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31, July 2016

Turkey closing all military academies ⁰

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says from now on all military commanders will report directly to the country’s defense minister and that all military academies will be closed. During an interview with the Turkish broadcaster A Haber on Saturday, Erdogan said that the new measures were aimed at bringing the military under full civilian control. He added that the military academies would be replaced with a national defense university.

“We are going to introduce a small constitutional package (to parliament) which, if approved, will bring the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and chief of staff under the control of the presidency,” he said. Erdogan also announced cuts in the size of the country’s gendarmerie security forces along with upgrades to their weaponry. He also noted that his lawyers had started work on withdrawing lawsuits against persons who had insulted him.

The Turkish president has filed hundreds of court cases against critics, including many journalists, for insulting him since he took office in August 2014. On Friday, he had announced that in the spirit of “unity” following the coup he would revoke the said lawsuits. Earlier, Turkish authorities announced the release of over 750 soldiers who were detained following the failed coup, noting that 231 soldiers still remain in custody.

Presstv

30, July 2016

USA: 16 killed in hot air balloon crash ⁰

At least 16 people have been killed after a large hot air balloon caught fire and crashed into a field in the US state of Texas. The accident happened early Saturday morning near Lockhart, south of Austin, after a blaze broke out in the basket section of the balloon, according to Aviation officials.

“It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors,” the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said. Investigators have been sent to the scene to determine the number of victims and their identities. “When the Emergency Responders and the Sheriff’s Office arrived it was apparent that the reported fire was the basket portion of a hot air balloon,” said the statement.

A photo was posted on social media reportedly showing the the balloon in the air with huge flames spurting underneath. Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed condolences to those affected by the crash and promised an investigation into the “heartbreaking tragedy.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community,” he said in a statement. The incident is probably the second-deadliest balloon accident in history. The first hot air balloon crash occurred in Luxor, Egypt in 2013. The balloon caught fire when it was attempting to land. The accident killed 19 of the 21 passengers on board the balloon.

Presstv

30, July 2016

Militants in Aleppo have surrendered to government forces ⁰

A number of militants operating in the eastern areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo have laid down their weapons and surrendered themselves to government troops, who are making more gains in the embattled province. The capitulation took place in Aleppo’s Salaheddine neighborhood on Saturday, Syria’s official SANA news agency reported.

The report further noted that tens of families went out through the corridors set up by army forces for the safe departure of the civilians trapped by terrorist groups in Aleppo’s eastern districts. The families were sent by the Syrian army to makeshift centers upon their arrival to the Salaheddine neighborhood, the report added.

Earlier this week, the Syrian army sent text messages to residents and terrorists in eastern Aleppo, saying it will grant safe passage to people wishing to leave the area. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also vowed amnesty for those who turn in their weapons, stressing that the policy has been exercised by Damascus since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle Eastern country.

Meanwhile, Russia announced several corridors for civilians and surrendering militants to leave Aleppo’s eastern parts.Aleppo Province also completed arrangements to receive the citizens fleeing militant-held eastern Aleppo and house them in well-equipped temporary accommodation centers.

Presstv

30, July 2016

Muslims and Christians have taken part in Friday prayers in tribute to elderly priest killed in France ⁰

Muslims and Christians have taken part in Friday prayers at a mosque in the northern Normandy region to pay tribute to an elderly priest who was recently killed by terrorists.

The service was held at the Yahya mosque in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, with a sign holding outside the house of worshipping hall reading “Mosque in mourning.”

Anouar Kbibech, the head of Franc’s main Muslim organization, the CFCM, attended Friday’s gathering, calling on Muslims to visit churches on Sunday to show solidarity with Christians as they pray.

On July 26, two knife-wielding assailants, identified as Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Nabil Petitjean, interrupted a service at the St. Etienne church.

They forced the 85-year-old parish priest, Father Jacques Hamel, to his knees and slit his throat. Two nuns and an elderly couple were also held hostage until the attackers were shot dead by police.

Presstv

30, July 2016

The Thursday 28 July Cabinet Meeting: Details of what Philemon Yang and his team discussed ⁰

An important Cabinet Meeting was chaired Philemon Yang, Prime Minister, Head of Government, on Thursday 28 July 2016 in the Main Building of the Prime Minister’s Office. In attendance, apart from his close aides, were the Vice-Prime Minister, Ministers of State, Ministers, Ministers-Delegate and Secretaries of State.

Three items featured on the agenda, namely:

a statement of the Minister for Scientific Research and Innovation on ‘the achievements and challenges of innovation in Cameroon’;
a statement of the Minister for Mines, Industry and Technological Development on ‘Government’s technological development strategy’;
a statement of the Minister for Post and Telecommunication on ‘the guidelines of the digital economy development plan in Cameroon’.

