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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Jammeh, For Peace Sake And In The Interest Of The Gambians Accept Defeat

Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow sits for an interview with the Associated Press at his residence in Yundum, Gambia, Dec. 3, 2016.

The winner of Gambia's presidential election says efforts by incumbent Yahya Jammeh to toss out the results are illegal.

Adama Barrow told VOA's French-to-Africa service that Jammeh, who has ruled Gambia for 22 years, does not have the authority to cancel the election.

"He does not have those powers and whatever he is doing is illegal and let him accept defeat," Barrow said in the interview Wednesday. "He called me to say that we have the best election in the world and he should stick to that."

BANJUL —

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said he would not step down and condemned mediation by West African regional bloc ECOWAS that aims to get him to leave power after he lost a Dec. 1 election to challenger Adama Barrow.

The comments on state television late Tuesday were a hardening of the veteran president's position after days in which hopes mounted he could be persuaded to hand over power at the end of his mandate on Jan. 18, when Barrow is due to be inaugurated.

Orania,The Whites-only South African own

(CNN)Orania is not prime real estate by any stretch of the imagination.

The settlement west of the Orange River in Northern Cape, South Africa lies on arid and weather-beaten land; baked by the harsh summer sun and frigid through the dry winter. It's farmable, but not easy, requiring strong backs and callused hands.

Rising above the scrub the town's symbol flutters atop a flagpole, a young boy rolling up his sleeves, preparing to knuckle down and transform this landscape. It's a romanticized image for a romanticized notion: a place where Afrikaners can be Afrikaners. Tough, resourceful and making do; descendants of Dutch settlers and proud of it.

Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh will effectively become a "rebel leader" if he fails to leave office at the end of his mandate in January, the nation's government-in-waiting said Sunday.

Halifa Sallah, a spokesman for the opposition coalition that spurred president-elect Adama Barrow to victory over Jammeh in a December 1 poll, said the longtime leader had no constitutional mandate to remain in office beyond January.

"Any president who loses constitutional legitimacy becomes a rebel," Sallah said.

"Anybody who is a military officer or civil servant who refuses to be under another constitutional authority obviously would also become a rebel," he added.

Bana Alabed, the 7-year-old girl who chronicled daily life in war-torn Syria, has evacuated Aleppo with her family.

On Monday morning, pictures and video of the young girl with her mother, Fatemah, at a gathering site set up by international aid groups circulated online.

Ahmad Tarakji, the president of the Syrian American Medical Society, a nonpartisan nonprofit that offers relief to Syrians in need, tweeted a picture of himself holding Bana. He said she was just one of many children who fled Aleppo for the countryside and that his organization was working with the Union of Medical Care & Relief Organizations and others to coordinate a response plan.

Trump's Presidency And The US Dollars

Yes, he says a lot of stupid things… but all of these people say incredibly stupid things. I’m putting my money on Trump for winning the election. Not my ideal choice, but by far the best choice that we have.”

—Doug Casey, April 21, 2016

Seven months ago, Doug Casey, a libertarian philosopher and multi-millionaire speculator, predicted Donald Trump’s victory.

In fact, he was so confident of the outcome, he even placed two separate personal bets on the election.

A $500 bet where he won 5-to-1, and another with a leading investor where he won 100 ounces of silver.

But now Casey is issuing an even more shocking prediction about Trump’s presidency…

Did Sanusi Lie Against The Buhari Administration And CBN?

Muhammad Sanusi II, the emir of Kano and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), recently claimed that the CBN has been illegally funding the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

In his claims, Sanusi said “the CBN-FGN relationship is no longer independent. In fact, one could argue their relationship has become unhealthy.

“CBN claims on the FGN now tops N4.7 trillion — equal to almost 50% of the FGN’s total domestic debt. This is a clear violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007 (Section 38.2) which caps advances to the FGN at 5% of last year’s revenues. Has CBN become the government’s lender of last or first resort?”

A Federal High Court in Calabar yesterday gave judgment in favour of the Cross River State government against two communities that dragged the government to court over the proposed 260 km superhighway, one of the signature projects of the governor, Professor Ben Ayade.

The suit with no HM/191/2016 was initiated by the people of New and Old Ekuri of Akamkpa Local Government Area seeking to stop the construction of the superhighway.

But delivering judgement yesterday, Justice Maurice Eneji of High Court 3 dismissed the suit as an abuse of court process.

The judge similarly did not grant the prayer of the applicants to stop the construction of the superhighway.

