US: President Trump blasts ‘unfair’ impeachment, claims Democrats have ‘no case’

22, December 2019

US: President Trump blasts ‘unfair’ impeachment, claims Democrats have ‘no case’ 0

US President Donald Trump has denounced the ongoing impeachment proceedings as “unfair” and claimed that House Democrats lacked evidence to make a “case” against him.

Addressing a meeting of conservative students in Florida on Saturday, Trump blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for delaying sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate and claimed that Democrats had “no case” to impeach him.

Trump called Pelosi “crazy Nancy,” and said the House Democrats were pursuing an “illegal unconstitutional, and hyper-partisan impeachment.”

“They really don’t believe in democracy, they can’t,” Trump said. “They are violating the Constitution.”

The US president also criticized Republicans who do not support his administration’s agenda, saying, the so-called “Never Trumpers” were “the dumbest human beings on earth.”

Trump has already accused the Democrats of stalling the impeachment proceedings and called for an “immediate trial” in the Senate.

In a historic vote on Wednesday, the US House of Representative impeached the Republican president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, which stemmed from his pressure on Ukraine to investigate his political rivals as he withheld US aid. No Republicans voted in favor of the impeachment articles, while two Democrats voted against the first charge and three against the second.

Trump argued that the lack of defectors among the GOP shows that “the Republicans have never been so united” while the lack of consensus among Democrats is yet another indicator that their case “is so bad that they don’t even want to go to trial!”

A two-thirds majority vote would be needed in the Senate to remove the president from office. With Republicans in control of the upper chamber, Trump’s acquittal in a trial — scheduled to be held in January — seems certain.

House Democrats launched the inquiry against Trump in September after an unknown whistleblower alleged the Republican president pressured his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who had served as a director for Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his power by withholding $391 million in US security aid to Ukraine in exchange for the investigation.

Trump has repeatedly denounced the impeachment inquiry against him as “a hoax.”

Majority of voters favor Trump impeachment and removal: Poll

According to a new poll released on Friday, a majority of registered US voters supported impeaching and removing Trump from office.                          

The poll, conducted by The Politico/Morning Consult, found that 52 percent of voters supported the House’s decision to impeach Trump and 51 percent would support a decision by the Senate to remove him.

Eighty-five percent of Democrats said they approved of impeachment while just 17 percent of Republicans were of the the same opinion.

Independents were fairly divided, as 48 percent said they approved of the impeachment while 41 percent said the opposed it. 

The poll was carried out among a total of 1,387 registered voters surveyed between December 19 and 20, which came after the House voted to approve articles of impeachment against Trump. The margin of error in their responses was plus or minus three percentage points.

Israel fears ICC could hunt its top leaders for war crimes

22, December 2019

Israel fears ICC could hunt its top leaders for war crimes 0

A recent decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch a full investigation into war crimes in Palestinian territories has raised alarm among current and former Israeli officials and military personnel, who may face global arrest warrants as a result of the probe.

Israel’s Channel 12 TV reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with ministers of military affairs, army chiefs, low-ranking soldiers and the heads of the Shin Bet security service in the past five years could all be vulnerable to international prosecution.

Israel is not expected to cooperate with the ICC’s pre-trial chamber in the coming 120 days. 

“There will be no cooperation with the court… certainly not if it will eventually be decided to open an official probe,” Channel 12 cited diplomatic sources as saying.

However, an official in the Israeli prime minister’s office said, “A decision will be reached after the legal teams make their recommendations.”

On Friday, ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said a preliminary examination into war crimes, opened in 2015, had provided enough information to meet all criteria for opening an inquiry.

There was a “a reasonable basis” to investigate the situation in Palestine, she said. “I am satisfied that … war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem [al-Quds], and the Gaza Strip.”

The probe will apparently cover Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied West Bank, crimes during the 2014 Gaza war, and crackdown on the Great March of Return protests in the besieged Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, transportation minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Netanyahu to give the Palestinian Authority a 48-hour ultimatum to pull its ICC petition or see the Ramallah-based authority “torn down.”

The ICC decision has been widely welcomed by Palestinian officials, with President Mahmoud Abbas calling it a “great” and “historic” day.

“We have achieved what we want, and from this day on, the ICC machine will start accepting the cases that we have previously presented,” he said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh stressed that the ICC announcement “constitutes a stand for justice and truth.”

“We will make every possible legal effort to try Israel for the war crimes it committed against our people in the Gaza Strip, al-Quds and the West Bank,” he said. 

