Monthly Archives: February 2024

13, February 2024

Russia puts Estonian Prime Minister Kallas on a wanted list ⁰

Russia has put Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on a wanted list, an official register showed Tuesday, as tensions soar between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

Kallas’ name appeared on the Interior Ministry’s register of people wanted in connection with criminal charges. It didn’t specify what charges Kallas was facing.

It is the first time the ministry has put a foreign leader on a wanted list.

Kallas has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, spearheading efforts to increase military assistance to Kyiv and tighten sanctions against Russia.

She also has angered Moscow by pushing for the removal of monuments to Soviet World War II soldiers. Russia has laws criminalizing the “rehabilitation of Nazis” that include clauses punishing the desecration of war memorials.

Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop was also put on the wanted list, according to the register.

The moves appear to reflect an attempt by Moscow to up the ante as it faces pressure from NATO allies as fighting in Ukraine nears the two-year mark, but means little in practical terms as Russia-West contacts have been frozen during the conflict.

There was no immediate reaction to the move from the Estonian authorities.

Source: AP

13, February 2024

Geneva: Paul Biya’s Bodyguards Guilty Of Assaulting Journalist ⁰

Switzerland’s appeal court has upheld guilty verdicts against six bodyguards of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya for the 2019 assault of a journalist, the Keystone-ATS news agency reported Monday.

The judges, whose ruling was confirmed by Robert Assael, a lawyer for one of the six, rejected their claims that they had immunity as they were protecting the president.

La Tribune newspaper reported that all six were ordered to pay fines, but that the punishment was suspended.

The appeal judges decided the six were outside their duty to defend Biya when they beat up Adrien Kreuze, a journalist for the Swiss public broadcasting network covering a demonstration outside a Geneva hotel.

The bodyguards injured Kreuze and took his phone and other items in the attack on June 26, 2019. The Swiss foreign ministry summoned Cameroon’s ambassador over the incident.

After the ruling, Assael still insisted that his client had been protecting the president. He said there had been violence involving Biya opponents in Switzerland and Germany in the weeks ahead of the incident.

Source: AFP

12, February 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: At least 2 school children killed, 20 injured in explosion in Nkambe ⁰

At least two people died and 20 others were injured in an explosion on Sunday in Nkambe, Northwest region, according to witnesses and local police.

The blast occurred in Nkambe, a town in the region, as school children were taking part in activities to mark National Youth Day, which has been celebrated in the country on Feb. 11 since 1966.

Many of those affected were school children.

Health workers were “working very hard” to treat many of the children who sustained “very serious” injuries, a security source in the region said.

“The death roll could increase. It is a disturbing situation but our brave soldiers have beefed up security to track down the terrorists who committed this abominable act,” the source said.

Authorities were yet to make an official statement.

Separatists had imposed a three-day lockdown to disrupt the activities in the regions where they have been clashing with government forces since 2017 in a bid to create an independent nation they call “Ambazonia.”

Source: Xinhuanet

12, February 2024

World record marathon holder Kelvin Kiptum dead in Kenya road accident ⁰

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana died in a car crash in western Kenya that left a third passenger injured, police said Sunday.

“The accident happened around 11 pm (2000 GMT). The car had three occupants, two died on the spot, while one was taken to hospital. The two are Kiptum and his coach,” said Peter Mulinge, police commander for Elgeyo Marakwet County in western Kenya.

He said the car was heading to Eldoret, a city in western Kenya, when the accident occurred.

Kiptum ran a world record 2:00:35 in the Chicago Marathon in October, taking 34 seconds off fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record.

Source: AFP

12, February 2024

Haller’s late goal seals Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win over Nigeria in AFCON final ⁰

Sebastien Haller scored a dramatic late winner as hosts Ivory Coast fought back to beat Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria 2-1 in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final and complete the most remarkable of major tournament turnarounds by claiming their third continental title.

Nigeria looked set to repeat their 1-0 victory over the Ivorians here at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium during the group stage when captain William Troost-Ekong — who had netted a penalty to decide that first meeting — rose to head in the opener late in the first half.

However, Franck Kessie equalised just after the hour mark and Haller turned in Simon Adingra’s cross in the 81st minute to spark wild celebrations among the sea of orange in the Abidjan stands.

Ivory Coast’s success sees them add this year’s title to those claimed in 1992 and 2015, while this win also allows them to join Nigeria on three Cup of Nations triumphs overall.

