Friday 23 December 2016

Graphic photos from a gas explosion incident in Ghana

Many people were severely burnt in a gas explosion that occurred at La Trade Fair in Ghana yesterday evening. See more photos from the scene after the cut.

Photos: Berlin Christmas Market terror suspect killed in shoot-out with police in Milan

Anis Amri, the suspect in the Berlin Christmas market truck attack was killed in a shoot-out with police in a suburb of the Italian city of Milan on Friday. Anis, 24, killed 12 people and wounded dozens more in Monday's assault on a Christmas market, which has been claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.



Italy's interior minister Marco Minniti told a press conference in Rome that Amri had been fatally shot after firing at police who had stopped his car for a routine identity check around 3:00 am (0200 GMT).

Identity checks had established "without a shadow of doubt" that the dead man was Amri, the minister said.
Amri had been missing since escaping after Monday's attack in central Berlin. He had links to Italy, having arrived in the country from his native Tunisia in 2011.

Shortly after his arrival in Italy he was sentenced to a four-year prison term for starting a fire in a refugee centre. He was released in 2015 and made his way to Germany.
German police said Amri steered the 40-tonne truck in the attack after finding his identity papers and fingerprints inside the cab, next to the body of its registered Polish driver who was killed with a gunshot to the head.

A Europe-wide wanted notice had offered a 100,000-euro ($104,000) reward for information leading to Amri's arrest.

In Tunisia, a brother of the fugitive had appealed to him to surrender and said: "If my brother is behind the attack, I say to him 'You dishonour us'."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was "proud of how calmly most people reacted" to the country's deadliest attack in years.
Berlin public broadcaster RBB reported that police filmed Amri heading into a Berlin mosque on Tuesday - after the attack - at a time when the investigation was still focused on a Pakistani suspect who was later released.

Officials earlier revealed that Amri was a rejected asylum seeker with a history of crime, had spent years in an Italian jail and had long been known to German counter-terrorism agencies.
News weekly Der Spiegel reported that in wiretaps, Amri could be heard offering to carry out a suicide operation, but that his words were too vague for an arrest warrant.

Amri had been monitored since March, suspected of planning break-ins to raise cash for automatic weapons to carry out an attack - but the surveillance was stopped in September because Amri was mostly active as a small-time drug dealer.

On Thursday, Berliners flocked to the reopened Breitscheid square Christmas market that was targeted in Monday's carnage. The government has appealed for people to carry on as normal and not to give in to fear. Organisers dimmed festive lights and turned down the Christmas jingles as a mark of respect for those killed.

Victims were also honoured with candles, flowers, letters of condolence and signs reading "Love Not Hate". Among the dead were six Germans, 60-year-old Israeli Dalia Elyakim, and a young Italian woman called Fabrizia Di Lorenzo. Forty-eight others were injured. 
On Friday, a memorial concert was planned at the iconic Brandenburg gate under the theme of "Together Berlin".

Judge rules against Mrs Mugabe in $1.3m diamond ring case

A Zimbabwean judge has ordered the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, to return properties she seized from a Lebanese businessman. The seizure was connected to a $1.3 million diamond ring deal.
Mrs Mugabe ordered the seizure of three properties belonging to the businessman, Jamal Ahmed. Her action was because Jamal had failed to repay the said amount after giving her a polished ring contrary to her specifications.
But the Harare High Court judge, Clement Phiri ordered her to remove her representatives from the three buildings belonging to the Lebanese and to ensure that all workers who had lost their jobs through the takeover are immediately reinstated.
The ring purchased in Dubai was to be in commemoration of the Mugabes’ wedding anniversary. Robert married Grace in 1996 and this year marked the 20th anniversary of their union.
The First Lady who is on annual leave with Mr Mugabe reportedly in the Middle East after flying out on Tuesday was not in court but her attorney, one Wilson Manase, stood in for her.

[Updated] Hijacked Libyan plane lands in Malta, hostage release underway

A Libyan plane with 118 people on board has landed in Malta in what the island’s prime minister called a “potential hijack situation”.

The Airbus A320 was on an internal flight for Afriqiyah Airways when it was diverted on Friday morning and according to Malta airport, two hijackers appear to be on board the plane on the runway.

