Taiwan 'already independent', Tsai warns China [AFP]

Amber WANG,
AFP•





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Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen won a second term at the weekend with record support -- seen as a forceful rebuke of China's campaign to isolate the self-ruled island
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen won a second term at the weekend with record support -- seen as a forceful rebuke of China's campaign to isolate the self-ruled island (AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)



China must rethink its hardline stance towards Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday, as she warned the island was already independent and that any invasion would be "very costly" for Beijing.

Tsai won a second term over the weekend with a record 8.2 million votes, an outcome that was seen as a forceful rebuke of China's ongoing campaign to isolate the self-ruled island.

China's leadership had made no secret of its desire to see Tsai turfed out because she and her party refuse to acknowledge their view that the island is part of a "one China".

Beijing regards Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary -- especially if it declares independence.

But in her first interview since Saturday's re-election, Tsai told the BBC there was no need to formally announce independence because the island already runs itself.

"We don't have a need to declare ourselves an independent state," she said in the interview, which aired on Wednesday.

"We are an independent country already and we call ourselves the Republic of China, Taiwan."

Modern Taiwan has been run separately from the mainland for the last 70 years.

For decades, it was a dictatorship under Chiang Kai-shek's nationalists following their 1949 defeat to the communists in China's civil war.

But since the 1980s, it has morphed into one of Asia's most progressive democracies, although it is only diplomatically recognised by a dwindling handful of countries.

Polls show growing numbers of Taiwanese reject the idea that the island should be part of the Chinese mainland.

"We have a separate identity and we're a country of our own," Tsai said. "We deserve respect from China".

- 'Stink for eternity' -

China has greeted Tsai's re-election with anger, warning against any move to push the island closer towards independence.

"Splitting the country is doomed to leave a name that will stink for eternity," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said this week.

Chinese state media also accused Tsai of winning the election through cheating, without providing evidence.

On Wednesday, Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office said there were no plans to change policy towards the island after the landslide election.

"Taiwan's future lies in the unification of the country," spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said, adding its future must be decided by "all Chinese people".

But Tsai said China should respect the wishes of Taiwan's electorate.

"I hope the Chinese side can understand in-depth the opinion and will expressed by Taiwanese people in this election and can review some of their current policies," she told reporters on Wednesday.

Tsai was speaking as she announced a new "anti-infiltration law" had been signed into effect making it illegal to launch political activities that are backed or funded by "hostile external forces".

Supporters say the bill is aimed at clamping down on China's infiltration of Taiwan's politics while opponents called it anti-democratic.

- Costs of war -

In her BBC interview -- which came as Taiwan held annual military drills on the south of the island -- Tsai warned Beijing against sending in troops.

"Invading Taiwan is something that is going to be very costly for China," she said.

Critics accuse Tsai of being needlessly antagonistic towards Beijing.

But Tsai said she had resisted pressure from within her own party to be more forceful on the issue of independence.

"There are so many pressures, so much pressure here that we should go further," she said.

"Maintaining a status quo remains our policy... I think that is a very friendly gesture to China."

Tsai has repeatedly said she is willing to talk to Beijing as long as there are no pre-conditions.

But Beijing has refused, cutting off official communication with her administration.

Over the last four years, it has also has ramped up economic, military and diplomatic pressure, hoping it would scare voters into supporting the opposition.

But the strong-arm tactics backfired with voters resoundingly backing Tsai for another four more years.

Russia says urging Gulf nations to consider a joint security mechanism

By Alasdair Pal and Devjyot Ghoshal,
Reuters•
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov reacts during joint news conference in Colombo

By Alasdair Pal and Devjyot Ghoshal

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday Moscow has been urging Gulf countries to consider a common security mechanism for the region and it was time the world got rid of unilateral measures such as sanctions.

"We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms ... starting with confidence building measures and inviting each other to military exercises," Lavrov told a security conference in Delhi.

Tensions in the Gulf have risen following the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani and a retaliatory missile attack by Iran on U.S. forces in Iraq.

"Since I mentioned about Persian Gulf, we are very much concerned about what is going in there," Lavrov said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is also attending the conference in Delhi that comes just a day after Britain, France and Germany formally accused Iran of violating the terms of its 2015 agreement to curb its nuclear program, which eventually could lead to the reimposing of U.N. sanctions.

Iran's Fars news agency quoted Zarif as saying overnight that the use of the dispute mechanism was legally baseless and a strategic mistake.

Lavrov said unilateral sanctions were a problem in today's world.

"So the 21st century is the time when we must get rid of any methods of dealing in international relations which smack of colonial and neo-colonial times. And sanctions, unilaterally imposed sanctions, they are not going to work."

After pulling out of the Iran deal, the United States slapped sanctions back on Iran and has gradually increased its "maximum pressure" campaign targeting the Islamic Republic's revenues from oil, mining and other industries.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on Tuesday for U.S. President Donald Trump to replace the Iranian nuclear deal with his own new pact to ensure the Islamic Republic does not get an atomic weapon.

Trump said in a tweet he agreed with Johnson for a "Trump deal".

U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger will also be addressing the Delhi meeting on Thursday.




(Additional reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Nidhi Verma; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Lincoln Feast.)

An Iranian general said officials lied about shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet to defend national security

kcorcoran@businessinsider.com (Kieran Corcoran),
Business Insider•

Scroll back up to restore default view.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, sought to justify lying about whether Iran shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752.


In a TV address Wednesday, he said had Iran immediately told the truth, its air defense network would have been left "crippled."


A Revolutionary Guard Corps missile shot down flight 752 on January 8. It took until January 11 for Iran to admit what really happened.


At first, Iranian officials apologized unreservedly for the crash. But in the days since, some have sought to justify the action, or shift the blame.

An Iranian general defended his government's decision to lie for days about whether it shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing 176 people.

General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, whose troops oversaw the missile system that shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, said that Iran covered it up to defend national security.