Taking the floor after the introductory remarks of the Head of Government, the Minister for Scientific Research and Innovation indicated that over the last few years, the National Research and Innovation System has achieved much at the policy, institutional, scientific and technological levels in terms of the development and dissemination of research results and innovation.

They include inter alia, the creation of improved seeds which enabled the Institute of Agronomic Research for Development (IRAD) to acquire close to a score of patents, also recently winning four (4) innovation gold medals at the Geneva International Invention Fair in Switzerland; the creation by the Institute of Geological and Mining Research (IRGM) of improved fireplaces, and solar/hybrid driers; the development by the National Institute of Cartography of a software that can avoid overlapping land parcels of mining operators; the production of paving stones from plastic waters and the manufacture of tar based on pozzolan.

Other innovations also emanate from private Cameroonian inventors. These include the CARDlOPAD, the EGUSI Cracking Machine and the production of eco- friendly charcoal from organic wastes. With regard to the challenges of innovation in Cameroon, the Minister in charge of Research said they consist especially in continuing the diversification of the process of transferring research findings to the economic sectors; fostering the culture of innovation and establishing financing mechanisms of the National Research and Innovation System – all of which requires synergy between the research community, businesses and investors.

Speaking next on Government’s technological development strategy, the Minister for Mines, Industry and Technological Development pointed out that, shortly after independence, Cameroon had set up on an experimental basis industrial units in the basic subsectors of the economy. That experiment demonstrated that no industrialization can take place without technological development whose corollary is intellectual property.

So, Government’s technological development strategy consists in linking research results to industrial production in order satisfy the needs of the population. At the operational level, this strategy comes with the creation of Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISC), seven of which have already been established. A programme to establish technoples was also launched in praticular in the ICT and Agro-industrial sectors. However, several challenges need to be addressed, especially systematizing technology-transfer mechanisms, financing innovative projects and attracting investors into the technological development sector.

Lastly, the Cabinet listened to the statement of the Minister for Post and Telecommunication who presented the guidelines of the Digital economy development plan in Cameroon. He pointed out that the plan hinges on eight thrusts, structured around three pillars: development of service supply; increase of demand by promoting the digital culture via the widespread use of ICTs ; and sector governance and regulation.

At the end of the ensuing discus sons, the Prime Minister asked the presenting Ministers to work in tandem to design thematic strategies covering the underlying issues of innovation, technological development and the digital economy considering the interactions among them. He also instructed the Minister in charge of Technological Development to systematically introduce obligatory technology-transfer clauses in contracts concluded with international providers. Proceedings were adjourned at 12:05 p.m. after consideration of various matters related to Government work.

Cameroon Tribune

29, July 2016

Jeanne Irene Biya: July 29, 1992-July 29 2016 “In Memoriam A.H.H. Lord Alfred Tennyson” ⁰

Strong (Daughter) of God, immortal Love,
Whom we, that have not seen thy face,
By faith, and faith alone, embrace,
Believing where we cannot prove;

Thine are these orbs of light and shade;
Thou madest Life in man and brute;
Thou madest Death; and lo, thy foot
Is on the skull which thou hast made.

Thou wilt not leave us in the dust:
Thou madest man, he knows not why,
He thinks he was not made to die;
And thou hast made him: thou art just.

Thou seemest human and divine,
The highest, holiest manhood, thou.
Our wills are ours, we know not how;
Our wills are ours, to make them thine.

Our little systems have their day;
They have their day and cease to be:
They are but broken lights of thee,
And thou, O Lord, art more than they.

We have but faith: we cannot know;
For knowledge is of things we see
And yet we trust it comes from thee,
A beam in darkness: let it grow.

Let knowledge grow from more to more,
But more of reverence in us dwell;
That mind and soul, according well,
May make one music as before,

But vaster. We are fools and slight;
We mock thee when we do not fear:
But help thy foolish ones to bear;
Help thy vain worlds to bear thy light.

Forgive what seem’d my sin in me;
What seem’d my worth since I began;
For merit lives from man to man,
And not from man, O Lord, to thee.

Forgive my grief for one removed,
Thy creature, whom I found so fair.
I trust he lives in thee, and there
I find him worthier to be loved.

Forgive these wild and wandering cries,
Confusions of a wasted youth;
Forgive them where they fail in truth,
And in thy wisdom make me wise.

1849.

29, July 2016

President Putin merges the Crimean Peninsula into Russia’s Southern region ⁰

President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree merging the Crimean Peninsula, which separated from Ukraine and rejoined Russia two years ago, into the mainland’s southern region. “Reorganize the Southern Federal District and the Crimean Federal District into the Southern Federal District,” read the decree published on the Kremlin’s website on Thursday. The Russian leader also appointed Vladimir Vasilyavich Ustinov as the presidential commissioner to the Southern Federal District in the decree.

