Monthly Archives: May 2024

Russia to hold nuclear drills following ‘threats’ from West

7, May 2024

Russia to hold nuclear drills following ‘threats’ from West 0

Russia has started preparations for missile drills near Ukraine simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons in response to “threats” by Western officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron and the British Foreign Secretary David Cameron constituted a “completely new round of escalation of tension”.

Last week, Mr Macron refused to rule out potentially deploying French troops, should Kyiv request them, while Lord Cameron said that Ukraine had the right to use British weapons for strikes within Russia.

On Monday, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Lord Cameron’s “hostile outburst” contradicted previous British assurances that the long-range missiles sent to Ukraine would not be used on Russian territory and meant that the UK was a “party to the conflict”.

The ministry added that the response to Ukrainian strikes using British weapons on Russia could involve targeting any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond.

It also said that Mr Macron’s statement on possible deployment of French troops to Ukraine could be considered as “readiness for direct confrontation with Russia”.

Both the British and the French ambassadors in Moscow were summoned on Monday.

The tactical nuclear weapons drills announced on Monday were ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to TASS news agency.

They were expected to take place “in the near future” and would involve missile formations as well as air and naval forces.

Tactical nuclear weapons are small nuclear warheads and delivery systems intended for use on the battlefield, or for a limited strike.

They are designed to destroy enemy targets in a specific area without causing widespread radioactive fallout.

Strategic nuclear weapons, on the other hand, are large and designed to be fired at a long range – for example, between continents. Russia holds regular drills with strategic nuclear weapons.

In April, Belarus’s long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko said “several dozen” tactical nuclear weapons were stationed in his country.

A Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman dismissed the announcement that drills would take place, calling it “nuclear blackmail”.

But Nato spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said it was “dangerous and irresponsible” and stated that Nato remained “vigilant”.

Following a meeting in Paris with Mr Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she hoped President Xi would help de-escalate Russia’s “irresponsible” nuclear threats.

Russia’s sabre-rattling come on the eve of President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration for a fifth presidential term.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry has said it will no longer regard Vladimir Putin as a legitimate president after his inauguration and has urged other countries and international organisations to follow suit.

However, a French diplomatic source quoted by Reuters said the French ambassador would attend the ceremony.

Germany and several other European countries have ruled out sending their envoys.

Source: BBC

Southern Cameroons Crisis: General Sagon among 3 killed in Ngoketunjia

6, May 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: General Sagon among 3 killed in Ngoketunjia 0

Three separatist fighters, including a key commander, were killed when government forces struck their hideout on Sunday in Cameroon’s war-torn Anglophone region of Northwest, according to local and security sources.

The crackdown, as confirmed by a military official in the region who requested not to be named, was launched in the early hours of Sunday in the Ngoketunjia division of the region.

Among those killed was a key commander who referred to himself as “General Sagon.”

“General Sagon” was among the first to take up arms in 2017 to fight the government. In 2021, he was the second in command when separatist fighters ambushed and killed 15 soldiers in a single combat in Ngoketunjia division, according to security reports by local police.

An official in the region who asked not to be named said that his physical elimination is a “major” setback to the separatist insurgency in the region.

Fighting between government forces and separatist fighters has persisted in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest since 2017 when separatists attempted to establish an independent nation in these regions.

Source: Xinhuanet

Football: Real Madrid confirmed as La Liga champions

4, May 2024

Football: Real Madrid confirmed as La Liga champions 0

Real Madrid clinched the Spanish title on Saturday for the fourth time in 12 years, beating Cadiz 3-0 before previous champions Barcelona lost 4-2 at Girona.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side romped clear of last season’s winners and shock challengers Girona to clinch their record-extending 36th La Liga trophy.

AFP Sport breaks down the keys to Los Blancos’ domestic success this season:

Brilliant Bellingham

Nobody expected Jude Bellingham to have such an instant impact in Spain after his move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

The England international quickly established himself as a key player in attacking areas for Madrid with ten goals in his first ten league matches, replacing the departed Karim Benzema.

Although his numbers have dipped in the second half of the campaign, Bellingham remains Los Blancos’ top scorer with 18 in La Liga, and Ancelotti also regularly exalts his strong work ethic.

Catalan capitulation

Barcelona looked revitalised last season under Xavi Hernandez, but the champions struggled badly in the first half of the season.

