Employee Experience and Communications Officer at ipNX Nigeria Limited 2019

ipNX Nigeria Limited is an integrated info-communications company focused on providing every person, every home and every business in Nigeria with world-class information, communication and entertainment services.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Employee Experience and Communications Officer

Job ID   58
Location: Lagos
Department: Human Capital Management
Travel Frequency: Occasional
Reporting to: Head, HR Operations
Function: Content creation/curation, employee experience, internal & external communications.

Purpose of the Job

• Responsible for creating and executing a digital communication strategy for engaging with employees.
• Also, monitoring and improving the overall employee experience across company culture, physical space and technology to produce an engaged, motivated and high performing workforce.

Expected Key Results

• Wholesome employee experience.
• Internal communication & content curation duties.
• Develop strategies and initiatives that would enhance employee experience.
• Monitoring employee experience KPIs (satisfaction, engagement, productivity) as it relates to company culture, physical space and technology tools.
• Drive leadership awareness, commitment and accountability for the employee experience and diversity and inclusion.
• Foster positive employer-employee relationships through effective communication.
• Design & review copy for print and digital platforms.
• Handle protocols for internal corporate announcements. Create alignment by taking concepts/ideas from various stakeholders to create deeply resonating & engaging content.
• Manage and update all ipNX internal employee digital presences such as career portal, Intranet, etc.
• Report to Executive Director, Corporate Services on trends on all employee experience touch points.
• Create SLAs for vendors as it pertains content and designs for corporate services.
• Assist with general administrative/corporate duties as necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director, Corporate Services.

Educational Qualifications & Functional Skills

• Minimum 2.2/Upper Credit, Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, HR, Communications, Public Relations or related discipline.
• Training/certification in user experience design, user research, usability design or product design is an added advantage.
• Portfolio/case studies- Visual design: e.g fliers, magazines, advertising campaigns etc, User experience design assets: personas, journey maps, wireframes, usability tests etc, copy writing and Video editing and post-production.
• Web design & development: HTML, CSS & JS (Experience of frontend frameworks like Angular, React or Vue.js is a bonus)
• User experience design tools: usability testing, user research, wireframing, prototyping, A/B testing

 Work Experience

• 1-2 years of experience in similar capacity.
• Experience with user experience design techniques e.g. user research, usability testing, wireframing, prototyping, journey mapping, personas etc.
• Creative copywriting, for presentations, email copies, publicity and advertising assets.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud i.e. XD, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AfterEffects, Premiere Pro.
• Experience with CMS i.e. WordPress, Blogger, LinkedIn Publishing, Medium
• Experience working in social media, online publishing or digital marketing and its tools e.g. Mailchimp.
• Experience working with analytics tools e.g. Google Analytics

Other Requirements:

• Storytelling
• Customer Focus
• Ability to sell
• Action orientation
• Ability to optimize work processes
• Tech savvy
• Drive results
• Self Development
• Nimble Learning
• Resilience

Application Closing Date
28th February, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Station Manager at Rainoil Limited - Kano, Kwara, Akwa Ibom and Gombe

Rainoil Limited is an integrated downstream oil and gas company. A prominent player in the Nigerian industry, the company’s operations span across the downstream value chain i.e. Petroleum Product Storage, Haulage/Distribution and Retail Sales. Our primary products include Petrol (PMS), Diesel (AGO) and Kerosene (DPK).

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Station Manager

Locations: Kano, Ilorin-Kwara, Eket - Akwa Ibom and Gombe
Reports to: Head of Retail Stations
Direct Reports: Supervisor, Cashier

Job Summary

• To ensure a smooth and uninterrupted flow of operations at the station, through effective utilization of human and material resources, and also ensuring that staff at the station adhere to the rules/ regulations/ policies that govern conducts in Rainoil

Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitors and evaluates station operational and marketing results, and develops interventions to promote business development and growth
• Evaluation of daily sales, meter reading, dipping and lodgments
• Compiles and analyses periodic sales records and consolidates such reports to the Head, Retail Sales
• Maintains excellent standards in all retail activity, driving sales and profitability through the effective deployment and development of station supervisors and cashiers in line with approved budgets
• Ensures that the due process is carried out in the discharge of products and puts in various controls to minimize fraud
• Facilitates daily stock requests from the Logistics and Marketing Departments
• Performs checks to ensure there are no disparities between the stock sold and the cash lodged
• Coordinates both the sales of white products, the lubricants at the stations and liaising with the marketing team to ensure patronage is high in line with budgets and projections
• Periodically conducts checks and inspections at the stations to ensure conformity with safety standards
• Raises requisition for stock replenishment, which is then approved by the head of Retail Stations
• Makes sure that all station activities and expenses are within the approved budget
• Implements HSE Standards and controls in the retail stations
• Tracks and addresses customer feedback and complaints

Job Interactions
Internal:

• Accounts
• Marketing
• Logistics Services

External:

• Customers
• Financial Institutions
• External auditors

Qualifications
Required:

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree/HND in a Social science, Management, Accounting, Finance or Engineering or related discipline is required
• Minimum of Four (4) years’ relevant experience in the Marketing/Sales unit of an organisation in the oil & gas industry preferably in the retail stations

Skills and Competencies
Skills:

• Asset management
• Sales & Marketing
• Industry and business knowledge
• Marketing Strategy development/implementation
• Understanding of leading practices in Bulk sales of oil and gas products
• Relationship Management

Competencies:

• Communication (verbal and written)
• Leadership
• Stakeholder management
• Planning and control
• Customer relationship management
• Negotiation and persuasion
• Entrepreneurial orientation

Working Conditions

• Business Hours: Normal Working Hours
• Work Tools: Phone, Computer
• Physical Exertion: Yes
• Travel Requirements: No

Performance Area  and Performance Measures/Indicators
Customer Service:

• Customer growth ratio
• Ratio of customers’ complaints to customer satisfaction
• Number of unsolved customer issues

Supervision, Controls & People Management:

• Number of controls in place to prevent fraud in the stations
• Number of incidents discovered and resolved
• Feedback from Sales officials
• Frequency of station downtime or closures

Learning & Development:

• Frequency of staff training
• Frequency of on the job accident due to lack of training
• Staff performance index

Reporting:

• Accuracy, timeliness, completeness of reports
• Satisfactory feedback from the Head of Retail sales

Asset Management:

• Frequency of Damages in stations and Retail outlets
• Availability of Required Equipment for maintaining the retail outlets e.g. fire extinguishers.

Profitability:

• Variance between budget and actual sales
• Turnover rate
• Ratio of Turnover to Station costs

Application Closing Date
28th January, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candiates should send their CV to: recruitment@rainoil.com.ng using the job title and location as the subject of the mail.

Station Supervisor at Rainoil Limited (Kano, Kwara, Akwa Ibom and Gombe) 2019

Rainoil Limited is an integrated downstream oil and gas company. A prominent player in the Nigerian industry, the company’s operations span across the downstream value chain i.e. Petroleum Product Storage, Haulage/Distribution and Retail Sales. Our primary products include Petrol (PMS), Diesel (AGO) and Kerosene (DPK).

