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Rita Akana

12.Sep.2016

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Americans commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's massive twin towers collapsed.

As classical music drifted across the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan, family members and first responders slowly read the names and delivered personal memories of the almost 3,000 victims killed in the worst attack on U.S. soil since the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Tom Acquarviva lost his 29-year-old son Paul, who worked at financial services firm Canter Fitzgerald on the 101st to 105th floors of the North Tower, just above where the first plane struck. Acquarviva was one of 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed in the attack.

"We miss him terribly. Terribly, terribly, terribly. Not a day goes by that we don't remember him," Acquarviva told Reuters. But he said he felt a sense of hope: "There are more people here today than there ever have been."

The ceremony paused for six moments of silence: four to mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center crumpled.

It was held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls that now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters.

More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001. Many of the first responders died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors.

At the Pentagon, a trumpet played as U.S. President Barack Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony.

"Fifteen years may seem like a long time. But for the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, I imagine it can seem like just yesterday," Obama said.

No public officials spoke at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. But many dignitaries attended, including Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"We'll never forget the horror of Sept. 11, 2001," Clinton said in a brief statement. "Let's honor the lives and tremendous spirit of the victims and responders."

Trump said in a statement that it was a day of sadness and remembrance, but also of resolve.

"Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished ... is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life," Trump said.

Reuters

 

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Rita Akana

11.Sep.2016

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France has called on Gabon to fully cooperate as it exercises consular protection per the Vienna Convention for its nationals arrested during the post-election violence.

This was expressed on Friday in a statement by the French foreign office after Prime Minister Manuel Valls had on Tuesday requested the whereabouts of some 15 Franco-Gabonese since the beginning of the crisis.

“France remains attentive to the situation of many of its nationals who it wishes to exercise consular protection under the Vienna Convention. It calls for the full cooperation of the Gabonese authorities,” it said.

The Gabonese foreign ministry announced later that the French binational citizens in the central African country had been arrested and detained during the post-election violence.

They also emphasized that the arrested are subject to Gabonese laws which says “binational Gabonese citizens residing in the country cannot make use of another nationality”.

A special court in Gabon has however released two of the Franco-Gabonese nationals on Wednesday who were arrested when they went to an area to assess the extent of damage caused during the post-election protest.

France added in its statement on Friday that it was closely following the case in the oil-rich Central African country which is home to 14,000 of its citizens and a permanent military base.

“(The court) must examine (the results) with transparency and impartiality and all means must be put in place to ensure the respect of its principles and establishment of the integrity of the vote,” Jean-Marc Ayrault said in the statement.

President Ali Bongo Ondimba was declared winner of the 2016 presidential elections last Wednesday resulting in violence after the opposition led by Jean Ping rejected the results calling it a fraud.

The opposition has filed a petition at the Constitutional Court to authorise a recount in a province where President Ali Bongo won 95 percent of the votes on a 99.9 percent turnout.

But he has already said he has no faith in the judicial body he thinks is too close to the government, and suggested on Friday that people would take to the streets if it does not order a recount.

Africannews

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Rita Akana

10.Sep.2016

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An earthquake measuring 5.7 hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday, 44 km from Bukoba, close to the western shore of Lake Victoria, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake, recorded at a depth of 10 km, struck at 1227 GMT, the report added.

 

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Rita Akana

10.Sep.2016

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ameroon’s Minister of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, says Government would take measures to ensure the security of players, fans and all during the African Women Cup of Nations in November in the cities of Yaounde and Limbe.

Beti Assomo was speaking in Limbe on Wednesday, September 7, during a public briefing held after a visit to the Limbe Omnisport Stadium, the two training pitches at Middle Farms and Centenary Stadium and the Atlantic Beach Hotel complex.

The Defence Minister was accompanied to Limbe by four other Ministers: Rene Emmanuel Sadi of Territorial Administration, the Secretary of State in Charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam, the Delegate General for National Security and the Minister of Sports, Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt.

Assomo’s delegation was also powered by four military Generals: Generals Samobo Pierre, Samuel Njock Elokobi, Sali Mohamadou and Mahamat Ahmed.

Minister Assomo said their joint visit was to enable them see how they can synchronise their security plans to ensure that there shall be no loop holes or security lapses during the AWCON games.

Besides, Cameroon is still at war with Boko Haram in the North of the country.

Recently, the gang of blood curdling murderers resorted to the use of suicide bombing as their tactic in the senseless war against innocent and hapless citizens.

But the Cameroonian armed forces, in collaboration with their Nigerian, Chadian and Niger counterparts have dealt a devastating blow to the sect’s ability to cause mass harm.

Notwithstanding, Assomo said Government was living no stone unturned.

While in Limbe, the defence boss thanked Governor Okalia Bilai, for all that they have been doing to ensure the security of persons and property.

He, nevertheless, tasked the Governor and all the security heads to ensure that all problems are identified and given proper solutions.

He urged them to ensure serenity and proper work rapport between project controllers and their workers.

“My wish is that the security aspect of this tournament is handled at its best…

You will need to have a better mastery of the social, cultural and political feelings of the people in order to be able to ensure proper security before, during and after the games,” Assomo told his security collaborators during his Limbe visit.

Source:Cameroonpost

 

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Rita Akana

10.Sep.2016

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After several months of absence, Chantal Biya has returned to Yaounde today Friday, September 9,2016 alongside her husband President Paul Biya.

Chantal Biya returned to Yaounde, the capital, Friday, September 9, at noon after several months of absence, in the company of her husband: Mr Paul Biya.

The absence of the First Lady had been noted  since the  20 of May, 2016, which is Cameroon's National Day.She normally  accompanies the Head of State, who chairs the traditional military and civil parade at National Day celebrations at the  20 May Boulevard in Yaounde.
Her conspicuous long stay abroad had fuelled a lot of rumors on the web in recent months, with some citing differences with her husband and others saying she went abroad to bring her daughter, Brenda Biya,who was subjected to several controversies recently back to order.

The return of Chantal Biya in her husband's company reassures the "good health" of the presidential couple and family.

President Biya returned to Cameroon Friday after a "short private stay in Europe". He departed Cameroon on August 24.

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Gilbert Fontah

09.Sep.2016

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