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16, November 2016

East region: 20 die after consuming “Odontol” ⁰

Twenty people from several villages in the east region of the country died between Monday and Tuesday, after consuming an adulterated whiskey. Cameroon Concord News learnt that the 20 came from seven 7 different villages in the Mindourou Sub Division and perished after consuming a local drink known as “Odontol” a product containing a high dose of methanol.

Health officials in the East region say some people who consumed the adulterated whiskey have started to lose their sight due to poisoning caused by the consumption and others have begun to develop hallucinations. Our chief correspondent in Bertoua reported that several other victims were rushed to hospitals. Local authorities have begun to raise awareness in communities about the consumption of this adulterated whiskey, sold cheaper and much appreciated by low-income populations.

By Sama Ernest

16, November 2016

Cameroonian singer, Bate Nico will be on stage in London come December ⁰

The Cameroonian singer, Bate Nico will be on stage in London on the 10^th of December 2016. Nico, who is said to have been consistently consistent with his Manyu folklore fascination, has revealed that the London trip will set the stage for his breakthrough. The Semi Bantu artist has reportedly sold thousands of copies and has become the best-selling artist from the South West region of Cameroon after the likes of the late Bebe Manga.

The songs he writes are not strictly songs for Cameroon but songs for the whole world that also covers the entire Cross River State of Nigeria. Bate Nico’s well-received appearance at the MECA-USA conventions and in Ireland fulfilled one of his biggest dreams and earned him a slot on the Cameroon’s top music chart. Speaking to journalists recently in Buea, Bate Nico observed that “Sometimes people would say my music is from Manyu Division but that is actually not true,” Bate Nico said. “It has only been popularized in Manyu but it is not Manyu as such. It is everywhere, but its roots are in Manyu.”

The much anticipated arrival of Bate Nico in London, UK is warming up to be the highlight of the Manyu and Cameroonian community in Great Britain in 2016. On the 10th of December it’s all happening in London. Hundreds of Manyu sons and daughters in continental Europe and in the British Isles will be congregating to witness their music idol live on stage. The venue has been booked and hotel rooms are being reserved for an evening of a lifetime. As one of the best musicians to come out of Manyu Division in the South West Region of Cameroon, it’s a mystery to many that Bate Nico after more than ten years of touring the world hasn’t performed in the United Kingdom.

By Chi Prudence Asong in London

15, November 2016

Biya’s cabinet ministers spend 350 billion FCFA annually on ordinary missions and trips to Europe ¹

President Paul Biya’s numerous travels abroad including those of his collaborators has recently generated a debate throughout the national territory. It has now been revealed that whenever the head of state makes a trip abroad, some of his close acolytes also leave the country to meet him.

The foreign trips of certain Cameroon ministers and general managers of state-owned corporations are exhausting the coffers of the State. Highly placed officials in the ministry of finance were heard saying privately that most of the missions to Europe, US and Canada are often fictitious. They include expensive holidays, unproductive seminars and personal business trips.

An economic survey found that each year, cabinet ministers, GMs, and other top aides of the regime spend 350 billion FCFA on ordinary missions and trips in Europe, America, Asia and South Africa-an amount that can develop tourism and attract foreigners to Cameroon,

Whenever President Paul Biya goes abroad, some of his collaborators also leave the country to meet him. These ministers and GMs communion with the Head of State and share a meal with the First Lady and her children. This protocol strategy pushes some to improvise trips to Europe whenever the President of the Republic moves and others try to corrupt the Civil Cabinet with millions of CFA francs to be able to speak to the president.

The members of the Biya cabinet and other prominent state personalities are the main actors of illegality, social inequalities and embezzlement. They are also aware that the regime they serve is taking the last kicks of a dying horse. Thus many are taking advantage of the numerous movements of President Paul Biya to Europe to get there at the expense of the state leaving behind loads of files on their ministerial tables.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

15, November 2016

US Electoral College members campaigning against President-elect Donald Trump ⁰

Two members of the US Electoral College are openly campaigning against President-elect Donald Trump, trying to persuade other presidential electors to keep him from entering the White House, according to a new report. State electors Bret Chiafolo of Washington and Michael Baca of Colorado have launched what they call “Moral Electors” movement, a last-ditch effort against the New York billionaire, Politico reported on Monday.

The pair were seeking to persuade at least 37 Republican presidential voters to join them, just enough to block Trump’s election and allow the US House of Representative to elect the country’s 45th president. “This is a longshot. It’s a Hail Mary,” Chiafolo told Politico. “However, I do see situations where — when we’ve already had two or three [Republican] electors state publicly they didn’t want to vote for Trump. How many of them have real issues with Donald Trump in private?”