Their previously rock-solid defence gave way with alarming regularity and Madrid’s consistency, falling to just one defeat in the whole campaign to date, made their march to the title feel an inevitability.

Barcelona found new life after January but it was too little, too late for Madrid’s arch-rivals.

Mentality masters

Real Madrid are admired for their never-say-die attitude and assuredness in big matches. In their key La Liga battles against Girona and Barcelona, they triumphed on every occasion.

Ancelotti’s side hammered Girona 3-0 in September in a show of strength and then crushed the Catalan minnows 4-0 in February to completely deflate their title bid.

Against Barcelona, Bellingham delivered stoppage-time winners in both league match-ups, firing Madrid to a 2-1 away triumph in October and a 3-2 victory in April at the Santiago Bernabeu.

And when Madrid were not playing well in some of the lower-key matches, they managed at least to draw. “To win a league, the games you can’t win, you can’t lose either,” noted Ancelotti.

Durable defence

Real Madrid were dealt multiple set-backs this season in defence with Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba all sidelined with long-term injuries. Despite that, they boast the strongest record at the back in La Liga.

Antonio Rudiger has raised his level to marshal the defence, while right-back Dani Carvajal is in arguably the best form of his career.

Defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has dropped into the back line without fuss when required and always looked solid despite playing out of position.

Madrid’s squad players have also contributed in key moments, with Lucas Vazquez shining at right-back in the recent Clasico.

Carlo’s calls

Madrid coach Ancelotti has got his biggest decisions right this season. The coach’s first call was to deploy Bellingham as part of a three-pronged attack with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, a role which his previous bosses had not envisioned for him.

The Italian managed Rodrygo’s issues in front of goal well, keeping faith in the Brazilian, who made a point of celebrating with his coach after ending his drought in November.

Ancelotti has slowly phased out ageing great Luka Modric while still calling on him at the right times.

He kept squad players including Brahim Diaz and Joselu involved and hungry and both scored against Cadiz on the day Madrid won La Liga.

Source: AFP

London: Labour’s Sadiq Khan easily wins record third term as mayor

4, May 2024

London: Labour’s Sadiq Khan easily wins record third term as mayor 0

London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan on Saturday secured a record third term, dealing the Conservatives another damaging defeat in their worst local election results in recent memory months before an expected general election.

Khan, 53, easily beat Tory challenger Susan Hall to scupper largely forlorn Tory hopes that they could prise the UK capital away from Labour for the first time since 2016.

The first Muslim mayor of a Western capital when first elected then, he had been widely expected to win as Labour surge nationally and the Conservatives suffer in the polls.

In the end, he saw his margin of victory increase compared to the last contest in 2021.

It adds to a dismal set of results for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as his Tories finished a humiliating third in local council tallies after losing nearly 500 seats in voting Thursday across England.

With Labour making huge gains, the beleaguered leader’s Conservatives lost crunch mayoral races in Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire as well as the capital and elsewhere.

In the West Midlands, where Tory incumbent Andy Street is bidding for his own third term, votes were reportedly being recounted and too close to call.

An unexpected Tory defeat there could leave Sunak with only one notable success: its mayor winning a third term in Tees Valley, northeast England — albeit with a vastly reduced majority.

‘Voters are frustrated’

Writing in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph, Sunak conceded “voters are frustrated” but insisted “Labour is not winning in places they admit they need for a majority”.

“We Conservatives have everything to fight for,” Sunak argued.

Labour, out of power since 2010 and trounced by Boris Johnson’s Conservatives at the last general election in 2019, also emphatically snatched a parliamentary seat from the Conservatives.

It seized on winning the Blackpool South constituency and other successes to demand a national vote.

“Let’s turn the page on decline and usher in national renewal with Labour,” party leader Keir Starmer told supporters Saturday in the East Midlands, where the party won the mayoral race.

Sunak must order a general election be held by January 28 next year at the latest, and has said he is planning on a poll in the second half of 2024.

Labour has enjoyed double-digit poll leads for all of Sunak’s 18 months in charge, as previous Tory scandals, a cost-of-living crisis and various other issues dent the ruling party’s standing.

On Thursday, they were defending nearly 1,000 council seats, many secured in 2021 when they led nationwide polls before the implosion of Johnson’s premiership and his successor Liz Truss’s disastrous 49-day tenure.

