15, January 2024

US-owned cargo ship targeted with anti-ship ballistic missile off Yemen coast ⁰

Houthi rebels have hit a US-owned container ship with a ballistic missile off the coast of Yemen, the US says.

The vessel, Gibraltar Eagle, reported “no injuries or significant damage”, according to the United States military command for the Middle East (Centcom).

The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel is continuing on its journey in the Gulf of Aden.

Iranian-backed Houthis have been attacking ships since November, in protest at Israel’s war against Hamas.

Shipping company Eagle Bulk Shipping said its vessel was carrying steel products and was about 160km (100 miles) offshore in the Gulf of Aden when it was hit.

It said the container “suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area”.

Hours earlier Centcom said that another missile, fired in the direction of a US destroyer in the Red Sea, had been intercepted and shot down by a US fighter jet.

The Houthis have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea that the group says are linked to Israel, or bound for Israeli ports. It says the attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians and Hamas in Gaza, as Israel continues its military campaign there.

The British maritime security firm, Ambrey, says the Gibraltar Eagle was “assessed to not be Israel-affiliated”.

But a senior Houthi official said on Monday that American vessels were also considered targets. “It is enough for ships to be American for us to target them”, Nasr al-Din Amer said.

The Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea have led many of the world’s biggest shipping companies to change course, thus causing major disruption to global commerce.

In reaction to Monday’s strike, the US Department of Transportation issued a maritime alert, recommending “that US flag and US-owned commercial vessels” remain clear of specified areas in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

On Monday, the world’s second largest oil company, QatarEnergy, announced its decision to pause shipping via the route while it sought security advice.

Last week, US and the UK forces struck Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation for attacks on shipping. The joint forces, in coordination with allies, carried out dozens of air and sea strikes on Houthi missile launch sites and air defence systems inside Yemen.

Source: BBC

15, January 2024

Another AFCON surprise: Brave 10-man Guinea hold Cameroon ⁰

Guinea joined a growing list of surprise sides at the Africa Cup of Nations by drawing 1-1 against five-time champions Cameroon in Group C on Monday despite playing the second half with 10 men.

Mohamed Bayo gave Guinea the lead before captain Francois Kamano was sent off just before half-time. Frank Magri equalised early in the second half, but a winning goal eluded Cameroon.

The brave Guinean showing on day three followed a string of unexpected results on Sunday with Cape Verde defeating Ghana, Mozambique holding Egypt and Equatorial Guinea drawing with Nigeria.

Earlier on Monday, Lamine Camara scored twice as title-holders Senegal outplayed Gambia 3-0 with the losers also having a player sent off late in the first half.

Cameroon did not include Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana in the matchday 23 after he arrived in the Ivorian capital just a few hours before the kick-off.

Onana delayed his arrival so that he could play for United in a 2-2 Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Coach Rigobert Song chose Fabrice Ondoa as his starting goalkeeper with two other shot-stoppers, Devis Epassy and Simon Ngapandouetnbu, on the bench.

Cameroon, seeking a sixth title and second in four editions, were also missing star forward and leading 2022 Cup of Nations scorer Vincent Aboubakar, who was ruled out by a thigh injury.

Guinea suffered a huge pre-match blow when Serhou Guirassy, scorer of 17 goals for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga this season, was ruled out by a knee injury.

Shock lead

In the absence of Guirassy, Bayo was the attacking spearhead and he give the Syli National (national elephants) a shock lead on 10 minutes.

His first goal attempt was parried by Ondoa, but Cameroon failed to clear the ball and when it came back to Bayo, he slammed it into the net.

Subsequently, Cameroon won plenty of possession but were unable to seriously trouble Guinea goalkeeper Ibrahima Kone.

In a Guinea counterattack, audacious Sekou Sylla came close to scoring with a long-range shot that had Ondoa frantically back-tracking before it landed on the roof of the net.

Guinea suffered a huge blow in first half added time when Kamano was sent off after the Egyptian referee changed his initial yellow card to a red for a foul on Magri.

The match official altered his decision after going to the touchline VAR monitor and seeing Kamano stamp from behind on the heel of his opponent.