Update 5: Mayor of Libyan town confirms hijack

The BBC reports that the mayor of Sebha, the town where the plane was reportedly hijacked has confirmed the incident.
The plane left Tmenhant airport at 09:05 GMT heading for the capital Tripoli. “It was hijacked and investigations are continuing to establish how any explosives or weapons made it on board. The security at this airport is not good. It’s a military airport,” Col Hamed Al-Khayali is quoted to have said.

West Africa standby forces 'on alert' to intervene in Gambia

Defiant Gambian President Yammeh Jammeh risks being ejected by force after West Africa regional bloc said it had put its standby forces on alert.
ECOWAS commission Marcel de Souza warned on Thursday that a military intervention could be used to restore the people’s wish” if mediation efforts which are being spearheaded by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, failed to persuade Jammeh to give up power.
ECOWAS has previously warned him that it would take “all necessary actions” to resolve the impasse.
Jammeh has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to property developer Adama Barrow.
The long serving president had initially conceded defeat but later called for the election to be annulled, alleging that it was marred by irregularities.
Gambia’s Supreme Court has set 10 January as the hearing date for a case brought by Jammeh’s party to cancel the result.

Thursday 22 December 2016

Russia used Syria as live-fire training - US general

The US army's commander in Europe has accused Russia of using its military campaign in Syria as a "live-fire training opportunity".
Lt Gen Ben Hodges said Russia's "disregard for civilian casualties... is not the conduct of a nation that wants to be treated like a superpower".
Russia's defence minister said on Thursday that its air force had killed 35,000 fighters in Syria.
But Russia has been accused of using heavy weapons in civilian areas.
It has consistently denied targeting civilians.

'Stronger than any potential aggressor'

Russia's aerial intervention in the Syrian conflict last year has helped the Syrian army capture eastern Aleppo. But it has further heightened tensions with the West, after it annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.
Source: BBC

Donald Trump: US must greatly expand nuclear weapons

Donald Trump has called for the US to "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear arsenal.
The president-elect, who takes office next month, said the US must take such action "until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes".
He spoke hours after President Vladimir Putin said Russia needs to bolster its military nuclear potential.
The US has 7,100 nuclear weapons and Russia has 7,300, according to the US nonpartisan Arms Control Association.
During Mr Trump's campaign he told a Fox News interviewer that Japan and South Korea should consider arming themselves with nuclear weapons in order to defend against North Korea without help from the US.
He later retracted that statement, saying that Hillary Clinton had lied about his foreign policy position.
Mr Trump's announcement, which came via Twitter, was published in a string of several tweets on Thursday morning.
Mr Trump also wrote to criticise a resolution being considered at the United Nations and to reiterate his vow to "drain the swamp" - a reference to corruption in Washington DC.

Libya deports more than 100 African migrants

Libyan authorities on Tuesday deported around 140 African migrants, who had previously arrived in Tripoli illegally via the Mediterranean.
Head of Protocol at Libya’s Illegal Immigration Body, Abdel Razek Sheneit said Libya has been working with the International Organization for Migration to arrange for the safe return of the migrants.
He said the migrants, who are from Nigeria, have been held in shelters in Tripoli for around three months.
"We are currently in the process of deporting 140 migrants who are originally from Nigeria. These migrants have been in various shelters in Tripoli."
“We are currently in the process of deporting 140 migrants who are originally from Nigeria. These migrants have been in various shelters in Tripoli for around two to three months. The deportation office has been coordinating with the International Organization for Migration, and now they have arrived at Mitiga International Airport,” he added.
Some 1.4 million refugees and migrants arrived in Europe this year and last and the European Union wants to cut back on the uncontrolled influx of people.
The EU on Thursday offered Niger 610 million euros to curtail migration from Africa through the Mediterranean to Europe.
“I’m since three months in Libya. I’m very happy to go back to my country, no problem, thank you,”
Earlier this month, Libyan authorities announced that there were around 1796 African migrants, who had been captured at sea, and were being held in the city of Gheryan.