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Station Supervisor

Locations: Kano, Ilorin-Kwara, Eket - Akwa Ibom and Gombe
Reporting to: Station Manager
Direct Report: Pump Attendants

Job Summary

• This role is responsible for ensuring a hitch free running of the retail stations in line with the safety standards and approved budget

Duties and Responsibilities

• Opens the station daily and ensures it is fit to run for the day, as well as securing it when activities are closed
• Takes meter readings, dips underground tanks to confirm stock quantity at keeps a log of the readings
• Executes the front-line coordination of the sales activities of the pump attendants
• Responds to any issues or queries that may arise from customers or fuel pump attendants in the discharge of their duties
• Liaises with external stakeholders who come for enquiries concerning Rainoil Products
• Performs opening and closing meter readings to ascertain the quantity of stock sold for the day
• Prepares daily and weekly reports to the station manager concerning the activities that have occurred in the station
• Coordinates the offloading of stock to the station’s tanks from the trucks
• Inspects the sales and safety equipment in the station to ascertain they are compliant with HSE standards
• Prepares retail stations’ inventory reports to ensure products are tracked and are always available at outlets

Qualifications

• Minimum of an OND in a Social science, Management,  Accounting, Finance or Engineering or related discipline is required
• Minimum of Four (4) years’ relevant experience in the Retail Marketing/Sales unit of an organisation in the oil & gas industry

Skills and Competencies
Skills:

• Asset management
• Sales &Marketing
• Customer Service
• Health Safety &Environment
• Relationship Management

Competencies:

• Communication (verbal and written)
• Stakeholder management
• Customer relationship management
• Negotiation and persuasion
• Entrepreneurial orientation

Working Condition

• Business Hours - Normal Working Hours
• Business Hours - Phone, Safety Equipment
• Work Tools - NIL
• Physical Exertion - Yes
• Travel Requirement - NO

Job Interactions
Internal:

• Logistics Services
• Internal Audit

External:

• Customers
• Financial Institutions
• External Auditors

Key Performance Area  and Performance Measures/Indicators
Customer Service:

• Customer growth ratio
• Ratio of customers’ complaints to customer satisfaction
• Number of unsolved customer issues

Supervision, Controls & People Management:

• Number of controls in place to prevent fraud in the stations
• Number of incidents discovered and resolved
• Feedback from Sales officials
• Frequency of station downtime or closures

Reporting:

• Accuracy, timeliness, completeness of reports
• Satisfactory feedback from the Head of Retail sales

Asset Management:

• Frequency of Damages in stations and Retail outlets
• Availability of Required Equipment for maintaining the retail outlets e.g. fire extinguishers.

Profitability:

• Variance between budget and actual sales
• Turnover rate
• Ratio of Turnover to Station costs

Application Closing Date
28th January, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: recruitment@rainoil.com.ng using the job title and location as the subject of the mail.

Entry-level Cashier at Rainoil Limited -Kano, Kwara, Akwa Ibom and Gombe

 Rainoil Limited is an integrated downstream oil and gas company. A prominent player in the Nigerian industry, the company’s operations span across the downstream value chain i.e. Petroleum Product Storage, Haulage/Distribution and Retail Sales. Our primary products include Petrol (PMS), Diesel (AGO) and Kerosene (DPK).

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Cashier

Locations: Kano, Ilorin, Eket and Gombe
Reports to: Station Manager

Job Summary

• To manage the petty cash inflow and outflow of Rainoil’s stations and depots as well as maintaining accurate records/books on transactions.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitates the availability of funds to meet day-to-day operational petty cash expenses and emergencies.
• Maintains records to allow easy disbursement, reconciliation and replenishment
• Processes expense retirement ledgers to ensure proper accountability of all cash advances
• Creates and maintains records of cash requests  and disbursements
• Reconciles all received cash, which have been recorded in the petty cash book, with expenses
• Processes payment for accounts and issuing receipts
• Keeps records of amounts received and paid, and regularly checking the cash balance against this record
• Collects money from bank for safe keeping before reimbursements
• Files all documents concerning cash payment and collection
• Responds to queries regarding approvals, payment limits and deadlines for retirements etc.
• Retires the various imprest accounts
• Prepares daily and weekly collections and payment summary reports for review by the station supervisor.

Job Interactions
Internal:

• Pump attendants
• Station Supervisors
• Station Mangers
• Internal Auditors

External:

• Financial Institutions
• Vendors
• Customers or agents or consignees
• External Auditors.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one (1) year work experience in a similar role
• Minimum of an OND in Accounting or any finance related discipline
  

Skills and Competencies
Skills:

• Accounting and bookkeeping
• Cash management
• Knowledge of Accounting application
• Administrative skills
• Knowledge of Accounting policies and processes

Competencies:

• Numerical and analytical skills
• Interpersonal
• Attention to detail
• Communication (written & verbal)

Performance Area and Performance Measures/Indicators
Service Quality:

• Number and frequency of complaints received
• Number of delayed payments
• Number of cash variations

Record Management:

• Completeness, accuracy of all registers and reports

Petty Cash Management:

• Availability of petty cash
• Timeliness of attending to requisitions
• Frequency of errors in data entry

Service Quality:

• Number and frequency of complaints received
• Number of delayed payments
• Number of cash variations

Company Values:

• Respect: Giving due regard to colleagues, customers, suppliers and other external stakeholders in all situations.
• Integrity: Transparency, sincerity and reliability in dealings with all customers.
• Teamwork: Shared understanding of objectives and direction and readiness to support others.
• Excellence: Consistent strong bias towards operational excellence, eliminating waste and removing obstacles to performance.
• Safety: Ensuring adherence to regulations and procedures intended to prevent accident, injury and environmental degradation.

Working Conditions:

• Business Hours: Normal Working Hours
• Work Tools: Computer, Printer, telephone
• Physical Exertion: Sitting, talking, handling
• Travel Requirements: No

Application Closing Date
28th January, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candiates should send their CV to: recruitment@rainoil.com.ng using the Job Title and Location as the subject of the mail.

Rwanda linked to suspects in dissident death: S.Africa prosecutor

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Rwanda linked to suspects in dissident death: S.Africa prosecutor



AFP/File / ALEXANDER JOE January 2014: Members of the Rwandan National Congress protest at Karegeya's death outside the Rwandan embassy in Pretoria

South African prosecutors have claimed "close links" existed between the suspects in the murder of a Rwandan dissent and the regime of President Paul Kagame, according to a letter released by a Johannesburg court Monday.

Patrick Karegeya, who was found strangled in a Johannesburg hotel on New Year's Day 2014, was a former spy chief under Kagame in Rwanda.

He then fell foul of the regime and became a dissident in exile in South Africa.

In an explosive letter released by judge Mashiyane Mathopa, the South African public prosecutor's office said in June 2018 "close links exist between the suspects and the current Rwandan government".

"It seems that all Rwandan suspects left" South Africa "in 2014 to return to Rwanda," added the prosecutor in the letter.

The judge ordered investigators to explain within 14 days if any steps had been taken to try to arrest the suspects.

The body of Karegeya, a former spy chief in Rwanda in charge of foreign intelligence, was found in the luxury Michelangelo Hotel of Johannesburg's business district on January 1, 2014.

An autopsy determined that Karegeya, who had also served as a close aide to Kagame, died allegedly on December 31, 2013, but no one has been charged with his death.

Under Kagame's regime, Karegeya took charge of foreign intelligence services for a decade, until he fell into disgrace. He was jailed twice, in 2005 and 2006.

Rwanda has always denied involvement in Karegeya's murder.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/rwanda-linked-suspects-dissident-death-safrica-prosecutor-doc-1cg4bl1

Colombia's ELN rebels claim police academy attack

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Colombia's ELN rebels claim police academy attack



AFP / JUAN BARRETO Thousands of people marched throughout Colombia on Sunday to condemn the car bombing, the deadliest attack with explosives in the city of Bogata since 2003.