He made the statement in a television address on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Hajizadeh said that Iran denied the shoot-down "for the betterment of our country's security, because if we had said this, our air defense system would have become crippled and our guys would have had doubted everything."
General Amir Ali Hajizadeh Iran Revolutionary Guard

Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

He appears to have meant that Iranian missile defense would have been compromised by a lack of confidence in itself after making such a catastrophic error, rather than any technical fault to stop their equipment working.

Hajizadeh is part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful paramilitary force which answers directly to the country's supreme leader and is considered more hardline than its elected government.

His remarks are a significant turnaround from four days ago, when he said publicly that he felt such shame over the shootdown that "I wish I could die."

It was a Revolutionary Guard missile system which fired at flight 752, a Boeing 737-800, minutes after it took off in the early hours of January 8.

Iran insisted for three days that the crash was due to a mechanical fault. On the fourth day, Iranian officials admitted shooting the plane down.

Political and military leaders apologized unreservedly, promised to prosecute those involved, and insisted that the shootdown was a mistake.

Iran Ukranian air crash

The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

Officials said that soldiers mistook the plane for an enemy cruise missile in the confused aftermath of an Iranian bombardment of US troops stationed at a military base in Iraq.

However, in the days since Iran admitted to the shootdown, some military leaders have started to row back on the absolute admission of guilt from the government.

On Tuesday, the deputy head of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff gave an interview in which he appeared to suggest that the US could have hacked Iran's weapons systems at the time of the crash.

According to a translation by Kian Sharifi of the BBC Monitoring service, General Sardar Abdullahi raised the prospect of "electronic warfare" having played a part in the shootdown.
Iran Ukraine plane crash candlelit vigil Tehran

AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

According to the AP, the crash has also exposed gaps between Iran's government and the Revolutionary Guard.

AP reported that Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, said that he and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani only found out that the plane crash was due to Iranian missiles on Friday January 10, two days after the attack.

The Revolutionary Guard would have known straight away, raising the possibility that they hid the truth from their own government until after Western governments began publicly describing it as a missile strike.

Read the original article on Business Insider

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tells Fox News she won't hold press briefings because reporters just 'want their moment on TV so they can peddle their books

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tells Fox News she won't hold press briefings because reporters just 'want their moment on TV so they can peddle their books

gpanetta@businessinsider.com (Grace Panetta),
Business Insider•
Stephanie Grisham

Screenshot via "Fox & Friends"


White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said on "Fox & Friends" that she doesn't want to hold televised press briefings because reporters "just want their moment to peddle their books."


As the Washington Post recently noted, the last briefing was held by former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on March 11, 2019. Grisham has not held a briefing in her time in the role.


"They don't want information, because my team and I give them information every single day...they want a moment, they want their moment on TV so they can peddle their books," Grisham said of the press.


Not holding briefings where a reporter can ask any question on the spot allows Grisham to selectively respond to the questions she wants to address.

In a Thursday morning interview on "Fox & Friends," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said she doesn't want to hold televised press briefings because reporters "just want their moment to peddle their books."

While daily briefings from the press secretary were a staple of most White Houses, they've become fewer and farther between under the Trump administration.

As the Washington Post recently noted, the last White House press briefing was held by former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on March 11, 2019, almost a full year ago.

Grisham, who was previously First Lady Melania Trump's spokeswoman, has not held a single on-camera briefing since taking over Sanders' job in July 2019.

When the hosts of "Fox & Friends" pressed Grisham on when she would hold a briefing, she argued that she's able to talk to more reporters and answer their questions outside the setting of a briefing, where only a few reporters get to ask questions in a relatively limited time frame.



—Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis)
"I talk to the media every day," Grisham said. "During my day, I talk to five, six, seven reporters from every single outlet, print, radio, and online...it's just not on TV."

Grisham then claimed that White House reporters are more concerned with promoting themselves, saying that if she does decide to hold a press briefing, "maybe we do it off-camera, maybe that would be better because then the grandstanding won't happen."

After co-host Steve Doocy joked that talking to a reporter on the phone wouldn't give them a "gotcha" moment, Grisham said of the press, "They don't want information, because my team and I give them information every single day...they want a moment, they want their moment on TV so they can peddle their books."

Grisham did not specify which reporters or which books she was talking about, but her comments came after her predecessor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Fox News contributor, announced she is coming out with a memoir of her own entitled "Speaking for Myself" this September.

While Grisham claims that not holding briefings and choosing to talk to multiple reporters a day instead makes her more accessible, not holding briefings where a reporter can ask any question on the spot allows her to selectively respond to the questions she wants to address.

As CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy tweeted in response to her comments, "The thing is, outside a briefing, @PressSec gets to pick and choose which questions she wants to answer. For instance, she keeps ignoring my questions about why the administration continues to hold briefings on background, instead of on the record!"

Indictment: Kansas researcher secretly worked for China

ROXANA HEGEMAN,
Associated Press



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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas associate professor concealed work he was doing for China while employed at the University of Kansas and tried to recruit other researchers and students for the Chinese government, according to revised federal charges filed Wednesday.

An extensively detailed superseding indictment charges Feng “Franklin” Tao, 47, of Lawrence, Kansas, with two counts of wire fraud and one count of program fraud for failing to disclose on conflict-of-interest forms the work he was doing for China while employed as a full-time associate professor at the University of Kansas' Center for Environmental Beneficial Catalysis. Prosecutors said some of the Tao's research at the Kansas university was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Tao's defense attorney did not immediately return an after-hours phone message and email seeking comment.

The 16-page indictment describes how China spurred its rapid economic growth by offering scholarships or funding to foreign students or visiting professors who were studying or working at U.S. universities. It also used “talent plans” designed to encourage the transfer of original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions to enhance Chinese “scientific development, economic prosperity, and national security."

Such talent plans have existed since early 1990s, but the Chinese government re-emphasized them in 2007 as part of its strategy to enhance economic development, federal prosecutors said. The Communist Party of China reviews all talent plan applicants, and the government administers and funds the program using other agencies within the Chinese government.

As of 2016, China had recruited more than 56,000 talent program participants. The indictment said the Changjiang Professorship was one such program sponsored by the Chinese government and the Communist Party. It alleges Tao did not disclose to the University of Kansas his selection for the Changjiang Professorship or the salary for his appointment to Fuzhou University in Fuzhou, China.