DRC: Sporadic gunfire in Kinshasa, UN confirms 19 deaths

There was sporadic gunfire across Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a day after deadly clashes between the security forces and anti-government protesters.
Reuters reports that even though some Kinshasa residents ventured from their homes on Wednesday morning, most streets were clear of traffic and public transport was extremely limited. There were reports of arrests by the security agencies of protesters.
The United Nations mission in the DRC confirmed on Wednesday that 19 people had died and 45 others injured from gunshots during Tuesday’s protest. The figure is one less than what they reported yesterday.
"We are very concerned by the excessive use of force by state agents, notably the (police), the Republican Guard, the military police and the National Agency of Intelligence."
‘‘We are very concerned by the excessive use of force by state agents, notably the (police), the Republican Guard, the military police and the National Agency of Intelligence,’‘ Jose Maria Aranaz, head of the UN human rights office in Kinshasa told reporters.
The DRC has never seen a peaceful transition of power and there are continental and global fears that the current situation could spiral into a wider conflict within the Great Lakes region. The main opposition bloc has called on citizens not to recognize Kabila as the president.
Another bloc has meanwhile entered an agreement with the government under the aegis of the African Union. That agreement has earned one of their members the post of Prime Minister in the new government announced by Kabila on Tuesday.
Despite the AU negotiated deal, the Catholic Church in the country has also been holding a new set of talks aimed at resolving the impasse. Kabila is currently in power based on a constitutional court ruling that he can stay on till the next elections are held.

Nigeria intercepts bags of 'plastic rice' after Ghana dispelled rumours

Nigerian customs service has intercepted 102 bags of rumoured plastic rice in Lagos after a tip off on Monday.
The plastic rice branded Beat Tomato Rice was in storage at the time of seizure and was ready for distribution during the christmas holidays in Ikeja, the state capital of Lagos State.
According to the chief of customs in Lagos, Mohammed Haruna, one person has been arrested in connection with the commodity and the distribution point of the seized plastic rice has been blocked for further investigation, local media report.
"Before now, I thought it was a rumour that the plastic rice is all over the country but with this seizure, I have been totally convinced that such rice exists."
“We have done the preliminary analysis on the plastic rice. After boiling, it was sticky and only God knows what would have happened if people consumed it,” Haruna disclosed.
“Before now, I thought it was a rumour that the plastic rice is all over the country but with this seizure, I have been totally convinced that such rice exists,” he said while advising the public to be vigilant and report any suspicions of sale of such products.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority said last week that it found no “plastic rice” in the country after a two-month surveillance due to allegations of its presence on the Ghanaian market.
“The FDA did not find any of the said ‘plastic rice’ on the market. The general public is therefore encouraged to bring samples of any alleged ‘plastic rice’ to the FDA or give information on persons connected to the sale or distribution of such products,” it said in a statement

Gambia appoints judges from Nigeria and Sierra Leone for Jammeh's poll petition

Gambia’s Supreme Court will go ahead with hearing of the presidential poll petition brought by the party of outgoing Yahya Jammeh, the Chief Justice has confirmed.
The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) appeared before the court on Wednesday after filing processes challenging the outcome of the December 1 polls last week.
According to Chief Justice Emmanuel Falegbe, the case was adjourned because there were not enough judges to sit on the case as a yesterday. Substantive hearing is scheduled for January 10, eight days to the swearing-in of president-elect Adama Barrow.
"We are trying to maximize on time."
He further disclosed that a panel of judges had been appointed from Nigeria and Sierra Leone to sit on the case. ‘‘We are trying to maximize on time,’‘ he is quoted to have said.
Falegbe ordered court officials to serve the electoral commission with documents immediately. It will be recalled that security forces took over the headquarters of the electoral commission last week, an act that was roundly condemned by international groups.
Gambia went to the polls on December 1 to elect a new president, Jammeh running for a fifth term came up against two other candidates. The electoral body declared him loser 24 hours later and he called congratulate his main competitor Adama Barrow.
A week later, he rejected the results on national television citing irregularities and ordered a rerun of the polls. International calls for him to step down have fallen on deaf ears while he has called the bluff of an ECOWAS mediation team that visited the country last week.

