Archives
now browsing by author
South Africa’s worst drought in years affects farmers
Government imposes water cuts and gives aid to farmers as part of emergency measures to fight severe drought.
South Africa is experiencing what many farmers say is the driest season they can remember. They are having to sell their livestock, and this is having a knock-on effect on the economy.
In response to the lack of water, the government has imposed emergency measures to restrict water use and improve supply infrastructure.
Robert Evans, ‘Chinatown’ and ‘Godfather’ producer, dead at 89
Robert Evans, whose charisma rivaled some of the actors who appeared in the hit films he produced, died Saturday, according to his publicist Monique Evans.
C.A.R declares national catastrophe as floods render more homeless
Thousands more people are without homes after two days of rain and severe flooding in the Central African Republic.
On Sunday, the government said more than 20,000 people have been made homeless across its provinces and additional 8,000 in the capital, Bangui.
A coordinator for one of the makeshift camps set up for residents displaced by the floods in Bangui is concerned that more homes were likely to fall.
To see something that you spent years building collapse, that is hard, I feel sad.
“Really, we need assistance. Some homes were destroyed, families are outside their homes. It is hard when you leave your house, unexpectedly. To see something that you spent years building collapse, that is hard, I feel sad”, Rock Lionnel Koigningbo said.
The situation has worsened following the overflow of the Oubangi river, located in the southwest of the capital. The State is appealing for international support.
Firmin Ngrebada is Prime Minister for the Central African Republic.
“The government is working hard since the start of this catastrophe to help our compatriots who are in distress, but in view of the scale of the disaster and in particular the difficult situation the country finds itself in, the government. I with the authority of the President of the republic and Head of State, accordingly declare a national catastrophe and we are appealing for national and international solidarity”, Ngrebada said.
According to authorities, heavy rains in recent weeks have caused an unusual increase in the rising levels of the Oubangi river.
Is the IEC financially independent to carry out its work?
Section 44 of the Constitution states:
“The Independent Electoral Commission shall submit its annual estimates of expenditure to the President for presentation to the National Assembly in accordance with this Constitution. The President shall cause the estimates to be placed before the National Assembly without amendment, but may attach to them his or her own comments and observations.”
Hence the IEC is supposed to regulate the income of its Commissioners and staff, make projections regarding its requirements of its operations, and submit a realistic budget to the National Assembly.
The Executive has no mandate to alter the budget of the IEC. It is therefore hoped that as the new electoral cycle begins the IEC will be able to execute its duties.
Gambia Government Accepts Janneh Commission Recommendations against Edward Sighatey, Others
The Gambia Government has accepted the recommendations made by the Janneh Commission against former leaders of the AFPRC Military Government.
The recommendations are contained in the White Paper published by the Government shortly after cabinet met and deliberated on the findings and recommendations of the Commission. See the Government’s decision below:
Mr Ebou Jallow, Mr Edward Singhateh, and Mr Yankuba Touray were all soldiers of the Gambia Armed Forces and together with former President Jammeh, constituted the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) in 1994. They held various positions in Government including Spokesperson of the AFPRC, Vice Chairman of the AFPRC, and Minister of Local Government, respectively.
The Commission found, inter alia, that they were involved in financial dealings of the AFPRC and its Chairman former President Jammeh.
The Commission found that the AFPRC forged diplomatic relations with Taiwan in the expectation of obtaining financial aid for their Transition Programme. Taiwan gave The Gambia a loan of $35 million. The Commission found that Mr Jallow negotiated for $5 million cash payment of the said loan on the instructions of former President Jammeh which was bought to The Gambia by special flight and presented to the AFPRC. Mr Jallow and Mr Edward Singhateh deposited the amount of $2.3 million at the Central Bank of The Gambia. $2.7 million has not been accounted for amidst claims that it was handed over to former President Jammeh. Mr Yankuba Touray was responsible for supervising the Transitional Programme projects.
The Commission found that the AFPRC failed to account for $32,220,000 of the loan from Taiwan, and that they are jointly and severally liable or answerable for the amounts not accounted for. The Commission noted further that the ouster clauses under the Second Schedule of the 1997 Constitution do not apply as the members of the AFPRC were not acting in the performance of their official duties or in exercise of their executive powers when they operated outside the framework of the law and/or misappropriate public funds.
The Government accepts the findings of the Commission in so far as they relate to Mr Ebou Jallow, Mr Edward Singhateh, and Mr Yankuba Touray. The Government has noted that the collective actions of the AFPRC in overthrowing a democratic government in 1994 set the stage and substantially enabled former President Jammeh perpetrate and perpetuate the unprecedented looting of The Gambia’s meager resources to the detriment of the country.
Consequently, the government has decided that they (Mr. Ebou Jallow, Mr. Edward Singhateh and Mr. Yankuba Touray) are not fit to hold public office and should be banned, and Mr. Ebou Jallow, Mr. Edward Singhateh and Mr. Yankuba Touray are hereby banned from holding public office for the remainder of their lives. They are also banned from holding any director positions in any state-owned enterprises in The Gambia for fifteen (15) years from the date of publication of this White Paper.
Mr. Ebou Jallow, Mr. Edward Singhateh and Mr. Yankuba Touray are hereby ordered to pay back to the state the sum of $32, 220, 000 within 30 days from the publication of this White Paper failing which their properties will be forfeited to the state and sold. The proceeds of sale shall be applied to the payment of monies for which they are found to be liable for in the report, in addition to criminal proceedings to be instituted against them.
