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18, July 2018

President Trump says ‘no time limit’ for North Korea denuclearization ⁰

US President Donald Trump says he does not want to rush to denuclearize North Korea under a deal he reached with Kim Jong-un last month, a shift in tone from when the US leader said the process would begin very soon.

“Discussions are ongoing and they’re going very, very well,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “We have no time limit. We have no speed limit.”

Trump also said that he had discussed Pyongyang with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday at their summit in Helsinki, Finland.

“President Putin is going to be involved in the sense that he is with us,” he said.

Trump and Kim met on June 12 in Singapore, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, and signed a joined document, committing to establishing new relations and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Before the summit, the Trump administration said denuclearization should start “without delay,” and after the meeting, it spoke of the process starting “very quickly.”

So far, however, no concrete progress has been reported and Pyongyang has complained the Americans are making unilateral demands.

Kim, prior to the meeting, said that the two leaders had “decided to leave the past behind” and that “the world will see a major change.”

Trump said he had formed a “very special bond” with Kim and that Washington’s relationship with Pyongyang would be very different.

However, last month Trump declared North Korea an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the US as he acted to maintain harsh economic sanctions against Pyongyang.

“The existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Trump said.

Source: Presstv

17, July 2018

Ghanaian Pastor brutally murdered in Southern Cameroons ⁰

A 29-year-old Ghanaian pastor, Isaac Nii Armah Attoh has been shot during a riot that took place in West Akone in Cameroon.

The young pastor is said to have been hit by a bullet during a commotion between the Francophone and Anglophone speaking neighbours.

Pastor Isaac Nii Armah is an associate pastor with Destiny Impact Ministries, a Ghanaian church whose head Pastor is Apostle Charles Akong-Attah and headquartered in Accra.

According to Pastor Anthony who is a close friend and colleague pastor of the deceased, Pastor Isaac was returning to Cameroon where he heads one of the branches of the church after holding a naming ceremony of his first child two weeks ago before the incident.

He is said to have left Accra on Tuesday 10th July, 2018, and journeyed to Nigeria where he transited to Cameroon on Friday 13th July 2018 after which he lost touch with family members.

Several attempts to reach him proved futile until his family saw pictures of him brutally murdered on social media.

The body of the deceased is yet to be conveyed to Accra, as his family is in talks with the Ghanaian embassy in Cameroon for all necessary documentation to be done.

He left behind a wife and a month old son.

Source: Ghanaian web

17, July 2018

Biya’s Oct. 7 Vote Set, but Will It Include Southern Cameroons? ⁰

Cameroon has set October 7 as the date for its presidential election. However, it remains unclear whether the vote can take place in the country’s two English-speaking regions, where separatists are fighting for an independent state.

Abdoul-Karimou, deputy manager of Cameroon’s election management body, ELECAM, said ELECAM has yet to receive documents from any presidential candidates. But he expects that to change.

He said according to Cameroon’s electoral code, people who want to run for president still have up to July 19 to send their documents to the elections management body for examination.

Already, a dozen people including Joshua Osih of the main opposition Social Democratic Front, Akere Muna, a lawyer and former vice president of Transparency International, Maurice Kamto, head of the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon, and journalist Cabral Libi have declared their intentions to run.

FILE - President of Cameroon Paul Biya attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at The Great Hall Of The People in Beijing, China, March 22, 2018. — FILE – President of Cameroon Paul Biya attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at The Great Hall Of The People in Beijing, China, March 22, 2018.

Incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in office more than 35 years, has not said whether he would run. But there have been calls from his party, traditional rulers, and even some opposition political parties for him to be their candidate.

Traditional ruler and lawmaker Chaffa Isaac said they are asking Biya to run in the hope that his reelection could bring peace to the embattled northwest region and complete development projects he had initiated for the whole country.

“We are calling on president Paul Biya to take all appropriate measures to create a conducive atmosphere, one for peace to reign in Cameroon, two, for there to be a successful election where he is candidate,” he said.

But the Social Democratic Front’s Joshua Osih said he does not think the elections can be conducted successfully in the northwest and southwest regions, where the military is battling armed groups fighting for the creation of an English-speaking state.

Twenty percent of Cameroon’s 23 million people are English-speakers in a bilingual country where French is the predominant language.

The conflict has killed more than 250 soldiers, armed fighters and civilians. It has also left over 160,000 people internally displaced and and forced tens of thousands across the border in Nigeria.

“Elections are not possible in the present circumstances in the northwest and the southwest,” said Osih.

Last week, lawmakers in the national assembly passed a law extending their mandate for 12 months. They said the country cannot handle having presidential and parliamentary elections in the same year.

Some lawmakers said they voted for the bill because the crisis in the English-speaking regions will make it impossible for the elections to take place.