Colombia's leftist ELN rebels claimed responsibility on Monday for the bombing of a police academy in Bogota that killed 20 people as well as the attacker, and derailed peace talks being held in Havana.

The National Liberation Army said Thursday's car bombing, which sparked nationwide protests, was a retaliatory attack after the government of President Ivan Duque failed to respect a unilateral ceasefire declared by the rebels over Christmas.

"The operation carried out against these installations and troops is lawful within the law of war, there were no non-combatant victims," the ELN said in a statement on its website.

It added that the academy was a military installation where cadets received training to become intelligence operatives and conduct military operations.

"The president did not respect the gesture of peace" and "his response was to carry out military attacks against us," it said.

Specifically, the ELN said Colombian troops bombed a camp on December 25, affecting a family of peasants who were nearby.

"It is then very disproportionate that, while the government is attacking us, we cannot respond in self-defense," the statement added.

The attack was a major setback to two years of peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) -- first hosted by Ecuador and currently by Cuba. They failed to go beyond the exploratory stage before stalling when Duque took power in August 2018.

In its wake, Duque announced that he was reinstating arrest warrants for 10 ELN members who are part of the group's delegation to the Cuba talks and said he was revoking "the resolution creating the conditions that allow their stay in that country."

Cuba was quick to distance itself from the attack.

"Cuba has never allowed, nor will ever allow its territory to be used to organize terrorist attacks against any state," said Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in a tweet.

Thousands of people marched throughout Colombia on Sunday to condemn the car bombing, the deadliest attack with explosives in Bogota since 2003.

Protests were held in several cities around the country, with marchers in white waving Colombian flags and chanting slogans like "cowardly killers" and "life is sacred."

The peace talks had been aimed at ending more than five decades of insurgency by the Marxist-inspired guerrillas.

Colombia has experienced relative calm since the 2016 peace accord signed by then-president Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.

With the landmark agreement turning the former rebels into a political party, the smaller National Liberation Army is considered the last active rebel group in the country.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/colombias-eln-rebels-claim-police-academy-attack-doc-1cf8eq8

Venezuela military group arrested after call to disavow Maduro

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Venezuela military group arrested after call to disavow Maduro



AFP / YURI CORTEZ Soldiers from Venezuela's National Guard fired tear gas at protesters near the Cotiza command post taken over by rebel troops aiming to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro

A group of soldiers rose up against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at a command post near Caracas on Monday, but were quickly arrested after posting an appeal for public support in a video, the government said.

"We are the professional troop of the National Guard against the regime, which we completely repudiate. I need your help, take to the streets," a man who identified himself as the group's sergeant said in video images circulated on social media.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino issued a statement shortly afterwards saying the soldiers had been arrested.

"During the arrest, stolen weapons were recovered and (the mutineers) are providing useful information to intelligence services and the military justice system," added Padrino, who said the rebels would "face the full force of the law."

No information on the number of mutineers has been given.

The soldiers rose up during the early hours of Monday morning at a National Guard command post in Cotiza, north of Caracas, which was later surrounded by police and troops.

The armed forces said a "small group of attackers" stole a batch of weapons from a command post in Petare, to the east of Caracas, and kidnapped four soldiers before heading to Cotiza.

"They were neutralized, surrendered and captured in record time," said Maduro's right-hand man, Diosdado Cabello on Twitter.

"They are already confessing details and the first thing they said is that they were offered villas and castles but were left alone, they were tricked. We will win," he added, without specifying who allegedly made the offer.

The armed forces fired tear gas at a group of neighbors that turned up outside the command post to offer support to the rebel soldiers, according to local press reports.

Parliament president Juan Guaido, who has embarked on a power struggle with Maduro since being elected to lead the National Assembly earlier this month, spoke out in support of the mutinous soldiers.

"What is happening in the National Guard in Cotiza is a demonstration of the general feeling that reigns within" the armed forces, Guaido said on Twitter.

"Our military knows that the chain of command has been broken by the usurpation of the presidential office.

"The National Assembly is committed to offering all the necessary guarantees to members of the armed forces that actively contribute to the restoration of the constitution."

Guaido previously accused Maduro of being a usurper after the socialist leader was sworn in for a second term of office on January 10, and called for the armed forces to support the legislature in restoring democracy in the country.

Maduro won controversial snap elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition and branded fraudulent by the United States, European Union and a dozen Latin American countries.

The National Assembly has been rendered impotent by the Supreme Court, dominated by Maduro loyalists, which stripped it of all its powers after the opposition gained control of the legislature in 2016 elections.

Guaido previously called on the population and armed forces to help him overthrow Maduro so he can set up a transitional government ahead of new elections.

He has also called for a mass people's protest on Wednesday to support his demands.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/venezuela-military-group-arrested-after-call-disavow-maduro-doc-1cg36d8

British PM to set out plan for salvaging Brexit deal

British PM to set out plan for salvaging Brexit deal



AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS The British prime minister has not ruled out reopening the Brexit agreement, but EU leaders have warned she should not expect any fundamental changes

Prime Minister Theresa May will set out Monday how she hopes to salvage her Brexit deal following its rejection by MPs, after cross-party talks failed to break the political deadlock just 10 weeks before departure day.

Britain will leave the European Union on March 29 without any new arrangements in place unless MPs can agree to an alternative or modified plan that the bloc can also accept.

London and Brussels have spent the best part of two years working on May's agreement, but MPs in parliament's lower House of Commons comprehensively rejected it last week.

May responded by opening talks with rival political parties, but has so far resisted their demands that she take a radically new approach.

Instead the Conservative leader is focused once again on finding a way to overcome opposition on her own side to the controversial Irish "backstop" plan in the current deal.

"It's clear already that a significant number of colleagues have expressed concerns about the backstop and that's one of the areas we're going to be looking at," her spokesman said ahead of a statement by May to MPs later Monday.


AFP / Ben STANSALL British Prime Minister Theresa May is scrambling to find a way ahead after MPs comprehensively rejected the deal she negotiated with the EU


The prime minister has not ruled out reopening the Brexit agreement, but EU leaders have warned she should not expect any fundamental changes.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier suggested on Monday the bloc could review a political statement on future relations that was agreed alongside the divorce terms.

"We are open to work again on the political declaration and to be more ambitious for the future relationship," he told the Irish RTE broadcaster.

- EU warnings -

Barnier spoke after talks with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney in Brussels, where he and other EU foreign ministers gathered for a regular meeting.

The other 27 European Union nations are watching closely for May's next move.

Spanish Foreign minister Josep Borrell was pessimistic that May would conjure up something to win over British MPs.

"I don't think it can be saved by marginal adjustments in the current plan," he said.

"It therefore has to present something substantially different, but naturally that has to be approved later in the EU."

Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak said: "This is a fair deal that 27 members strongly support so I would really not touch [it]."

May has said that if she finds a way through the gridlock in London, she could return to Brussels for talks with the EU.

"We now know what they don't want in London. We must now finally know what they want," said Germany's Heiko Maas.

- 'Hijack Brexit' -

But little may be decided until next week, increasing the risk Britain severs ties with its biggest trading partner on March 29 without any new terms in place.

With her statement on Monday, May will table a motion to parliament, but it will not be debated until January 29.


AFP/File / Tolga AKMEN London and Brussels have spent the best part of two years working on a divorce agreement but MPs in parliament's lower House of Commons comprehensively rejected it

Then, there could be fireworks -- MPs are planning to table amendments which would try to force May to stop Britain leaving the EU without a deal, or delay the process.