Cameroon applied pressure from the start of the second half and Magri levelled on 51 minutes with a far-post header across Kone after a pin-point cross by Georges-Kevin Nkoudou.

Kone rescued Guinea as the end of regular time approached, first parrying, then grasping the ball after a close-range shot from Karl Toko Ekambi.

There were water breaks in both halves to assist the players, who had to contend with 36 Celsius (97 Fahrenheit) heat when the match kicked off in the central city.

In the second series of group matches on Friday, Cameroon tackle Senegal and Guinea face Gambia in a Yamoussoukro double-header.

Source: AFP

15, January 2024

Senegal start AFCON defence with win over Gambia ⁰

Lamine Camara scored twice as Senegal kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations title defence with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Gambia in Yamoussoukro on Monday.

Senegal moved top of the early Group C table ahead of Cameroon’s game against Guinea later Monday.

Aliou Cisse’s showed enough quality in the Ivorian heat to suggest they could become the first team to win back-to-back AFCON titles since Egypt reeled off three in a row in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Senegal’s XI featured just five of the starting team which beat Egypt on penalties in the final two years ago and it was youngster Camara who stole the show.

Gambia already face an uphill task to reach the knockout stage two years after a shock run to the quarter-finals on debut.

The holders wasted little time in piling the pressure on their West African neighbours and took the lead in the fourth minute.

Sadio Mane was left in plenty of space at the back post and his lay-off was swept home left-footed by the unmarked Pape Gueye from inside the area.

Gambia endured a troubled build-up to the tournament, boycotting a training session over an unpaid qualification bonus before their flight to the Ivory Coast was forced to turn around just nine minutes after take-off due to technical problems.

But they grew into the game after the early setback, going close to an equaliser when Musa Barrow curled a free-kick into the side-netting.

Gambia were dealt a blow shortly before half-time though when Cardiff City midfielder Ebou Adams was dismissed for a studs-up challenge.

The underdogs continued to threaten after the restart however, as Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was forced to dive to his right to palm away Barrow’s long-range drive, with Ali Sowe slicing the rebound wide.

Senegal effectively killed off the game just moments later, though, as a slick passing move ended with 20-year-old Camara collecting Ismailia Sarr’s pass and drilling a low shot into the far corner.

The Lions of Teranga rounded off the scoring with an early contender for goal of the tournament in the 86th minute.

Clever trickery from Iliman Ndiaye took him away from two defenders and his pass was expertly bent into the top corner from the edge of the ‘D’ by Metz midfielder Camara.

Mohamed Badamosi came close to grabbing an injury-time consolation for the Gambians when he headed wide, but they were ultimately outclassed and will now turn their attentions to their second game against Guinea on Friday.

Senegal will likely face a tougher assignment when they face five-time winners Cameroon.

Source: AFP

15, January 2024

Rigobert Song optimistic as Cote d’Ivoire hosts Nations Cup ⁰

Cameroon’s head coach, Rigobert Song, expressed optimism on Sunday, hoping that the Indomitable Lions would create history once again, just as they did in 1984 when they clinched their maiden Nations Cup title in Cote d’Ivoire.

Cameroon will kick off their Nations Cup campaign on Monday, facing Guinea in the Group C opener, which also features Gambia and Senegal.

“There is a historical connection between Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire,” Song told the pre-match news conference on Sunday.

“We were heroes in 1984, and I believe we should honor that history.”

“We are like a family. We won our first title here, and that’s why we visited the grave of the first president of Cote d’Ivoire upon our arrival.”

“Our aim is to progress far in the competition, and why not recreate history by achieving what we did in 1984? We didn’t come here just to participate.”

Regarding the match against Guinea, Song emphasized the significance of the opening games and acknowledged that his team faces a tough opponent.

“The initial matches in such competitions hold great importance,” he added.

“We will be prepared. All participating teams have specific goals.”

“Guinea is a formidable team, and we are well aware of who we will be facing. We will give our all.”

The Cameroon boss expressed his disappointment over the absence of striker Vincent Aboubakar, but assured that all other players are ready for the game.