Source: Presstv

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Out-of-control French Cameroun soldiers fire bullets through homes of petrol dealers along the Mamfe-Ekok highway

22, December 2019

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Out-of-control French Cameroun soldiers fire bullets through homes of petrol dealers along the Mamfe-Ekok highway 0

Out-of-control French Cameroun soldiers have fired bullets through homes of petrol dealers along the Mamfe-Ekok highway killing 5 and injuring many in a move described by eye witnesses as unprecedented ever since the beginning of the Southern Cameroons crisis.

The Francophone soldiers stationed in Mamfe destroyed houses, confiscated fuel and forced residents to flee.  Cameroon government administrative cars at the local ‘funge’ stations were caught in the action.

Manyu County is preparing for the worse as tension is reportedly mounting in all the sub constituencies bordering Nigeria.  More than 100 French Cameroun troops from the Besongabang Army Camp were involved in the incident.

One resident in Ekok said he saw soldiers firing at a road side petrol station and flames approaching the council hall.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that the Francophone army colonel in Mamfe ordered the attack which saw soldiers collecting huge amount of monies from fuel and cocoa dealers.

 At the time of filing this report, the body of one man killed by the Cameroon government army was found along the Mamfe -Ekok highway.

 By Oke Akombi Ayukepi Akap with files from Rita Akana

US: White House ordered freeze on Ukraine aid 90 minutes after Trump’s call to Zelensky

22, December 2019

US: White House ordered freeze on Ukraine aid 90 minutes after Trump’s call to Zelensky 0

The administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to freeze $391 million of military aid to Ukraine less than two hours after the controversial phone call in which Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former vice president Joe Biden, according to newly released internal emails.

During the July 25 call, Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate Biden, his potential opponent for the 2020 presidential election, and his son, Hunter, before Kiev can receive the US military aid.

Although administration officials previously said the president had ordered the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to withhold aid to Ukraine as early as 12 July, a declassified White House memorandum documenting Trump’s call contradicts the officials’ accounts.

The papers show the call began at 09.03 a.m. and ended 30 minutes later and at 11.04 a.m., senior OMB official Michael Duffey sent an email to Defense Department officials ordering the Pentagon to stop making plans to give any security assistance funds to Ukraine.

“Based on guidance I have received and in light of the Administration’s plan to review assistance to Ukraine, including the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, please hold off on any additional DoD obligations of these funds, pending direction from that process,” wrote Duffey, associate director for national security programs.

“Given the sensitive nature of the request, I appreciate your keeping that information closely held to those who need to know to execute direction.”

The move, which legal experts say violated US law forbidding the president from “impounding” congressionally appropriated funds, prompted the House of Representatives to launch an impeach inquiry against the Republican president in late September.

And on Wednesday, in a historic vote, the House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress. No Republicans voted in favor of the impeachment articles, while two Democrats voted against the first charge and three against the second.

President Trump impeached over abuse of power, obstruction of US Congress

Trump argued that the lack of defectors among the GOP shows that “the Republicans have never been so united” while the lack of consensus among Democrats is yet another indicator that their case “is so bad that they don’t even want to go to trial!”

Meanwhile, the president Saturday criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for holding off on sending the articles of impeachment against him to the Senate.

“It’s so unfair,” Trump said during a speech to conservative student group Turning Point USA, saying that the speaker adopted the strategy because she has “no case.”

“They are violating the Constitution,” Trump said, calling Pelosi “crazy Nancy.”

Source: Presstv

Cuba names first prime minister in over 40 years

22, December 2019

Cuba names first prime minister in over 40 years 0

Manuel Marrero Cruz has been named Cuba’s prime minister, taking a political post that had been abolished more than four decades ago.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Saturday named the 56-year-old Marrero — who served as Cuba’s tourism minister for almost 16 years — as head of the government for a five-year term.

The post was last held by charismatic leader Fidel Castro in 1976. But it was abolished when Castro transitioned to the presidency, taking over from Osvaldo Dorticos after the country’s constitution was restructured.

A newer constitution was recognized in Cuba late last year, reviving the prime ministerial position and delegating some of the president’s responsibilities to the prime minister.

Cuban parliament approves new constitution, formally recognizing private property

The premier has the power to hire and fire state employees and is in overall control of provincial governors — another position restored under the new constitution.

He is nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly.

The revival of the prime minister’s post in Cuba is seen as part of a process of decentralization and generational change.

Source: Presstv

Football: Liverpool beat Flamengo in extra time to win Club World Cup

22, December 2019

Football: Liverpool beat Flamengo in extra time to win Club World Cup 0

Roberto Firmino clinched Liverpool’s first Club World Cup title on Saturday, scoring in extra time to seal a 1-0 victory in the final over Flamengo to assert Europe’s footballing dominance over South America.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson’s defense-splitting pass picked out Sadio Mane who squared for Firmino to net in the 99th minute and become Liverpool’s savior again in the Qatari capital for the second time in three days.

