Cote d'Ivoire's Ouattara calls on citizens to go on strike: report

Peacekeeping personnels of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire patrol in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, on Dec. 25 2010. Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo has rejected a warning by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that force might be used to make him give up power, media reports said Saturday. Gbagbo was backed by the country's Constitutional Council, while Ouattara has the support of the electoral commission.


The party of Cote d'Ivoire's Alassane Ouattara called on citizens to go on strike till Laurent Gbagbo's stepping down, media reports said Sunday.

Cote d'Ivoire's opposition coalition Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace party (RHDP) issued a statement urging people to go on strike from Monday, reports said.

Cote d'Ivoire has been trapped in a political impasse since the landmark presidential run-off held on Nov. 28. Both the incumbent Gbagbo and opposition leader Ouattara claimed victory and swore themselves in as president of the country, and formed their respective government.

Source:http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/

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Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo rejects warning from ECOWAS: report

 

Peacekeeping personnels of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire patrol in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, on Dec. 25 2010. Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo has rejected a warning by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that force might be used to make him give up power, media reports said Saturday.

Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo has rejected a warning by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that force might be used to make him give up power, media reports said Saturday.

A spokesman for the Gbagbo camp termed the warning from the regional bloc as a Western plot, according to the reports.

ECOWAS issued a communique Friday over Cote d'Ivoire at its heads of state meeting in Nigeria, warning Laurent Gbagbo the use of force if he refuses to give up power.

The document said that the "use of legitimate force not ruled out by ECOWAS if Gbagbo fails to heed demand."

The ECOWAS heads of state expressed deep concern over the unacceptable high number of lives lost since Dec. 7 and warned all those responsible that they will face international trial for human rights violations at the earliest opportunity, the communique said.

They demanded the immediate and peaceful handover of power by Gbagbo to the president-elect Alassane Ouattara and expressed support for the travel ban, freeze on financial assets and all other forms of targeted sanctions imposed by regional institutions and the international community on Gbagbo and his associates, according to the communique.

It warned that if Gbagbo fails to heed this immutable demand of ECOWAS, the community would be left with no alternative but to take other measures, including the use of legitimate force to achieve the goals of the Ivorian people.

The ECOWAS heads of state and government also decided to dispatch a special high-level delegation to Cote d'Ivoire to urge Gbagbo to make a peaceful exit.

Source:http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/

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Passage: Mr Fuji Garbage " Alhaji (Dr) Sikiru Ayinde Barister is Late

 The Late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barister

The Late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barister

The popularly known musician Alhaji Agba passed out this afternoon at St. Mary hospital, London after several illness.

Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister had been sick and in, out of hospital in the past two years now before his been confirmed dead at St. Mary Hospital, London. Read more...

Turnout of voters in Tanzanian general elections better than expected: NEC chief

Supporters of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete attend the final campaign rally in Dar Es Sallam, capital of Tanzania, Oct. 30, 2010. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete is seeking a second and final term in the upcoming elections due on Oct. 31. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju)
The Tanzania National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Monday said that the turnout of voters is better than what they had expected in Sunday's general election.

The NEC chief Lewis Makame made the remarks while answering questions from Xinhua after announcing the preliminary results of 10 constituencies out of the total 239 constituencies across the country at the elections results center in Dar es Salaam.

"It's too early to give the exact percentage of the turnout of the general election as the results are coming in one by one constituencies. Generally speaking, the turnout of voters on Sunday's elections is better than what we expected," Makame said.


