographer Matt Holyoak following the baptism in The Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

"Everyone was so relaxed and in such good spirits, it was an absolute pleasure," Mr Holyoak said.

The photos were taken in the morning room and garden of Clarence House.

The christening on Monday, July 9, was the first time the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children had been seen together as a family of five.