Allah Is Telling Me My Time Is Up: Gambia's President

Gambians celebrate the victory of opposition coalition candidate Adama Barrow by tearing down a poster of longtime President Yahya Jammeh in the streets of Serrekunda, Gambia, Friday Dec. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

BANJUL, Gambia (AP) — Gambia's president of 22 years acknowledged his election defeat on state television Friday night, vowing to step down hours after news of the results prompted thousands to celebrate in the streets in an unprecedented display of disdain for his rule.

With cameras rolling, Yahya Jammeh called the winner, opposition coalition leader Adama Barrow, on a mobile phone to praise the election and vow not to contest the result.

"Allah is telling me my time is up and I hand over graciously with gratitude toward the Gambian people and gratitude toward you," Jammeh said.

The new president of Gambia, Adama Barrow smiles as he makes a call at his home in Yarambamba, West Coast Region, Gambia December 3, 2016. REUTERS/ Thierry Gouegnon

BANJUL (Reuters) - The winner of Gambia's presidential election told Reuters on Saturday he was keen to form a new cabinet to get cracking with reforms, a day after veteran leader Yahya Jammeh stunned the tiny west African nation by conceding defeat.

Jammeh's statement on state radio sparked wild celebrations in a country he has ruled with an iron hand since taking power in a coup 22 years ago, but doubts persisted over how he would step aside and whether the army would switch its allegiance.

Naira Sinks To 480/$1 ....

The Nigerian Naira on Tuesday sank to 480/$1 as fresh forex scarcity hit the parallel market.

The depreciating Naira also traded at 585 and 500 to the British pound and European Euro, respectively.

At the official side of the forex market, the local currency also depreciated against a resurgent US dollar, trading at 315.125 per dollar, according to the FMDQOTC trading quotes.

Bureau de Change (BDC) operators who spoke to TheCable blamed the scarcity of forex on the inability of commercial banks to provide stipulated weekly allocations for BDCs.

The Federal Executive Council has approved the 2017 budget proposal for onward submission to national assembly for final approval.

Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning, revealed this at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in Abuja on Wednesday.

He stated that the approved document would soon be presented to the National Assembly, but he didn’t give details of the budget benchmarks.

Udoma added that the date for the presentation would be given by the National Assembly; he explained that the N290 per dollar benchmark has had to be adjusted.

Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed optimism that the 2017 budget will be passed sooner than the 2016 budget, and without rancour.

He gave the assurance when he spoke with state house correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari‎, at the presidential villa.

Saraki, who said he was at the villa to consult with the president on a number of national issues, including the budget, also said the national assembly was expecting to get the budget in the next 10 days.

The federal executive council presided over by President Buhari had on Wednesday approved the 2017 budget, preparatory to its transmission to the national assembly for its consideration and approval.

Lagos by Night

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, launched his light up Lagos project immediately he assumed office in 2015, powering many major roads across the entire state.

On Wednesday, at the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) power and utilities roundtable, Olawale Oluwo, Lagos Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, unveiled more features of the state’s power plan. Highlights below:

46,000 STREET LIGHTS ACROSS THE STATE

According to Oluwo, Lagos has installed 36,000 street lights since the new administration came on board. however, there are still 10,000 street lights to go before the state can claim to have completed the street light project.

Street lights are “improving night-time economic activities, night-time illumination, and night-time security across the state”, Oluwo said.

AACLE International, a UK-based company founded by Nigerian professionals, is set to launch an online community of entrepreneurs providing financial and other solutions to the business needs of each member of the community.

AACLE, whose website launches Thursday, December 1, will target young school leavers, young adults with viable business ideas and SMEs.

The company plans to support these groups with business grants ranging from N20,000 to N1million.

According to Tosin Adebusuyi, AACLE’s director of social enterprise, the aim of AACLE is to help bridge the gap as a social enterprise that provides a veritable and robust space for interaction among entrepreneurs on one hand; and interaction with solution providers on the other hand.

After the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reached its first deal in eight years, oil prices have been on the increase but they remain short of Nigeria’s healthy price range.

Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, had climbed to $50.47, as of Thursday morning, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at $49.81 per barrel.

Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, said on the sidelines of the meeting in Vienna that the healthy price of crude for Nigeria would be in the mid-$50s.

How to Make Over Your Business

Arriving in the U.S. from Macedonia in 2001 with no savings, he settled in Chicago, and within five years, he opened his own beauty salon, Goran Coban Salon. Today his flagship salon location in downtown Chicago employs a staff of 18 people.

"I don't see it as a business. Maybe that's the most important. I consider myself an artist,” he said. “All my colleagues are very artistic people. And it's more of a fun environment for everyone, and for me.”