Putin further submitted corresponding legislation amendments to the State Duma. The decree angered Ukraine, with its UN Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko rejecting the order as “null and void as any other decision taken by Crimea so far.” He asked the UN Security Council to issue a statement in response to Putin’s decree.

The ambassador circulated a draft statement calling on the 15-member council, to express its “deep concern” over Putin’s decision and to assert its “full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” Yelchenko however said he expected Russia, one of the five countries with veto power on the council, to block the statement. Diplomatic sources have already confirmed that it was rejected by Moscow.

Presstv

29, July 2016

University of Bamenda launches consortium to guarantee financial autonomy ⁰

The preparedness of the University of Bamenda, UBa, to meet future development challenges has been restated with the launch of UBa Consult to guarantee viability, financial autonomy and sustainable development. North West Governor, Adolphe Lele Lafrique, launched the venture on July, 12, 2016, stressing that the platform aligns with the vision of the government and other stakeholders to see the university emerge into a leading national institution.

The Governor lauded management for the initiative, which is a partnership with the renowned Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, India. It was a moment for the Governor to salute the new momentum and dynamism brought to the University of Bamenda by the new leadership. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nkuo Theresia Akenji, said UBa Consult was not only an Information Technology Consortium, but a multi-dimensional and multi-purpose business venture that encourages individuals, groups, institutions and viable communities.

She added that the initiative was inspired by the commitment to promote sustainable development, enhance transformational research and outreach to significantly contribute to Vision 2035. The evolving digital world drove the university to start off the business venture, it was disclosed. Present at the event was Prof. Siddharth Jabade and Prof. Yuvraj Lahoti of the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology. They presented lectures on “Socially-responsible Revolution” and “Stakeholders in the progress of the region.”

Cameron Tribune

28, July 2016

Former Minister of Agriculture wanted by the Special Criminal Court ¹

The Special Criminal Court has invited the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Essimi Menye, to appear before that body on the 1^st of August. Local media reports say his lawyers have been served with the convocation and the former CPDM baron is expected to meet prosecutors at the Special Criminal Court next Monday.

Cameroon Concord News understands the former minister is currently in the US for health concerns. However, cat calls had greeted his evacuation as he was already at the heart of some financial scandals. He was reportedly interrogated for approximately three hours by state prosecutors in the presence of Justice Minister, Laurent Esso.

The Special Criminal Court will question Essimi Menye in relation to the diversion of 9.025 billion FCFA for the restructuring of Amity Bank Cameroon when he was finance minister. Another issue hanging on his head is that of the Cameroon Tobacco Company. As Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in December 2011, he authorized the liquidator of the Cameroon Tobacco Company to sell it for a token fee of 50 million CFA francs.

Sacked from the Yang Philemon government for disrespecting the Prime Minister and Head of Government alongside Ama Tutu Muna in October 2015, Essimi Menye took ill and was then admitted at the National Social Insurance Fund hospital in Yaounde. After three weeks at the intensive unit, he left Cameroon in December “under the instructions of the head of state.

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News)

28, July 2016

UN voices concern about alarming conditions in the Lake Chad region ⁰

The United Nations (UN) has voiced concern about alarming conditions in the Lake Chad region, where it says more than nine million people are in dire need of food aid due to militancy by a Takfiri terrorist group. UN humanitarian aid chief Stephen O’Brien said on Wednesday that militant activities by the Takfiri Boko Haram group has left over nine million people in need of urgent food aid in the region. Seven million of them, he said, are in Nigeria.

The four countries of Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria are located in the Lake Chad region. He said more than 2.8 million people have been displaced in northeastern Nigeria and parts of Cameroon, Chad and Niger, following attacks by Boko Haram, which is based in Nigeria. “If we do not act now, the human suffering will only get more extreme,” O’Brien said, adding that, “We have to stop this — we can with will, money, urgency and coordination.”

The UN humanitarian aid chief said that the violent campaign by the Takfiri group “is as much or now even more a humanitarian catastrophe as it is a security priority.” Boko Haram has coerced more than 50 children to carry out suicide bombings from January to June of this year, O’Brien said.

Boko Haram started its campaign of militancy in 2009 with the aim of toppling the central government in Nigeria. The terrorist group has expanded its attacks into neighboring countries, notably Cameroon and Chad, in a conflict estimated to have claimed a total of 17,000 lives and forced over 2.6 million others from their homes. The group has pledged allegiance to Daesh, another Takfiri terrorist group mainly operating in Syria and Iraq.

Presstv