Protocol Alagie Ceesay Harps on Jammeh’s Sexual Relationships
The Chief of Protocol at the State House has on Monday, 28th October 2019, testified that his former boss President Yahya Jammeh used to have sexual relationship with some ladies.
Alagie Ceesay said he was responsible for coordinating meetings and trips for the former President. Ceesay testified there were girls who were having sexual relations with former President Yahya Jammeh. He said there were girls living in the State House while some others used to come after working hours who used to have sexual relationship with the Gambia’s former president.
The 59 – year – old said one Jimbe Jammeh was the link between the girls and the former President and she was responsible for facilitating their meeting.
The Protocol Officer confirmed to the TRRC several names of women who the former President used to have sexual relations with, although they are under protection by the Commission. He said there were girls who were brought to him by the former President as protocol officers at the Office of the President.
Ceesay said the normal process of employing these girls as protocol officers would require his involvement and the Public Service Commission but instead, these women were employed based on Jammeh’s directive.
“It was an executive directive that select these protocol officers. You don’t have a choice. There were lot of them who came, mostly girls,” said Ceesay.
“You have a lot of them who were academically limited… I would find some of them to be good but others, not… It was an open secret. Some of them are “Special Ladies,” Ceesay said.
He said even the officials working at the State House at the time knew that the issue of protocol officer is obscure. The girls were being used for something else – sexual relation.
He said the former First Lady used to travel frequently and he does not know why she used to travel every time.
Mr Ceesay was re-appointed Chief of Protocol by President Adama Barrow in 2017. He was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President in 2009 and promoted to the portfolio of Chief of Protocol in 2010. He said two years later, he was demoted and later appointed as the PS to the office of the former First Lady.
Brexit: European leaders agree extension to 31 January
EU leaders have agreed in principle to extend Brexit until 31 January 2020 – meaning the UK will not leave as planned on Thursday.
EU Council President Donald Tusk said it was a “flextension” – meaning the UK could leave before the deadline if a deal was approved by Parliament.
It comes as MPs prepare to vote on proposals by Boris Johnson for an early general election on 12 December.
The SNP and Lib Dems have also proposed an election on 9 December.
The government has not ruled out getting behind that proposed date, if it fails to get its preferred date through the Commons later.
The UK was due to leave the EU on Thursday, but Mr Johnson was required to request an extension after Parliament failed to agree a Brexit deal.
The prime minister had repeatedly said the UK would leave on 31 October deadline with or without a deal, but the law – known as the Benn Act – requires him to accept the EU’s extension offer.
The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, said the extension was “positive”, and “gives time for the UK to make clear what it wants”.
Downing Street said Mr Johnson had not yet seen the EU’s response to his request for a Brexit delay.
“The PM will respond once he has seen the detail,” his official spokesman said. “His view has not changed. Parliament should not have put the UK in this position and we should be leaving on 31 October.
“The PM secured a great new deal despite being told this impossible but Parliament has chosen more dither and delay.”
Boris Johnson’s “do or die” pledge to leave by 31 October is no more – it is dead.
Many will see this as a no-deal Brexit being taken off the table, at least until 31 January.
So it will increase the arguments in the Commons that with no-deal parked, Parliament now has to make a decision on an election.
And that is what Mr Johnson will be trying to argue over the next few days.
For the PM, there is a risk of calling an election without Brexit being resolved, as he may be punished for it at the ballot box.
So, while it buys more time, it also creates an element of uncertainty for the prime minister.
He will now campaign for an election in the knowledge that he has failed in his signature policy which he campaigned for in the Conservative leadership election.
Mr Tusk will now seek the UK’s formal agreement to the decision, before formalising the extension through a written procedure among the 27 other EU nations.
An EU official said they hoped for the process to be concluded by Tuesday or Wednesday.
John Conyers: Longest-serving black congressman dies aged 90
The longest-serving black member of the US Congress, John Conyers, has died at home at the age of 90, police in Detroit say.
The Democrat resigned under a cloud of sexual harassment allegations in December 2017 after a career lasting nearly 53 years.
In office, he was known for his liberal stance on civil rights and liberties.
He memorably fought for 15 years to make the birthday of Martin Luther King what it is today – a national holiday.
Conyers was also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
How did his career pan out?
Born on 16 May 1929, he grew up in Detroit and served in the military for nearly a decade, including 12 months in Korea during the war there (1950-53) when he was a Combat Engineers officer.
“I like to think that my worldview was broadened by my military experience,” he later reflected, according to USA Today.
Going on to train as a lawyer, he became involved in the civil rights movement.
In 1964, he narrowly won his first election in Michigan, becoming one of just six black members of the House of Representatives.
He began his campaign to create “MLK Day” (a movable holiday which next falls on 20 January) just days after the civil rights champion was assassinated in 1968.
Inside the dramatic US military raid that killed ISIS leader Baghdadi
President Donald Trump announced Sunday morning in a televised address at the White House that the “world’s number one terrorist leader” is dead.
How the raid unfolded
Alberto Fernandez declares victory in Argentina election
Argentine President Mauricio Macri conceded defeat to his center-left rival Alberto Fernandez late Sunday after the first round of voting in the country’s closely fought election.
D5 Creation