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15, October 2019

Nigeria: Uber launches boat service in Lagos ⁰

Global ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc on Friday launched a pilot test of a boat service in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos to attract commuters seeking to avoid the megacity’s notoriously congested roads.

The United Nations predicts that Nigeria’s population will more than double to 400 million by 2050, which would make it the third most populous country in the world after China and India.

The combination of population growth and congestion has made Nigeria, and more broadly West Africa, attractive to foreign transport companies.

Uber’s chief business officer told Reuters in June the company planned to launch the service to carry travelers in the Lagos megacity of around 20 million people that is built on a lagoon.

The waterway service, UberBOAT, is operated in partnership with local boat operator Texas Connection Ferries and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said the ride-hailing firm.

“This initiative is aimed at providing commuters with an easy and affordable way to get in and out of the city’s business districts,” Uber said in a statement.

The pilot phase will operate on weekdays from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT on a fixed route between two locations in the city.

Water safety

Passengers will be charged a flat fare of 500 naira ($1.39) per trip, compared with about 300 naira by minibus for a similar journey in the commercial hub of the West African country where most people live on less than $2 a day.

At a press conference on Friday, Uber officials said there would be four trips a day, carrying up to 35 people on a boat, during the two-week pilot.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state, said the Uber boat service, and the use of waterways in general, were part of a raft of initiatives aimed at easing congestion that include a program of road repairs.

“We want ferries that carry 60 to 80 people,” he said, referring to his hopes for the future use of waterways, on Thursday at a forum with businesses.

Uber’s boat initiative follows a number of motorcycle ride-hailing firms that have targeted West Africa as an area for expansion in the last few months.

Technology giant Google also launched a new feature in July that allows Nigerians to hear travel advice in a local voice on Google Maps. Another feature allows users in Lagos to seek directions from “informal transit” services, such as private minibuses.

Source: Africa News

15, October 2019

Southern Cameroons War: Send Santa to the Brave Ones: The True and Indisputable Patriots of Ambazonia ⁰

They take a bullet for us. They go to the grave for you and I. They give up everything for us to have everything. We may write volumes about Ambazonia and videos and audios but if we and the world talk about Ambazonia today with our chins high, it is because of them. Yes them, those brave ones who rose to defend our land and people when the genocidal vampire terrorists thugs in the name of a military came raping, maiming, killing, burning and using our unarmed innocent citizens for target practice. Because of our brave boys and girls of Ambaland we can hope and sing.

We will never be able to thank them enough. We will never be able to appreciate them enough. So this Christmas for this 2019, Santa has no other assignment but to take our message of thanks and grantitude to our brave patriots our brave boys and girls.

Please join me in making my personal contribution to this initiative to our brave patriots, our great boys and girls grow.

I will be putting into Santa’s sleigh and bag to our brave patriots a message of gratitude wiith $1000.

Pleass add your name to show appreciation to our brave patriots as we send Santa to them this Christmas. Please send your support and contributions through any of the following:

WhatsApp account: $nkaprisu

Paypal account: christmasebini@gmail.com

Zelle account: 3017580263

15, October 2019

France: Firefighters lead latest nationwide protest against President Macron ⁰

Firefighters reveled in setting off firecrackers for hours as they led the latest multi-profession demonstration against President Emmanuel Macron.

Other than the never-ending firecrackers, the protests were similar to countless other demonstrations over the past decade: against funding cuts to schools, social security, poverty programs, hospitals and countless other job creating public institutions.

Macron is trying to force through a radical overhaul to the pension system, which would raise the retirement age by two years. It would also create universal, one-size-fits-all system, even though it’s hard to imagine a 64-year-old fireman still working such a physically demanding job.

Many here say that it’s false to blame France’s fiscal issues on the pension system. France’s deficit has ballooned following banker bailouts, immoral interest rates and years of cutting taxes for the wealth and for profitable corporations.