“Aboubakar’s absence is a loss because he is a leader and has demonstrated his abilities over the years. However, the remaining players are prepared,” he concluded.

Source: ahram online

15, January 2024

Bishops in Cameroon express “compassion” for victims of “atrocities” in regions ⁰

Catholic Bishops in Cameroon have expressed their “compassion” for victims of violence in the Far North region as well as the Northwest and the Southwest regions of the Central African nation.

In the final communiqué issued at the end of their 47th Annual Seminar, members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) denounce the “horrendous acts perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect in the Far North Region and they express deep compassion for the victims.”

NECC members deplore “all forms of violence in the country, especially the atrocities committed in the North-West and South-West Regions.”

They express their “constant paternal solicitude and continual prayer for all.”

Cameroon’s English-speaking regions plunged into conflict in 2016 after a protest by lawyers and teachers turned violent. An armed movement of separatists claiming independence for the so-called republic of Ambazonia emerged following the government’s crackdown on protesters.

School boycotts have become common in these areas, as have enforced moratoriums on public life, resulting in what is known as “ghost towns”.

In the Far North, attacks by Nigeria’s Boko Haram fundamentalist sect have reportedly caused more than 320,000 people to flee the region.

In their two-page communiqué following the January 6-13 Seminar organized under the theme, “A Synodal Church on Mission”, NECC members express concern about “the growing and yawning poverty among the population”

They appeal for “greater justice, solidarity, hard work and continuous trust in God.”

During their weeklong Seminar, Catholic Bishops in Cameroon also reflected on the recognition of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Simon Mpeke, popularly known as Baba Simon, and urged all the People of God to “pray fervently for his canonization.”

Source: aciafrica

14, January 2024

Hosts Ivory Coast celebrate as team wins Africa Cup of Nations opener ⁰

It was no memorable performance, but delighted supporters nevertheless clogged the streets and parties continued late as host Ivory Coast opened proceedings at the Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 2-0 victory over Guinea Bissau in Abidjan on Saturday.

Fans lined the route from the Alhassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in the north of the city and mobbed their team’s bus as coach Jean Louis Gasset declared it mission accomplished and spoke of a sense of relief at winning.

Goals in each half from Seko Fofana and Jean Philippe Krasso ensured victory but it was far from a strong statement of intent that the hosts were looking to make.

“The main thing was to win this match. Playing an opening match of a tournament in a packed stadium is no easy task,” said Ivorian coach Jean-Louis Gasset afterwards.

“It was hard psychologically but we tried to do the best we could. We had a very good start to the match where we scored, but it’s true that overall the performance was average.”

Fofana had them ahead in four minutes while Krasso’s acrobatic second goal came early in the second half.

“When we didn’t have the ball, we were a little scattered. We’re going to work on it. But overall, we had seven chances and we hit the post twice.”

Players looked exhausted afterwards by the exertions in high humidity, even a match played late in the evening.

“There is still work to do, it’s the start of the competition. Today we are relieved … relieved to have won this match because we were really under pressure,” added Gasset.

It is a major step up next for the hosts, whose second Group A match in Abidjan on Thursday is against powerful Nigeria.

“We know the strengths of the Nigerians. They have an impressive offensive armada. Their leading striker is the best player in Africa,” Gasset said of recently crowned African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen.

“So we know that we will have to raise our game but, knowing my players, I think we will respond,” the Ivorian coach added.

Source: Reuters

12, January 2024

Indomitable Lions do best when West Africa hosts Cup of Nations ⁰

The 2024 Africa Cup of Nations is being staged in the west African country of Ivory Coast, and no team has been more successful in the region than Cameroon.

They won the first of five titles in 1984 when Ivory Coast previously hosted the biennial African football showpiece.

Among the winning team was forward Roger Milla, who went on to achieve fame at the 1990 World Cup when the Indomitable Lions became the first quarter-finalists from Africa.

Further Cup of Nations triumphs for the central African country in the west of the continent came in Nigeria in 2000 and in Mali two years later.