May has said that the only way to avoid "no deal" is to agree a deal, and insists Brexit will happen on March 29.

Her spokesman on Monday condemned the parliamentary manoeuvres, saying they are "evidence of the danger that parliament could stop Brexit".

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, a leading Brexit supporter in May's government, warned that "parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process".

- Irish backstop -

One of the most problematic areas of the divorce deal is the backstop, a legal guarantee that the frontier with Ireland would remain free-flowing if Britain and the EU cannot agree a long-term free trade pact.


 AFP/File / Paul FAITH One of the most problematic areas of the divorce deal is the so-called backstop on the Irish border


This could see Britain tied to EU trade rules for years to come as well as a separate status for Northern Ireland, and is strongly opposed by many Conservative MPs and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), on whom May counts for a majority in parliament.

"If we're going to get parliament to support the deal ... we're going to have to bring forward something which is different," May's spokesman said Monday.

He denied reports the government was considering re-opening the 1998 Irish peace accords, or negotiating a bilateral deal with Ireland to avoid the need for the backstop.

burs-ar/dt/bp
source : https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/british-pm-set-out-plan-salvaging-brexit-deal-doc-1cf5ol4

EU sanctions Russia military intel chief over Skripal

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EU sanctions Russia military intel chief over Skripal



AFP/File / Ben STANSALL The poisoning of former agent Sergei Skripal in England in March sparked a crisis in relations with Moscow

The European Union slapped sanctions on the two most senior officers in Russian military intelligence Monday and identified the two agents accused by Britain of carrying out a chemical attack.

Along with the measures against the four GRU officers, EU member states also imposed asset freezes and travel bans on five Syrians linked to strongman Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons program.

The EU accused the Russians -- two agents and the head and the deputy head of the GRU -- of orchestrating the "possession, transport and use" of the nerve agent used in Salisbury, England last March, in a failed attempt to assassinate a defector.

The agents are accused of travelling under the pseudonyms Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, but the sanctions order confirms reports that identify them as Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, both 39 years old.

These identities had previously been revealed by the British-based Bellingcat investigative group, which pieced together evidence from leaks and online data trails to find two decorated GRU field officers.

Their listing was expected, but the decision to target the GRU leadership -- identified as agency chief Igor Kostyukov and his first deputy Vladimir Alexseyev -- ups the stakes in the dispute.

"This decision contributes to the EU's efforts to counter the proliferation and use of chemical weapons which poses a serious threat to international security," a statement said, after EU foreign ministers met.

Full details of those targeted were to be placed in the EU Official Journal later Monday.

"I'm confident member states took the decision on a very strong legal basis," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, stressing that the measure would "resist the tests of the courts".

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt welcomed the decision, the first under a new EU sanctions regime focused on halting the use and spread of banned chemical weapons.

"Today's new sanctions deliver on our vow to take tough action against the reckless and irresponsible activities of the Russian military intelligence organisation, the GRU," he said.

- Offensive use -

Russian agents have been blamed for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city in March last year using the Soviet-developed nerve agent Novichok.

The Salisbury attack, the first offensive use of chemical weapons in Europe since World War II, caused an international outcry and prompted a mass expulsion of Russian diplomats by Western nations.

The Skripals survived the attack but a British woman died in June after her partner picked up a discarded perfume bottle that investigators believe was used to carry the Novichok.

Moscow denies involvement in the poisoning and has offered numerous and varied alternative explanations and counter-accusations.

There was no immediate reaction from the Kremlin after the sanctions were announced, but spokesman Dmitry Peskov had earlier brushed aside reports that "Petrov" and "Boshirov" would be targeted.

"They are under suspicion for no good reason," he said, insisting images published by British authorities of the pair visiting the UK at the time of the attack did not prove anything.

"There are a lot of pictures of Russian nationals in the UK and this is not direct evidence. We don't know of any more substantial and more concrete evidence, therefore we treat such decisions negatively."

The Syrian sanctions hit the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) and Colonel Tariq Yasmina, SSRC head Khaled Nasri, Walid Zughaid, Colonel Firas Ahmed and Said Said.

Yasmima is alleged to be the liaison between the SSRC and Assad's palace, and the others are said to be senior weapons development and production personnel.

pdw-burs-dc/jj
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/eu-sanctions-russia-military-intel-chief-over-skripal-doc-1cg4cx2

President's inauguration in DR Congo may be postponed: party source

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President's inauguration in DR Congo may be postponed: party source



AFP/File / Caroline Thirion Félix Tshisekedi, 55, at his party headquarters in KInshasa the night his provisional election victory was announced on January 10, 2019.

The swearing-in of the newly-elected president of DR Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, may be postponed by two days until Thursday, a source in his coalition said Monday.

"According to information I was given this morning, the (ceremony) has been put off until Thursday," Lydie Omanga, spokesman for the opposition coalition which backed Tshisekedi in the race to succeed outgoing President Joseph Kabila, told AFP.

Kabila's deputy head of cabinet, Jean-Pierre Kambila, said "a meeting will take place at 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) today to settle the matter."

"If the ceremony does not take place tomorrow, it will be on January 24, without doubt," he added.

Sources close to the president-elect said Monday that aspects of the ceremony remained to be decided. Invitations notably have to be sent to foreign heads of state and government, they said.

The timetable of the national electoral commission, which oversaw the long-delayed elections across the vast country, provided for the new head of state to be sworn in on Tuesday, January 22.

Tshisekedi's announced victory was legally challenged by runner-up Martin Fayulu, who called the outcome "an electoral coup" -- an alleged stitchup between Kabila and Tshisekedi.

Leaked figures from the provisional vote count appear to point heavily in his favour.

But the Constitutional Court on Sunday dismissed his appeal.

Kabila came to power in 2001 while war raged in the vast and mineral-rich country.

He extended his term by two years from 2016, unleashing protests that the security forces bloodily repressed.

Tshisekedi, 55, is the son of the late veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who died in February 2017, aged 84.

African countries that had expressed reservations about the provisional results of the election have begun to acknowledge Tshisekedi as the next president.

And the African Union, which previously said it had "serious doubts" about the figures, said Sunday it had "taken note" of the court's ruling.

It also said it was postponing sending a high-level delegation to Kinshasa on Monday to try to ease the dispute.

But the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has dismissed the official outcome.


AFP / Alain BOMMENEL Leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo


The election would mark the first peaceful transfer of power from one president to another in Democratic Republic of Congo since independence from Belgium in 1960.

The vast country suffered two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003, and the last two presidential elections, in 2006 and 2011, were marred by bloody clashes.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/presidents-inauguration-dr-congo-may-be-postponed-party-source-doc-1cg1b91

Israel says strikes Iranian targets in Syria after rocket

News
Israel says strikes Iranian targets in Syria after rocket


AFP / STR Syrian air defences respond to what state media said were Israeli missiles targeting Damascus early on January 21, 2019

Israel struck what it said were Iranian targets in Syria early Monday in response to missile fire it blamed on Iran, sparking concerns of an escalation after a monitor reported 11 fighters killed.

Israel announced the strikes against facilities it said belonged to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force as they were occurring, continuing its recent practice of speaking more openly about such raids.

It said the strikes were in response to a medium-range, surface-to-surface missile the Quds Force fired from Syria at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Sunday, which Israeli air defences intercepted.


AFP / AFP Map of Syria showing locations of air strikes against what Israel said were Iranian targets


"We saw that as an unacceptable attack by the Iranian troops -- not proxies, not Shiite militias, not Syrian forces -- Iranian troops firing an Iranian-made missile from the vicinity of Damascus towards sovereign Israel," Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists.

