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Astronauts stranded on ISS to return to Earth in September

21, February 2023

Astronauts stranded on ISS to return to Earth in September 0

Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Tuesday the three astronauts who were left stranded by a pressure leak in their return capsule last year will be able to return on the Soyuz MS-23 replacement capsule in September.

Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin and Sergei Prokopyev and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio flew to the ISS in September 2022 aboard a Soyuz MS-22 capsule.

They were scheduled to return home in the same spacecraft, but it began leaking coolant in mid-December after being hit by what US and Russian space officials believe was a tiny space rock.

Russia plans to send a rescue ship, a Soyuz MS-23, on February 24.

Before the leak, the trio had been due to return to Earth on March 28, 2023.

But on Tuesday, Russia’s Roscosmos space agency said in a statement that their return “at the moment is scheduled to take place aboard the Soyuz MS-23 in September, 2023.”

Roscosmos said the extended space stay — normally ISS missions last six months — posed no health risks for the crew, adding that they had taken the news of their mission extending “positively.”

In 2021, Russia’s Pyotr Dubrov and the US’s Mark Vande also spent a year on the ISS after their mission was extended, it said.

The launch of the rescue Soyuz capsule was itself postponed earlier this month after another vessel — a Russian supply ship docked at the ISS, the Progress MS-21 — had also leaked coolant, sparking concern.

On Tuesday Roscosmos said that particular leak was caused by an “exterior impact,” based on photos and videos that showed holes on the capsule’s exterior, including on the radiator and solar panels.

Space has remained a rare venue of cooperation between Moscow and Washington since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine and ensuing Western sanctions on Russia.

The ISS was launched in 1998 at a time of increased US-Russia cooperation following the Cold War “Space Race.”

Russia has been using the ageing but reliable Soyuz capsules to ferry astronauts into space since the 1960s.

But in recent years Russia’s space programme has been beset by a litany of problems which have led to the loss of satellites and vehicles.

Source: AFP

Amougou Belinga celebrates his birthday at SED: Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Stripped of their weapons

21, February 2023

Amougou Belinga celebrates his birthday at SED: Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Stripped of their weapons 0

Nobody in Yaoundé knows for how long he has been connected to Etoudi. However, the expansion of the Anecdote Press Group with the creation of a private television channel Vision 4, Vision Finance Bank, a higher education institute, the establishment of a media house in Paris, France and in the Central African Republic made Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga within a very short period of time one of the most prominent businessmen in Sub Saharan Africa.

The so-called Francophone media guru and business tycoon is also in the news because of his extravagant lifestyle…

Everything changed in Amougou Belinga’s life and things took a dramatic u-turn after January 17, 2023, the date of the kidnapping and brutal murder of Martinez Zogo, a French Cameroun whistleblower journalist who was particularly angry at Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga, whom he presented as an embezzler of public funds.

Amougou Belinga was a humble man before money came

On the trail of Martinez Zogo’s alleged killers and sponsors, investigators in Yaoundé arrested the CEO of Vision 4 on Monday, February 6, 2023.

The 58 year old Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga has been in police drag-net now for two weeks and for the first time in his life, he celebrated his birthday on February 20 in a cell at the Secretariat of State for Defense in Yaoundé.

The media world is now waiting to see the end of Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga. We of the Cameroon Concord News Group think that one of Etoudi’s powerful men has had a Humpty Dumpty great fall and he will never be back in form.

Mr. Amougou Belinga reportedly has some friends and enemies deep within the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime in Yaoundé.

Prominent on the list of friends is General Ivo Desancio Yenwo, the Director of Presidential Security who intelligence sources have revealed helped in making Amougou Belinga a billionaire.

His business empire has also received patronage from Justice Minister Laurent Esso, a senior Biya acolyte.

In the register of enemies of the CEO of the press group l’Anecdote, is the Minister-Secretary General at the presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Galax Yves Landry Etoga, head of the national gendarmerie and Martin Mbarga Nguele, General Delegate for National Security.

By Nelly Epupa with files from Staff Lady Rita Akana

Can Nigeria’s Peter Obi ride his newfound momentum all the way to presidency?

21, February 2023

Can Nigeria’s Peter Obi ride his newfound momentum all the way to presidency? 0

The rise of Peter Obi in the campaign for Nigeria’s presidential election on February 25 has shaken up the country’s politics, hitherto dominated by two major parties since the end of military rule in 1999. But analysts say that Obi still faces an uphill struggle.

Promising a different way of doing things, Obi hopes to defeat the two favourites and political heavyweights from traditional parties: Atiku Aboubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

With speeches hailed as fresh and unifying – but criticised as populist by his detractors – the 61-year-old businessman has caught the attention of Nigeria’s young population, 60 percent of whom are under the age of 25.

