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21, March 2023

Football: Mbappé named French team’s captain ⁰

Kylian Mbappe has succeeded the retired Hugo Lloris as France captain, a source close to the team told AFP on Monday.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe, 24, accepted the proposal after discussions with Coach Didier Deschamps earlier in the day.

Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris brought an end to his international career in January after losing the World Cup final a month earlier.

Lloris, 36, had been skipper for more than a decade.

Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann was named vice-captain after Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane also hung up his boots following the defeat to Argentina in December.

Mbappe, who has played 66 times for his country, had been heavily linked with the role for weeks and scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final loss after helping Les Bleus to the title in 2018.

The former Monaco attacker is vice-captain at PSG behind Brazil’s Marquinhos and led the side in the defender’s absence during Sunday’s loss to Rennes.

His first game as captain will be Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands at the Stade de France.

Source: AFP

20, March 2023

Putin meets China’s Xi in Moscow, says open to negotiations on Ukraine ⁰

China’s President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow for an official three-day visit, during which he will discuss Russia’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine as well as other issues of bilateral and international interest with his counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders greeted one another as “dear friend” when they met for informal talks in the Kremlin on Monday afternoon. They will sit for formal talks on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Putin told Xi that he is ready to discuss Beijing’s Ukraine peace proposal.

“We are always open to negotiations,” Putin told Xi, adding, “We will certainly discuss all these issues, including your initiatives which we treat with respect, of course.”

“We have plenty of common tasks and objectives,” Putin said, adding that it was “symbolic” that China’s president chose to travel to Russia for the first foreign visit of his new term.

While strengthening relations with Moscow, China has released a broad 12-point proposal to solve the Ukraine crisis.

Beijing has repeatedly dismissed Western accusations that it is planning to arm Russia, saying, however, that it wants a closer energy partnership after boosting imports of Russian coal, gas and oil.

Ahead of his visit to Moscow, Xi said China’s Ukraine peace proposal reflects global views on the conflict.

“Complex problems do not have simple solutions,” he wrote in Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a daily published by the Russian government.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Putin said he was “slightly envious” of China’s rapid development in recent decades.

“China has created a very effective system for developing the economy and strengthening the state. It is much more effective than in many other countries,” Putin said.

Xi, for his part, hailed his country’s “close ties” with Russia, saying, “We are partners in comprehensive strategic cooperation. It is this status that determines that there should be close ties between our countries.”

Xi told Putin that he was convinced the Russian people would support him in a presidential election due in 2024.

“I know that next year there will be another presidential election in your country,” Xi said, adding, “Thanks to your strong leadership, Russia has made significant progress in achieving the prosperity of the country in recent years. I am sure that the Russian people will strongly support you in your good endeavors.”

Later on, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that Xi did not specifically said Putin would participate in next year’s election, adding that the Kremlin shared Xi’s confidence in Russians’ support for Putin.

Xi was the first leader to meet the Russian president since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him on Friday over the allegation of the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia during its year-old invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow said the charge was one of several “clearly hostile displays” and opened a criminal case against the ICC prosecutor and judges. Beijing said the warrant reflected double standards.

Source: Press TV

20, March 2023

Scramble For Africa: Gunmen kill 9 Chinese at mine in Central African Republic ⁰

Gunmen stormed a Chinese-operated gold mining site that had recently been launched in Central African Republic, killing nine Chinese nationals and wounding two others Sunday, authorities said.

However, the rebel coalition initially blamed by some for the attack put out a statement later in the day. Without providing evidence, it accused Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group of being behind the violence.

The attack early Sunday came just days after gunmen kidnapped three Chinese nationals in the country’s west near the border with Cameroon, prompting President Faustin Archange Touadera to plan a trip to China in a bid to reassure investors.

The assault on the Chimbolo gold mine began around 5 a.m. when the gunmen overpowered the site’s guards and opened fire, said Abel Matipata, mayor of the nearby town of Bambari, located 25 kilometers (16 miles) away. The mining site’s launch had taken place just days earlier, he added.

The bodies of the victims were brought to the capital, Bangui, later Sunday. Local authorities said they were pursuing the assailants, but declined further comment. Residents said that the violence was the latest incident undermining confidence in security forces.