Interestingly, both Chiafolo, a Microsoft employee, and Baca, a Marine Corps veteran, said they were not looking to elect Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for the top job. They both have planned to vote against the former secretary of state when the Electoral College convenes to elect the next president in mid-December. The joint effort has been supported by Robert Satiacum Jr., another Washington state elector, who has openly expressed his opposition to Trump and Clinton before.

Although the electors have admitted that their attempt is not likely to succeed, the fact that members of the Electoral College were openly plotting against the president-elect raises questions about the controversial process of electing a new president in America.

On November 8, most American voters partaking in the election voted for Clinton but Trump came put victorious by winning key states and banking their electoral votes. As of Tuesday, Trump had won 290 of the total 538 electoral votes, compared to Clinton’s 228. He was also likely to win all of Michigan’s 16 electoral votes.

The report came shortly after prominent Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders said America needed to “rethink” the Electoral College after electing “a man for president who didn’t get the most votes.” Meanwhile, thousands of Clinton’s supporters have signed an online petition, calling on electoral voters to vote for Clinton instead of Trump.

Presstv

15, November 2016

President Putin initiates a phone conversation with Trump ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump have discussed the importance of “normalizing” ties between Moscow and Washington. According to a statement released by the Kremlin on Monday, the two held their first-ever talk during a phone conversation initiated by Putin, who had contacted Trump to “offer his congratulations on winning a historic election.”

The statement noted that the two had also agreed on making provisions for a “personal meeting,” and to keep in touch by phone. Both Putin and Trump had acknowledged “the extremely unsatisfactory state of Russian-US relations at present” and “declared the need for active joint work to normalize them.” During the conversation, the Russian president also voiced his preparedness to “create a dialogue of partnership with the new administration on the basis of equality, mutual respect and non-intervention in each other’s domestic affairs.”

They also “agreed on the need to unite efforts in the struggle with the enemy number one: international terrorism and extremism,” said the statement, noting that ending the conflict in Syria was also discussed. During Trump’s election campaign, Putin had referred to Trump as “a very outstanding person, talented without doubt.”

Hillary Clinton repeatedly claimed in her campaign that Russia was trying to rig the November election in favor of Trump. in their last presidential debate, Clinton accused Trump of having secret ties with Moscow, saying that Putin would love to see a “puppet” in the White House.

Presstv

15, November 2016

The sinister intentions on the delay of the 2016 financial bill ⁰

Following a 2 months delay, the CPDM led government has reportedly handed over the financial bill to the National Assembly. Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that the bill was tabled on the 11^th of November 2016 and it will be examined by the Committee on Finance and Budget.

However, information has filtered that the text has so many irregularities attached to it relating to the execution of the 2015 budget. The Presidency of the Republic and the services attached to it stand prominent among the departments with short-comings in the implementation rates of their projects in 2015. This is also true with the National Assembly, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms, the Senate, Pensions, External and Domestic Public Debt, Grants and Contributions etc

These government departments and institutions have deliberately retained data on the implementation of their programs. The bill also revealed that the Ministry for the Advancement of Women and the Family has no rate of performance for its programs in 2015. We gathered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) conducted four programs, one of which recorded a 0% achievement rate.

The MINREX zero achievement rate program was designed for the management of Cameroonians abroad and to improve the contribution of the Diaspora to the political, social and economic life of the country. Bello Bouba Maïgari, the Minister of Tourism, led two of the three budgeted programs in his ministerial department with the tourism and leisure showing a 0% execution rate- a program that should improve the quality of tourism and leisure facilities in the country.

During the year 2015, the Ministry of Water and Energy posted rates ranging from 0 to 55%. In energy supply, the meter has remained at zero according to the information sent to the Ministry of Finance (MINFI).

By Rita Akana with files from CIN

15, November 2016

Cameroon embassy in Brussels vandalized by armed men ⁰

There are reports that the Cameroon embassy in Brussels, the Belgian capital was vandalized by unknown gunmen. Local media reports say the discovery was made by the Cameroon Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Daniel Evina Abe.

Cameroon Concord News is yet to confirm the correctness of this developing story, but a sister publication Cameroun-info.net recently reported on the incident and cited Cameroon diplomatic sources in Yaoundé.

We gathered that several embassy vehicles including very important documents were carried away. Some reports have suggested that a Cameroonian opposition group may be behind the action. Moreover, an open inquiry announced by the Belgium police has not yet revealed its findings.