Israel said targets included munitions stores, a site at Damascus International Airport that was allegedly the Quds Force's main logistics hub in the country, an Iranian intelligence installation and an Iranian military training camp.

It said it also hit Syrian air defence batteries in response to dozens of missiles fired from them.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said at least 11 pro-regime fighters including two Syrians were killed.

Russia, which like Iran is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's war, said the Israeli strikes killed four Syrian soldiers and wounded six, while damaging Damascus airport infrastructure.

- Hezbollah 'also targeted' -

The Observatory said air strikes and ground-to-ground missiles hit targets around the capital including near the Damascus airport, as well as near the Thaala military airport in Sweida province to the south of the capital.


AFP / JALAA MAREY Israeli tanks deploy in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on January 20, 2019

The targets included weapons depots belonging to the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, it added.

The chain of events leading to the strikes began Sunday.

Damascus initially accused Israel of carrying out raids in southern Syria.

Syrian state news agency SANA quoted a military source saying Syria's air defences went into action after Israel launched the air strikes.

In those strikes, the Russian army said Syrian air defences had destroyed seven Israeli projectiles, after four of the Jewish state's F-16 military planes "fired rockets into Syrian territory".

Shortly afterward on Sunday afternoon, Israel said it had intercepted what it then called a rocket fired at the Golan Heights from Syria.

Video spread online of skiers on Mt. Hermon in the Israeli-controlled Golan watching air defences fire to intercept the missile. The ski centre was closed on Monday.


 AFP / STR Syrian air defences respond to what state media said were Israeli missiles targeting Damascus early on January 21, 2019


Israel then early Monday announced it was striking Quds Force targets in Syria while SANA reported that Syrian air defence systems had responded to "enemy" fire.

Israel has pledged to stop its main enemy Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria.

It has carried out hundreds of air strikes there against what it says are Iranian military targets and advanced arms deliveries to Tehran-backed Hezbollah.

Its warplanes have been targeted by anti-aircraft fire during such raids, but it has rarely faced surface-to-surface missile fire in response.

- 'Permanent policy' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Sunday that "we have a permanent policy: to strike at the Iranian entrenchment in Syria and hurt whoever tries to hurt us."

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have been speaking more openly about the country's strikes in Syria in recent days, which some analysts partly attribute to the premier wanting to burnish his security credentials ahead of April 9 elections.

But others also say it carries a strategic military purpose as well.

"If you want to make clear to the other side that you are determined to prevent something, either you escalate the operation -- more targets, more sophisticated -- or you say in public I am doing it, meaning I am ready to take the risk," said former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror.

"Israel, instead of escalating, decided to make it public."

But Israel also risks an escalation with Syria and Iran, as well as possibly further angering Russia at a time when the United States is seeking to withdraw its forces from Syria.

Military coordination between Israel and Russia in Syria took a hit after a friendly fire incident in September that led to a Russian plane being downed by Syrian air defences during an Israeli raid.

The incident angered the Kremlin and complicated Israel's operations in Syria, particularly after Moscow's delivery of the advanced S-300 air defence system there in response.

On Thursday, Israeli military officials concluded a series of talks with their Russian counterparts aimed at improving their coordination there.

More than 360,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the start of Syria's civil war with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

burs-mjs/dr
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/israel-says-strikes-iranian-targets-syria-after-rocket-doc-1cf76310

Ghosn awaits fate after vowing to stay in Japan if bailed

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Ghosn awaits fate after vowing to stay in Japan if bailed


 AFP/File / Behrouz MEHRI The Tokyo court has already rejected Carlos Ghosn's appeal for bail several times

Carlos Ghosn awaits his fate as a Tokyo court prepares to rule on his bail request after the ousted Nissan boss vowed to remain in Japan if released and offered to provide more collateral.

The auto tycoon has pleaded for bail after languishing in custody for 64 days as he fights charges of financial misconduct that he strenuously denies.

In a statement released earlier Monday, he sought to change the court's previous judgement that he represents a flight risk and might attempt to tamper with evidence.

"As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasise that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the Court concludes are warranted," Ghosn said in a statement released by his US-based representatives.

He vowed to attend any subsequent trial "not only because I am legally obligated to do so, but because I am eager to finally have the opportunity to defend myself".

"I am not guilty of the charges against me and I look forward to defending my reputation in the courtroom," concluded the statement.

A decision had not come by 7pm local time (1000 GMT) and could yet come on Tuesday.

The court has already rejected previous attempts at securing his freedom on bail and even his own lead lawyer has indicated it could be six months before he is released for a trial.


 AFP / Gal ROMA Carlos Ghosn


A spokeswoman for Ghosn, Devon Spurgeon, said his family had already rented an apartment in Tokyo where he promised to reside while awaiting trial.

He has also promised to hand over his passports, refrain from contacting people connected with the case and pay for security guards approved by prosecutors to monitor his movements, according to Spurgeon.

She added that Ghosn has also offered a higher bail fee by stumping up Nissan stock as collateral and promised to wear an electronic tracking bracelet paid for by himself.

However, an official at the Japanese justice ministry told AFP: "There is no system in Japan in which a person accused in a criminal case can be released with such a tracking bracelet."

"The court sets the bail sum and can also add appropriate conditions such as limitations on where the accused should stay," added the official.

- 'Solid, stable, sustainable governance' -

The case of Ghosn, a once-revered auto kingpin credited with turning around struggling Nissan, has gripped Japan and the business world since his arrest out of the blue on November 19 as his private jet landed at a Tokyo airport.

Since then, he has been seen in public only once, in a dramatic court appearance where the much thinner executive pleaded his innocence in a packed courtroom.


AFP/File / Kazuhiro NOGI Ghosn, a once-revered auto executive, is widely credited with turning Nissan around from the verge of bankruptcy

His wife Carole has appealed to Human Rights Watch, claiming he is being held in "harsh" conditions and subjected to round-the-clock interrogations intended to extract a confession.

The charges against Ghosn are that he under-declared his income in official documents to shareholders over an eight-year period -- an apparent bid to dodge accusations he was overpaid.

In addition, prosecutors have formally charged him with involvement in a complex scheme they say was designed to make Nissan pay for personal investment losses sustained in the financial crisis of 2008.

Ghosn's arrest has thrown into question the future of the auto alliance he forged, which has come under pressure in his absence.

Nissan immediately ousted him as chairman after the arrest, as did Mitsubishi Motors, the other Japanese firm in the three-way alliance with Renault.

The French firm is expected to meet later this week to discuss removing Ghosn as chairman and CEO. French government officials have already urged the company's board to pick a "new lasting leadership".

Late Sunday, Nissan held an inaugural meeting of a special committee designed to improve governance in the wake of the scandal.

The head of the committee, Seiichiro Nishioka, said the problem was "an excessive concentration of authority in the hands of a single person".

The committee is expected to meet three or four additional times before issuing a final report at the end of March.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday denied talk of a potential merger between Renault and Nissan, despite reports in the Japanese media that Paris was pushing for that outcome.

"The subject is not on the table today. What is on the table today is the governance of Renault," he told journalists during a visit to Cairo.

"The most important thing for us is to have solid, stable, sustainable governance for Renault."