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Gambia: AU and UN laud firm stance of ECOWAS, 11 envoys desert Jammeh

The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have issued statements lauding the firm stance taken by the West African regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ECOWAS through its current chair, Liberia President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, were in Gambia last week as part of efforts to mediate in the political impasse in the tiny West African country. The team met outgoing president Yahya Jammeh and the incoming Adama Barrow, but failed to reach a deal with Jammeh.

UN commends the firm stance taken by the ECOWAS – Ki-moon

In a statement, the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, said even though they remained concerned about ongoings in the Gambia, he commends the firm stance taken by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on 17 December during a Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria.
"In conclusion Your Excellency, we once again implore you to consider our plea which is ailed at achieving the greater good for our beloved country, the Gambia."
ECOWAS resolved among others to take all necessary actions to enforce the outcome of the presidential election, guarantee the protection of President-elect Adama Barrow, and attend Barrow’s inauguration on 19 January 2017.
Ban Ki-moon also reiterated the UN’s concern relative to the military seizure of the offices of the Independent Electoral Commission. ‘‘He urges the Gambian security forces to uphold their neutrality and demonstrate restraint under the unfolding circumstances,’‘ the statement added.

AU congratulates ECOWAS for principled stand in Gambia – Idris Deby

A statement released by the AU on Monday also congratulated ECOWAS and reaffirmed support in possible ways to solve the political impasse in Gambia.
‘‘The Chairperson of the Union (Idris Deby Itno), congratulates the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its principled stand with regards to the situation in The Gambia.
‘‘He expresses the AU’s full support to the decisions adopted by the 50th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority held in Abuja, on 17 December 2016, including the consideration to use all necessary means to ensure the respect of the will of the people of The Gambia,’‘ the statement added.

11 ambassadors ‘beg’ Jammeh to go peacefully

Meanwhile, some 11 ambassadors have joined the recalled US colleague calling for President Jammeh to respect the outcome of the December 1 presidential polls and to duly handover power peacefully to Adama Barrow the president-elect come January 17.
Among them were the ambassadors to Beijing, Ankara, London, New York and Moscow. The remaining were ambassadors to Madrid, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Bissau, Havana and Brussels.
‘‘In conclusion Your Excellency, we once again implore you to consider our plea which is ailed at achieving the greater good for our beloved country, the Gambia,’‘ they said in a joint letter to Jammeh.

Berlin attack: Lorry driver suspect 'denies involvement'

The suspect in the Berlin lorry attack that killed 12 people and injured 48 others has denied any involvement, Germany's interior minister said.
Thomas De Maiziere said he "probably came from Pakistan" but his asylum application had not been completed.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it would be "particularly sickening" if he were proven to be a refugee.
The suspect had been captured in a park 2km away after fleeing the popular Christmas market in west Berlin.
Mrs Merkel has vowed to punish those responsible for the Berlin attack "as harshly as the law allows".
Her open-door policy on migration, which saw 890,000 asylum seekers arrive in Germany last year, has divided the country, with critics calling it a security threat.
Three separate terrorist attacks in July carried out by refugees have heightened tensions.

What happened?

The lorry ploughed through the popular market at Breitscheidplatz, near west Berlin's main shopping street on Monday evening.
The truck, which was loaded with steel beams, veered into the market at 20:14 local time (19:14 GMT), one of its busiest times. It crashed through wooden huts and stands packed with tourists and locals.The DPA news agency said police believe the lorry drove 50-80 metres (160-260 ft) through the market area.

What do we know about the suspect?

German media have identified the suspect, citing security sources, as a 23-year-old Pakistani named Naved B who entered the country in either late 2015 or early 2016.He was reportedly known to police for minor crimes, but not terror links.
Special forces reportedly stormed a hangar at Berlin's defunct Tempelhof airport on Tuesday, where they believed the suspect had been living in a shelter before the attack.
He was seized after leaving the lorry and fleeing on foot for more than a mile (2km) towards the Tiergarten, a large public park.
A witness who followed him called the police, who quickly detained the suspect near the Victory Column monument.

Where did the lorry come from?

Police said a Polish man, believed to be the original driver, had been found dead on the passenger seat.Ariel Zurawski, the Polish owner of the lorry, confirmed that his driver was missing and had been unreachable since 16:00 (15:00 GMT) on Monday.
The truck was registered in Poland, but it is unclear whether it was travelling from Poland or returning from Italy, as some reports suggest.