By Chi Prudence Asong

14, November 2016

Women’s AFCON 2016: Enow Ngachu maintains 2015 World Cup squad ⁰

Carl Enow Ngachu, head coach of the indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon has released the names of 21 players selected for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2016 which starts next Saturday in Cameroon. Cameroon Concord Sports desk understands the list that was made public today Monday, November 14, 2016 comprises mainly of the players who took part in the 2015 World Cup in Canada.

Goalkeepers: Ngo Ndom Annette (1), Bororo Tecle (16), Mambingo Mambingo (21)

Defenders: Leuko Yvonne (04), Marie Awona (11), Manie Christine (02) Meffometou Falone (12), Sonkeng Ysis (15), Ejangue Siliki Augustine Sylvia (05)

Midfielders: Yango Grace (10), Nchout Njoya Ajara (03), Feudjio Raissa (08), Ngo Mbeleck Genevieve (20), Ngani Agathe (06)

Attackers: Nkada Agnes (14), Ngono Manie (09), Ada Jacquette (13), Akaba Henriette Michelle Edoa (18), Aboudi Onguene (07), Ngo Mback Batoum (19) and of course Gaelle Enganamouit (17).

By Susan Eyong

14, November 2016

Nigeria: Troops open fire at Shia Muslims holding a demonstration ⁰

Nigerian forces have opened fire at a group of Shia Muslims holding a demonstration in preparation for the upcoming Arba’een mourning rituals, which mark 40 days after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam.

Soldiers blocked the road and fired live rounds and tear gas to disperse hundreds of people, including women and children, marching in the northern city of Kano on Sunday. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) said that one person was killed and several others were injured during the incident. According to the IMN, the peaceful demonstration is still underway despite the government’s attempts to stop it.

Followers of the IMN have been under a heavy-handed crackdown since last year when the army attacked a religious ceremony in their stronghold of Zaria in the north. Hundreds of people were killed and more, including the movement’s leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, were thrown behind bars.

Last week, the movement said it had received information that the Nigerian army was planning to attack Arba’een processions scheduled for November 20. Meanwhile, the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission has called on Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the safety of mourners taking part in the processions.

This picture taken on November 26, 2015 shows members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) taking part in the symbolic procession commemorating Arba’een.

Last month, at least 20 people were killed and several others injured when Nigerian forces opened fire at Shia mourners commemorating Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him). In December 2015, Nigerian forces raided the house of the IMN’s leader Sheikh Zakzaky and arrested him after killing those attempting to protect him, including one of the movement’s senior leaders and its spokesman.

The Sheikh himself was shot seven times during the attacks and blinded in one eye and still remains in custody of the army. The raid occurred a day after Nigerian soldiers attacked Shia Muslims attending a ceremony at a religious center in the city of Zaria, accusing them of blocking the convoy of the army’s chief of staff and attempting to assassinate him. On August 1, the Islamic Human Rights Commission released a report, saying the Nigerian army killed 348 Shia Muslims during the attack on the religious ceremony.

Presstv

14, November 2016

US: FBI ran over 20 child porn websites ⁰

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been allowed to run child pornography websites as an attempt to track their users, court documents reveal. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has obtained an affidavit that states the bureau has run at least 23 websites in its operations to hunt down pedophiles and promoters of child abuse, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.

The new revelation means that the extent of FBI’s secret sting was beyond the initial assessments. It was revealed last year that FBI agents had operated a child porn site for 13 days and used it in an international operation. The websites were all located in the so-called dark web, meaning that special software were needed to access them. The FBI oversaw the sites via its “network investigative technique” (NIT), the document noted.

Interestingly, all of the websites were operating from a “government facility,” so that NIT could collect the users’ “request data” more easily, the affidavit added. FBI spokesman Christopher Allen told tech news website Ars Technica that it is “patently not true” to assume that the bureau is commonly running child porn websites. However, he did not deny the existence of FBI-run websites either.

The report came less than a week after a former official with the US Defense Intelligence Agency was sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography. Army Lieutenant Colonel Steven Frederiksen, 42, received the term on November 8, after admitting to luring six girls, aged between 14 and 17, into producing indecent photos and videos through social media. He used his government laptop for the purpose.

According to the Crimes Against Children Research Center, child pornography is one of the fastest growing underground business online, with an estimated revenue of $3 billion. The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) states that the US has the largest share of commercialized child pornography websites, hosting nearly half of world’s child porn sites.

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