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/ghosn-awaits-fate-after-vowing-stay-japan-if-bailed-doc-1cf7487

British PM to unveil new Brexit strategy

News
British PM to unveil new Brexit strategy



AFP / Ben STANSALL British Prime Minister Theresa May is scrambling to find a way ahead after MPs comprehensively rejected the deal she negotiated with the EU

British Prime Minister Theresa May unveils her Brexit "Plan B" to parliament on Monday after MPs shredded her EU divorce deal, deepening the political gridlock 10 weeks from departure day.

Britain will crash out of the European Union on March 29 unless MPs can force a delay or come up with an alternative plan that Brussels is also happy with, before the deadline.

London and Brussels have spent the best part of two years working on the divorce deal but MPs in parliament's lower House of Commons comprehensively rejected it on Tuesday.

EU leaders have signalled they could alter the agreement if May dropped some of her negotiating "red lines" but British media on Monday reported that she would instead attempt to negotiate some changes to the existing agreement.

The reports were met with scepticism in Europe.

"I don't think it can be saved by marginal adjustments in the current plan. I don't think she can convince MPs by presenting the same thing to them with slight tweaks," Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said in Brussels.

"It therefore has to present something substantially different."

Asked if he would change the Brexit deal, Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak said: "Why? So you want the EU to be a bigger loser than the UK? Is this what you really want?

"This is a fair deal that 27 members strongly support so I would really not touch," he said.


AFP/File / Ben STANSALL Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn stayed away from Downing Street talks, saying that a "no-deal" departure must be ruled out first -- something the prime minister says is impossible


After surviving a Commons confidence vote on Wednesday, May last week reached out to opposition parties to seek a compromise solution but the talks appear to have fallen through.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party stayed away, saying that a "no-deal" departure must be ruled out first -- something May says is impossible.

- Amendments -

After May sets out her plans for the way ahead, lawmakers are set to table a series of amendments, to be voted upon on January 29.


 AFP/File / Tolga AKMEN London and Brussels have spent the best part of two years working on a divorce agreement but MPs in parliament's lower House of Commons comprehensively rejected it

At least two groups of MPs are planning to table amendments to enable backbenchers to delay Brexit and prevent Britain leaving the EU with no agreement.

One of the proposals would enable MPs to debate and vote on Brexit issues, giving them far greater influence over government strategy.

May's Downing Street office has called them "extremely concerning".

"You've got a Leave population and a Remain parliament," International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, one of the senior Brexiteers in May's cabinet, said on Sunday.

"Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process... and in fact steal the result from the people," he told BBC television.

Britain voted by a 52-48 margin in favour of leaving the EU in a referendum in 2016 that exposed deep divisions in British society.

- Irish backstop -

One of the most problematic areas of the divorce deal is the so-called backstop on the Irish border -- a legal guarantee that the frontier would remain free-flowing if Britain and the EU cannot agree a long-term free trade pact.


AFP/File / Paul FAITH One of the most problematic areas of the divorce deal is the so-called backstop on the Irish border


Changes in the backstop could help win over Conservative eurosceptics, and the party's Democratic Unionist allies that May counts upon for a majority in parliament.

Graham Brady, who chairs the committee of backbench Conservative MPs, said he thought May could get her Brexit deal past Conservative rebels if the Irish backstop "can be sorted out".

"So much of the vote against was from people who simply cannot support a potentially permanent backstop, if that can be sorted out then I think we might get that withdrawal agreement through," he told BBC radio.

He said it was in Ireland's interests to help Britain leave the EU with a deal, saying they would be far more hurt by a no-deal Brexit that Britain as most of their trade comes through the UK.

But Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said Sunday that he and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar were in no mood to support alterations to the withdrawal agreement (WA) or the backstop.

"We remain united and focused on protecting Ireland," he said.

"That includes continued support for the EU/UK agreed WA in full, including the backstop as negotiated."
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/british-pm-unveil-new-brexit-strategy-doc-1cf5ol3

Your Pants Or Your Life? - The Shocking Stories Of Ladies Being Held At Gunpoint For Their Panties

Your Pants Or Your Life? - The Shocking Stories Of Ladies Being Held At Gunpoint For Their Panties

Last Wednesday, a young lady, the daughter of a cleric, in a particular church in Ondo State spread her underwear on a line at the back of her room and went to sleep. In the morning when she went to check for the underwear, she was confronted with an empty space where her underwear had been. The two security men within the vicarage had left by then but they were summoned and confronted with queries over the missing panties. Though investigations are ongoing, it has not been proved that the two security men were culpable.

But that incident was a clear indication of the new round of oddities the nation is witnessing. Cases of missing underwear are now very rife, forcing young women and ladies to be wary of spreading their underwear in the open.

Other cases abound in which the culprits had been caught red-handed with several underwear.  Stories have also circulated about how young men attacked ladies and dispossessed them of their underwear. One of such stories went viral last weekend. It was said that some boys invaded an eatery in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, and forced the ladies present to remove their underwear. Those who did not wear underwear, according to the story, were given new panties by the attackers to wear for about five minutes. The boys, the report, went further, later disappeared from the scene.
Though Sunday Tribune could not confirm the veracity of the story, some people swore it actually happened. Similar stories had since been circulated by words of mouth or on the social media, but none, according to Sunday Tribune investigations, except those caught in the act, had been verified, creating a possible scenario that mischievous people might simply be escalating fake news to cause unease in the society.

So serious are the cases of missing ladies’ underwear that it has become prayer points in some churches. Video clips where some churches turning the incident into an important point for prayers have also become hits on social media more for their hilarity than the seriousness of the issue.
Sunday Tribune gathered that the fear of becoming victims have forced some women to forgo panties altogether. A news report did the rounds recently that ladies in a tertiary institution in Delta State no longer wore undies for fear of being attacked. The report of women who no longer wear undies might sound unbelievable, but it underscores the seriousness which people now attach to such happenings since the general belief is that the stolen underwear are being used for juju to make money.
For quite a while, it was as if the attackers were invincible. However, that now seems a thing of the past. Recently in Ibadan, a man in his late 40s or early 50s was caught with almost a dozen underwear. He was said to have been picking them off clotheslines until someone spotted him and raised the alarm. Unfortunately, before the suspect could bolt away, he was apprehended by an angry mob.

The suspect was stripped of his green T-Shirt while a lady among the mob kept asking him where he stole the pants from, where he was taking them and what he wanted to do with them. Despite being severely beaten, the suspect did not utter a word.
Another lady, as she flipped several pants from inside a nylon bag that the man had on him, stuffed a pair of white pants in his mouth and instructed him to chew it. When he refused to do so, a young man hit him at the back of his head with a stick. Taking a cue from the action, others began to pelt the suspect with stones and other objects until he started bleeding, and was left with swollen lips and eyes.

If the man referred to above faced jungle justice at the hands of a mob, one Chinenya Okorie is currently facing charges at a Magistrates’ court in Onitsha, for stealing an underwear (valued at about N250) of a 19-year-old lady, Ofodili Mary. It was the first of such cases in which an accused person is facing charges according to the laws of the land.
Similarly, police in Awka, arrested a 19-year-old who stole an underwear at about 6.48 am on January 11. Police said the suspect had planned to sell it for N80,000 while still on the trail of his accomplices.

What they do with female underwear…
Sunday Tribune spoke with some spiritual leaders to find out if there were indeed any spiritual reasons for the current upsurge in the stealing of ladies’ underwear, each of which investigations revealed could be worth between N200,000 and N250,000.
Evangelist J Dewumi of Jehovah Mission Church of God (Itedo Alasepe), Molete, Ibadan and a traditionalist, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, both agreed that anyone doing anything to hurt another “is spiritually wicked.”