How has Germany reacted?

Chancellor Merkel said she was "shocked and very saddened" by the attack but added "we don't want to live with fear of evil".
Germany's interior ministry said Christmas markets in Berlin would remain closed on Tuesday but other markets outside of the capital would operate as normal.A senior member of Germany's anti-immigration AfD party, Marcus Pretzell, blamed Mrs Merkel for the attack, linking it to her open-door migration policy.
Horst Seehofer, the leader of Mrs Merkel's sister party in Bavaria, urged the chancellor "to rethink our immigration and security policy and to change it" in the wake of the attack.

What do eyewitnesses say happened?

A British eyewitness, Mike Fox, told Associated Press that the 25-tonne lorry had missed him by only about three metres as it smashed through stands.
"It was definitely deliberate," said the tourist.
He said he had helped people who appeared to have broken limbs, and that others were trapped under Christmas stands.
Source:BBC

Gambia: Barrow plans inauguration amid vote dispute

The Gambia’s president-elect, Adama barrow has announced he is ready to take office in January, despite the refusal by the West African country’s longtime ruler, President Yahya Jammeh to accept his election loss.
“On the day his term expires, my term as the lawful president of the Gambia begins.“This is the law of the land. My status as incoming president has unquestionable constitutional legitimacy,” barrow said.
President Jammeh had initially surprised Gambians by conceding defeat after 22 years in power, but changed his mind a week later. He alleges vote irregularities that made the December 1 ballot invalid.
"On the day his term expires, my term as the lawful president of the Gambia begins.“This is the law of the land."
The crisis has drawn the attention of regional leaders, who on Saturday promised to “take all necessary actions” to enforce the results of Gambia’s election and announced they will attend Barrow’s January 19 inaugurations.
The summit of the Economic Community of West African States also pledged to “guarantee the safety and protection of the president-elect,” who has said he fears for his life.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the opposition coalition Halifa Sallah in a statement said Jammeh risks being declared illegitimate if he refuses to give up power to Barrow, the winner of the December 1 election.
The statement further read that Jammeh will be treated like a “rebel leader” if he continues to cling to power.
Jammeh seized power in a 1994 coup and has been accused by rights groups of human rights abuses
His party, the Alliance for Construction and Reorientation, has filed a petition challenging the election results at the Supreme Court. The court, however, has not sat for over a year..

DRC: Protests begin as Kabila stays on

Gunfire could be heard in several districts of Kinshasa early Tuesday as demonstrators demanded that Kabila steps down after his mandate expired at midnight.
A chief diplomat to Congolese president Joseph Kabila had confirmed on Monday that the president will remain in office when his mandate expires to save the country from chaos.
He stressed that Kabila can only step down when a new president is elected but elections are not due until next year.
The government and elections officials have blamed logistical and financial problems for the delay in the vote, currently scheduled for April 2018.
“If for any reason, the president yielded to the pressure, as he is being asked to do, and I do not see that he is going to yield to any pressure, if he resigned or anything else, he would then be violating the constitution and he could then be put on trial because he would plunge the country into an indescribable chaos,” Barnabe Kikaya, chief diplomat to DR Congo president said.
Reacting to the calls for Kabila to step down, opposition leader Ettiene Tshisekedi called on the population to protest peacefuly.
“I launch a solemn appeal to the Congolese people  not  to recognise the…illegal and illegitimate authority of Joseph Kabila and to peacefully resist (his) coup d’etat,“  Tshisekedi said.
Some opposition leaders had agreed Kabila can remain in office until elections hold in April.
The constitutional court has also ruled that Kabila, leader since his father was assassinated in 2001, can stay on.
The international community has called on Kabila to step down so as to avoid triggering massive crisis and possibly another civil war