The Changjiang contract also required Tao to recruit two to three doctor students and three to four master's students per year to work with him at Fuzhou University, according to the indictment.

Federal prosecutors also cited in the indictment email exchanges dealing with Tao's efforts to recruit students and researchers for work in China, and the indictment alleges Tao sponsored at least four researchers and students visiting the University of Kansas from China. At least one of his researchers joined Tao's research team at Fuzhou University, according to the indictment.

Federal prosecutors detailed in the indictment numerous trips Tao took in 2017 and 2018 to China. He also performed “some duties” at Nagoya University in Japan.

The unusually detailed superseding indictment came on the heels of a defense motion seeking to dismiss the original indictment against Tao after his attorneys claimed a visiting graduate student fabricated the allegations against him. The judge said during a hearing on that request that a new motion could make some issues raised by the defense moot.

Prior to his arrest in August 2019, Tao was prominently listed as a member of the Fuzhou University on its website, according to the indictment. Shortly after his arrest, all mention of him was deleted from the Fuzhou website. Prosecutors said Tao never requested permission from the University of Kansas to work at Fuzhou University or Nagoya University.

Tau, an associate professor of engineering at the University of Kansas, was born in China and moved to the United States in 2002. He has been employed since August 2014 at the Kansas university’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis in Lawrence. The center conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

Acting head of U.N. Palestinian refugee agency says U.S., Israel working against it

Acting head of U.N. Palestinian refugee agency says U.S., Israel working against it

By Nidal al-Mughrabi,
Reuters•


Saunders, UNRWA's interim commissioner-general, gestures during interview with Reuters in Gaza City



By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - The interim head of the U.N. agency that aids Palestinian refugees accused the United States on Thursday of lobbying foreign parliaments to stop donations to the organization, to which Washington cut off funding in 2018.

Christian Saunders, in an interview with Reuters in his Gaza office, also said Israel was seeking to replace United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) services for Palestinians, mandated by the U.N. General Assembly, in occupied East Jerusalem with those of its own.

UNRWA has faced budgetary difficulties since 2018, when the United States, its biggest donor, halted its annual aid of $360 million. The United States and Israel have both accused UNRWA of mismanagement and anti-Israeli incitement.

Last November, UNRWA commissioner-general Pierre Krahenbuhl resigned amid an investigation into misconduct allegations.

In the interview, Saunders, now acting commissioner-general, said the inquiry by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services was complete and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had confirmed there had been no corruption or misuse of funds.

Saunders said the investigation had uncovered mismanagement related to human resources and abuse of authority, and that major donors, who had withheld funding while the inquiry was under way, have resumed contributions.

But he said the United States was "advocating against funding UNRWA in the European parliaments and elsewhere".

"We are engaged with the U.S., we will continue to engage with them in the hopes that they will see UNRWA as a reliable partner and worth supporting," Saunders said.

UNRWA, Saunders said, was also feeling "the pressure in East Jerusalem in particular", where Israel was in the process of building schools and institutions "to compete" with the agency and stop it from operating there.

"The important thing to remember here is that UNRWA has a mandate from the (U.N.) General Assembly, from the rest of the world, the member states, to provide services to Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem," Saunders said.

Israel considers all of Jerusalem, including the eastern part captured along the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war, as its "indivisible capital". Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a state they seek to establish in the West Bank and Gaza.

Last month, the U.N. General Assembly renewed UNRWA's mandate for another three years. The agency aids more than 5 million registered refugees in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Saunders said he felt confident UNRWA had enough money for at least the first quarter of 2020, but it still faced a tough road ahead.


(Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Mark Heinrich)

Ukraine plane struck by two missiles: NYT

Ukraine plane struck by two missiles: NYT

AFP•


People analyze the fragments and remains of the Ukraine International Airlines plane that crashed outside Tehran (AFP Photo/STR)



Washington (AFP) - Two Iranian missiles struck down a Ukrainian passenger jet, the New York Times reported Tuesday, posting verified security camera footage showing double projectiles gliding through the sky before hitting their target.

The missiles were fired 30 seconds apart and help explain a mystery as to why the plane's transponder was not working -- it was disabled by the first strike, before being hit by a second, the Times said.

The Ukraine International Airlines plane was brought down shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.

Tehran had for days denied Western claims based on US intelligence that the Boeing 737 had been downed by a missile.

It came clean on Saturday when Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh acknowledged a missile operator had mistaken the plane for a cruise missile and opened fire independently.

The blurry footage shows the plane on fire and circling back to Tehran's airport, the Times said. Minutes later, it exploded and crashed.

The footage was shot from a rooftop in Bidkaneh, a village four miles from an Iranian military site, the Times said.

Hundreds of angry protesters, most of them student, have taken to the streets in the wake of the tragedy, chanting slogans against the Islamic republic.

Iran announced its first arrests over the accidental shooting on Tuesday, without naming who or how many people had been detained.

U.S. allows time to wind down deals hit by fresh Iran sanctions

U.S. allows time to wind down deals hit by fresh Iran sanctions

Reuters•


The United States flag flies atop the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department said on Thursday it will allow for a 90-day period to wind down transactions in certain sectors of Iran's economy hit with fresh U.S. sanctions last week.

The period, good through April 9, allows transactions in the construction, mining, manufacturing or textiles sectors of Iran's economy that could be targeted under last week's action to be wound down without exposure to sanctions, the Treasury Department said in an update to its frequently asked questions, or FAQs, on Iran sanctions on its website.

Entering into new business that falls under the sanctions imposed on Friday, however, would not be considered winding down and could still be sanctionable, the FAQ said.

The United States imposed more sanctions on Iran on Friday in retaliation for its missile attack on U.S. forces in Iraq last week and vowed to tighten the economic screws if Tehran continued "terrorist" acts or pursued a nuclear bomb.

The targets of the sanctions included Iran's manufacturing, mining and textile sectors as well as senior Iranian officials who Washington said were involved in the Jan. 8 attack on military bases housing U.S. troops.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have spiked since Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal struck by his predecessor, Barack Obama, and began reimposing sanctions that had been eased under the accord.