Evangelist Dewumi said: “It is the end times as warned by the Bible; so, strange acts shouldn’t surprise us. It doesn’t surprise me. Worse things will still happen. Anyhow, the problem with most people, especially our youths, is that they are in a hurry to make money. They don’t want to wait for God’s time. Anything outside of God never pays off at the end.
“The private parts of a woman are sacred and expected to be hidden.  A woman’s beauty ends in what’s between her thighs. That is what her pants protect. Same for their pants; it’s supposed to be hidden.

“Those who steal ladies’ pants intend to use it for sinister things. Truly some people use their pants for money rituals; so do wicked people use it for longevity and also to spiritually steal people’s wellbeing. The victim’s may suddenly cease, which means she won’t be able to get pregnant again.

“The outcome is not immediately noticeable, but women may not be able to be able to get pregnant. When you see women beginning to lose weight and tests can’t reveal any physical ailment, then it must be a spiritual attack. However, people doing this don’t know they don’t have the final say. If God intervenes, their folly will be exposed. It is not found in the Bible, Quran and even among traditionalists that human beings should engage in anything to fast track success before God’s time.”
Chief Elebuibon in his own reaction advised women to always keep their pants safe even in their own homes, no matter the situation.

“It shouldn’t be on clothesline outside the house because a woman’s private is her itele idi (closest part to her) and should be kept private. From time, it is the wicked ones who steal women’s pants, clothes, sputum, etc., to spiritually harm others. I don’t know how they use pants to make money, but wicked people can do anything.

“In those days when we didn’t have menstrual pads, our women cut from old clothes and use when they were observing their monthly period and nobody saw it. It was a private thing. Our women, even if they gave their clothes to drycleaners, they never gave their pants and bras to launderers. We can only warn our women to be careful,” he also said.

Sunday Tribune, also during the week, got a piece of information that a female student of Delta State University, Abraka who claimed to be a victim but did not want her identity revealed said she was held at gun point by some people who asked her to remove her pants. It was not clear whether the attackers succeeded in taking away her undies or not.
“Yes, guys are now using guns to rob female (sic) of their pants. It’s now your pant or your life,’the information forwarded to Sunday Tribune stated.
Another lady, Akinpelu Boluwatife, said she is now more careful about where she puts her underwear as news of disappearing undies is now common. She also told Sunday Tribune that she has already joined the bandwagon of ladies who no longer wear pants as a result of the situation.
“The fear of these ritualists has made us to stop wearing pants, to be on a safer side. After performing rituals on the pants, as we hear, the ladies may start bleeding or vomiting blood. Since the news got to my friends and I, we have stopped putting on pants and we have also stopped staying out late at night,”she said.

A lady, Jumoke Timilehin, while speaking with Sunday Tribune on the issues said: “Stealing people’s pants does not really mean that the juju will work for those who stole them. There have been cases where the stolen used pants and the ritual back-fired on the person. Aside that it is against the will of God.

“These days all I do is pray that my underwear is not stolen. Also, I make sure I don’t go just anywhere. One just has to be very careful. Some girls say they will stop wearing pants. I will advise them to do because it only God that can protect someone.”
As it were, even the police have weighed in on the missing pants syndrome. At a Police/Community Relations Committee meeting in Omi Adio area of Ibadan recently, the police warned that community resident, especially women, to be careful with their personal clothing especially under wears based on reports they have heard, one of which was that a particular lady whose underwear, it was claimed, got stolen, died afterwards.

Though using different items including human body parts to make juju for money is not new in these part of the world, yet forcing ladies to give up their pants for the sake of ‘juju money’ is actually a new dimension which for a time to come is a riddle which might be difficult to unravel.
—Additional reports by Temitope Yakubu and Shalom Orido.
***
Source: https://www.tori.ng/news/114721/your-pants-or-your-life-the-shocking-stories-of-la.html

China's population growth slows

China's population growth slows

People walk through a shopping mall complex in Beijing on January 21, 2019. – China’s economy grew at its slowest pace in almost three decades in 2018, losing more steam in the last quarter as it battles a massive debt pile and a US trade war, official data showed on January 21. (Photo by NICOLAS ASFOURI / AFP)

China’s population grew at a slower rate last year despite the abolition of the one-child policy, official data showed Monday, raising fears an ageing society will pile further pressure on an already slowing economy.

There were 15.23 million live births in 2018, a drop of two million from the year before, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.
With 9.93 million deaths, this led to a growth rate of 3.81 per thousand in 2018, a dip from 5.32 per thousand the previous year.
NBS commissioner Ning Jize said population growth had peaked, but said the country still had huge potential.

“China’s labour participation rate is not considered low worldwide, more than 700 million of our 900 million people (of working age) are employed, and there is still room (for growth),” he said.
Signs of China’s falling population growth had emerged when data released by some local authorities indicated a significant drop in births last year.

In Qingdao, a city in eastern Shandong province — one of China’s most populous regions — births between January and November decreased by 21 percent to just over 81,000 compared to the previous year.

Still, China’s total population rose by 5.3 million in 2018 to 1.395 billion people, retaining its title as the world’s most populous nation.
China for decades limited most families to one child — often enforcing this policy through hefty financial penalties — in a bid to control population growth.
This was relaxed in 2016 when couples were allowed two children in response to concerns about an ageing society and shrinking workforce.
China’s workforce — those aged between 16 and 59 — was 897.3 million last year, a 4.7 million drop from 2017, NBS data showed.
The workforce is on track to decline by as much as 23 percent by 2050.
Source: https://guardian.ng/news/chinas-population-growth-slows/

2019 Full Scholarships For Global Professionals at Swedish Institute – Sweden

The Swedish Institute (SI) has launched the Full Swedish Institute Scholarships For Global Professionals (SISGP) Programme. This program will be available to students from selected countries who are looking at pursuing a degree program in Sweden.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: The programme is open to applicants from selected countries on the OECD/DAC list who have work and leadership experience.
Value Of Scholarships: The scholarship covers:

1. Tuition fees: directly paid to the Swedish university by us
2. Living expenses of SEK 10,000/month
3. Travel grant of SEK 15,000 *
4. Insurance against illness and accident
5. Membership of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders(NFGL) – a platform to grow professionally and build your network while in Sweden
6. Membership of the SI Alumni Network after your scholarship period – a platform for continued networking and further professional development

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Applicants must be a citizen of an SISGP-eligible country
• Applicants must have completed their Bachelors degree program
• Applicants must be proficient in English Language
• Applicants must be citizens of the following countries; Bangladesh; Bolivia; Brazil; Cambodia; Cameroon; Colombia; Ecuador; Egypt; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guatemala; Honduras; Indonesia; Jordan; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Morocco; Myanmar (Burma); Nepal; Nigeria; Pakistan; Peru; Philippines; Rwanda; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania; Tunisia; Uganda; Vietnam; Zambia; Zimbabwe.

Method of Application: A complete application must consist of:

1. a completed motivation letter
2. a CV
3. two valid and completed letters of reference
4. valid and completed proof of work and leadership experience
5. a copy of your valid passport

Click Here To See Application Process
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: February 14, 2019

International Scholarships at Uppsala University – Sweden, 2019

The Uppsala University, Sweden is offering scholarship opportunities to Interested International students who wants to undergo a degree program at the Institution.
Eligible Countries: ALL

Course Level: Undergraduate & Masters
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:

• be International students.
• pursuing the bachelors degree must have successfully completed their upper secondary (high school).
• pursing the masters degree must have completed their bachelors degree program from an internationally recognized university.
• demonstrate academic talent and show interest in belonging to an educational environment.
• have received an offer of place at Uppsala University.