Jammeh recalls US ambassador who advised him to accept defeat

Gambia has recalled its ambassador to the United States, Sheikh Omar Faye confirmed in a letter dated Monday January 19, 2016.
Omar Faye’s recall ‘for home service’ comes exactly a week after he called on his boss, Alhaji Dr Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh Babili Mansa, to respect the country’s constitution and hand over power to the president-elect Adama Barrow.
Whiles still expressing hope that Jammeh will handover to Barrow as per the constitution, his letter read in part, ‘‘I am hereby reminding all Gambian officials, civil servants and military personnel they are serving the people of the Gambia and MUST protect its security, peace and prosperity.’‘
"I am hereby reminding all Gambian officials, civil servants and military personnel they are serving the people of the Gambia and MUST protect its security, peace and prosperity."
Omar Faye in his earlier letter to Jammeh said the world was so proud of Jammeh’s political maturity after accepting defeat in the december 1 polls. But Jammeh put the country on a dangerous path by his decision to annul and called for fresh elections.
Jammeh went into the December 1 presidential polls with two other contenders. He was seeking a fifth term that seemed secured by all means. A day after the polls the man who came to power in 1994 had recorded poll losses in the capital Banjul and other parts of the country.
He conceded defeat to his main rival president-elect Adama Barrow in a phone call and promised to had over power and return to his farm. A week later on December 9, Jammeh in a televised address said irregularities his team had found later meant that the poll had to be rerun by a ‘God fearing’ electoral body.
Despite international condemnation of his action and regional mediation efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Jammeh remains adamant. Several local groups have also called on him to democratically hand over power to Mr. Barrow.

Monday 19 December 2016

Muhammad Ali letter to Nelson Mandela sold for £7,200

A signed letter from Muhammad Ali to Nelson Mandela offering his condolences on the death of an anti-apartheid leader has sold for £7,200.
The typed letter, signed by the boxing legend on "Muhammad Ali in South Africa" stationery, dates from 1993.
It was sold in an auction in Devizes.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: "It's fair to say Mohammad Ali was the greatest sportsman of all time and Nelson Mandela was one of the greatest figures of the last century."

'Fierce opponent'

The letter was typed by the personal assistant to the general manager of the Elangeni Hotel in Durban, where former world heavyweight champion Ali was staying at the time.
Henry Aldridge and Son said the letter was sold to a collector in the US. It was expected to fetch between £6,000 and £8,000.
The letter also includes an explanation as to why Muhammad Ali's name was typed incorrectly by the personal assistant, who has sold the letter.
"It is a truly iconic cross collectable and will appeal to collectors of Ali memorabilia as well as those who collect Nelson Mandela material, items relating to apartheid, political history and collectors of iconic memorabilia," Mr Aldridge added.
"Muhammad Ali was only in South Africa for a short period in April 1993, arriving shortly after the assassination of Chris Hani on 10 April.
"Hani was the chief of staff of Umkhonto We Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC).
"He was a fierce opponent of the apartheid government and was murdered by a far right extremist outside of his home in Boksburg.
"Against that backdrop Ali arrived in South Africa at a time when the country stood on the edge of a precipice with civil war a possibility.
"He attended Hani's farewell at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 19 April 1993 and when he appeared to the crowd, they chanted 'Ali! Ali!'."
Mr Aldridge said Mandela kept a photograph of himself with Ali on his desk and his favourite book, in his later years, was an autographed copy of Ali's biography.

Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF confirms Mugabe as 2018 election candidate

Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party has confirmed President Robert Mugabe as its candidate for the 2018 elections.
Mr Mugabe, who is 92, has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.
At the party's conference, the Zanu-PF youth wing even proposed that Mr Mugabe should be declared president for life.
However, there have been unprecedented protests this year against Zimbabwe's economic turmoil and Mr Mugabe's leadership.
The Zanu-PF has also suffered serious infighting as factions battle it out to succeed Mr Mugabe once he eventually leaves.
His supporters broke into thunderous applause and chanted "tongai, tongai baba" [rule, rule father] as the Zanu-PF annual conference in the south-eastern town of Masvingo nominated Mr Mugabe on Saturday.