With almost all those results in by Saturday afternoon, they had lost close to half and finished third behind the smaller centrist opposition Liberal Democrats.

‘Impetus’

If replicated in a nationwide contest, the tallies suggested Labour would win 34 percent of the vote, with the Tories trailing by nine points, according to the BBC.

Sky News’ projection for a general election using the results predicted Labour will be the largest party but short of an overall majority.

Its by-election scalp in Blackpool — on a mammoth 26-percent swing — was the Conservatives’ 11th such loss in this parliament, the most by any government since the late 1960s.

Speculation has been rife in Westminster that restive Tory lawmakers could use the dire local election results to try to replace him. But that prospect seems to have failed to materialise.

However, it was not all good news for Labour.

The party lost control of one local authority, and suffered some councillor losses to independents elsewhere, due to what analysts said was its stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Polling expert John Curtice assessed there were concerning signs for the opposition.

“These were more elections in which the impetus to defeat the Conservatives was greater than the level of enthusiasm for Labour,” he noted in the i newspaper.

“Electorally, it is still far from clear that Sir Keir Starmer is the heir to (Tony) Blair.”

Source: AFP

CPDM Crime Syndicate climbs 8 places in RSF Ranking, but Journalists still at risk

4, May 2024

CPDM Crime Syndicate climbs 8 places in RSF Ranking, but Journalists still at risk 0

Cameroon has climbed eight spots to 130th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, according to the annual report released on Friday, May 3, by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Despite this improvement from its 138th position in the 2023 edition, RSF underscores that Cameroon remains one of Africa’s most perilous countries for journalists, despite the proliferation of media outlets, including over 600 newspapers, around 200 radio stations, and more than 60 television channels. The NGO points out that journalists operate in a hostile and uncertain environment.

RSF strongly criticizes the political pressures journalists face. The NGO states that journalists who adopt a critical and independent editorial stance are exposed to significant threats and pressures, particularly when the interests of those in power are involved. This situation is worsened by the head of state’s control over all institutions, promoting self-censorship and causing media alignment with the authorities or certain influential figures.

Journalists in Cameroon frequently encounter verbal and physical assaults, arbitrary arrests, detentions, gag orders, abductions, and risks of assassination. RSF specifically cites the tragic case of Martinez Zogo, the head of private radio station Amplitude FM, who was abducted, tortured, and found dead in January 2023. The NGO also expresses regret over the lack of decriminalization of press offenses on the agenda, as well as the absence of guarantees for access to information and source protection.

Moreover, RSF emphasizes the precarious conditions under which Cameroonian journalists, particularly those in private media, work, compromising their independence.

Each year, RSF publishes its World Press Freedom Index, evaluating the conditions under which journalism is practiced in 180 countries and territories. This year’s report reveals a significant drop in the political indicator, affecting even top-ranking countries like Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. At the bottom of the ranking, countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Eritrea have seen their political index fall, replacing Asian nations such as China, Vietnam, and North Korea in their previous positions.

Source: sbbc

Gaza Crisis: President Biden to host Jordan king next week

3, May 2024

Gaza Crisis: President Biden to host Jordan king next week 0

US President Joe Biden will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II next week, the White House said Friday, as negotiations continue in the Middle East for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The meeting will be “private” and will be followed by a readout, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, without giving a date for the encounter.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of talks for a deal to release hostages and secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after nearly seven months of war.

The talks, which come after months of efforts by mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States to broker a new agreement between the combatants, are at a critical juncture.

The United States has urged the Palestinian militant group to accept the “extraordinarily generous” offer.

But Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of trying to derail the proposed Gaza deal with his threats to launch an operation in Rafah.

King Abdullah II last visited the White House in February when he called for an immediate ceasefire and warned an attack on Rafah would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe.”

In April, Jordan worked alongside the United States and other allies to shoot down Iranian drones that Tehran sent towards Israel, with the kingdom keen to avoid a wider conflict.

Source: AFP

Immigrating to Canada from Cameroon: All you need is to deliver an Anthony Joshua knockout blow

3, May 2024

Immigrating to Canada from Cameroon: All you need is to deliver an Anthony Joshua knockout blow 0

A scuffle ensued and blows were exchanged when thousands of university graduates in Cameroon swamped the University of Buea (UB) campus to apply for the French language proficiency test, Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF), a requirement to obtain a Canadian visa.