“The government is having difficulty proving its ability to protect Central Africans and foreigners living in the country,” said Ange Morel Gbatangue, a resident of Bambari.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion fell on the Coalition of Patriots for Change, or CPC, which is active in the area and regularly launches attacks on the country’s armed forces. The alliance of rebel groups is aligned with former President Francois Bozize.

Anselme Bangue, who supports the current president’s administration, called the attack on Chinese businessmen an act of “indescribable cowardice.”

“The CPC has not only slowed down the country’s economic momentum, but is now attacking the foundation of development. This is unacceptable,” Bangue said.

However, CPC military spokesman Mamadou Koura said those allegations were false. He claimed without evidence that Russian mercenaries had planned the attack “with the goal of scaring Chinese who have been present long before the Russians settled in this part of the country.”

The shadowy Russian mercenary group was hired by Touadera to provide security and military training, but has been accused by U.N. observers of committing human rights abuses including massacres.

Central African Republic remains one of the poorest countries in the world despite its vast mineral wealth of gold and diamonds among others. A myriad of rebel groups have operated with impunity across the embattled country over the past decade, thwarting mining exploration by foreign companies.

Many of those now operating in the country are Chinese-run and have faced security challenges. In 2020, two Chinese nationals died when local residents led an uprising against a Chinese-operated mine in Sosso Nakombo. And in 2018, three Chinese citizens were killed by angry community members after a local leader died in a boating accident while accompanying Chinese miners to a site.

Source: ABC News

20, March 2023

Brenda Biya Eyenga sued for defamation by singer Dencia ⁰

A Cameroonian singer is suing a daughter of the president of the plaintiff’s native African country, alleging in a multimillion- dollar complaint that the defendant and her friend defamed her on the social media in 2021 by accusing her of dealing drugs and being involved in identity theft and fraud.

Singer Dencia, whose real name is Reprudentia Sonkey, brought the Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit on Wednesday against Anastasie Brenda Biya Eyenga, the daughter of Cameroon President Paul Biya, and a friend of Eyenga, Marie Therese Yabit. The complaint also alleges civil harassment and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

“Defendants’ baseless smears succeeded in backlashing at (Dencia) and destroying her professional career,” the suit states.

Dencia seeks at least $75 million in damages. Representatives for Eyenga and Yabit could not be immediately reached for comment on the suit brought Wednesday, which the Thousand Oaks resident filed on her own behalf without an attorney.

In addition to being an entertainer, Dencia has created several skin care and clothing brands, set up various businesses and founded the skin care brand “Whitenicious by Dencia,” of which she was the president and CEO, the suit states.

Her companies flourished due to her reputation as a popular Cameroonian singer and trustworthy entrepreneur in skin care products, the suit states.

In July 2015, Dencia was contacted by Eyenga’s public relations manager, who told the plaintiff that Eyenga, who eventually moved to Beverly Hills, admired her work and wanted her help in producing a photo shoot and in setting up her own brand, the suit states.

“During the years that followed, both (Dencia) and Eyenga maintained a cordial relationship,” the suit states. “They would both make text exchanges on a regularly basis.”

Eyenga returned to Cameroon in 2019 and the two lost contact, the suit states. In June 2021, Dencia was preparing to go to Cameroon the next month in the company of other musicians, including rapper Trey Songz, when a representative for Eyenga allegedly contacted the plaintiff about a birthday engagement and performing at Eyenga’s new hotel.

Eyenga asked Dencia for help getting her Instagram account certified, the suit states. But in a subsequent dispute, Eyenga accused Dencia of creating a fake account and trying to impersonate her, even though the plaintiff explained she was preoccupied with the death of her sister from cancer and could not help Eyenga get her account certified as the plaintiff had hoped, the suit states.

Eyenga, allegedly with Yabit’s help, accused Dencia on social media of identity theft and of being a “scammer” and a “fraudster,” the suit states.

“The news quickly made a media buzz about (Dencia) based on Eyenga’s allegations,” the suit states. “(Dencia’s) reputation was being trampled on by the daughter of the president of the Republic of Cameroon in a totally unjustified way.”

Dencia’s companies suffered losses and the stature she worked hard to establish has been damaged, causing her emotional distress, according to her suit, which further seeks a court order preventing any more allegedly defamatory postings.

Source: City News Service

19, March 2023

Buea Flooding: Ambazonia Interim Gov’t accused Biya Francophone regime of hiding ⁰

The Biya Francophone dominated regime in Yaoundé has been accused of hiding following the flooding crisis across Buea and Limbe in Southern Cameroons.