Method of Application: Applicants who are interested in this scholarship program should apply for one of Uppsala University’s Bachelor’s programmes in the area of Game Design or international Master’s programme through the website www.universityadmissions.se
Visit The Scholarship Webpage For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st February 2019

PhD Scholar Awards At University Of Manchester, UK 2019

The University of Manchester, UK invites applications from International students who are willing to pursue a degree program at the Institution.
To be taken at (country): UK
Course Level: PhD

Value Of Scholarship: In addition to standard awards which include tuition fee and stipend, successful PDS Award candidates are entitled to an additional £1,000 p.a. enhancement to their funded stipend/living allowance.

They will also have the opportunity to:

• Attend a series of exclusive events where you’ll have the opportunity to meet the University of Manchester President and Vice Chancellor, interact closely with our academic community and network with other PDS Award students
• Benefit from international research leadership under distinguished scholars
• Become a PDS Award ambassador for the University
• Receive a President’s Doctoral Scholar medal at graduation
• Benefit from our extensive postgraduate researcher development and training

Duration Of Scholarship: 3 years
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• have obtained a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) and hold (or expect to obtain) a Masters-level qualification with Distinction.
• have a track-record of research engagement (including relevant research experience and dissemination) and/or potential for outstanding research, as demonstrated in the quality of the proposal submitted as part of the application.

Method of Application: To be considered for one of these awards, candidates are required to submit an Alliance MBS PhD application and indicate that you wish to be considered for this funding opportunity.
Visit The Scholarship Webpage For More Information
Award Provider: University of Manchester, UK
Scholarship Application Deadline: 30th January 2019

Big Brother Naija Auditions, 2019

This edition of BBNaija season 4 will be hosted in Nigeria. After headlining two seasons as the major sponsor, Payporte will give way for Bet9ja as the new headline sponsor for Big Brother Naija 2019. As usual, the audition process will take place in major cities across Nigeria.
Auditions will hold on Friday, February 1, 2019 and Saturday, February 2, 2019

• Lagos: DPodium Event Centre
• Port Harcourt: Hotel Presidential
• Abuja: Multichoice Office (Plot 1548 Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Maitama)
• Ibadan: MAUVE 21 Events Center
• Enugu: Oaklands Hotel and Park
• Warri: Deluxe Garden Suites
• Calabar: Venetian Arena

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu will return as the host of the Big Brother Naija Season 4.
Note: Auditions are open only to those above 21, with a valid Nigerian international passport. Audition is Free!

PhD Fellowship at United Nations University in Canada, 2019

The UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) offers an excellent multicultural environment for scholars to work on their research and interact with scholars from different countries and disciplines.
Course Level: Fellowship/Postdoctoral
Offered annually? Yes
Eligible Countries: All. Applicants from developing countries and women are particularly encouraged to apply.
To be taken at (country): Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Duration of Scholarship: The fellowship is a full-time employment on a one (1) year Personnel Service Agreement (PSA) contract, and can only be extended (for a maximum of one (1) year) based on budget availability and a progress review conducted during the 9th month of the first-year fellowship.
Method of Application: Interested applicants should submit their applications by e-mail in the form of an Adobe Acrobat PDF file to hr.inweh@unu.edu. Applications must include the following:
a separate cover letter setting out how the applicant’s qualifications and experience match the eligibility requirements of the positions / topics listed
a completed and signed UNU Personal History (P.11) form (do not use similar forms provided by other United Nations organisations and do not submit your curriculum vitae)
an abstract of your current PhD research/dissertation
one sample (.pdf file) of your recent publication in English
Note for references: At least one (1) reference must come from one of your PhD supervisors
an indication of the reference number of the vacancy announcement (2018/UNU/INWEH/PSA/PDF/UWR/UWR/WRR/01)
Visit Fellowship Webpage for details
Scholarship Application Deadline: 11th February 2019

Meristem Securities Limited Analyst Trainee Program, 17th January, 2019

Meristem Securities Limited is a leading capital market conglomerate offering Investment banking, Wealth management, Stock broking, Registrars and Trustee services.
Applications are invited for:
Title: Meristem Analyst Trainee Program (MATP)
Location: Lagos
Job Type: Full time

Job Description

• The recruitment process for the next set of analyst to undergo its yearly Meristem Analysts Trainee Programme has commenced.

Requirements
Our new Meri-Stars should have:

• Not more than 2 years post-NYSC experience.
• Completed the mandatory National Youth Service – NYSC
• Relevant professional qualifications (or ongoing certification program) such as ACA, ACCA, CIS, CFA will be an advantage.
• A minimum of second class upper first degree in any Management Science/Social Science related discipline, preferably in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Statistics,Agricultural Economics etc. Those who have non-management and social sciences i.e. engineering, technology, sciences degrees are welcome to apply only if they have a flair for Investment Research

Method of Application:
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

100% MSc Scholarships At University Of Sussex, UK – 2019

The Economics Department at the University of Sussex, UK is offering scholarship opportunities to Africans who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
This scholarship program includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: You must be a national of one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To Be Taken At (Country): UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The scholarship includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• be citizens of the above mentioned countries
• have completed their bachelors degree program.
• have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
• have good academic records.

Method of Application: Click Here to Apply
In order to be considered for this Scholarship, you must have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st April 2019

100% MSc Scholarships At University Of Sussex, UK – 2019

The Economics Department at the University of Sussex, UK is offering scholarship opportunities to Africans who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
This scholarship program includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: You must be a national of one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To Be Taken At (Country): UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The scholarship includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• be citizens of the above mentioned countries
• have completed their bachelors degree program.
• have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
• have good academic records.

Method of Application: Click Here to Apply
In order to be considered for this Scholarship, you must have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st April 2019

100% MSc Scholarships At University Of Sussex, UK – 2019

The Economics Department at the University of Sussex, UK is offering scholarship opportunities to Africans who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
This scholarship program includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: You must be a national of one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To Be Taken At (Country): UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The scholarship includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• be citizens of the above mentioned countries
• have completed their bachelors degree program.
• have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
• have good academic records.

Method of Application: Click Here to Apply
In order to be considered for this Scholarship, you must have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st April 2019

100% MSc Scholarships At University Of Sussex, UK – 2019

The Economics Department at the University of Sussex, UK is offering scholarship opportunities to Africans who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
This scholarship program includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: You must be a national of one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To Be Taken At (Country): UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The scholarship includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• be citizens of the above mentioned countries
• have completed their bachelors degree program.
• have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
• have good academic records.

Method of Application: Click Here to Apply
In order to be considered for this Scholarship, you must have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st April 2019

100% MSc Scholarships At University Of Sussex, UK – 2019

The Economics Department at the University of Sussex, UK is offering scholarship opportunities to Africans who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
This scholarship program includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Course Level: Masters
Eligible Countries: You must be a national of one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To Be Taken At (Country): UK
Number of Awards: 1
Value of Award: The scholarship includes the full payment of the overseas tuition fee and a maintenance grant of £10,000 but does not include travel expenses to and from the United Kingdom.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for this scholarship program, applicants must:

• be citizens of the above mentioned countries
• have completed their bachelors degree program.
• have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
• have good academic records.

Method of Application: Click Here to Apply
In order to be considered for this Scholarship, you must have been offered and accepted a place on either the Development Economics MSc or Economics MSc to start in September 2019.
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1st April 2019