Canada has become a new destination for thousands of graduates from Cameroon, in particular, and Africa in general, following the 2022-24 Canadian government immigration plan that provides opportunities for skilled workers.

Apart from graduates seeking jobs, information from the Canadian immigration service also says international students are a top priority in the country’s new immigration targets, and the immigration streams that their applications feed into will contribute more than half of new permanent residents.

But, to benefit from these opportunities, applicants are supposed to show proof of mastery of the French language, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s 2024-25 Departmental Plan.

Information from the university language examination centres in Cameroon indicated that graduates and other applicants who are successful in the exams that will be written in May 2024, will be eligible to continue the processes to obtain visas.

Chaotic scenes

The UB authorities were ill-prepared to accommodate a crowd which, according to estimates, included up to 4,000 people.

“We were surprised by the huge crowd, because Buea University is just one of the [exam] centres. The other two include the French Institute in Douala, and Yaounde. You can just imagine the numbers at the other centres,” Professor Apuge Michael Etuge, the dean of the faculty of arts at UB, told University World News.

The registration process, the authorities say, requires applicants to register their names at the designated centres, thereby obtaining a code which they need to pay their registration fees of about XAF210,000 (about US$343) per person at the bank, before returning to the centres to deposit their receipts.

Following the unexpected crowd turnout, the process became rowdy, with applicants tussling for space to get served first.

“There was scrambling as a result of poor organisation by the school authorities. There was no security to control [the applicants] and restore some order,” Peter Ngole from the University of Bamenda, and one of the applicants, told University World News.

According to Etuge, the registration process was on a first-come, first-served basis, but some applicants wanted to outsmart their mates, which led to some disorder.

Cameroon higher education authorities condemned the chaotic scene, blaming it on poor organisation.

“The registration process in all state universities in Cameroon is done online. The organisers of this language exam should have followed the same procedure,” Higher Education Minister Jacques Fame Ndongo said over state radio in reaction to the incident.

However, the organisers of the language exam said the application process had no intermediaries to avoid the scamming of applicants that often characterised such examination procedures, a notice at the application centre noted.

Graduate unemployment

The scramble for this language test to obtain visas, academics say, shows the high rate of graduate unemployment in the country, which has increased during the past two years. As a result, many are seeking to leave Cameroon for greener pastures.

“When graduates can’t find jobs in their [home] country they are obliged to seek elsewhere. This is the same scenario all over Africa,” Professor Emmanuel Yenshu of UB’s department of sociology told University World News.

An estimated 23.6 million young Africans (aged 15-35), including graduates, are unemployed, with this figure projected to grow to 27 million by 2030. The need for jobs elsewhere is, therefore, critical, an article in The Conversation stated.

Canada as a study destination

Apart from graduates seeking jobs, information from the Canadian immigration service says international students are a top priority in the country’s new targets.

The report says Canada is seeing a surge of international student applications for higher education after a period of enrolment declines during the COVID pandemic, with a good number coming from Africa.

“Canada’s expanding immigration programme means more opportunities for international students in the country to remain after graduating from Canadian higher education institutions,” a December 2023 news release by the Canadian government stated.

“We recognise the significant social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring to Canada, and for those benefits to continue, we must address challenges to the integrity of the International Student Program,” the release noted.

It recognises that international students “are talented, bright and deserving of a positive experience as they pursue their studies in Canada”.

Eight of Canada’s top-10 fastest-growing student populations are from African countries with Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Algeria among the top-10 on the list, according to a news report in Business Insider Africa.

This is despite the challenges – including racial prejudices – that students appear to face during their visa approval processes.

In the five years between 2018 and 30 April 2023, officials at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reportedly rejected 59% of the visa applications from English-speaking Africans and 74% from French-speaking Africans seeking to study in Canada’s colleges and universities.

In 2022, the disapproval rates were ere 62% for applicants from English-speaking African countries and 66% for applicants from French-speaking African countries, University World News reported.

Apart from Canada, African students constituted nearly half of all foreign students in France in 2023, University World News reported on 25 April.

The report said, of that number, the Sub-Saharan African region led with 95,285 students, almost 24% of all the foreign students (412,087) in France. The 95,285 figure represented an increase of 34% over the past five years.