Protesters say that, even more than his two predecessors, Macron has refused to engage in a cooperative political process with those opposed to his right-wing reforms. Because of the lack of political cooperation, Macron has been plagued by massive protests. Only the risky and self-sacrificing protests by the Yellow Vest anti-government movement have gained some minor concessions. That has left non-Yellow Vest protesters wondering exactly how democratic public opinion plays a role in French-style democracy.

Source: Presstv

15, October 2019

Italians are back: Vatican City security head resigns ⁰

The head of the Vatican City State’s national police force has resigned, after a confidential internal memo was leaked to the press that announced the suspension of some Vatican officials and employees and restricted their access to the Vatican.

The suspended officials were connected to an October 1 raid of some Vatican offices, part an unspecified investigation overseen by a prosecutor, called the “promoter of justice” in the Vatican City court system.

The Vatican press office said that Domenico Giani, Commander of the Vatican’s Gendarmerie, was not personally responsible for the leak.

“In order to assure the proper serenity to the ongoing investigation, coordinated by the Promoter of Justice and carried out by the Gendarmerie, since the perpetrator of the external circulation of the order – reserved to the staff of the Gendarmerie and of the Pontifical Swiss Guard – remains unknown, and although the Commander bears no personal responsibility in the unfolding of the events, Domenico Giani has tendered his resignation to the Holy Father out of love for the Church and faithfulness to Peter’s Successor,” an October 14 announcement from the Vatican press office said.

The memo’s leak was “prejudicial to the dignity of the people involved and to the image of the Gendarmerie,” the announcement added.

Giani was Commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie, and had been a part of the Vatican’s security and police force for more than 20 years. The memo, issued on October 2, was signed by Giani and published by L’Espresso.

The memo was issued after the October 1 raid of offices within the offices of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. Among the suspended employees is Msgr. Mauro Carlino, who oversees documentation at the Secretariat of State, along with layman Tomasso Di Ruzza, director of the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Authority.

Two other men and one woman were also listed as suspended in the memo. During the raid, documents and devices were taken in connection to an investigation following complaints made last summer by the Institute for Religious Works – commonly called the Vatican Bank – and the Office of the Auditor General, concerning a series of financial transactions “carried out over time,” an October 1 Vatican statement said.

The Secretariat of State is the central governing office of the Catholic Church and the department of the Roman Curia which works most closely with the pope. It is also responsible for the governance of the Vatican City state. The Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Authority oversees suspicious financial transactions, and is charged with ensuring that Vatican banking policies comply with international financial standards.

Pope Francis approved new governing documents for the Vatican Bank last summer, transitioning the bank from its practice of using internal auditors to the use of an external auditor to review the bank’s finances and transactions. The bank has a long history of complex financial transactions, has faced scandals, and been criticized for a lack of financial transparency.

The pope has made reforms at the Vatican Bank a priority of his pontificate.

The October 14 statement said that Pope Francis spoke “at length” with Giani when the official presented his resignation, and “expressed his appreciation to the Commander for his gesture, an expression of freedom and institutional sensitivity, which honours Commander Giani and the work he has carried out with humility and discretion in the service of the Petrine Ministry and the Holy See.”

The press office said that Giani had brought “undisputed professionalism” to the Vatican Gendarmerie, a police and security force of more than 100 officers, which Giani led since 2006.

The Vatican Gendarmerie collaborates with the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which is responsible for the personal protection of Pope Francis. The Gendarmerie oversee general security operations in the Vatican City State, along with criminal investigations and counterterrorism operations.

Details about the nature of the investigation at the Secretariat of State have not yet been forthcoming.

Source: Catholic News Agency

15, October 2019

Wales: Bangor Arts black history month show features work by Cameroonian artist ⁰

A WALES-based Cameroonian artist is featuring work depicting key figures from African history in a Bangor gallery.

Painter Jean Samuel Mfikela is showing striking portraits in the Bangor Arts Initiative Black History month show, on from Tuesday, October 14 to Saturday, October 26. The gallery, in the Deiniol Centre, depicts people and events that have crafted the history and experience of African people.