Only Egypt, Cameroon and Ghana have won the title more often, with the Super Eagles squandering the opportunity to match their Ghanaian rivals on four victories.

Spearheaded by reigning African player of the year Osimhen, the Nigerians had looked the most formidable team in the competition over the last month.

But Ivory Coast’s sense of destiny was simply too overpowering, as they became the first host country to win the AFCON since 2006.

Didier Drogba captained the Elephants team that lost on penalties to Egypt in Cairo in that final 18 years ago, while this time he was among the spectators to witness a stunning victory for his country.

Back from the brink

It is an incredible achievement for a side that was on the brink of elimination in the group stage after losing 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea on January 22.

That was their heaviest ever home defeat and the Ivorians then parted company with coach Jean-Louis Gasset, replacing him with Emerse Fae, a teammate of Drogba’s in 2006.

They then began a remarkable turnaround which saw them oust holders Senegal on penalties, beat Mali with a last-gasp goal in extra time, and edge out DR Congo with a Haller goal in the last four.

Their supporters packed out the stadium to its 60,000 capacity, with many fans having to watch the game from vantage points on stairways.

Anyone wanting to dampen the excitement levels might have pointed out that Cup of Nations finals tend to be low-scoring affairs.

There were just 10 goals scored in the last 11 finals, five of which were decided on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate.

Indeed, Ivory Coast’s four previous final appearances had all ended goalless before going to penalties, two of which they had won.

This looked set to be another nervy, low-scoring affair with chances few and far between early on.

However the home side then had a great chance on 34 minutes when Kessie found Adingra on the left and his shot was turned away by Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

That proved crucial as Nigeria went ahead just four minutes later when Ademola Lookman’s corner from the left was touched on and Troost-Ekong headed in from the edge of the six-yard area.

Earlier in the tournament the Ivorians would have crumbled in such a scenario, but they deserve great credit for regrouping at the interval and throwing everything at Nigeria.

Max-Alain Gradel’s netbound shot was blocked in front of the line by Calvin Bassey five minutes after the restart, before Nwabali turned an Odilon Kossounou long-range piledriver around the post on 62 minutes.

They drew level from the corner which followed that, as Kessie — whose late penalty had rescued the hosts against Senegal in the last 16 — appeared at the back post to head into the net.

It seemed inevitable that a second Ivory Coast goal would follow and it duly did with nine minutes of the 90 to play as Haller got his studs to Adingra’s cross and diverted the ball into the far corner.

Behind for the first time since their opening match, Nigeria could not react, and Ivory Coast held on for victory.

Source: AFP

11, February 2024

Olembe tragedy families invited to AFCON final ⁰

Families of the victims of the Stade d’Olembe tragedy that took place during the last Africa Cup of Nations in Yaounde, Cameroon, have been invited to Sunday’s final in Abidjan, according to Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe during an address to review the ongoing AFCON.

At least eight people were killed and 38 were injured, seven seriously, in a crush that took place at the stadium before a round of 16 match between hosts Cameroon and Comoros during the last edition of the biennial continental competition on Jan. 24 2022.

It was determined that a “massive and late influx of supporters … caused the crush,” according to a government report, with security forces opening a gate outside the stadium to ease the over-crowding, which subsequently led to the tragedy.

“Some of the [victims’] family members from Cameroon are invited [to the AFCON final],” Motsepe began, “and will be with us here in Cote d’Ivoire.

“We visited each of their houses, met with their families, and expressed our condolences.”

Motsepe expressed confidence before the tournament began that measures in place around stadiums across the Ivory Coast would prevent a repeat incident during the ongoing tournament.

“The day after the final in Cameroon, we were in Cote d’Ivoire already to prepare for this following AFCON,” he added. “We had to identify what our failures and weaknesses were, and what the things were in Cameroon we had to improve.

“I’m happy that there’s been specific improvement, but despite all the precautionary measures you can take, there will always be unforeseen events. When you’re better prepared, you have a much better propensity to deal with these consequences.”

With the Ivorian government investing around $1.5 billion in tournament infrastructure, there has been no repeat of supporter deaths at the continent’s premier football event to date.

However, it hasn’t been an entirely smooth competition, with injuries suffered by media professionals travelling in a shuttle bus between Yamoussoukro and Abidjan one notable example.

For Motsepe, broadcast consistency, ticket sales and transport between the tournament venues are three clear areas of improvement that provide learnings from this year’s competition for future editions to come.