The reasons for the popularity of France among Africans seeking university education in Europe is attributable to a number of factors, including language and the search for quality education abroad, the report said.

Source: University World News

Diocese of Buea: Bishop Bibi recognizes pastoral agents’ “hard work, sacrifices”

2, May 2024

Diocese of Buea: Bishop Bibi recognizes pastoral agents’ “hard work, sacrifices” 0

On the occasion of the annual celebration of the International Labor Day commemorated May 1, Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of Cameroon’s Buea Diocese has recognized with “gratitude and appreciation” the sacrificial efforts pastoral workers make in serving the people of God in his Episcopal See.

In a statement issued Wednesday, May 1, Bishop Bibi recalls that Labour Day “honors the contributions and achievements of workers worldwide and recognizes their importance in building societies and economies.”

“It’s a time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of workers across various sectors and industries,” the Cameroonian Catholic Bishop says.

He thanks pastoral agents in Buea Diocese, saying, “As you celebrate Labour Day with your loved ones, I express gratitude and appreciation for your hard work and sacrifices to the Diocese.”

“Thank you for your endless support and commitment to your duties,” he said, and added, “I equally recognize your contributions to the growth of the different institutions in our Diocese.”

The Cameroonian Catholic Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in March 2017 as Auxiliary Bishop of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese recognizes the May 1 Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

“St. Joseph the worker whose memorial we celebrate today was loyal, hardworking and committed,” Bishop Bibi says, and implores, “May he intercede for us all to work devotedly with Joy.”

“May God Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in Communion with the Holy Spirit give you grace and peace,” he further implores in his May 1 message.

Celebrated every year on May 1 since 1890 in over 80 countries, Labor Day recalls the “contributions of workers”, seeking to promote “their rights, and commemorate the labor movement.”

This year, the focus is on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, a theme that underscores the critical importance of addressing the impacts of climate change on workplace safety and occupational health.

Source: aciafrica

BEAC sets two-week deadline to withdraw CFA150bn from banks in inflation battle

2, May 2024

BEAC sets two-week deadline to withdraw CFA150bn from banks in inflation battle 0

The Central Bank of Central African States (Beac) kicked off its 4th round of bond issuance on April 29, aiming to tighten bank liquidity. Through three bond issuances scheduled between April 29 and May 13, the central bank aims to withdraw a total of CFA150 billion from commercial banks’ coffers.

The first three rounds of bond issuance saw rather mixed success. Out of seven operations, at least two were declared unsuccessful due to lack of subscriptions, while almost all others barely exceeded a 30% demand coverage rate. Since the launch of these operations in February 2024, only the one on April 22, totaling CFA50 billion, saw remarkable success. This offer saw a coverage rate of 156% as reported by the central bank.

Following the increase in key interest rates, suspension of liquidity injection operations, and intensified weekly liquidity withdrawal operations, Beac bonds have become the central bank’s new tool to reduce bank liquidity and restrict access to credit. This is aimed at reducing the share of inflation of monetary origin (20%) in the Cemac zone.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Yaounde: Dion Ngute discusses upcoming S.Korea-Africa summit with visiting Minister Kang

2, May 2024

Yaounde: Dion Ngute discusses upcoming S.Korea-Africa summit with visiting Minister Kang 0

Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun has met with Cameroon’s Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute in the Central African country and discussed an upcoming leaders’ summit of South Korea and African nations, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.

Kang’s courtesy call on Dion Ngute on Tuesday (local time) came during her weeklong two-nation trip as a presidential envoy to the continent this week that also took her to Senegal.

In the meeting, Kang highlighted that the South Korea-Africa summit, set for June 4-5 in Seoul, will serve as a chance for the two countries to significantly boost bilateral cooperation and asked for Cameroon’s support and participation in the gathering.

Kang also expressed expectations that the cooperation with Cameroon will continue to deepen in a wide range of areas, as it has in ICT, health care, agriculture and job training, through robust high-level talks and other exchanges.

Kang separately met with Cameroon’s presidential chief of staff, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, and acting Foreign Minister Oumarou Chinmoun.

In Cameroon, Kang also had a meeting with South Korean officials from the state aid agency, KOICA, and those from other development aid nonprofit organizations.

Source: en.yna

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