Last March, senatorial elections did not take place in the English-speaking Manyu and Lebialem administrative units where some municipal councilors were arrested and locked up by armed groups.

Armed separatists have vowed to block any elections in the English-speaking regions. The government says it will ensure the security and safety of voters.

Source: VOA

17, July 2018

U.S. expresses outrage over video of executions in Cameroon ⁰

The U.S. has expressed outrage over a recent video of execution being carried out allegedly by Cameroonian military personnel.

Heather Nauert, U.S. Department of State spokesperson, in a statement called for thorough and transparent investigation by the government of Cameroon.

It said: “The U. S. is gravely concerned over the recent video depicting men wearing military-style uniforms executing two women and two children, one an infant.

“International media, Amnesty International, and Cameroonian human rights organisations attribute the actions portrayed in the video to the Cameroonian military.

“We call on the Government of Cameroon to investigate thoroughly and transparently the events depicted in the video, make its findings public, and if Cameroonian military personnel were involved in this atrocity, hold them accountable”.

The U.S. said all countries, including Cameroon, must uphold their international and national commitments and obligations to protect the human rights of their residents and promote accountability.‎

NAN reports that rights group, Amnesty International, on Saturday said it has “credible information” that Cameroonian soldiers were involved in the executions.

The agency said: “Extensive analysis of the weapons, dialogue, and uniforms that feature in the video, paired with digital verification techniques and testimonies taken from the ground, all strongly suggest that the perpetrators of the executions are Cameroonian soldiers.”

Cameroon’s Ministry of Communication said in a statement that the government is investigating the claims, although government spokespeson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, is quoted in local media initially saying the video could be “fake news.”

”We haven’t authenticated yet, but I draw your attention to what we call fake news. Do not be peremptory in the attribution of this video to the Cameroonian army.

“Because the enemy is always able to slip into our defence and security forces to attribute to us such heinous crimes,” Mr Bakary said in local media reports.

Source: Premium Times

17, July 2018

Obama emerges from shadows to honour Mandela in South Africa ⁰

Former US president Barack Obama steps out of the shadows on Tuesday to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela, in his most high-profile international appearance since leaving office.

Obama made headlines earlier this week with a visit to Kenya, his father’s homeland. But he has otherwise stayed largely out of the political spotlight during his post-presidency, quietly meeting with world leaders and groups away from the camera’s glare.

The choice of Obama to honour Mandela – who is also affectionately known as Madiba – on the centenary of his birth is a highly symbolic one.

“We thought to ourselves, ‘Who can best represent the legacy of Madiba? Who took the baton when he became president of his own country? Who would be able to deal with issues of democracy in a world ripped apart by corruption?’” Sello Hatang, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said when announcing Obama as the keynote speaker.

In keeping with tradition, Obama is not expected to comment on his successor, President Donald Trump. Instead, his speech will reflect on Mandela’s legacy, which Obama said “makes me want to be better” in a eulogy following the anti-apartheid leader’s death five years ago.

Mandela, who was imprisoned for 27 years over his campaign to end apartheid, was at the forefront of the fight against South Africa’s white minority rule, He was released from prison in 1990, and elected the country’s first black president in 1994. His leadership was marked by his steadfast commitment to reconciliation, diversity and equality.

In some ways, Mandela’s life serves as a counter-example, if not a silent rebuke, of the divisive politics Trump has embraced.

“In the US and around the world, many see recent developments that run counter to Mandela’s legacy,” Benjamin Rhodes, a longtime adviser and former speech writer for Obama, told the Associated Press. “This will be a globally minded speech, highlighting global trends and focusing on how, in his life, Mandela embodied perseverance. It will be aimed at young people in Africa and also around the world to show that we have been through darker times before and we can overcome these challenges to keep Mandela’s vision alive.”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mandela’s widow Graça Machel will introduce Obama ahead of his speech at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Around 9,000 people were expected to attend the event, according to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which will live stream it on its website at 2pm local time (GMT+2).

Obama will remain in Johannesburg afterwards to launch his foundation’s “Leaders: Africa” programme, which will bring together 200 emerging figures from across the continent for a five-day workshop aimed at exploring solutions to the biggest challenges in their communities.

Source: France 24

17, July 2018

Ronaldo says ‘will fight to win Champions League’ for Juventus ⁰

Five time World Player of the year and now the record signing for Italian club Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo has said his move from Real Madrid was a “well thought out decision”, adding that aims to help his new club win their first Champions League title in more than two decades.

Ronaldo, who joined the Italian champions last week on a four-year contract for 100 million euros ($117.07 million), added that he did not want to stay in his comfort zone after winning three straight European Cups with Real.

The 33-year-old left Los Blancos as their all-time top scorer with 451 goals in all competitions and won two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies over nine years.

“I’m a person who likes to think about the present,” he told a news conference on Monday. “I’m still very young and I always liked the challenges, from Sporting, to Manchester (United), to Real (Madrid) and now Juventus.

