Breaking News

2, November 2016

South Korea names new prime minister and finance minister amid scandal ⁰

South Korea has named a new prime minister and finance minister amid a political scandal concerning President Park Geun-hye allegedly letting a close friend meddle in state affairs. Early on Wednesday, presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said Premier Hwang Kyo-ahn had been replaced by Kim Byong-joon in relation to “the current situation.”

Yim Jong-yong, the chairman of the country’s financial services commission, was also named as the new finance minister and deputy prime minister. Meanwhile, Park’s longtime friend, Choi Soon-sil, was held for a second day of questioning after being detained over alleged corruption and influence-peddling on Monday.

The 60-year-old, reportedly a fortuneteller and a cult leader, has been Park’s confidante for decades and is accused of allegedly masterminding government policy and decision making for financial gain. South Korean media portrays Choi as a Rasputin-like figure who wielded an unhealthy influence over Park and interfered in government policy despite holding no official post and having no security clearance.

Earlier in the week, around 8,000 angry people took part in the rally that was held in the capital, Seoul, calling on Park to resign over allegations made against her and Choi.

Culled from Presstv

2, November 2016

Cup of Cameroon 2016: Frank Thierry Boya wins “Man of the Match” award ⁰

Twenty year old midfielder and player with Apejes of Mfou, Frank Thierry Boya has been crowned man of the match, after the highly contested 2016 Cup of Cameroon finals between Apejes of Mfou and Bamboutous of Mbouda. He scored the two goals for Apejes FC and helped the team to claim the title of the 2016 Cup of Cameroon.

The man of the match award conferred on Frank Thierry Boya was accompanied by the sum of FCFA 1 million from the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT. To gain the status, the evaluation committee attributed 55 points to Frank Thierry Boya and 21 to his teammate and contestant, Nelson Moukeu and 7 to Magloire Moifo of Bamboutous.

After just years in the Elite 1 football championship, Frank Boya seems to be enjoying a rapid development in his career. He was captain of the U-23 National Football team and participated in the 2016 African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

The rising star was in the Indomitable Lions squad that played on the 6th of August 2016 in Limbe during a friendly with Gabon. Signed from a 4th Division side two years ago as a trainee from the Nkufor Football Academy, Frank Thierry Boya has progressed tremendously in skill and character. The man of the match refers to late Marc Vivien Foe as one of his idols.

Culled from CRTV

1, November 2016

Cancer could kill 60 percent more women by 2030 ⁰

Nearly 60 percent more women may fall victim to various types of cancer by 2030, a report says, indicating a rocketing increase in a matter of less than two decades. The Global Burden of Cancer in Women presented on Tuesday at the World Cancer Congress in Paris showed that a shocking figure of 5.5 million women would be killed from cancer each year by 2030, much higher than 3.5 million deaths from 6.7 million cancer cases recorded in 2012.

“These numbers are expected to increase to 9.9 million cases and 5.5 million deaths among females annually by 2030 as a result of the growth and ageing of the population,” said the report, warning that the highest toll will be among women in poor and middle-income countries who could suffer from largely preventable cancers.

The report, compiled by the American Cancer Society and pharmaceutical company Merck, highlighted the large geographic inequality in availability of resources and preventive measures and treatment to combat cancer, saying a much smaller proportion of cancer cases are diagnosed and treated in poorer countries.

It said most cancer cases are still reported in high-income countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia as they have better access to screening and detection. However, a much bigger group dies in poorer countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea.

It also said better basic healthcare being provided in developing countries, which has led to a longer lifespan for people, has exposed them to a growing burden of cancer. It said women in these societies are involved in more physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity, and reproductive factors such as postponing motherhood, meaning that rapid economic transition is increasing the risk of cancer for these countries.

The report said cervical cancer is still the most prevalent in poor countries while the developed ones have more rates of colorectal cancer. It said breast and lung cancers are common in both rich and poor nations. However, it added that all the four types are mostly preventable or can be detected early, when treatment is more successful. Cancer is the second highest cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Estimates show that it is already killing one in seven women around the world.