'One family'

In his acceptance speech, Mr Mugabe called for an end to party infighting.
"We agreed that conflicts should end. Infighting should end. The party ideology should be followed," he said.
"Let us be one. We are one family, the family of Zanu-PF bound together by the fact of understanding between its members."
Mr Mugabe has blamed the country's economic problems on sabotage by Western critics of his policies.
Amid violent protests earlier this year he warned there would be no Zimbabwean uprising similar to the "Arab Spring".
Source:BBC

UN envoy calls on Libyans to remain vigilant after Sirte victory

UN envoy for Libya Martin Kobler on Sunday congratulated the Libyan people on the victory over the city of Sirte against the Islamic State (IS) group, but advised them to remain vigilant.
“The control of Sirte does not mean it’s the end of terrorism in Libya, but represents an important victory,” Kobler said at a press conference near Tunis.
He insisted on the need to defuse the explosive devices left by the insurgents in order to allow the rapid return of residents.
“Libyans must remain vigilant against terrorism and to seize this opportunity to promote national reconciliation,” he advised.
The head of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj announced Saturday night that the city of Sirte is no more the Libyan stronghold of the Islamic State organization (IS) yet the war against terrorism in Libya has “not finished”.
“The battle for Sirte is over, but the war against terrorism in Libya is not over yet,” warned Sarraj, stressing the need to unify the military forces in a single army.
In his speech, the head of the unity government paid tribute to forces loyal to Haftar, who have been waging war against jihadist groups in eastern Libya for two years, hailing “the martyrs and heroes who are fighting terrorism in Benghazi.”

2016 'World's Most Powerful People' - El Sisi and Dangote listed

Two Africans made Forbes international’s list of ‘The World’s Most Powerful People’ for the year 2016. Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote was listed along with Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh el Sisi.
Both men rose up the ladder from the 2015 ranking. El Sisi was ranked 44th most powerful person in the world – 5 spots up from 2015 when he was at number 49. Dangote also notched three steps up from his 2015 position of 71st to end this year at 68 spot.
El Sisi beat the likes of incumbent US president Barrack Obama (48th), Michael Bloomberg (55th) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (56th). Dangote also beat incoming vice-president of the US, Mike Pence.
"Friend of economic reform and foe to many civil liberties and "extremist thought," el-Sisi has backed actions against ISIS as the West turns to the former general as a moderating force and economic stabilizer in the region."

Forbes on leader of the most populous Arab country

About the 62-year-old former military chief turned democratically elected president of the most populous Arab country, Forbes wrote about El Sisi’s rise to power and zeal to economically transform Egypt whiles turning the heat on Islamic State insurgents.
‘‘A former Egyptian defense minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he assumed power in 2014 after winning 97% of the vote in the country’s presidential election. Previously, in 2013, the Egyptian military ousted President Mohamed Morsi, with el-Sisi saying Morsi “did not achieve the goals of the people.”
‘‘Friend of economic reform and foe to many civil liberties and “extremist thought,” el-Sisi has backed actions against ISIS as the West turns to the former general as a moderating force and economic stabilizer in the region.”

Forbes on Africa’s richest man

Alhaji Aliko Dangote is ranked 51st on Forbes billionaires ladder for 2016. He is also Africa’s richest man. The Nigerian is founder and chairman of Dangote Cement, the continent’s largest cement producer.
‘‘In 2015 Dangote Cement launched new plants in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. The company produces more than 30 million metric tons annually, and plans to double capacity by 2018.
‘‘Dangote owns about 90% of publicly-traded Dangote Cement through a holding company; this percentage exceeds the 80% ownership ceiling set by the Nigerian Stock Exchange. 
‘‘A spokesman for Dangote told Forbes that the company has until October 2016 to lower Aliko Dangote’s stake and plans to do so by then. Other companies in the Dangote Group, which is active in 15 African countries, include publicly-traded salt, sugar and flour manufacturing companies,’‘ Forbes wrote.

Top 10 list of “The World’s Most Powerful People”

1. Vladimir Putin – Russian President 
2. Donald Trump – President-elect of the United States 
3. Angela Merkel – German Chancellor
4. Xi Jinping – Chinese President 
5. Pope Francis – Leader of the Roman Catholic Church
6. Janet Yellen – Chair of the US Federal Reserve
7. Bill Gates – Founder and CEO of Microsoft
8. Larry Page – CEO of Alphabet
9. Narendra Modi – Indian Prime Minister 
10. Mark Zuckerberg – Founder and CEO of Faceboo