“It was a well thought-out decision. It is the best club in Italy. It has an outstanding manager (Massimiliano Allegri) and coaches so it was not a difficult decision to take.”

“I am very ambitious and I like new challenges. I hope everything will go very well. Luck always helps but you have to look for it.”

Why Italy, not Qatar or China?

Ronaldo said he was grateful for the opportunity to represent Juventus, admitting players of his age usually settle for a move to less competitive leagues in Qatar or China.

“Usually players think their careers are over when they are 33. But I don’t feel that at all,” he said, adding that this showed he was “different from the others”.

“(Juve) is a big club and usually players of my age go to Qatar or to China, with all due respect, so coming to such an important and great club at this stage in my career makes me very happy.”

Ronaldo said one of the factors in joining Juve was the standing ovation given to him by the Turin club’s fans on his last visit, when he scored an astonishing overhead kick for Real in the Champions League quarter-finals.

“It was a really stunning moment for me,” he added. “Being welcomed this way is so rewarding. It increases your motivation to start a new adventure.”

Juventus plot European comeback

The signing of the five-times world player of the year and Champions League top scorer for the last six seasons is a major coup for Juve, who have lifted the Serie A title for the last seven seasons but have not won Europe’s top prize since 1996.

“We are going to fight not only for the Champions League but for the Serie A title,” said Ronaldo. “We know competition will be tough but we must stay concentrated.

“I hope I can help Juventus win it (the Champions League). They couldn’t win (last year) because even when you get to the final nothing is written. I hope I can be the lucky star of this club but we will see what happens.”

Ronaldo scored twice when Real beat Juventus 4-1 in the 2017 Champions League final in between triumphs over Atletico Madrid and Liverpool in Europe’s elite club competition.

The Portugal captain took his goalscoring form to the World Cup in Russia and netted four times, but failed to lead the European champions beyond the last-16 stage.

Ronaldo said he would start training with Juve on July 30 and hoped to feature in the opening match of their title defence in August. The fixtures will be announced later this month.

REUTERS

17, July 2018

Nigeria refutes reports of missing soldiers after Boko Haram ambush ⁰

Nigeria’s military has denied reports that over 20 of its troops are missing, following a clash with Boko Haram militants in the northeast of the country.

The confrontation between militants and troops took place on Saturday in the Bama area of Borno, the state worst hit by the jihadist group which has killed more than 30,000 people since 2009 when it launched an insurgency to create an Islamic caliphate.

Three soldiers told Reuters more than 20 were missing. “We lost some of our soldiers in the attack. It is possible those missing are dead. We haven’t seen about 23 of them now,” said an officer who did not want to be named.

Another soldier involved in the clash said the troops were ambushed while conducting a “clearance operation”, adding that “over 20 soldiers have not been seen up till now”. He said five military vehicles were taken.

The militant group carries out suicide bomb attacks in crowded places, such as markets, as well as gun raids and attacks on military bases.

Nigeria’s army denies its ‘missing soldiers’

At a news conference on Monday, the military said media reports of the soldiers being missing were untrue.

An army spokesman said suspected Boko Haram militants had tried to seize military vehicles in an attempted attack on troops in Bama but they had been repelled by troops backed by the air force.

“About 22 members of Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. Efforts are being intensified by the troops to get the fleeing members of the Boko Haram terrorists,” said a military spokesman.

Boko Haram is ‘technically defeated’

Boko Haram held territory around the size of Belgium in northeast Nigeria for several months until being pushed off much of that land in early 2015 by Nigeria’s army and troops from neighbouring countries.

Bama, about 60 km (40 miles) southeast of Borno’s state capital Maiduguri, was held by Boko Haram from September 2014 until March 2015.

Nigeria’s government has said since December 2015 that Boko Haram has been “technically defeated”. Yet attacks continue in the northeast while another group, an Islamic State ally that split from Boko Haram in 2016, holds territory.

REUTERS

17, July 2018

Southern Cameroons-French Cameroun Crisis: Another African state descending into chaos ⁰

It was formerly called the North West and South West regions of the Republic of Cameroon; today’s Federal Republic of Ambazonia (also known as Southern Cameroons) was declared independent from the French Cameroun recently.

Although the government of La Republique du Cameroun started waging a war against the Southern Cameroons after the independence day declaration and the abduction and extradition of its leaders from Nigeria, Africa’s newest nation has been relatively stable under the guidance of the Interim Government (IG) since Sisiku Ayuk Tabe was elected Interim President. President Paul Biya – one of world’s longest-serving leaders – announced he would hold presidential elections this October in an already fragmented society.

The French Cameroun dictator’s reign has been marred by corruption and violence including untold misery. Ever since he joined the French Cameroun government as a junior minister and had a meteoric rise in the Cameroon political system, the former Roman Catholic seminarian has never lost a top seat.