Presstv

1, November 2016

Gabon: France moving away from Jean Ping ⁰

“It would be better to accept dialogue with President Bongo for an honorable exit” This was the last statement on the Gabonese situation from visiting French Prime Minister in Abidjan. Manuel Valls has made the French position clearer after a failed French attempt to oust President Ali Bongo.

In an interview with the French state media Radio France Internationale, Prime Minister Manuel Valls explained that his country had recognized the results of the Gabonese presidential elections and opted for dialogue initiated by President Ali Bongo. Said the prime minister “I would say it simply: France had recognized the results of the election. There is a president, there will be parliamentary elections.”

It now remains to be seen whether this reversal of the French position on Gabon will be enough to calm down the happenings in Libreville.

By Chi Prudence Asong

1, November 2016

Yaounde: 255 Health practitioners graduate from the Faculty of Medicines ⁰

Some 255 health professionals have graduated from the Faculty of Medicines and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1. The Minister of Higher Education Jacque Fame Ndongo chaired the graduation ceremony during which the students received their end of course certificates on the 31^st of October 2016.

Addressing the laureates, the Minister of Higher Education outlined what it takes to be a good health practitioner who he described as life savers. At the end of the oath taking exercise, the graduates were officially handed over to the Minister of Public Health- ending seven years of training that was punctuated with field work.

The 255 graduates are specialized in general medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. During the ceremony, some outstanding students in each of the fields received awards.

CRTV

1, November 2016

Nigeria: Nine killed in a car bomb blast ⁰

Nine people have been killed in a car bomb blast at a military checkpoint in northern Nigeria. Officials and witnesses said on Tuesday that the bomb exploded at the checkpoint on a road leading to the northeastern city of Maiduguri. The victims were all aboard the explosives-laden vehicle. There was not clear if any soldiers were injured in the incident.

Preliminary reports said the vehicle was a minivan transporting ordinary passengers. The driver was also among the victims. There was no immediate claim of responsibility although local officials blamed the attack on Boko Haram, a Takfiri terrorist group operating in northern Nigeria and certain neighboring countries.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and some 2.6 million people have been displaced from their homes since Boko Haram began its terror activities in 2009. Many blame corrupt officials in the Nigerian government and army for the continued militancy. Recent reports say the terrorist group is receiving some of its arms and ammunition from corrupt Nigerian officials.

Attacks by Boko Haram had subsided in the recent past as leadership struggle in the group intensified. However, the months-long lull seems to have ended as the militant group has stepped up attacks on civilians and security forces in recent weeks.

Last week, nine people were killed and two dozen were injured when Boko Haram operatives carried out two explosions in Maiduguri. The attacks were aimed at residents of a camp of refugees who had run away from Boko Haram.

Presstv

1, November 2016

US: FBI Director recklessly engaging in a “blatant double standard” ⁰

The campaign manager of Hillary Clinton has accused FBI Director James Comey of recklessly engaging in a “blatant double standard” following his agency’s announcement to reopen an investigation into new emails sent by the Democratic presidential candidate on a private email server during her time as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.

“Director Comey has made it known that he felt that he owed the information about the emails to Congress, but he has no problem depriving information to the American people, Sen. Harry Reid and to House members who have been inquiring about Russia’s attacks on our elections and our democracy,” Robby Mook told reporters on Monday.

“It is impossible to view this as anything less than a blatant double standard,” he added. The comments came after a CNBC report claimed that Comey was reluctant to publicly accuse Russia of interfering in the US presidential election, but was comfortable with disclosing that his bureau was examining some 650,000 emails recovered from a laptop belonging to Anthony Weiner, a former US congressman who was married to Clinton’s top aide, Huma Abedin, until their divorce in late August.

The campaign manager said the very idea of being cautious about blaming Russia, but reopening the probe into Clinton’s emails shows that Comey was more concerned about a foreign state actor than the Democratic presidential nominee.