“The current government is in a bad situation, and the way many young people see it is that people like Abubakar and Tinubu are part of the problem,” said Dele Babalola, a Nigeria expert at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent. “Obe is 61 but he’s the youngest of the candidates [the other two being in their 70s] and a fresh face.”

‘Obidients’                                                                                                                                                            

Over the course of the five-month presidential campaign, Obi has gone from minor curiosity to credible candidate, with vast social media support amongst Nigeria’s youth turbocharging his standing. Obi has also enjoyed endorsements from prominent Nigerian figures such as ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and renowned novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

As Nigeria endures an economic slump and a troubled security situation, Obi’s supporters (nicknamed “Obidients”) see him as an antidote to a political class they accuse of corruption and bad governance.

In this context, Obi has cultivated an image as the picture of integrity and prudence. “I have two children, they are graduates, they have never participated in any public life. I have a son that is going to be 29, 30 soon, he doesn’t own a car because he has to buy his own car, not me,” Obi said in a speech last year to his supporters’ applause.

Obi’s candidacy first emerged in October 2020 as Nigeria saw the #EndSARS protest movement – in which young demonstrators demanded the disbandment of the SARS police unit they accused of violence and saw as benefitting from total immunity, a movement Obi largely supported.

The #EndSARS movement then took its demands further, denouncing corruption and economic inequality. These are burning issues in a country where oil revenues lavishly reward a small proportion of Nigerians while nearly half of the population live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

A Nigerian Macron?

Born to Christian parents from the Igbo ethnic group – Nigeria’s third-largest – Obi’s background is a common one in the country’s economic elite: studies in Lagos, at Harvard and at the London School of Economics, followed by a business career including management roles in several Nigerian banks.

As an ex-banker who wants to smash through the old two-party system and reinvigorate his country with a technocratic style of politics, Obi has prompted comparisons to French President Emmanuel Macron – who described himself as “neither left nor right”, created his own political party and swept aside the traditional vehicles of social democracy and conservatism when he took the Élysée Palace and then won a crushing parliamentary majority in 2017.

Obi became leader of Nigeria’s Labour Party last year. Unlike the established British party bearing the same name, it is a rather marginal party – without much political machinery nationally, nor governors with power bases in Nigeria’s provinces.

But “likening Obi to Macron is a mistake”, said Ladipo Adamolekun, a Nigerian public administration expert and Francophile. “Macron created his En Marche! party when France’s traditional parties were already in decline – it’s not like that for Obi.”

And unlike Macron – whose sole political experience when he ran for the Élysée was a short stint as François Hollande’s economy minister – Obi is very far from a political neophyte.

Obi was governor of Anambra, a southern Nigerian state, from 2006 to 2014, before standing as the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate at the last presidential elections in 2019. He has changed his political allegiance four times since 2022, leading to accusations of opportunism.

Obi’s critics also question his probity, since he was mentioned in the Pandora Papers in 2021. However, his supporters say he has proven his integrity with effective governance of Anambra during his eight-year tenure there, which ended with huge savings in the state’s coffers – a compelling argument in an economy burdened by heavy public debt.

Igbo vote ‘won’t be enough’

But for all the hype surrounding Obi, many analysts doubt he can pull off a victory – even despite strong polling figures.

“In reality, a lot of the young people who’ve created all that social media buzz live abroad and can’t vote in Nigeria,” Babalola said. “As for polls, the numbers aren’t as reliable in Africa as they are in Europe,” he added.

Then there is the classic phenomenon of young voters’ poor turnout – which may well be amplified in Nigeria, which tends to have low turnout overall, with just 33 percent going to the polls in the 2019 presidential elections.

Finally, analysts doubt Obi can transcend the issues of ethnicity, religion and regional identity, all of which tend to be crucial factors in Nigerian voters’ choices. “The Igbo vote won’t be enough for Obi to win,” Babalola emphasised, while highlighting the importance of winning votes in the predominantly Muslim north.

Whoever wins at the ballot box, they will face colossal challenges. Nigeria’s economy is Africa’s largest but is troubled by inflation running at more than 20 percent, fuel shortages, a lack of cash during the ill-timed introduction of new bank notes, and an energy crisis causing frequent blackouts.

Public finances are in a bad shape, with debt servicing consuming 41 percent of public spending in 2022. The country’s sovereign ratings downgrade by Moody’s at the end of January is unlikely to help matters.

“As things stand, I doubt the new president will be able to put in place good governance,” said Adamolekun – who favours a “more decentralised federal system” to replace the current political structures.