Those U.S. sanctions have driven down Iranian crude sales, the Islamic Republic's main source of revenues, but so far have not brought Iran back to the negotiating table to discuss a new nuclear pact as sought by Trump.




(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)

Trump Tried to Kill Anti-Bribery Rule He Deemed 'Unfair,' New Book Alleges

Jeanna Smialek,
The New York Times•


President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wanted to strike down a law that prohibits companies from bribing foreign officials, calling the ban “so unfair” to American companies, two Washington Post reporters recount in a new book.

In the spring of 2017, Trump was at a briefing with Rex Tillerson, then the secretary of state, and aides in the Oval Office. At the mention of a bribery allegation, Trump “perked up” and told Tillerson that he wanted his help in scrapping the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the authors write.

That law, enacted in 1977 and heavily enforced since around 2005, prohibits companies that operate in the United States from bribing foreign officials to obtain or retain business. It has become a major factor in corporate decision-making about operations abroad.

Trump said that it was “just so unfair that American companies aren’t allowed to pay bribes to get business overseas,” according to the book, “A Very Stable Genius,” by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig.

“I need you to get rid of that law,” Trump told Tillerson.

Tillerson explained to the president that he could not simply repeal the legislation, according to Rucker and Leonnig. He pointed out that Congress would need to be involved in any effort to strike it down.

Undeterred, Trump told Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser, to draft an executive action to repeal the law. Tillerson, the authors write, later caught up with Miller in the hallway, where Miller said he had some skepticism about whether that plan for unilateral executive action could work.

The anecdote meshes with the president’s past views of the anti-corruption law. In a 2012 CNBC appearance, he called it a horrible rule and said that “the world is laughing at us” for enforcing it.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department began enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act more concertedly about 15 years ago. It has led to huge fines for companies, including engineering conglomerate Siemens and Brazil’s state-owned energy company, Petrobras.

Critics of the government’s pursuit of cases under the law have argued that regulators are reading its language too expansively, holding back business.

Skeptics have included Jay Clayton, the chairman of the SEC, whom Trump nominated to the position in early 2017. Clayton was an author of a 2011 paper that argued that America’s anti-bribery policies tended “to place disproportionate burdens on U.S. regulated companies in international transactions,” hurting American competitiveness.

Despite such criticisms and Trump’s misgivings, top administration officials have pledged to uphold the law.

“We will continue to strongly enforce” anti-corruption laws, Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time, said in a speech in April 2017. “Companies should succeed because they provide superior products and services, not because they have paid off the right people.”

And under the current attorney general, William Barr, who was confirmed last year, enforcement actions have continued to rapidly roll in.

“The past three years have shown that very little has changed,” said Joshua Roth, a lawyer specializing in these issues at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, despite early expectations that enforcement might fall off under the Trump administration. “What some of us were forecasting really didn’t materialize.”

The administration has made other moves that dovetail with the president’s disdain for anti-bribery laws.

Early in his administration, Trump signed a measure from Congress striking down a rule from the SEC that would have required oil, gas and mining companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges to disclose how much they were paying to foreign governments.

After that decision, Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., and former Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., the lawmakers who had sponsored the original legislation directing the commission to enforce that rule, wrote that Congress and the Trump administration had “abdicated American leadership in fighting corruption around the world.”

A Republican bill that would have permanently repealed the law underlying that energy-industry rule did not come up for a vote on the House floor before Democrats took over the chamber in January 2019.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

© 2020 The New York Times Company

Trump walking fine line in supporting Iran protesters

Trump walking fine line in supporting Iran protesters

By Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk,
Reuters•


By Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With tweets of solidarity in Farsi and technological tools to circumvent internet shutdowns, U.S. President Donald Trump might be close to exhausting his options to support Iranian protesters rising up against their rulers.

U.S. officials say the administration needs to avoid any overtures that could draw accusations of foreign meddling - like direct financing - and increase the chances of a violent crackdown on the people it wants to support.

The day after protests broke out in Tehran and other cities following Iran's admission on Saturday after days of denials that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 people aboard, Trump sent a tweet in Farsi aimed at Iran's leaders: "DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS." It was retweeted almost 80,000 times.

U.S. officials said the intent of Trump's tweet and other voices of support within the administration was to reinforce the message that Washington stands in solidarity with the Iranian people, while helping shine a light on the motivation of the protesters and let the Tehran government know “we are paying attention.”

The demonstrators met a fierce police response in several places during four days of protests. In November, a crackdown on protests caused by fuel price hikes killed hundreds of people.

The Ukraine International Airlines flight from Tehran to Kiev was downed by Iranian air defenses when the armed forces were on high alert for U.S. reprisals, hours after Iran launched missiles against U.S. targets in Iraq in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3. Most of those on board were Iranians or dual citizens.

"We’re not looking for regime change or all-out war," said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We’re just telling you (that) you can’t have a nuclear weapon and don’t shoot protesters."

The United States has worked with technology companies to help create tools for the Iranian people to circumvent Tehran's restrictions on the internet, said Brian Hook, U.S. special representative for Iran. During the November protests, tens of thousands of people used those tools to communicate, he added.



"We're going to continue to look for technology tools to help the Iranian people circumvent the regime censorship and internet shutdown," Hook told Reuters when asked what tangible efforts Washington could offer to help protesters.


PUNISHING SANCTIONS

Some see hypocrisy in Trump's show of concern.

While the administration emphasizes that it stands by the Iranian people, heavy U.S. sanctions reimposed by Trump have hastened the economy's deterioration and worsened economic conditions for ordinary Iranians, experts say.

"His words carry almost no credibility with an Iranian public who saw him just now impose more sanctions," said Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"So if you ask me if Trump has a public relations strategy when it comes to supporting these protests, the answer is no. It's all driven by his moods, his political needs and his desire to separate himself from his predecessor.”

While the United States says its sanctions are laser-focused to hurt Iran's leaders, many foreign banks and companies are deterred from doing business with the Islamic Republic, even for supplies of food and medicine, which are exempt from sanctions.