He also accused the FBI chief of sending the letter to Congress while ignoring protocol as well as the “hallmarks of a good investigation.” “Director Comey is the one who opened this door, he is the one who broke protocol when he provided information on an investigation before it concluded,” Mook said. “He needs to immediately explain this incongruence and apply the same standard to Donald Trump’s associates as he as applied to Hillary Clinton.”

According to American writer and journalist Stephen Lendman, the FBI decided to reopen the investigation into Clinton’s emails only after it realized that Republican nominee Donald Trump was winning with a landslide in early voting.

Presstv

1, November 2016

Turkey: Samuel Eto’o scores as Antalyaspor beats Kayserispor ⁰

Samuel Eto’o ,the former captain of the Indomitable Lions gave victory to his team Antalyaspor, on Monday by scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot at the 28th minute. It was his first goal of the most difficult season of his career and it came against Kayserispor.

Antalyaspor has now left the bottom of the Turkish league table now occupied by Adanaspor. Samuel Eto’o has certainly not forgotten the huge bet he did to a supporter of the club. While the latter was very worried about the future of the club, Eto’o said his club would finish in the top 10 at the end of the season. If his prediction is not fulfilled, the former FC Barcelona has pledged to provide 100,000 euros (about 65 million FCFA) to the fan in question.

By Chi Prudence Asong with cables from CIN

31, October 2016

US Secretary of State John Kerry calls this year’s presidential election “embarrassing” ⁰

US Secretary of State John Kerry has called this year’s presidential election “embarrassing,” saying his job as the country’s top diplomat has become more difficult.

“There are moments when it is downright embarrassing,” Kerry told students at an event with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan during a visit to Britain on Monday. “This election has been difficult for our country’s perception abroad.”

Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Deltaplex Arena October 31, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by AFP)

He made the remarks as the campaigns of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton were struggling with several controversies.

Trump has been under fire over his lewd and humiliating remarks about women while Clinton has been getting a lot of flak over her use of a private email during her tenure as secretary of state.

Last month, a 2005 audiotape was released of Trump’s comments about groping and kissing women without consent, which profoundly affected his campaign.

Clinton’s favorability has also decreased dramatically since FBI Director James Comey’s Friday move, which has led to revival of an investigation into Clinton’s email scandal.

Clinton speaks during a campaign rally at the Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, on October 31, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Meanwhile, the business mogul has called the country’s election process “rigged”, with Clinton saying that he is straying into authoritarianism.

“There are times when it steps out of any norm that I’ve known — and I ran for president in 2004,” Kerry said. “I could never imagine debates that were not focused on real issues, so it’s been a real change.” “The way it’s made it difficult for me is that, you know, when you sit down with some foreign ministers in another country, or a prime minister of another country, and you say ‘hey, you know we really want you to move more authoritatively towards democracy’, they look at you…They’re polite but you can see the question in their head and in their eyes and in their expression. It’s hard.”

According to an ABC News/Washington Post Tracking Poll released Monday, 59 percent of registered voters have an unfavorable view of Clinton, and an identical percentage of voters dislike Trump.

Presstv

31, October 2016

Is Minister Grégoire Owona dead or alive? ⁰

Grégoire Owona, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance have been missing in action for some time now. The Biya acolyte who is also the Assistant Secretary General of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM party has not appeared in any public event for the last three months. His last appearance was exactly after the last Olympic games.

Some members of his entourage have hinted that the dancing minister is receiving medical treatment abroad. Grégoire Owona, has also not been seen in any political activity in the country. Protocol officers in his office are quick to answer when asked about his where about that “the Minister is not here.” Nobody seems to know what is happening with Minister Grégoire Owona.

Cameroon Concord News Group had reported on his health including that of the late general manager of the Douala Port and also that of the late Assistant Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic. A highly placed government official who spoke to our undercover reporter revealed that Grégoire Owona’s days in government are numbered.

Culled from Cameroon Intelligence Report