In a recent statement made public by the Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government, Dabney Yerima branded the French Cameroun administration as an exploitative regime that goes hiding during emergencies in Southern Cameroons.

Vice President Dabney Yerima said in the press release that Southern Cameroonians should work flat out to help people in Ground Zero.

Here is the VP’s statement

Fellow Ambazonians,

On the 17th of March 2023, torrential rains in our capital city of Buea, led to enormous destruction of lives and properties. We are in the darkest moments of our history as a people. We are often placed between the great impact of occasional occurrence of natural disasters and constant man-made-disasters like the genocidal actions and ethnic cleansing meted on us by Paul Biya’s savage regime. Our thoughts and prayers go to the bereaved families, the injured and those affected socially, economically, and psychologically. Together, we shall profoundly overcome these dark moments in our history.

Because of the governing French Cameroun government’s inability to engage in town planning and their corrupt political system, they allow our people to build in high-risk areas and those areas are now disaster zones. Internally displaced persons from the countryside are being disproportionately impacted. To this vicious French Cameroun regime, the lives and wellbeing of Ambazonians do not matter. The well-being of our people indeed matter and this is the time for all Ambazonians to rally in solidarity. Those in Ground Zero need our support!

As we continue to work hard in our quest for a free Federal Republic of Ambazonia, we must also forge ahead with the creation of strong institutions which will serve and protect our interest during this fourth Industrial revolution which is changing the world rapidly. Our vision for a new Ambazonia is huge. The Ambazonia of tomorrow will have smart cities, smart homes, solid transport infrastructures, effective disaster management mechanisms making sure that disasters will not occur again and even if they do, we will have an efficient disaster management department that will handle disasters by providing humanitarian aid to those affected.

We need each other more than ever before because for six decades we have been over exploited by French Cameroun and we must rise to take back our homeland and develop it.

I call on everyone to support the victims of the flood. The department of health and social services will work with others on the ground to provide support to victims of the flood in a manner that does not expose them to be targeted by French Cameroun military or government officials.

Comrade Dabney Yerima

Vice President Federal Republic of Ambazonia

19, March 2023

France-Afrique: One-Day CEMAC Summit Ends In Yaoundé ⁰

Heads of state from the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) met in Yaoundé, for a one-day summit to discuss the region’s economy and impact of the war in Ukraine.

The heads of state welcomed the “exceptional” economic measures undertaken by the group’s members to mitigate the impact of the conflict.

“We are fully satisfied because the objectives sought have been achieved by our heads of state and I believe that the best is yet to come in terms of sub-regional integration”, said Cameroon’s Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, Désiré Menguele.

The meeting, which began at ministerial level on Wednesday, also saw 90-year-old Paul Biya pass on the mandate as head of the conference to Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera for one year.

The six-nation group comprises the Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo in addition to Cameroon, in a union around a common currency, the CFA franc.

Source: Von.gov.Ng

19, March 2023

Southern Cameroons: Landslides and flooding in Buea and Limbe ⁰

Flooding and landslides impacted Buea and Limbe in the Southwest Region, overnight March 18/19. Damage to property and casualties have been reported. Multiple road routes have reportedly been flooded.

Further heavy rainfall, conducive to additional flooding and landslides, is forecast through March 19. Disruptions to electricity and telecommunications services are possible where significant flooding or landslides impact utility networks.

Floodwaters and debris flows may render some bridges and roadways impassable, impacting overland travel in and around affected areas. Ponding on road surfaces could cause hazardous driving conditions on regional highways. Authorities could temporarily close some low-lying routes that become inundated by floodwaters.

Sources: Crisis 24

18, March 2023

US: Trump says he expects to be arrested Tuesday, calls for protest from supporters ⁰

Former US President Donald Trump said he expects to be “arrested” on Tuesday over hush money allegedly paid to a porn star before the 2016 election, calling on his supporters to protest.

“Leading Republican candidate & former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,” the 76-year-old billionaire said Saturday on his Truth Social platform, adding: “Protest, take our nation back!”

An indictment would make Trump the first former US president to be charged with a crime, marking an explosive and unpredictable development in the 2024 White House race — as Trump seeks again to clinch the Republican nomination.