Democrats say there is more the White House can do to send a message to the Iranian people, such as lifting the ban on travel by Iranians to the United States. Iran was included in a travel ban Trump launched early in his presidency aimed at stopping the export of what Washington calls state-sponsored terrorism.

There has been no indication yet that Trump is considering doing so.

While some analysts believe the United States would not be totally uncomfortable with a regime change, Washington has reason to be wary of overstepping too much. The latest example of foreign diplomats landing in hot water in Iran came last week, when Britain's ambassador to Tehran was briefly detained, accused of attending a protest.

"We leave the future of Iran to the Iranian people. It will not be decided by the United States government and that's been our policy for almost three years," Hook said.

Asked if Trump would post more on protesters, Hook said: "It would not surprise me. I think you can expect the president to continue communicating directly with Iranian people."



(Reporting by Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney)

Parnas drops bombshell about Trump on eve of trial

Lev Parnas arriving at court in New York City, Dec. 2, 2019. (Photo: Seth Wenig/AP)

Parnas, a Soviet-born U.S. citizen who has been indicted by the Southern District of New York on campaign finance violations, turned over notes, text messages and other information to House investigators Wednesday. In his interview with Rachel Maddow, Parnas, who sat beside his lawyer, said he came forward because “I want to get the truth out because I think it’s important to the country, it’s important to me.”

Trump has sought to distance himself from Parnas and Igor Fruman, both of whom worked with Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lawyer, on the efforts to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens, and on the campaign to oust U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.

“I don’t know those gentlemen,” Trump said in October about Parnas and Fruman, despite the fact that the men had been photographed together numerous times.

“He lied,” Parnas said, adding, “He knew exactly who we were.”

Parnas said the president was fully aware that he was working with Giuliani to secure Zelensky’s cooperation in an effort to tarnish the reputation of Biden, the leading Democratic candidate to run against Trump this year.



“That was always the main objective," Parnas said of Trump’s motive for pressuring Ukraine’s government.

Parnas and Fruman, who has also been indicted, were given access to Ukrainian officials that Parnas, a Florida businessman with no diplomatic credentials or official post, said he would not have received otherwise.

"Why would President Zelensky’s inner circle, or Minister Avakov, or all these people, or President Poroshenko, meet with me?” Parnas told Maddow. “Who am I? They were told to meet with me. And that’s the secret that they’re trying to keep. I was on the ground doing their work.”

Parnas also said the Trump administration’s attempts to convince Ukraine to announce an investigation of the Bidens extended to Vice President Mike Pence.

Pence canceled his planned attendance at Zelensky’s inauguration as a way to further pressure him, Parnas said.

On his efforts with Giuliani to have Yovanovitch removed from office because she was not sufficiently supportive of Trump and was impeding efforts to secure the promise of an investigation into the Bidens, Parnas expressed regret.

“I don’t believe Ambassador Yovanovitch badmouthed Trump, and I want to apologize to her,” Parnas said.

The materials turned over to the House this week included text messages Parnas exchanged with a Trump campaign hanger-on named Robert Hyde. The messages referenced efforts to oust Yovanovitch, who was viewed as an obstacle to the deal Giuliani hoped to strike with Ukraine. Some of the messages had what appeared to be sinister overtones, implying that Yovanovitch was being followed and might be in danger, but Parnas downplayed that possibility to Maddow, saying he was only stringing Hyde along.

Parnas also told Maddow that Attorney General William Barr was aware of the efforts launched by Trump and Giuliani to discredit the Mueller investigation and procure an investigation of the Bidens.

“Mr. Barr had to have known everything," Parnas said, adding that he was in the room when Giuliani and others spoke with the attorney general.

_____

LATEST Financial Aid for International Students At University of East Anglia in UK, 2020

The University of East Anglia – UK (UEA) is offering the International Financial Aid Scholarship Program to International students who wants to undergo a degree program at the Institution.
The participants will receive a minimum of a £2,000 first year tuition fee discount, whilst a large number of successful applicants will be upgraded to fee discounts of £4,000, £6,000 or £10,000 per year of study.

Eligible Countries: International
Type: Undergraduate
Eligibility:

• Applicants must have selected UEA as your firm choice institution, not your insurance choice and must be an independently funded student paying their own tuition fees and not sponsored by a government or non-government organization.
• Applicants must be International students
• Applicants must be fluent in English Language

How To Apply: Applicants Interested in applying for this scholarship should:

• Check their eligibility against the above criteria
• Read the terms and conditions thoroughly
• Refer to the application guidance notes below
• Submit an application 

Visit The Official Website For More Information
Application Deadline: 14 June 2020

Professional Engineering Scholarship for International Students at Monash University, Australia 2020

The Monash University, Australia invites applications from International students who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution. The studentship aims to support high-potential overseas students who are applying for the Master of Professional Engineering at Monash University
Eligible Countries: International

Type: Masters
Value of Award: $10,000
Number of Awards: 30
Eligibility:

• Applicants must Have an unconditional course offer, or a course offer conditional on meeting English requirements to enrol in the Master of Professional Engineering program at a Monash university in Australia.
• Applicants must be International students

How To Apply: Click here To apply
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Application Deadline: March 1.

LATEST Financial Aid Program for International Students at University of Chicago, USA 2020

Applicants are currently invited for the International Financial Aid Program which will be awarded to Individuals seeking to pursue a degree program at University of Chicago, USA.
The sponsorship will be awarded based on an estimate of the full costs of enrolling at the University of Chicago, including tuition, housing, health insurance, a meal plan, and estimates for additional costs like books and personal expenses.

Eligible Countries: International
Type: Undergraduate
Value of Award: Full costs of attendance
Number of Awards: Not known
Eligibility:

• Applicants have to take admission in the undergraduate degree coursework at the university.
• Applicants must hold a high school degree certificate
• Applicants must be fluent in English Language

How To Apply: To apply, students are advised to enrol in the undergraduate degree coursework at the University by common application or coalition application at the University of Chicago
Visit The Scholarship Webpage For More Information
Application Deadline: February 15

LATEST 2020 Entrance Scholarship for International Students At University of Regina in Canada

With the motive of providing a world-class education for deserving and talented students in Canada, the University of Regina is providing the International Entrance Scholarship to high achieving applicants who are interested in pursuing a degree program at the Institution.
The University of Regina provides up to $200,000 annually. The educational award of $3,000 is automatically awarded to undergraduate students who are applying for admission at the university.