No other country has won the tournament three times in west Africa — Egypt and Ghana succeeded twice each and Nigeria and Ivory Coast once each.

The other Cameroonian successes were in Morocco in 1988, and in the neighbouring central African nation of Gabon seven years ago.

With Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Besiktas forward Vincent Aboubakar in the squad, Cameroon are among the 2024 title favourites.

Aboubakar was the leading scorer at the 2022 finals in his homeland. He bagged eight goals, one less than record-holder Ndaye Mulamba netted for the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1974.

Staging a Cup of Nations is no guarantee that a country from the host region will emerge victorious.

North Africa has fared best with six victories from 11 tournaments followed by west Africa (4/9), central and east Africa (2/5 each) and southern Africa (1/3).

The 2024 edition kicks off on Saturday with a Group A clash between two-time champions Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau, whose three previous appearances failed to deliver a single victory.

On Sunday, Nigeria tackle Equatorial Guinea in the other Group A fixture, then record seven-time champions Egypt face Mozambique and Ghana meet Cape Verde in Group B.

Source: AFP

12, January 2024

Congo-Démocratique: Chaos in Kinshasa as river rises to near-record level ⁰

Floods have wreaked chaos in Kinshasa – the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo – with water pouring into homes and residents navigating submerged roads via canoe.

The overflowing River Congo, passing through much of the country, has also swamped places outside the capital.

The vast, vital waterway has reached its highest level in six decades.

More than 300 people have died in floods over the past months, officials say.

On Thursday, residents in the impoverished megacity of Kinshasa told the BBC how “schools, hospitals and churches” have been washed away.

“I had lived here with my relatives… I have lost everything,” Jonas Mungindami said.

Similarly, Denise Tuzola said her house is now “full of water”.

“There is no church here anymore and there is no way for the children to go to school,” she added.

Kinshasa is home to several small rivers and streams, which often double as open sewers. Many have now overflown.

On one flooded street, a man waded through through thigh-level water, hauling a canoe full of passengers behind him. Trucks drove cautiously through the same waters, while dozens of discarded bottles bob on the surface.

The RVF, the agency overseeing DR Congo’s waterways, sounded the alarm in late December.

It warned that heavy rains would cause “exceptional flooding” around the Kinshasa area.

By this point, provinces such as Mongala and Ituri had already faced serious flooding.

In Kinshasa, flooding is common but this year the Congo River has risen just shy of 6.26 metres, the level reached during record flooding in 1961.

Further upstream, in the city of Kisangani, the mayor said that over 200 houses have been submerged.

The Congo River has also caused turmoil in Congo-Brazzaville, a nation that borders DR Congo.

Flooding there has impacted more than 336,000 people and 34 health facilities, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.

Just over a year ago, floods in Kinshasa left more than 120 people dead.

Source: BBC

12, January 2024

South Africa says Israel’s response to Hamas operation breached Genocide Convention ⁰

South Africa says Israel’s response to the offensive launched by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group on October 7 had breached the Genocide Convention, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague holds a hearing against Israel for Gaza’s “genocide” case.

At the top UN court in The Hague on Thursday, South Africa said Israel had breached the UN Genocide Convention by imposing a brutal war on the densely-populated Gaza Strip for more than two months, stressing that the Hamas attack could not justify such military incursion on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Late last month, Pretoria, in an 84-page suit filed against Israel at the ICJ, asked the top court to urgently declare that the Tel Aviv regime has breached its responsibilities under international law since it launched an ongoing war on the impoverished coastal sliver.

South Africa detailed evidence of brutality being perpetrated in Gaza, making the African nation the first to file a lawsuit against the occupying regime at the ICJ, appealing to the court to force the regime to “immediately suspend” its war on Gaza.

“No armed attack on a state territory no matter how serious… can provide justification for or defend breaches of the convention,” said Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s justice minister, during his opening statement in the case at the ICJ.

“Israel’s response to the October 7 attack has crossed this line and given rise to the breaches of the convention,” he stressed, setting out South Africa’s case at the top court.

