Headline News

12, November 2017

40 Conservative MPs ready to oust Prime Minister Theresa May ⁰

Nearly 40 Conservative MPs have agreed to sign a letter of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May, according to The Sunday Times.

A vote of no confidence means that May could be forced from office and replaced by another Conservative.

There is a need for eight more MPs to trigger a party leadership contest. That is not unlikely as the number of parliament members, who want to oust May, has increased in recent weeks.

One minister told the paper, “It’s a horrible thing to say… but we are getting closer and closer to the point whereby we need some time in opposition to regroup.”

Divided over how to pull Britain out of the European Union and hit by several sex scandals involving ministers, May’s government has been getting weaker in asserting control over the country’s chaotic political situation

On Friday, EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier handed Britain a two-week ultimatum to make concessions on a divorce agreement if it wants to unlock the next phase of talks in December.

Frenchman Barnier said it was “vital” for Britain to increase its offer on its exit bill — a figure senior EU officials put at up to 60 billion euros — to open up talks on a future trade deal.

Tory Brexiteers, however, warned May over the ultimatum, advising the premier against giving in to the EU demands.

One Conservative former cabinet minister called the demands “unacceptable,” while another prominent backbencher said any more concessions would be a “sign of weakness.”

May has also come under criticism after two lawmakers from the Labour Party and two from the Conservative Party were accused of harassing and propositioning young women inappropriately.

UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has also resigned from his position after accepting his misconduct toward a female journalist in the past.

Source: Presstv

12, November 2017

Russia buying gold at ‘record pace’ ⁰

The latest market figures show Russia has increased its purchases of gold to record highs in what appears to be part of the country’s policy to cushion itself against the sanctions of the United States.

Figures released by the World Gold Council (WGC) show that the Central Bank of Russia bought 63 tonnes of the precious metal in the third quarter of 2017. The WGC added in a statement that the Russian stockpile of the bullion had already reached 1,778.9 tonnes as of the end of September.

In September only, the regulator added 34.6 tonnes of bullion to its reserves, in the highest monthly increase since October 2016, reported the Russian news website Sputnik News citing the country’s business newspaper Kommersant.

Currently, the Russian Central Bank has been ranked sixth in the world in terms of bullion reserves. The top five are the United States (8,133.5 tonnes), Germany (3,373.7), Italy (2,451.8 tons), France (2,435.9) and China (1,842.6).

At the same time, according to the WGC, the Russian Central Bank is leading in terms of the pace at which it is stockpiling gold.

Russia’s campaign to collect gold is meant to enable the country to have guarantees amid the tightening of the US Federal Reserve’s policy and amid the growing tensions between Moscow and Washington. Russia also wants to protect its reserves against possible geopolitical risks.

Market analysts also suggest that the Russian Central Bank will continue to expand its gold reserves.

If the Russian Central Bank continues to buy gold at the same pace Russia is likely to topple China as the world’s fifth-biggest holder of bullion in early 2018, according to Kommersant.

Culled from Presstv

11, November 2017

Federal Republic of Ambazonia: Governing Council makes public a draft constitution ⁰

The Governing Council of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia has released a draft constitution for Southern Cameroonians all over the planet to study and make possible contributions before the next meeting of the interim cabinet. Cameroon Concord News understands the daft proposal to Southern Cameroonians was designed during the 4^th conclave that held in Nigeria.

Our senior political man, Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai who examined the draft constitution late today, opined that “for the purpose of growth, the Governing Council identified three points of power in the 64-page document. The Council suggested in the draft that the executive power should be in Buea, the economic capital should be in Bamenda and the judicial authority should be in Mamfe.”

A spokesperson for the interim president Sisiku Ayuk Tabe told Cameroon Concord News that the draft is by no means anywhere near to the final document that will be adopted via a referandum. Southern Cameroonians have been called upon to send feedbacks to the ruling body and also to make positive criticism of the draft constitution.

According to the proposals that came out from the last conclave, Ambazonia will have three federal states. In Article 1, the document states that Ambazonia is headed by a President elected by direct and universal suffrage. He is assisted by a Prime Minister also “elected from among the members of the Federal Assembly”.

According to the proposed constitution, federal states will be led by elected governors. Each state will have a local government represented by its municipality. English has been retained as the official language but “Pidgin and other languages can be developed for official use”.

The document stipulated that “Only Ambazonians between the ages of 35 and 70 may be eligible for the office of President”. Its mandate is five years and renewable once. It also states that anyone who has reached the age of 18 must undergo military training for 12 months.

The draft constitution comes only a few weeks after the 4^th conclave confirmed Sisiku Ayuk Tabe as interim president and mandated him to form a government.

By Sama Ernest, CCN

11, November 2017

UN: After Kofi Annan, Neocons want Amina Mohammed’s head ⁰

The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed has denied any allegations of fraud following a report by a US based environmental agency.