Eligible Countries: International
Type: Undergraduate
Value of Award: Up to $200,000
Number of Awards: Not known
Eligibility:

• Applicants must have an early-conditional admission average of 85.00% or higher and be enrolled in nine credit hours in the semester the award is presented.
• Applicants must have good grades
• Applicants must be International students

Application Process: Applicants have to enrol in the bachelor’s degree coursework at Regina’s university
Visit The Official Website For More Information
Application Deadline: March 15.

International Merit Awards for Graduates at American University, USA 2020

The program is open for worldwide candidates who are going to enrol in a masters or doctoral degree program in the United States.
University or Organization: American University

Course Level: Masters and doctoral
Award: twelve credits to full tuition each year
Number of Awards: Not known
Access Mode: Online
Nationality: International
The award can be taken in the United States
Eligibility

• Eligible Countries: Applications are open for all over the world.
• Eligible Course or Subjects: The sponsorship will be awarded in any subject offered by the university.
• Eligibility Criteria: Students have to enrol in the postgraduate degree coursework at the university.

How to Apply: To apply for the grant, students have to take admission in the masters or doctoral degree coursework via the common application or coalition application at the university.

• Supporting Documents: Attach your CV, resume, two academic letters of recommendation, copy of passport, bank statement and academic records.
• Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a previous degree certificate with excellent achievement.
• Language Requirement: Students have to demonstrate their English language proficiency via curriculum or TOEFL or IELTS test scores.

Benefits

• The awards will provide the waivers ranging from twelve credits to full tuition each year.
• Stipends may also be available.

Apply Now

Application Deadline: March 15, 2020

FINANCE MANAGER at BanyanTree

Ikeja

Company Description
Our re-engineering consultancy team is seeking to hire a Finance Manager that will analyze every day financial activities and subsequently provide advice and guidance to upper management on future financial plans.The goal is to enable the company’s executives to make sound business decisions and meet the company’s objectives.

Job Description

• Drive value within the business through margin enhancement, lowering costs and driving operational efficiencies
• Provide financial reports and interpret financial information to managerial staff while recommending further courses of action.
• Execute accurate reporting, enabling yourself to analyze options and make financial recommendations
• Maintain cash flow by reviewing banking activity and reconciling monthly reports
• Prepare and manage company budget to maximize revenue and identify potential areas of cost savings
• Manage relationships with bankers, auditors, and tax authorities
• Develop trends and projections for the firm’s finances.
• Conduct reviews and evaluations for cost-reduction opportunities.
• Oversee operations of the finance department, set goals and objectives, and design a framework for these to be met.
• Liaise with auditors to ensure appropriate monitoring of company finances is maintained.
• Develop and interpret databases and financial models
• Establish, monitor and achieve company financial goals
• Promote continual process improvements in specified budget areas
• Implement report production, productivity and quality standards
• Comply with federal, state, and local financial requirements by studying existing and new legislation, and maintaining compliance

Qualifications

• BS/MA degree in Finance, Accounting or Economics
• Professional qualification such as CFA/CPA, ICAN or relevant will be considered a plus
• 6+ years’ financial management experience
• 5+ years’ experience in a leadership role
• Experience in the financial sector with previous possible roles such as financial analyst
• Extensive understanding of financial trends both within the company and general market patterns

Skills:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Results-oriented and process-driven
• Impeccable attention to detail
• Proficient user of finance software
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Able to manage, guide and lead employees to ensure appropriate financial processes are being used
• A solid understanding of financial statistics and accounting principles

Added Advantage:

• Experience as a Project Finance manager
• Work background in the Nigerian Civil Service

Additional Information
Remuneration
Net pay: N150K – N250K

Apply Here>>>

Accountant (Trainee) at Carlcare Development 2020

Accountant (Trainee)

Lagos

Carlcare Development, formerly known as Tecno Telecoms - established in July 2006, is a high-tech company specializing in the R&D, production, sale and service of mobile communication products. After years of development, Carlcare Development has become an important part of the mobile phone industry and one of the major mobile phone manufacturers in the world. Currently, it has full ownership of three famous mobile phone brands TECNO, itel and Infinix, and an after-sales service brand Carlcare.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Accountant (Trainee)
Location: Lagos
Job Summary

• We are looking for a Smart Junior Accountant (preferably female) with not more than 2 years experience in Accounting field, highly trainable, optimistic and ready to unleash her knowledge and skills in contributing to the wellness of our Accounting Department.

Responsibilities

• Post and process journal entries to ensure all business transactions are recorded
• Update accounts receivable and issue invoices
• Update accounts payable and perform reconciliations
• Assist in the processing of balance sheets, income statements and other financial statements according to legal and company accounting and financial guidelines
• Prepare and submit weekly/monthly reports.

Job Requirements

Min Required Experience:

2 year(s)

Min Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree/HND

Desired Courses:

Not Specified

Other Requirements:

Experience and Qualifications

• Maximum of 2 years’ working experience in similar role
• Female preferred
• Not more than 28 years of age by December 2020
• Bachelor's Degree / HND in Accounting, Economics, Finance, or any relevant field.
• Knowledge of SAP or any accounting ERP System is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of the Accounting and Logistics principles behind Importation is an added advantage.

Competences and Attributes:

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite
• Must be analytical and have problem solving skills.
• Must be able to multi-task, set priorities and work on multiple requests with minimal supervision
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a challenging, fast-paced, and growth environment with minimal supervision.
• Must be detail-oriented and well-organized.

Application Closing Date
21st January, 2020.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Due to a high volume of applicants, only candidates who meet the requirements would be contacted.