“We could have sold 150,000 tickets for the opening match, but there were empty seats,” the South African billionaire recalled. “My sponsors want to see value, and we want them to put more money in for the continent’s football development.

“Empty seats are not good for African people, but people bought up many tickets and then sold them at extortionate prices. This is one area that needs to improve.

“The broadcast of the game between Senegal and the Gambia was partly interrupted, and we can’t have that — there must be zero tolerance for any interruption or interference with the broadcast.

“There was also an instance where there was a [road] accident and our advice wasn’t followed.”

Despite these problems, Motsepe expressed his broader confidence that the tournament had been an overwhelming success, and a valuable testament to the state of African football under his premiership.

“This AFCON has been excellent, the best AFCON in the history of the competition,” he concluded. “We’ve had more than 180 countries worldwide, close to two billion people watching the football in Africa, and we should feel proud as Africans that we can produce such an exceptional competition.

“The next one must be even better, and the next one even better.”

Source: ESPN

11, February 2024

11 February: Biya concerned about rising youth migration ⁰

President Paul Biya has expressed concerns about the obsession of young people in the country to emigrate.

“The growing desire of a fringe of our youths to emigrate to other climes is increasingly a cause for concern, especially when it becomes an obsession and even affects people who are well integrated into their local communities,” Biya said in a televised message geared toward the younger generation on Saturday evening.

He said Cameroon, “like many others around the world” is facing difficulties but migrating “at all costs” was not the solution.

“You should know that while you yearn to leave, many foreigners are trying to settle in Cameroon, thereby confirming that ours is a hospitable country and a land of opportunities,” he said, adding that emigration was full of “illusions and perils”.

Last month, airport security officials in the country’s commercial hub of Douala said Cameroonian civil servants especially nurses, teachers and security forces were emigrating at an “alarming” rate.

Biya’s speech came on the occasion of National Youth Day, celebrated annually on Feb. 11 in the Central African country.

Source: Xinhuanet

11, February 2024

11 February: Many school children feared dead in explosion in Nkambe ⁰

Many school children are feared dead in an explosion on Sunday in Cameroon’s restive Anglophone region of Northwest, according to witnesses and local police.

The blast occurred in Nkambe, a town in the region, as children were taking part in activities to mark National Youth Day, which has been celebrated in the country on Feb. 11 since 1966.

Witnesses said the children had sustained “very serious” injuries.

Authorities were yet to make an official statement.

Source: Xinhuanet

11, February 2024

11 February: Amba Fighters impose lockdown in Southern Cameroons ⁰

Fighting erupted again early Saturday in parts of Cameroon’s war-torn English-speaking regions of Southwest and Northwest as armed separatists began imposing a three-day lockdown to disrupt National Youth Day activities.

Residents of Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest Region and the largest city in English-speaking Cameroon, said they heard bursts of gunfire in some parts of the city.

“The streets are deserted. People are afraid to go out. Almost all activities are not operational,” a resident of the city, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua by telephone.

Officials in both regions have assured residents of “tight” security and urged “everyone, all the youth, to come out en masse to take part in National Youth Day activities.”

On Thursday, separatist leaders announced that they will impose a lockdown in the regions from Saturday to Monday as a measure to disrupt National Youth Day activities, which will be held in the central African country on Sunday.

Separatists said the event was “illegal” in the two Anglophone regions, where they have been clashing with government forces since 2017 in a bid to create an independent nation they call “Ambazonia.”

Source: Xinhuanet

10, February 2024

Michael Jackson: Stake in catalogue sells for $600m ⁰

Sony Music Group is understood to have paid at least $600m (£475m) for half of Michael Jackson’s catalogue.

If accurate, it would mean the singer’s musical assets are worth more than $1.2bn (£950m).

The deal would also be the biggest ever for the work of a single musician.

Michael Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50, is one of the most successful pop stars of all time, selling more than 400 million records worldwide.

That figure is disputed and may be much higher.

His 1982 album, Thriller, is still the best-selling record of all time, according to Guinness World Records.

The King of Pop is also hugely popular on streaming services, with almost 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

His songs Billie Jean and Beat It have each been played more than one billion times on Spotify alone.

An upcoming film biopic starring Jackson’s nephew in the title role will also undoubtedly increase interest.

The back catalogue deal is also reported to include tracks by other artists acquired by Jackson’s Mijac publishing group, said to include hits by Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin.

The sale would have been arranged with the Estate of Michael Jackson, who manage the late star’s affairs.

Source: BBC