The report claims that local and international laws were violated when she granted permits to Chinese firms to import Nigerian timber while she was the country’s minister of environment. Ms Mohammed says that the permits she signed for the export of rosewood logs to China were done following due process.

In a statement released by the United Nations, the deputy secretary general also welcomed efforts to shine more light on the issue of illegal rosewood logging and exportation. Nigeria is a key exporter of wood to China but the country has faced issues of illegal wood exportation.

Following what they say was a two year investigation, the US based Environmental Investigation Agency released a report on the illegal importation of rosewood logs worth $300m (£220m) from Nigeria to China.

It claims that thousands of permits were retrospectively signed off by the Ministry of Environment, permitting Chinese importers to release 1.4 million logs that had been detained at the Chinese border for months.

The report also claims that $1m was subsequently paid to unidentified government officials for the release of the wood. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was informed about the allegations and reiterated his full support and confidence in his deputy.

Source: BBC

11, November 2017

Putin, Trump meet briefly, agree to maintain contact in Syria ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, have agreed during a brief meeting to maintain military communications in Syria.

The Kremlin said on Saturday that the two leaders had approved a joint statement during a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang.

Putin and Trump agreed “to maintain the existing military communication channels to ensure the security of US and Russian armed forces, as well as to prevent dangerous incidents involving the forces of allies fighting the Daesh terror group,” according to the text of the statement, as published on the Kremlin’s website.

They stressed that there was no military solution to the Syrian crisis — which began in 2011 — and confirmed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

The Russian and US presidents also called on all parties to the Syrian conflict to play an active role in the United Nations (UN)-brokered peace talks in the Swiss city of Geneva.

A Syrian boy walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in the city of Aleppo, Syria, July 22, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The statement had been prepared by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US State Secretary Rex Tillerson earlier on Saturday, Russia’s Spunik news agency reported.

There had been speculation on whether the two presidents would meet in Vietnam. While no official meeting had been scheduled, both sides had pointed to the likelihood of a brief meeting.

Moscow and Washington support opposing sides in the Syrian conflict. Russia assists the Syrian government and has been carrying out an aerial bombardment campaign against terrorist positions in Syria. The US backs anti-Damascus militants and is also involved in military operations against purported Daesh targets.

The US and Russian militaries set up a communication hotline to avoid mid-air collisions and other potential accidents in Syria.

Russia cut the hotline in response to a US missile attack against a Syrian airbase in Syria’s Homs Province on April 7. Russian military advisers had been stationed near the base, and Russia deemed the American missile strike hazardous. Later, however, the communications line was reestablished.

Source: Presstv

11, November 2017

French Cameroun soldier violently murdered in Manyu ⁰

The body of a French Cameroun 2nd class soldier serving with the 22nd Mechanized Infantry Division, Yaya Emmanuel was found on Friday morning in Akwen, about twenty kilometers from the Mamfe County in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

The French Cameroonian army is now bearing the brunt of the socio-political crisis that has rocked Southern Cameroons. A few days after the assassination of two gendarmes at the entrance to the Bamenda County and the killing of another Francophone security agent in Jakiri, the remains of Yaya Emmanuel was found violently murdered. He was part of a French Cameroun deployment that reportedly killed hundreds of innocent Ambazonians in the Akwaya and Eyumojock sub constituencies.

According to a security source, the soldier was slaughtered on the night of November 9 to 10, 2017 and his missing weapon was allegedly taken away by the Ambazonian militants. Cameroon Concord News gathered from a reliable source that, Yaya Emmanuel was on duty the night of the drama and left his colleagues to buy food. “And it is probably at this moment that he was surprised by his unidentified assassins.”

French Cameroun government spokesman, Issa Tchiroma says this new package brings to 4 the number of soldiers killed since the outbreak of the Southern Cameroons crisis in November 2016.

By Sama Ernest, CCN

11, November 2017

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Another gendarme dies in Mamfe ⁰

A young French Cameroun gendamerie officer recently deployed to Mamfe in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia to counter the Southern Cameroons revolution was found death on November the 9^th 2017 in the Manyu River.

Constable Glorian Cédric described by Francophone security sources as a student gendarme was detached to strengthen a special unit set up since October 1, 2017 in Mamfe and Ekok. His demise comes amid the unfortunate incidents of Jakiri and Bamenda where three gendarmes were cowardly killed.

Constable Glorian Cédric was reportedly in a training at Camp Yeyap in Yaoundé and was hurrily sent to Mamfe where he drowned in the main river not far from the gendarme head office in Mamfe-Egbekaw. Cameroun Info.Net reported that after a morning sport session with his pals, the gendarmes went to the river to swim and while they were bathing, Cédric was washed away.