“The new president will have to accept that the current political system isn’t conducive to the effective governance,” Adamolekun said. “The 1999 constitution was too centralising, especially when it came to the police, and that is a big factor in Nigeria’s security problems.”

Indeed, President Muhammadu Buhari’s last term was plagued by a marked deterioration in Nigeria’s security situation, fuelled by inter-ethnic conflicts, criminal gang activity and jihadism. According to the UN, jihadist violence has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced some 2.2 million in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. 

So regardless of whether Obi pulls off an almighty political upset, the new Nigerian president will find plenty of challenges waiting in their inbox.

Source: France 24

Queen of the Rosary College Okoyong- Mamfe, Celebrates a year after the Arson Attack

21, February 2023

Queen of the Rosary College Okoyong- Mamfe, Celebrates a year after the Arson Attack 0

Staff and students of Queen of the Rosary college Okoyong, the first girls school in Cameroon, met and reflected on the progress of their school, a year after an arson attack which many thought would lead to the closing of the school.

The ceremony which took place on February 12, started with a thanksgiving mass in the college chapel and was presided over by the school chaplain.

After mass, the staff, students and guests gathered in the Rosary Hall where activities such as singing, dancing and drama took place. The event was also marked by the sharing of food and drinks.

Speaking during the event, the Principal, Rev. Sr Rosemary Arrah, said that the occasion was to thank God Almighty for keeping the students safe and to also thank the staff and parents for their continuous support in ensuring that the school keeps growing despite all odds.

Created in 1956 in Okoyong, a small village four miles away from Mamfe in Manyu Division, Queen of the Rosary College has been home to many young girls and women who travel from far and wide in pursuit of formal education.

The college started experiencing a decline in enrollment at the start of the armed conflict with the rise in insecurity in the area, just after celebrating its sixtieth anniversary.

It should be recalled that, on the night of February 10, 2022, unknown gunmen attacked the campus and set two dormitories ablaze. This caused fear and panic amongst students and parents, who did not hesitate to rush and check on their children after getting the news.

To the surprise of many, their enrollment doubled the following academic year despite the incident which had occurred.

The event was, indeed, colourful as students from the four different houses were seen with their brightly coloured uniforms.

By Cecilia Manjang

Premier League: Arsenal regain top spot as Man City stumble in title race

18, February 2023

Premier League: Arsenal regain top spot as Man City stumble in title race 0

Arsenal regained pole position in the Premier League title race on Saturday as the Gunners fought back for a thrilling 4-2 victory at Aston Villa, while Manchester City were held to a damaging 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.

Just three days after surrendering first place with a 3-1 defeat against City, Arsenal bounced back in impressive style to move two points clear of the champions.

With just minutes left at Villa Park, Mikel Arteta’s side were in danger of slipping up again in their bid to win the title for the first time since 2004.

Arsenal twice trailed to goals from Ollie Watkins and Philippe Coutinho, only for Bukayo Saka and then Oleksandr Zinchenko to haul them level.

Deep into second half stoppage-time, Arsenal received a helping hand from their former keeper as Emiliano Martinez inadvertantly deflected Jorginho’s shot into his own net after it hit the bar.

Gabriel Martinelli capped Arsenal’s remarkable escape when he tapped into the empty net in the final seconds after Martinez was caught upfield at a Villa corner.

“We are back with more belief than before because you have to turn performances into results,” Arteta said.

“Win in any context. We’ve always talked about that. Today we had a really difficult context, especially with what happened after five minutes.

“The team showed a lot of emotional qualities that are needed. I’m really happy.”

Arsenal’s first victory in five games in all competitions will give them renewed belief they can pip City to the title.

The Gunners, who have a game in hand on the champions, were given a massive boost by their title rivals’ stumble just hours later.

Bernardo Silva put Pep Guardiola’s men ahead four minutes before half-time, taking Jack Grealish’s pass in his stride and drilling a clinical finish past Keylor Navas from 20 yards.

But the tension mounted as City searched for a second goal and Guardiola was booked for manhandling the fourth official after Erling Haaland’s penalty appeal was rejected following Joe Worrall’s challenge.

Profligate City

City were undone by their profligacy as Haaland’s drive hit the bar before the Norway star blazed the rebound over.

Haaland missed another chance moments later and Forest made the champions pay with their first shot on target in the 84th minute.

Morgan Gibbs-White fired a low ball across the area and New Zealand striker Chris Wood tapped into an empty net to leave Guardiola stunned.

Everton moved out of the relegation zone with a valuable 1-0 win against fellow strugglers Leeds at Goodison Park.