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The Ben Bruce story

 Ben Bruce
My success is driven by passion to make history
By Ogbonna Amadi, Entertainment Editor and  Lolade Sowoolu
What started off with a capital of N20, 000 has today grown into an empire worth
several billions in Naira.
This is the story of Benedict Murray-Bruce, the starry eyed youth with the lofty dream of becoming the number entertainment company in the world.
Thirty years after he ventured into entertainment business, the Silverbird group has grown  to become a conglomerate.
As the group celebrates thirty years of business we asked the Akassa, Bayelsa born business administration graduate of  University of Southern California if he has realised his dream to be number one in the world.
This is his story
How has the journey been in 30 years?
It’s been fun and its being great. I’ve had a great time and I’m grateful to Nigerians for the support even all across Africa over the last 30 years.
Have you been able to actualise the dream?
No, not yet.
What is the dream?
For me, my greatest dream would be wealth creation in the entertainment industry. It would be for me to see artistes, producers, directors dominate the economy of Nigeria; that is my dream. If I did that in my life time, then my work will not be in vain.
And have been some of the challenges?
The challenge is being in an economy that at a time did not appreciate the art.

READ MORE: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/the-ben-bruce-story/ Read more...

Census: everyone counts

A census taker checks information collected in a trial run of the sixth national census, at a household in the city of Zaozhuang, East China's Shandong province, on Saturday. Many households were sampled to provide useful data for the census takers. The census officially kicks off on Monday. [Photo/China Daily]

BEIJING - Starting Monday, millions of Chinese census takers will fan out across the country, visiting more than 400 million households to try to get an accurate count of the population over a 10-day period.

The sixth census will use about 6.5 million census takers, each dressed in a uniform and bearing a certificate, asking everyone living and working on the mainland to information about their personal lives.

Read more: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-11/01/content_11481906.htm

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Dilma Rousseff elected Brazil's new president

Brazilian presidential candidate for the ruling Workers' Party Dilma Rousseff talks to the media in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Oct. 31, 2010. Dilma Rousseff was officially declared president-elect Sunday by the Superior Electoral Tribunal (SET). With 93.25 percent of votes already counted, Rousseff won 55.43 percent of valid votes and has 51.59 million votes. Her opponent, Jose Serra, got 41.48 million votes, or 44.57 percent, according to the SET.
The ruling Workers Party (PT)'s presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff was elected Brazi's 40th president after Sunday's runoff votes.

With 76.89 percent of votes already counted, Rousseff won so far 53.56 percent of valid votes and has 41.2 million votes. Mathematically, she can no longer be exceeded by her opponent, Jose Serra, who has 35.7 million votes, or 46.44 percent, according to Datafolha Institute.

   Brazilian presidential candidate for the ruling Workers' Party Dilma Rousseff votes at a polling station in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Oct. 31, 2010. Brazilian polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Sunday for the runoff of the presidential election, in which 135.8 million voters would choose a new president and nine governors.

 Brazilian presidential candidate for the ruling Workers' Party Dilma Rousseff gestures as she votes at a polling station in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Oct. 31, 2010. Brazilian polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Sunday for the runoff of the presidential election, in which 135.8 million voters would choose a new president and nine governors. 

Source: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/7182937.html Read more...

Obama begins final campaign for mid-term elections

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a rally in Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois, on Oct. 30, 2010. Obama began a final campaign push ahead of the Nov. 2 midterm elections in Philadelphia of Pennsylvania, Bridgeport of Connecticut and Chicago of Illinois on Saturday, rallying fellow Democrats to the polls. Read more...

Refinery leads Uganda's plans to clean up gold exports

Uganda's golden revolution

 

For years, the only problem with Uganda's multi-million dollar gold export trade was that the vast majority of it came from foreign soil. Now, one Russian businessman is working to change that. Until now, the majority of the gold exported by Uganda has come primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a relationship heavily criticized by human rights groups who claim smuggled Congo gold is a "conflict mineral" that is funding the deadly civil war in the East African nation.
Yuri Bogoroditsky is the managing director of Victoria Gold Star, owners of the first ever gold refinery in Uganda. He says he wants to make Uganda a legitimate player in the gold industry -- buying the raw material, refining it, and exporting the finished product -- all from his Kampala refinery.

Source:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/10/28/uganda.gold/index.html Read more...