By Chi Prudence Asong with files from Cameroon Info.Net

10, November 2017

Vodafone and La Republique: Auf Wiedersehen ⁰

Vodafone has announced the termination of its activities in La Republique du Cameroun. The company made public its decision today Friday, November 10, 2017 indicating that its truly over. After the withdrawal of its license by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority including the long suspension of its services, the multinational specialized in telecommunications reluctantly concluded that it was no longer commercially viable to resume its services in Cameroon.

As a result, Afrimax Cameroon ceased operations with immediate effect, “says a company official. Vodafone in a statement presented their sincere apologies to their customers, partners and suppliers “for the inconvenience caused”. They also thanked the loyal staff of Afrimax Cameroon for their hard work, enthusiasm and support.

The press release from Vodafone Cameroon also stated that the structure operated by Afrimax using the Vodafone trademark in accordance with the license agreement signed with the Vodafone Group has no equity interest in Afrimax or Vodafone Cameroon.

In mid-September 2017, the inexperienced Francophone Minister of Post and Telecommunications suspended Vodafone Cameroon on the grounds that the company had sold all of its capital to Afrimax. The partnership signed in July 2017 between Vodafone and Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL), the state-owned telecoms operator, stipulated that Vodafone Cameroon will use CAMTEL’s existing infrastructure that covers 100% the cities of Douala and Yaounde and will allow Vodafone to expand its geographical coverage throughout the country.

By Sonne Peter with files from CIN

10, November 2017

Russia 2018: Wounded Chipolopolo looks to upset the Indomitable Lions ⁰

Zambia will take on Cameroon in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification CAF Group B match at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday.

Chipolopolo succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in Uyo last month, and their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time came to an end.

Zambia, who placed second in group B having collected seven points from five games, find themselves above much-fancied Cameroon and Algeria.

Promising youngsters Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu will be looking to impress for Wedson Nyirenda’s side, who will finish second if they secure a draw or win against Cameroon.

However, Zambia will be without Kondwani Mtonga. The defender has been sidelined as he is nursing an injury. “He is not available for now due to the injury. He needs to heal,” Zambia team manager Chris Chibuye said.

“We called 28 players and we need 23 for the game, so we have enough back up. “He came to be examined by the national team doctors and they have OK’d the treatment that he is receiving from the club.”

Meanwhile, Cameroon have endured a disappointing qualifying campaign which saw them fail to book their place in the finals. The Indomitable Lions overcame Algeria 2-0 at home in their previous qualifier, which sees them placed third on the group B standings with six points from five games.

Cameroon, who have participated in seven World Cup finals, will finish second in the group if they beat Zambia.

Source: This Day

10, November 2017

La Republique attributes killing of two gendarmes to Anglophone secessionists ⁰

The Biya Francophone regime has announced that Anglophone secessionists in Cameroon killed at least two gendarmes, signalling an escalation in a protracted dispute with central government. The attacks in the Southern Cameroons city of Bamenda marked the worst fighting in recent years between Ambazonia militants and French Cameroun government forces in the central African state after a year of mostly peaceful protest.

Anglophone lawyers and teachers launched demonstrations a year ago against what they see as marginalisation of English-speakers by President Paul Biya’s government in the Northwest and Southwest regions who were forced to work in French. A harsh crackdown by state forces, including helicopter gunships firing on civilians, killed dozens and bolstered support for the once-fringe separatist movement ahead of presidential elections in 2018.

Cho Ayaba, a leading member of the Ambazonian Governing Council, a separatist body established to create an independent state called Ambazonia, said secessionist militants killed three gendarmes in two co-ordinated attacks in Bamenda, the capital of the predominantly English-speaking Northwest region.

Cameroonian security sources reported the deaths of two gendarmes in an overnight attack near Bamenda, with one senior military official blaming secessionists. Another source said the gendarmes were ambushed by armed men on motorbikes. Cameroon’s government spokesman and chief of police could not be reached immediately for comment.

Ayaba said members of the Ambazonian Defence Force, an armed wing of the separatist movement, killed two gendarmes in a first attack at a checkpoint near Bamenda airport and a third was killed in an ambush on a gendarme patrol unit in a Bamenda suburb an hour later.

“We carried out the actions,” said Ayaba. “Their security forces are a target and we will continue attacking them until they are gone.” Another separatist leader confirmed his account. Cameroon’s linguistic divide harks back a century to the League of Nations’ decision to split the former German colony of Kamerun between the allied French and British victors at the end of World War One.

The secessionist movement existed underground for decades and recently started to gain widespread support in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest in response to government repression of protests. Hundreds of Anglophone Cameroonians were swept up in mass arrests following violent demonstrations on October 1 and at least 5,000 fled to neighbouring Nigeria.

Source: Reuters