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Accountant jobs in Lagos

Accountant/Auditor at Lagos

Accountant/Auditor

Lagos

• Similar Jobs

Accountant/Auditor

Confidential

Accounting, Auditing & Finance

Confidential

Accounting, Auditing & Finance

Lagos|Full Time|Mining, Oil & Metals|

NGN Confidential

2d

Job Summary

A major player in the upstream and downstream segments of the petroleum sector seeks the services of an Accountant/Auditor

• Minimum Qualification: Degree
• Experience Level: Mid level
• Experience Length: 5 years

Job Description

• Manage the flow of correspondence into the company and the reconciliation of accounts and documentation.
• Produce error-free accounting reports and present their results.
• Recording office expenditures and ensuring these expenses are within the set budget.
• Verify, allocate, post and reconcile accounts payable and receivable.
• Review accounting entries and posting into the company accounting system with accurate figures and proper classification and coding.
• Maintains general ledger by transferring subsidiary accounts, preparing a trial balance, and reconciling entries.
• Coordinate monthly/annual budgeting and forecasting.
• Liaise with bankers, account officers and company clients on accounts.
• Prepare detailed journal entries and account analyses.
• Manages and executes all statutory tax-related issues with the government (WHT, VAT, EDT, PAYE, etc)
• Collaborate with external auditors to ensure successful audit results and compliance.
• Maintains financial records by analyzing balance sheets and general ledger accounts.
• Prepare project feasibility reports and analyse business development opportunities.
• Perform all other duties that will enhance profitability, productivity and going concern status of the company.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or Economics
• A minimum of 5 years experience in the Oil and Gas service industry or related industry.
• Must possess ACCA/ACA/ICAN

Apply here>>> 

Account Payable Officer at Workforce Group

Account Payable Officer

Lagos

Workforce Group is a Management Consulting and Outsourcing Professional Services Firm. Following its inception in July 2004, Workforce Management Centre Limited (Workforce) has built an enviable reputation as the leading indigenous management and professional services consulting firm in Nigeria. Drawing from its Deep Domain Expertise, in the area of organizational effectiveness and employee performance, the Company is positioned to assist businesses across diverse sectors of the economy in their quest to create sustainable value for their stakeholders.
We are recruiting to fill the position of:
Job Title: Account Payable Officer
Location: Lagos
Job Summary

• The account payable involves providing financial, administrative and clerical support to the organization vendors, staff and finance colleagues.

Job Description

• Keep track of all payments with a key focus on three-way match (Purchase Order, Invoice and Delivery note/Job completion sheet)
• Reconciling processed work by verifying entries in the general ledger with the bank statements
• Maintaining adequate records of all payment for both vendors and staff
• Paying employee by verifying expense claim reports
• Reconciliation of vendor accounts as the need arises
• Preparing analyses of vendor accounts and reconciling the sub ledger to the general ledger for upload into the company reconciliation portal
• Disburse petty cash by recording entry and verifying documentations
• Process withholding tax in compliance with WHT rules
• Continuing to improve the payment process without compromising control

Job Requirements

Min Required Experience:

2 year(s)

Min Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree/HND

Desired Courses:

Not Specified

Other Requirements:

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or Economics
• Attention to detail and data entry skills
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience
• High level of emotional intelligence
• Ability to multitask and successfully operate in a fast paced, team environment
• Must adapt well to change and successfully set and adjust priorities as needed
• Strong organizational agility to enhance cross-functional communication and collaboration

Application Closing Date
20th January, 2020.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: Bayonle.oduola@workforcegroup.com with the Job Title as subject of the email.

Investment Manager at Fadac Resources and Service

Investment Manager

Lagos

Fadac Resources and Services - Our client is an Integrated Services private investment company, that provide high caliber investment Management and advisory services to individual, Corporate, domestic and international companies.
Job Title: Investment Manager
Job Type: Full Time
Qualification: BA/BSc/HND
Experience: 1 year
Location: Lagos
Job Field: Finance / Accounting / Audit

Zip / Postal Code: 100001
Location: Lagos
Job Type: Full time
Industry: Financial Services
Job Responsibilities

• Direct the review of market & industry trends to develop business insights and evaluate the impact upon the Organisation’s current and future performance
• Keep track of key developments as well as best practices to continually identify new ideas, tools and trends that could provide opportunities
• Identify, screen and prioritize strategic initiatives to expand organizational business
• Isolate and focus on key risks and success drivers in prioritized opportunities
• Translate theory into practical guidance for issues encountered
• Perform regular competitive & industry intelligence analysis and communicate to Senior Management
• Co-develop new strategic initiatives with the technical/field team at all stages of the business
• Build compelling pitch, substantiated with high-level business plan and identify potential stakeholders
• Cultivate and maintain relationship with equity investors and core audiences
• Direct the preparation of the Annual general reports, Equity Investor presentations, Statement of disclosures etc.
• Develop a market strategy for developing new business ventures, products and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor market and macroeconomic developments, reports and key statistics and update financial models to reflect ongoing interim results of strategic new business initiatives
• Develop and engage high performing, agile work team; training, coaching, driving diversity and mentoring the team
• Build and maintain a collaborative relationship across the organisation
• Develop younger tenured colleagues through mentoring and apprenticeship
• Ensure the right people fit on your team to deliver the organisation’s mandate
• Operational Excellence

Job Requirements

Min Required Experience:

Not Specified

Min Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree/HND

Desired Courses:

Not Specified

Other Requirements:

Requirements

• BSc minimum in Business Administration, Finance, or any related discipline
• Professional in Investment Banking environment, with at least one year in senior management roles focusing on new business development and investor relations roles
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong entrepreneurial and client-minded focus
• Relevant experience and understanding of infrastructure development issues, infrastructure finance, project development and private equity
• Working knowledge and understanding of the infrastructure development landscape across the African market
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to draft engaging and impactful messages for motivating key stakeholders
• Excellent negotiation skills to manage prospective investors.