But with a salon that serves up to 50 clients a day, that perspective can create some management and organizational problems.

Woman Buys 23-Pound Lobster Named 'King Louie' to Set Him Free

Love live King Louie, the 23-pound lobster who has been given a second chance at life after a woman set out to free him.

A Canadian woman bought the giant lobster, estimated to be 100 years old, to spare him from the dinner table, Canadian news channel CTV reported.

King Louie was caught in the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick by Rodney MacDonald, whose family runs the Alma Lobster Shop. After local media got wind of the enormous crustacean, the shop received several suggestions on what to do with King Louie.

Uganda: Clashes Kill Scores in Restive Ugandan Kingdom

President Yoweri Museveni

At least 55 people have been killed in fierce fighting that erupted in western Uganda between security forces and a separatist militia linked to a tribal king, according to police.

Andrew Felix Kaweesi, police spokesman, said on Sunday that 14 police officers and 41 rebels had died in the clashes in the town of Kasese on Saturday, when fighters linked to the royal guard of the Rwenzururu kingdom attacked patrolling security forces.

"Yesterday a joint Uganda police and UPDF (army) operation, patrolling in Kasese town... came under attack by royal guards of the kingdom. The attackers threw an improvised grenade which exploded and injured one soldier. Security forces reacted and shot in self-defence, killing four attackers," said Kaweesi.

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Monday said soon, Nigerians might begin to show evidence of tax payment before obtaining their passports.

Tunde Fowler said this at the 136th meeting of the Joint Tax Board which had the theme: "Increased Inter-Agency Co-operation to Enhance Tax Compliance and Optimise Revenue Collection" in Abuja.

"We did take a position and I believe it would be implemented in the very near future that before you get any services from the immigration department: renewal of passports etc, you'd have to show that you are a tax payer.

Dar es Salaam — Trouble bedeviling operations of the Dangote cement factory in Mtwara could derail the mega plant and blot the country's attractiveness for investment.

The $500 million (Sh1 trillion) investment by Africa's richest businessman Aliko Dangote of Nigeria was commissioned in October 2015 amid pomp and ceremony but high operational costs associated mainly with over-dependence on diesel have led to a slow down on production since the beginning of the last quarter of this year and a complete halt last week.

More than meets the eye

The factory's management yesterday cited "non-critical, technical issues" as the reason for suspending production but high placed, impeccable sources from within the government and in the Dangote Industries Tanzania Limited say there was more than meet the eye in Dangote operational problems.

Biafra, Scene Of A Bloody Civil War...

In this 2012 photo, Igbo men carry a Biafra flag during a protest in Nnewi, Nigeria. (AP)

At first, the mood at the demonstration staged on a high school playing field in the city of Aba, Nigeria, was almost festive. Dozens of demonstrators, calling for Biafran independence, waved red, black and green flags, and danced, clapped and chanted. Within hours, the military moved in and opened fire with live bullets.

The flags toppled and were picked up by soldiers who used the wooden flagpoles to beat protesters who had fallen, as others fled. The scene plays out on a video taken by a witness and offered to the rights group Amnesty International.

Lagos (AFP) - It's not Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's fault that Nigeria's economy is inextricably tied to the global price of oil, now half of its 2014 peak of over $100 per barrel.

But the president's response to the economic crisis has a growing number of people concerned that he doesn't have what it takes to rescue Nigeria from recession.

Warning signs appeared early. Buhari took six months after being elected to name a Finance Minister, then vowed not to "kill the Naira" by devaluing it, against expert advice and with nefarious consequences.

Editorial Board

Africa and the world cannot afford a failing economy in the continent’s most populous nation. Yet that is exactly what Nigeria might be getting: Its economy is on track to shrink by 1.7 percent this year, the official unemployment rate has more than doubled over the last two years, and inflation is at an 11-year high.

One concrete step President Muhammadu Buhari could take to address the crisis would be to eliminate the country’s disastrous foreign exchange controls. Instead, Buhari has made no secret of his desire to defend Nigeria's currency.

Clinton Is Playing With Fire By Backing a Recount in Wisconsin

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton is playing with fire by allowing her unsuccessful Democratic presidential campaign organization to participate in an election recount in Wisconsin initiated by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.

Marc Elias, the Clinton organization’s general counsel, said over the weekend that the campaign would take part in the Wisconsin recount without financially contributing to the operation. He also raised the possibility of joining the Third Party in recounts in two other closely contested states, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump, seething over what he and his top advisers perceive as Clinton’s reneging on her pledge to abide by the outcome of the Nov. 8 election, predicted that a recount in Wisconsin and the other states would not alter the results of the election.