Seamus Coleman netted in the 64th minute when Everton’s veteran defender hooked over a cross that caught out Leeds keeper Illan Meslier, who left a gap at his near post for the ball to squeeze into the net.

Sean Dyche’s side have won two of their three matches since he replaced the sacked Frank Lampard and now sit one point above the bottom three, while managerless Leeds are in 19th place.

Under-fire Chelsea boss Graham Potter suffered another blow as bottom of the table Southampton won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

James Ward-Prowse scored his 17th Premier League free-kick — one behind David Beckham’s record in the competition — to give Southampton the lead in first half stoppage-time.

Stuart Armstrong was fouled on the edge of the area and with Saints fans chanting Ward-Prowse’s name, the midfielder curled a superb set-piece past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea were booed off at full-time after a result that left them languishing in 10th place, with just two wins in their last 14 games in all competitions and none in their last five.

Bournemouth climbed out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Wolves, with Marcus Tavernier bundling in the winner after 49 minutes.

Manor Solomon’s 88th minute goal gave sixth-placed Fulham a 1-0 win at Brighton, while Brentford and Crystal Palace drew 1-1.

Source: AFP

Football: Cristiano Ronaldo tried to stop ‘angry’ Vincent Aboubakar from leaving Al-Nassr

18, February 2023

Football: Cristiano Ronaldo tried to stop ‘angry’ Vincent Aboubakar from leaving Al-Nassr 0

Vincent Aboubakar has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo tried to stop him from leaving Al-Nassr after his lucrative transfer to the Saudi Arabian club.

The Portuguese forward joined Al-Nassr at the end of December after mutually terminating his contract with Manchester United. Ronaldo reportedly became the world’s highest-paid player after signing for the Saudi club, however, his arrival meant that one international player from the squad had to be sacrificed. Cameroon captain Aboubakar, who had six months left on his contract, was the man to depart, but he says that Ronaldo tried to talk him out of leaving Al-Nassr. The forward ultimately stood “firm” on his decision as he already had an offer on the table from Turkish side Besiktas.

“We talked a bit and his [Cristiano’s] opinion was that he wanted me to stay – I told him no, that I will leave for family reasons,” Aboubakar told Talents d’Afrique on Canal+.

“He asked me where my family was, I told him they are in France and so I prefer to go to Turkey, it’s closer. And he told me ‘it’s better, if your family is really far away, it’s more complicated’. I was firm, I wanted to leave. I had offers, including one from Besiktas. They wanted me to stay until the end of the season. I said ‘no honestly president I prefer to leave. It was a bit complicated but finally they let me go.”

Aboubakar registered 13 goals and six assists in 39 appearances for Al-Nassr after joining in July 2021. He went on to admit that he felt “angry” when he had to leave but agreed to the proposal as he was not ready to accept a minimised role in the squad. “I left a little angry because it was not easy. When Cristiano arrived, [Al Nassr] coach Rudi Garcia called me into his office and told me that normally an international player has to leave, it’s either me or Jaloliddin Masharipov [from Uzbekistan], either me or Pity,” Aboubakar added.

Aboubakar scored twice in the 2022 World Cup with Cameroon, including a strike against South American heavyweights Brazil, but couldn’t prevent them exiting at the group stage.

Source: Goal.com

Biya regime bans corporal punishment in schools following teacher’s flogging incident

18, February 2023

Biya regime bans corporal punishment in schools following teacher’s flogging incident 0

Cameroon’s Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Pauline Nalova Lyonga, has announced a ban on corporal punishment in schools following a recent incident where a teacher was caught on video flogging students.

Despite being illegal, corporal punishment is still widespread in some schools, with more than 50% of children from state schools reporting that they have received such punishment.

Flogging is one of the most common forms of punishment given to students, often for minor errors, which has led many children to abandon school. Other forms of punishment in schools include forcing students to stand in various positions for extended periods or publicly flogging them, an act that the Minister of Secondary Education has condemned.

The minister insists that any teacher who wants to sanction a student in school must do so in strict compliance with the terms of article V of the 1998 law of the country, which prescribes the respect of the child’s dignity.

Schools caught inflicting pain on students will be severely sanctioned, and any teacher caught punishing a student will also face serious consequences.

The decision to ban corporal punishment in schools is a positive step towards creating a safe and positive learning environment for all students. It is essential that the government and school authorities ensure that the ban is enforced, and alternative measures are taken to maintain discipline while respecting the rights and dignity of the children.

Source: MandyNews

Football: Christian Atsu found dead after Turkey earthquake

18, February 2023

Football: Christian Atsu found dead after Turkey earthquake 0

Footballer Christian Atsu has been found dead under the rubble of his home almost two weeks after the Turkey earthquake, his agent has confirmed.