“The Palestinians have experienced systematic oppression and violence for the last 76 years, on October 6, 2023, and every day since October 7, 2023. In the Gaza Strip, at least since 2004, Israel continues to exercise control over the airspace, territorial waters, land crossings, water, electricity, and civilian infrastructure, as well as key government functions,” Lamola added.

South Africa, when faced with such evidence of genocide in Gaza, firmly decided to initiate this case in an attempt to prevent such crimes in the Palestinian enclave as contained in Article 1 of the Convention, the South African justice minister further said at the court.

After Lamola, Adila Hassim, who is an advocate representing South Africa’s case, took the floor.

“South Africa contends that Israel has transgressed Article 2 of the convention by committing actions that fall within the definition of genocide. The actions show systematic patterns of conduct from which genocide can be inferred,” she said.

Hassim went on to say that the “first genocidal act is mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza.”

“Israel deployed 6,000 bombs per week. At least 200 times, it has deployed 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs in southern Gaza, which it designated safe. No one is spared. Not even newborns. UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children,” she added.

Other representatives of the South African nation one after the other presented the case against Israel at the top UN court.

“Israel’s political leaders, military commanders and persons holding official positions have systematically and in explicit terms declared their genocidal intent. These statements are then repeated by soldiers on the ground in Gaza as they engage in the destruction of Palestinians and the physical infrastructure of Gaza,” said South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.

While lawyers inside the ICJ are making the case against Israel, a large number of pro-Palestinian demonstrators had gathered outside the building, demanding justice and a quick end to the brutal war.

The third representative of South Africa at the ICJ was Vusimuzi Madonsela, who told the court that Pretoria had come forward “to prevent genocide and to do so in the discharge of the international obligation that rests on South Africa and all other states under the convention.”

“The consequences of not indicating clear and specific provisional measures and not taking steps to intervene while Israel disregards its international obligations before our eyes would, we fear, be very grave indeed,” he added.

After South Africa’s representatives concluded their arguments, ICJ President Joan Donoghue announced that the sitting was adjourned and that the court would meet again tomorrow to hear Israel’s oral arguments.

As it is an urgent procedure, the top UN court could rule in a matter of weeks.

The Israeli regime waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s atrocities against Palestinians.

Since the start of the US-backed offensive, the Israeli regime has killed at least 23,210 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 59,167 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble.

Source: Presstv

12, January 2024

Southern Cameroons: CDC accumulates CFA35 billion in salary arrears despite govt aid ⁰

Despite resuming operations in 2020 after a suspension in September 2018 due to the Anglophone crisis, CDC continues to struggle with paying its employees’ salaries. This challenge persists despite various financial support from the state, the sole shareholder of the company.

“The operational challenges faced by CDC do not allow it to honor its financial commitments. There is a notable overall increase in its debt… For social debt, the increase is linked to the evolution of salary arrears as of December 31, 2022, by 17.78%, despite state support, as well as the accumulation of unpaid social security contributions increasing by 15%. As of June 30, 2023, salary arrears stand at CFA35.7 billion, and the social debt to the National Social Security Fund (CNPS) is CFA26.7 billion,” reveals the report on the situation of public and parastatal enterprises in 2022 recently published by the Technical Commission for the Rehabilitation of Public and Parastatal Sector Enterprises (CTR). This equates to approximately 17 months of accumulated salary arrears, given a monthly payroll estimated at CFA2 billion according to official figures.

CDC recorded cumulative losses of CFA38.7 billion between 2019 and 2021, according to CTR data. This made it the local company bearing the heaviest burden of ongoing separatist demands in the Northwest and Southwest regions. In 2018, for instance, 12 production sites out of the company’s 29 were completely halted due to insecurity created by separatists in the plantations. The separatists even transformed some of these sites into bases for their armed militias, resulting in the killing and severe injury of several workers.

This challenging situation officially led to the loss of 6,124 jobs out of the more than 22,000. Job losses likely increased during 2022 due to the precarious situation of the CDC. “There is an increasingly significant staff turnover, despite government subsidies allocated for partial salary payments,” reveals the CTR report.

Source: Business in Cameroon