Not even a conviction in the hush money case would prevent Trump from running, but an indictment could have major consequences, galvanizing his critics but also electrifying his supporters.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reacted with fury, accusing New York prosecutors of pursuing “political vengeance” against Trump. McCarthy vowed on Twitter to launch a congressional probe of the matter.

But his Democratic predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, denounced Trump’s announcement as “reckless,” saying it would “foment unrest among his supporters.”

“He cannot hide from his violations of the law, disrespect for our elections and incitements to violence,” added Pelosi, who was still speaker when Trump was impeached for inciting the January 6, 2021 rioting in the US Capitol.

The current investigation, led by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, centers on $130,000 paid weeks before the 2016 polls to stop porn star Stormy Daniels from going public about an affair she says she had with Trump years earlier.

Trump’s lawyer told CNBC on Friday that his client, if indicted, would surrender to face criminal charges.

Trump has denied having had an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and has dismissed the investigation as politically motivated.

‘Illegal leaks’

In his Truth Social post, written in capital letters, Trump referred to “illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorneys office” and said the investigation was “based on an old & fully debunked (by numerous other prosecutors!) fairytale.”

He doubled down in another post, assailing his successor, President Joe Biden, as “crooked” and urging his followers to “Protest, Protest, Protest!!!”

Reports said authorities were planning to increase security around the Manhattan courthouse in coming days.

Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles indicated that his posts Saturday were based on media reports and not on any fresh action taken by prosecutors.

“Since this is a political prosecution, the District Attorney’s office has engaged in a practice of leaking everything to the press, rather than communicating with President Trump’s attorneys,” Necheles said in a statement to AFP.

A grand jury is a citizen panel which examines evidence presented by prosecutors to decide if a charge is warranted.

The jury in New York heard on Monday from Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who made the payment to Daniels. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 on related federal charges. He pleaded guilty but said he had been carrying out Trump’s orders.

Daniels herself met with prosecutors on Wednesday and “agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed,” according to her lawyer Charles Brewster.

Trump has been invited to testify, which legal experts say suggests an indictment is near.

The payment to Daniels, if not properly accounted for, could result in a misdemeanor charge for falsifying business records. That might be raised to a felony if the false accounting was intended to cover up a second crime, such as a campaign finance violation, The New York Times has reported.

2024 prospects

Trump is facing several criminal probes at state and federal level over possible wrongdoing that threaten his new run at the White House.

In Georgia, a prosecutor is investigating Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state. The grand jury in that case has recommended multiple indictments, the forewoman revealed last month.

The former president is also the subject of a federal probe into his handling of classified documents as well as his possible involvement in the January 6 rioting.

Some observers believe an indictment bodes ill for Trump’s 2024 chances, while others say it could provide a huge boost.

“The arrest secures the nomination for Donald Trump,” tweeted Rick Wilson, a political strategist who quit the Republican Party in protest over Trump. “The base will rally politically, and possibly physically.”

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, a self-described libertarian who has increasingly aligned with Republican positions and who overturned the Twitter ban on Trump, went even further.

“If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory,” Musk said in a tweet.

Source: AFP

17, March 2023

Russia says ICC warrant for Putin is meaningless ⁰

Moscow has dismissed the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on social media.

“Possible ‘recipes’ for arrest coming from the international court will be legally void as far as we are concerned,” she added without referring to Putin by name.

Source: France 24

17, March 2023

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Prof Chiabi Emmanuel’s killing is truly shocking and utterly despicable ⁰

The recent killing of several innocent civilians in Muea by the Cameroon government military and the brutal assassination of Professor Chiabi Emmanuel in Bamenda by a non-state armed group is truly shocking and utterly despicable, Barrister Agbor Balla pointed out in a release on the crisis in Southern Cameroons.

University dons have to be able to go out and prepare the next generation for the challenges ahead and to understand the problems of the students so they can act upon them.

The Barrister Agbor Balla statement did not ascribe motives, but stated that it can only be described as “unacceptable in a civilized society.”

Agbor Balla expressed great sorrow at the death of Professor Chiabi including the civilians killed in Muea.

“Halt the Barbarism! Barrister Agbor Balla said and furthered that “Irrespective of their alleged crimes, these extra judicial, summary or arbitrary killings cannot be the solution. What have they solved? Do they not create room for more escalation and hate?

“We must rise up against these killings”, the man of law warned.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Nelly Epupa