The Brazilian forward also struck in the semifinal victory over Monterrey, giving him two goals in as many games in the 2022 World Cup test-event tournament, having only netted once in the previous 16 games for Liverpool in all competitions.

Unlike on Wednesday, when Firmino scored in stoppage time, Liverpool was denied a chance for a 90th-minute winner against Flamengo when a decision to award a penalty was overturned in a moment of confusion.

Qatari Abdulrahman Al Jassim pointed to the spot when Rafinha clipped Mane’s heel before going over to reassess the incident on the touchline monitor. Flamengo fans who dominated the 45,000-crowd at Khalifa Stadium were delirious when the internationally inexperienced referee determined the incident had happened outside the penalty area.

Brief reprieve

The reprieve was only brief as Fabinho allowed Liverpool to avenge the loss to Flamengo in the 1981 single-game version of this competition.

Liverpool added the world title to its sixth European Cup collected in June to qualify for the Club World Cup. At the same time, a continent away back in England, Liverpool’s pursuit of the Premier League was aided by Leicester losing to Manchester City.

An English title drought stretching back to 1990 for the 18-time English champions is well-placed to end with Liverpool holding a 10-point lead over Leicester ahead of Thursday’s game at the second-place rival.

While Liverpool’s year is ending on a high, a 2019 of tragedy and triumph ends on a low on the field for Flamengo.

A first Copa Libertadores title since 1981 followed a domestic title triumph for Brazil’s most successful club. But it came against the backdrop of grief and agony following the deaths of 10 academy players – all between 14 and 16 years old—in a fire in a dormitory.

(AP)

Southern Cameroonians dismiss ‘Anglophone special status’, insist on independence

22, December 2019

Southern Cameroonians dismiss ‘Anglophone special status’, insist on independence 0

Armed separatist movements in Cameroon have dismissed the approval of a spacial status to Anglophone regions by the country’s parliament, insisting that only independence would satisfy them.

Parliament on Friday granted special status to the North West and South West English-speaking regions to try to calm a separatist insurgency that has killed 2,000 people.

The law, passed in a special session of parliament, says the Anglophone regions “benefit from a special status founded on their linguistic particularity and historic heritage”.

We want independence and nothing else.

It mentioned schools and the judiciary system as part of the special status — a delayed response to protests in 2016 by teachers and lawyers.

Conflict between Cameroon’s army and English-speaking militias seeking to form a breakaway state called Ambazonia began after the government cracked down violently on peaceful protesters complaining of being marginalised by the French-speaking majority.

The insurgency has forced half a million people to flee and presented President Paul Biya with his biggest threat in nearly 40 years of rule.

Reactions

“This is a law unique in the world,” said senator Samuel Obam Assam, from the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, the majority group in the Senate. “It is an answer to our fellow countrymen’s concerns.”

But Jean-Michel Nintcheu, a parliamentarian from the main opposition party, said he did not believe the law would solve the crisis.

“The Anglophones, even the moderate ones, want a federal state. This law is not the result of a dialogue.. we were against it,” he said.

The reforms were recommended at the end of national talks organised by Biya in October to chart a way out of the conflict.

But separatists boycotted that dialogue, saying they would negotiate only if the government released all political prisoners and withdrew the military from the Northwest and Southwest.

“We want independence and nothing else,” said Ivo Tapang, a spokesman for 13 armed groups called the Contender Forces of Ambazonia.

He said the special status made no difference as no law passed in the Cameroonian parliament should be imposed in Ambazonia.

The roots of Cameroonian English speakers’ grievances go 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.

Source: REUTERS

CPDM Politics: Roman Catholic bishops warn against rise of tribalism

22, December 2019

CPDM Politics: Roman Catholic bishops warn against rise of tribalism 0

As ethnic tensions threaten Cameroon’s social fabric, the country’s Catholic bishops have warned the country’s citizens about the dangers of moving down the road of tribalism.

In a Dec. 10 pastoral letter to the country’s Christians, the bishops’ conference warned that tribalism was a recipe for economic stagnation; a threat to social cohesion, and a major driver of unwarranted suspicion and fear, especially among the most vulnerable in society.

“Given the recent events making news in our country with the escalation of violence in  various  forms, we felt we had the obligation to once again address ourselves to the Cameroonian people, to Christians and to all people of good will, on the consequences of the steep rise in tribalism in our country,” the bishops said in a letter signed by Bishop Abraham Bouallo Kome, the president of the conference.

Drawing from the scriptures, the bishops condemned the use of social media platforms to spread the opinions of politicians and others who use tribalism to sow confusion among citizens and stigmatize entire peoples.