The Ghana international, 31, had spells with Premier League sides Everton, Chelsea and Newcastle.

Atsu had been missing since the 6 February quake that caused the collapse of his apartment in the city of Hatay.

His club Hatayspor initially reported he was rescued “with injuries” but a day later that position changed.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning,” his agent Nana Sechere tweeted on Saturday.

“My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.”

Atsu joined the Turkish top-flight side Hatayspor in September 2022 and scored the winning goal in a Super Lig match on 5 February.

The quakes and aftershocks in southern Turkey and northern Syria are known to have killed more than 40,000 people.

Source: BBC

MTN, Orange and Camtel pledge CFA156bn expansion investment

17, February 2023

MTN, Orange and Camtel pledge CFA156bn expansion investment 0

Three mobile operators in Cameroon, namely MTN, Orange and Camtel have committed to invest CFA156 billion this year to improve the quality of their service and broaden their network coverage. The information was announced in a statement issued last February 13 by Philemon Zoo Zame, the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART).

This decision follows pressure from the telecom regulator, which revealed it had already sent no less than 13 formal notices to the country’s four mobile operators (MTN, Orange, Nexttel and Camtel), inviting them to implement corrective measures within a given period.

During a meeting with ART officials on January 31 in Yaoundé, the CEO of Orange Cameroon, Patrick Benon, said his company will invest a total of CFA150 billion over the next five years, starting with CFA30 billion in 2023. It is unclear whether this first disbursement of CFA30 billion by Orange is included in the joint investment with MTN and Camtel.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Francophone Justice System: More information needed on Martinez  Zogo assassination

17, February 2023

Francophone Justice System: More information needed on Martinez  Zogo assassination 0

Brought before the military court in Yaoundé on 14 February, Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga was not formally charged and prosecuted, with the court requesting an additional investigation into the matter of journalist Martinez Zogo’s kidnapping and assassination.

Is Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga going to be officially charged by the Yaoundé military court? The answer, long-awaited by those following the case, has finally come: the government commissioner has chosen to wait and request an additional investigation to better establish responsibilities relating to the assassination of journalist Martinez Zogo on 22 January.

Belinga and the other suspects had been removed from their cells at the secrétariat d’État à la défense (SED, in charge of the investigation) and brought before the military court at the end of the morning, where they waited all day, accompanied by legal representation as they speculated about their fate.

After hesitating for a long time, the government commissioner decided on the immediate imposition of charges, opting instead for the time being to request the SED to look into certain elements of the case. The accused were then returned to SED custody in the evening.

The boss of the L’Anecdote group was arrested on 6 February, when he was directly implicated by Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe. This executive of the Direction générale de la recherche extérieure (DGRE), who admitted to the investigators about having carried out the operation targeting Zogo, claimed to have acted on Belinga’s behalf.

According to Danwe, the latter was even present during the kidnapping and when the Amplitude FM journalist was tortured.

If Belinga denied these allegations during his police custody, several elements of the investigation, in particular wiretaps and data from the analysis of the telephones of the protagonists, would come to corroborate this version of the facts.

Several relatives also suspected

Several of Belinga’s relatives were also presented before the military court. Etoundi Nsoe, his father-in-law and head of security, former commander of the presidential guard, is suspected of having contributed to the establishment of Danwe’s commando, as is Bruno Bidjang, the man’s right-hand man.

The two men are said to have been responsible for the money transfers that made it possible to recruit the lieutenant colonel of the DGRE and his men.

Three other individuals caught the SED’s attention and were therefore also brought to justice: Jean-Claude Fouda Abega, a close associate of Belinga’s, Yannick Nkili, the latter’s aide-de-camp, and a man known simply as  “Jacob”, an aide-de-camp of the tycoon’s wife, Melissa.

On the side of the DGRE, Justin Danwe was also brought before the same military tribunal, as was the director of external research, Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, placed in police custody at the same time as his subordinate. If the latter denies having been aware of the operation, he is suspected of having, at the very least, given his approval.

A turning point for the Zogo case?

Will this request for further investigation allow the case to take on a new dimension, almost a month after Zogo kidnapping and murder? Already closely followed in Yaoundé, especially in Etoudi by the secretary general of the presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, it could take an even more political turn. While in police custody, Danwe reportedly cited the name of the Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso.

As a heavyweight of the government and former secretary general of the presidency, he would have been in communication with Belinga on the night of January 17 and 18, when Danwe’s team had just carried out the journalist’s kidnapping. Neither the Keeper of the Seals nor the government spokesman René-Emmanuel Sadi has spoken on the case.

Culled from Africa Report

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