Bangor Arts Initiative’s Maggie Doherty said: “These stunning art pieces demonstrate the long journey through slavery, colonisation, independence in Africa and the progress in the civil rights of people of African descent.

“The exhibition has portraits of renowned African nationalist and freedom fighters like Jomo Kenyatta, Patrice Lumumba, Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, but includes renowned civil rights activist like the great Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, and Mohamed Ali (Cassius Clay), to name a few.”

Source: NorthWalesChronicle

15, October 2019

There are reasons why the Trump administration should oust Biya ⁰

The number of African migrants grew at a rate of almost 50% from 2010 to 2018. This is more than double the growth rate of migration to the US from Asia, South America or the Caribbean. It’s worth noting the higher growth rate of Africans is partly influenced by the relatively smaller African migrant communities compared with the size of longer-established communities from Central America, for example.

This is true even among African communities. While Nigerians remain the largest population group of African immigrants in the US, Cameroon leads the list in terms of rate of growth. The number of Cameroonian-born migrants in the US doubled to 80,000 in 2018 compared with 2010, with much of that growth occurring in the last several years. This makes the Cameroonian population the fastest growing in the US. These numbers are based on survey results and are likely to be accurate within 10,000 people.

The so called Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, where the government’s crackdown on protests by English-speaking citizens has fueled a separatist movement in the predominantly French-speaking country is likely partly responsible for the spike. The protests against the Francophone-led government have led to violent battles in recent years, causing Cameroonians to flee the country.

But the increase doesn’t just stem from Africans and Cameroonians seeking asylum or refugee status, it also comes from those coming to the US to further their education. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, from 2006 to 2014, the number of African students pursuing post-secondary degrees abroad grew 24%, rising from about 343,000 to 427,000. It rose 9% from 2013 to 2014 alone.

Africans have also benefited from the US Diversity Visa Lottery Program, better known as the “Green Card lottery.” Countries like Ghana, which is also among the top five African countries with a fast-growing immigrant population in the US, had the highest number of applicants than any other country in 2015 and at least a million applicants in 2016. The US State Department sets regional quotas every year and in 2017, the largest number of visas (about 19,000) went to citizens of African countries.

However, recent moves by the Trump administration could affect these trends. His administration has been accused of using “workarounds” to limit legal migration from certain regions of the world including Africa and the Caribbean. One of such policy is restricting who can apply for a diversity visa by mandating that all applicants have valid passports. Immigrant advocates say this development could deter applicants from the developing world.

“This seems like a backdoor strategy to discourage low-income people from applying for the diversity visa lottery; we know that this president has expressed strong preference for immigrants that are wealthy, white and European,” said Amaha Kassa, executive director of the nonprofit, African Communities Together.

While it remains to be seen how new US immigration policies will impact the flow of African migrants, Kassa says that any declines in the numbers will likely be temporary. “This is a detour because I don’t think majority of Americans agree with Trump’s restrictionist agenda.

“As long as African migrants have children who are becoming citizens and voters, over time we will become a more welcoming and inclusive society.”

Source: Quartz Africa

15, October 2019

General elections kick off in Mozambique ⁰

People are voting in presidential, parliamentary, and provincial elections in Mozambique, amid concerns that a recent peace deal between the country’s ruling party and opposition could come under threat in the event of election-related violence.

Polls opened for almost 13 million voters in the southern African nation early on Tuesday morning.

Authorities will start counting the ballots after polls close at 6 pm local time and are expected to continue through the night.

Preliminary results are expected no earlier than Wednesday.

People line up to vote at a primary school in Beira, Mozambique, on October 15, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

The vote is a competition between the ruling Frelimo Party of President Filipe Nyusi and former rebel group-turned-opposition Renamo, which is led by Ossufo Momade.

The results are likely to see the president’s party secure a second term. Frelimo has been in power for 44 years, since Mozambique’s independence from Portugal in 1975.

The opposition, meanwhile, is expecting an opportunity for a strong performance in the provincial and legislative races.

A peace deal was signed between President Nyusi and Momade in August, ending years of an armed conflict between government and rebel forces in the country.

Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi and opposition leader Ossufo Momade sign a ceasefire agreement in Gorongosa, on August 1, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Rights groups are now concerned that the deal could be jeopardized since elections have historically been a trigger for violence in Mozambique.

At least 44 people were killed during the election campaign, although most of them died in campaign-related road accidents and some in a stadium stampede at a pro-Nyusi rally.

The United States Embassy warned on Friday of “credible threats” of violence in Nampula. It warned its citizens to avoid the northern city.

Source: Presstv

15, October 2019

Nigeria: First Lady warns against spread of Fake News ⁰

Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari on Saturday dismissed rumours circulating online that her husband plans to take on a second wife, cautioning against the rise of fake news in the country.

Aisha, who had been on holiday in the United Kingdom for two months, returned to the country, at a time when a video was circulating on social media, purportedly showing that she had been denied access to the presidential residence.

While she confirmed the authenticity of the video, which showed her complaining about huge deployments of security, and asking unidentified people to leave the palace, she clarified that it was an old video.

Aisha dismissed rumours that president Muhammadu Buhari intended to marry fellow politician Sadiya Farouq, who was recently appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

Her spokesperson later issued a statement saying the First Lady was happy to be aback in the country after a ‘deserved rest’.

‘‘She confirmed that she was fully rejuvenated to continue the work of improving the health and well-being of women, children and other vulnerable Nigerians,’‘ Suleiman Haruna said.

Ruling party officials also added to Buhari’s voice, warning against the negative impact of fake news.

‘‘I wholeheartedly welcome our dear First Lady back to the country. Her elegant return has put full stop to fake news which dominated our public domain,’‘ a publicity secretary of the APC Kate Ofor told local journalists.

‘‘I think we have to not only find legitimate means to curb fake news, but also come to terms that social media have no gatekeeper. Therefore, we must cultivate the culture of sieving the genuine from fake news.’‘

Buhari herself had cautioned that the courge of Fake News ‘could lead us to something unimaginable’.

The president himself has repeatedly warned against the rise of fake news and hate speech in Nigerian discourse.

Source: Africa News

15, October 2019

Spain: Police use batons and tear gas on protesters at Barcelona airport ⁰

Police in riot gear used batons and tear gas on Catalan independence supporters blocking Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Monday night.

Riot police could be seen advancing through clouds of tear gas, pushing and striking protesters with raised hands. The crowd was answering a call to protest from Tsunami Democratic, a movement opposing the prison sentence handed down to Catalan leaders.

Former Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras has been sentenced to 13 years in prison by Spain’s Supreme Court for his role in the 2017 attempted secession.

Junqueras was among nine Catalan independence leaders who were sentenced to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition for their part in the region’s failed 2017 independence bid, which captured headlines around the world.

(Source: Ruptly)

15, October 2019

Nigeria: Female supporters of Zakzaky accuse govt. of holding abducted girls ⁰

The announcement was made during a press conference by female supporters of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, who accused soldiers of the Nigerian army of abducting twenty-three girls in December 2015 during the massacre in the northern Nigerian town of Zaria.

The ladies demanded for the release of the girls and asked all people of conscience and civil society organizations to make the issue of the twenty-three Muslim girls an important national and international agenda in order for the truth to prevail.

The ladies also said that seven hundred and five people are still unaccounted for following the 2015 Zaria Massacre, and their families are still waiting for answers regarding the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Hundreds of Zakzaky supporters are reported to have been killed and buried in mass graves outside the northern Nigerian city of Zaria. The whereabouts of several others remains unknown.

Zakzaky supporters have a list with the names of the twenty-three girls abducted and believed to be held by security forces.

Both the army and the police did not respond to Press TV’s request for an interview on this matter.

Zakzaky supporters also want to know when the Nigerian government is going to start the process of prosecuting the people responsible for the 2015 Zaria Massacre.

They accuse security forces of continuing with the persecution of Zakzaky supporters judging by the attacks on their religious processions.

Source: Presstv