Apply here>>> 

Finance Officer at Intuivar

Lagos

Intuivar - Our client is an indigenous Transport and Logistics company based in Lagos that is going through restructuring and is strategically positioned to expand its operations across Nigeria. The organization needs to fill the position below that have created as a result of its ongoing restructuring: 

 

We are recruiting to fill the position below: 

 

Finance Officer Location: Lagos Job Level: N/A Type: Permanent Duties and Responsibilities Assisting in the preparation of budgets Processing invoices, managing records and receipts, reconciling transactions and preparing balance sheets Resolve financial disputes raised by the customer service and sales teams Being a key point of contact for other departments on financial and accounting matters Having a strategic mind and keen awareness of the company's budget to create concepts and strategies for revenue growth Analyzing company financial performance and preparing data 

 

Qualification and Experience Bachelor's Degree in Finance or Economics, Accounting or Business Administration 

 

Minimum of 2-3years work experience in similar role Proficiency in either of the following: MS Office applications, SAP, QuickBooks etc 

 

Key Competences: Knowledgeable in accounting and finance principles Keen attention to details and strong sense of confidentiality Critical thinking Excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills 

 

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: financeofficer@intuivar.com using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Finance Manager at Lagos 2020

Finance Manager

Lagos

Job Advert

Want to take your finance expertise to the next level? As Finance Manager at RB, you’ll have the freedom to find new ways to ensure we continue to plan for growth.

Finance Manager
Lagos-Mainland, Lagos
Competitive Salary & excellent benefits package

Playing a crucial role in the smooth running of our business, you’ll support our forecasting and planning cycle. You’ll:

• Provide the financial insight and intelligence our leadership depends on to make critical decisions
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of reporting
• Collaborate with other finance teams and manage reporting, compliance and controls projects
• Ultimately, your analysis will provide the insights that allows us to grow our business and manage our costs.

You’ll succeed because…
…you’ve experience in accounting or financial analysis. You:

• Have worked with general ledger and reporting systems and taken responsibility for planning and forecasting
• Thrive under pressure and hit tight deadlines
• Have a close attention to detail and your analytical mindset means you spot trends and anomalies others miss
• Most importantly, you’re an excellent communicator, able to influence others using facts and data.

You’ll love it because…
…you’ll have the freedom to make a difference. You’ll put your own ideas into practice. The products you help us get out there will allow people to live healthier lives and have happier homes. And our dynamic, ownership-driven culture will bring the very best out of you, every day.

Equality

In Return RB offer very competitive salaries with excellent benefits and the chance to progress your career within a truly global organisation.
RB is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by appropriate law. All hiring decisions are made based on merit, competence and business need.
apply here>>> 

Associate Internal Control Officer at Canary Point Corporate Services Limited

Lagos

Canary Point Corporate Services Limited is a financial services group of companies. CPCS Group is a holding company for various other companies that offer a range of investment and financial services to the public with the aim of offering effective money management. CPCS Group encompasses a broad range of businesses whose services span various areas of specialty within the financial sector. We are recruiting to fill the position below: Associate Internal Control Officer Location: Lagos Job Description Lending and Credit: Participate and assess the credit cycle process (pre disbursement and post- disbursement) to ensure compliance.

Conduct field visit to verify the existence of the client and their household, existence of business(s) which the loan is disbursed, Safe keeping and custody of collateral pledged within the company premises Review of clients document and files Banking Services (Front and Back Office): Review all banking processes in compliance with set policies and procedures and report any anomalies to the Head of Risk & Compliance Ensure compliance with KYC procedures in processing new customers in an effort to control Money Laundering activities. Ensure that suspicious transactions are identified and duly reported as per the reporting guidelines to the Head of Risk and Compliance for further action. Ensure implementation of treasury and Cash management policies in the back office and report any identified weaknesses. Ensure proper record keeping of all customer documents and any other accounting support documents to secure confidentiality.

Ensure Implementation & Compliance with Business Continuity Management Policies. Other Internal Business Processes: Conduct call over and cash counting in all related businesses of the company Involve in the confirmation of the customers deposits in the company account Monitor system access user rights and all IT related processes in line with the company Management Information systems policy guide. Review and monitor any other process that is initiated either as a result of a new product or Service. Reporting: Conduct exit interviews with the staff and branch management on the findings of their inspection visit and make agreeable actions for resolving the key finding; Prepare reports of inspection visits and submit to the head of department within three days after the visit; Based on findings, provide recommendations for improvement of policies and procedures; Liaise with head of internal audit function in relation to compliance matters identified earlier in their visits and ensure their timely implementation.

Submit detailed weekly/monthly report of activities covered to head of department Monitor policy implementation and risk of all Banking, credit staff and any other staff member with in the branch. Participate in the review of policies and procedures Qualifications Degree / HND in Accounting or its equivalent 2 - 3 years post NYSC experience in Internal Control or Internal Audit function; preferably with financial services, microfinance or bureau de change. Good exposure to microfinance, finance or banking industry will be highly desired. Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple deadlines.

Good Planning and project management abilities. Strong attention to details, and Highly organized with a good demonstration of leadership skills.

 

 How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should send their updated CV to: careers@canarypointcs.com using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Chief Financial officer at Adroit Advisors 2020

Chief Financial officer

Adroit Advisors

Ikeja

₦2,000,000 - ₦3,000,000 a year

JOB DESCRIPTION:
1, Preparation of MIS reports & maintaing monthly accounts
2, Daily/Weekly cashflow/fund flow reports & Variance analysis
3, Supporting the team for completion of statutory audit
4, Ensuring accurate and timely posting of month end enteries
5, Verification and passing of journal/JVs
6, Verifies and passes vendor invoices/bills
7, Monthly/quarterly financial rolling targets (RT)
8, Reconciliation of suppliers balances
9, Reconciliation of associate companies balances
10, Asset and stock posting
11, Vetting of payroll
12, Daily fund transfers and remittances, and liaison with bankers
13, Keep track of FORM M applications with banks and maintain a summary sheet and update the status
14, Good knowledge of accounting software, like sage, Tally, or Pastel.
Education.
The applicant must be a chartered accountant, with relevant experience.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: ₦2,000,000.00 to ₦3,000,000.00 /year
Experience:

• Accounting: 1 year (Preferred)

Apply here>>>