“Through well prepared media lynching sessions, they try to make of their political and ideological enemies, the enemies of all the people, just like Saul did against David,” the bishops wrote.

“Taking a closer look at it, these confrontations in themselves are the fruit of egoism, greed and the thirst to either conquer or keep state power at all costs as was the case with King Herod,” the letter continued.

Cameroon has around 250 ethnic groups, and there are 24 major tribal language groups used in the country, along with the official languages of French and English.

In the letter, Kome said the bishops had seen “unacceptable things,” as calls to tribal fealty were being used by politicians to divide the people.

“We are saying that it is time for Cameroonians to understand that belonging to a tribe is a good thing, but we must valorize the values of our tribes and always be open to the nation. Tribes are at the service of the nation. The finality of the tribe is to bring its uniqueness so that the nation can be enriched for the good of all,” Kome told Crux.

Following the 2018 presidential election, the tribal origins of Maurice Kamto – the defeated candidate who claimed to have won the election – have been frequently bashed by government apologists.

Kamto comes from the Bamelike ethnic group in the country’s West region.

There was a violent confrontation between the natives of President Paul Biya’s Sangmalima village and settlers from Kamto’s Western region two months ago.

Between October 9-10, the people of Sangmalima attacked the Westerners, ransacking their homes and businesses in what was seen as an ethnically-based attack.

Cameroon’s English speakers, frequently considered as an ethnic group by the country’s Francophone majority, have also been subjected to racist abuse, with some members of the ruling party calling for the “complete elimination” of those they call “Anglophone separatist terrorists.“

Cameroonian political scientist, Immanuel Tatah Mentan said that “the undemocratic tendency of ethnic groups viewing themselves as the best and others as unpatriotic is unhealthy.”

Law against hate, tribalism

The Cameroonian government passed a law last month criminalizing hate speech and tribalism.

Article 241 of the said law punishes promoters of hate speech and tribalism with prison terms ranging between six days and six months or a fine amounting to about $1,000.

If the crime is committed on broadcast, print, or social media, the fine rises to about $34,000.

The penalty for both cases doubles if the accused is found to have the intention of triggering hate or indifference among people.

While many have welcomed the new legislation, there are fears that the government could use law to gag the press and stifle political dissent.

Cameroon’s Cardinal Christian Tumi said he believes the only antidote to hate is love.

“That means you must do unto others what you would like them to do to you. It’s as simple as that,” the cardinal said.

Culled from Crux

ICC to investigate alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories

21, December 2019

ICC to investigate alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories 0

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said on Friday she will launch a full investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian Territories, which could include charges against Israelis or Palestinians.

“I am satisfied that … war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip,” Fatou Bensouda of the ICC said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate in the Palestinian Territories.

“The court has no jurisdiction in this case. The ICC only has jurisdiction over petitions submitted by sovereign states. But there has never been a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Bensouda said the preliminary examination into alleged war crimes, opened in 2015, had rendered enough information to meet all criteria for opening an investigation.

The ICC prosecutor said she had filed a request with judges for a jurisdictional ruling, because of the contested legal and factual status of the Palestine territories.

The ICC has the authority to hear cases of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the 123 countries that have signed up to it.

Israel has not joined the court but the Palestinian Authority – a limited self-rule body in the Israeli-occupied West Bank – has done so.

(REUTERS)

French Cameroun MPs pass devolution bill for Anglophone regions

21, December 2019

French Cameroun MPs pass devolution bill for Anglophone regions 0

A bill granting special status to Cameroon’s two crisis-hit Anglophone regions has been passed by lawmakers in an attempt to ease two years of violence.

If the Senate approves the devolution law and it comes into force, the western areas where separatists are fighting government troops will be able to develop their own education and justice policies, it said.

Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions are home to most of the country’s English speakers, who account for about a fifth of a population that is otherwise French-speaking.

Decades of resentment at perceived discrimination have boiled over into an armed campaign for independence that has been met with a brutal crackdown.

More than 3,000 people have been killed in violence by both sides, and around 600,000 people have fled their homes, the International Crisis Group has estimated.

Separatists boycott proposed national dialogue

In October, veteran President Paul Biya’s regime held what it called a “major national dialogue” to settle the Anglophone crisis, but the main separatist movements boycotted the forum.

More autonomy for the English-speaking regions was one of the key recommendations of the talks, which have so far failed to bring peace and had been criticised for a lack of legislative follow-up.

The United States has since backed the prospect of devolved power in the troubled regions, saying that the government’s military response was only strengthening separatists.

Cameroon has called parliamentary and municipal polls for February 2020, two years after Biya’s disputed re-election triggered a major crisis.

Source: RFI

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