The frustration and vicious marginalization of English speaking Cameroonians for over 57 years has prompted the creation of numerous militia – known as the Dragons, the Odeshi Warriors, The Tigers and the Amba Boys, respectively – drawing fighters from all Southern Cameroons ethnic and political backgrounds.

Biya’s government was aided by President Buhari of neighbouring Nigeria and consequently, the Interim President of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and senior members of the Southern Cameroons government were abducted in Nera Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria and extradited to Yaoundé. Ever since Nigeria took that line, the conflict has escalated. Violent clashes have been the order of the day between the Francophone dominated army and Ambazonia Restoration Forces.

Naked arrogance and resisting talk on the part of the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime has already claimed the lives of some 1000 Southern Cameroonians including nearly 300 Cameroon government troops. The UN says some 160,000 Southern Cameroonians have been internally displaced and some 50,000 are seeking refuge outside the nation’s borders.

France and Nigeria are supporting the Biya regime that has also attracted a number of Chadian soldiers. Biya has continued to work closely with a number of Western powers, notably Britain and France, and allowing their firms to explore and extract Cameroon oil and gas.

Repression has always been a key factor in his renewed reign and the 86 year old has always taken the top seat with almost 90% of votes and extended his term when a new constitution came into force. A general ghost town operation is largely observed in Southern Cameroons, but ignored in French Cameroun, where Mr. Biya and his ruling CPDM crime syndicate are in charge.

Cat calls have greeted the announcement that Mr. Biya will be seeking another 7 year mandate at 86 and it is anticipated that sooner or later there will be a significant outbreak of violence in French Cameroun. We understand that dozens of panicked French speaking Cameroonians are already migrating to other African countries such as Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville including the Ivory Coast. In Southern Cameroons nearly all police stations have been set ablaze by Ambazonia forces.

Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary has been blaming the attacks on government buildings and state institutions on Southern Cameroons separatists. Thousands of Cameroon government police and troops, some in armoured vehicles have invaded and destroyed Southern Cameroons towns and villages killing hundreds of civilians including women and children in a warlike operation.

Amnesty International has hinted of crimes against humanity being committed in Southern Cameroons and the renowned human rights organization says it’s collecting information to identify the perpetrators of the violence in Ambazonia. Amnesty International has also recently denounced widespread arrests of Southern Cameroonians and the fact that many have been illegally detained and harassed – including a number of members of the civil society and Anglophone journalists.

The Biya regime has always promised the international community that it will keep a watchful eye on government troops operating in Southern Cameroons and look into any excessive use of force by soldiers deployed across Ambazonia. These promises have been nothing but plain fiction.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

17, July 2018

FIFA World Cup: 550,000 fans welcome Croatian team in Zagreb ⁰

Zagreb’s Ban Jelacic square proved too small to fit all the fans who wanted to participate in the welcome party for the Croatian national team on Monday, who came back from Russia a few hours earlier.

Supporters of Croatian national football team celebrate during the team welcoming ceremony at the Bana Jelacica Square in Zagreb on July 16, 2018, after reaching the final at the Russia 2018 World Cup. (AFP)

According to police authorities, around 550,000 fans lined up along the route of the open bus tour, which took the team from Zagreb’s Franjo Tudjman airport to Ban Jelacic square.

The runner-up medal at the 2018 World Cup is the highest achievement in Croatian national football history.

Source: Presstv

16, July 2018

Germany: Service to celebrate the life of Bishop Francis Lysinge ⁰

Cameroonians in the Federal Republic of Germany are hoping that it will be a beautiful, sunny afternoon in Mulheim an der Ruhr, as members of the Cameroon Catholic Community gather in St. Mariae Rosenkranz Catholic Church for a special celebration of the Eucharist to thank God for the life and ministry of the much loved Primate.

Retired Bishop Francis Lysinge served as the Spiritual leader in the Major Seminary in Bambui and as Bishop of Mamfe before commissioning the first ever Cameroon Catholic Community in Mulheim, Germany.

The preacher at the service will be Rev. Father Maurice Agbaw-Ebai together with several other German and African priests who are serving in the Nordrhein Westphalia province. A release from the Mulheim Pastoral Council said the focus of the mass will be on the threefold Order of Ministry of Deacon, Priest and Bishop: A Deacon voices discipleship. A Priest voices presence. A Bishop voices engagement.

The Parish Priest Rev. Father Constant Leke was quoted as saying that he believes that all of the explorations and expressions of the three ordained ministries are already present and powerful in the laity and that the releasing of these gifts and inspirations as lay leadership, is a work on which the Cameroon Catholic Community, so dear to the heart of Bishop Lysinge, has only begun.

This special Mass is slated for Sunday July 22 at 13 hrs CET in Muelheim Germany

By Tambendiparrah