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Switzerland’s Town Votes To Decide Its Fate Of Nationality

Zoe Maven
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Switzerland’s Town Votes To Decide Its Fate Of Nationality

Residents of a small town located in northwestern Switzerland, Moutier, have voted in a referendum to decide whether they will be citizens of Germany or France.

The town of Moutier has a population of 7,500 and the debate on whether the town should remain a part of the German-speaking canton or join the French-speaking one has been a testy issue decades.

In 1978, when Switzerland established a French-speaking canton of Jura, a handful of districts opted to stay with the German-speaking Bern, including the town Moutier.

But separatist administrations have been hoping to break away from Bern for a long now, insisting the town would progress more as a part of the French-speaking canton of Jura.

Before this, a referendum was put to vote in 2017 in which only a small number of people voted to join the Jura but the poll had to be overturned because of electoral irregularities.

This time, the security forces took the charge of assuring that there are no irregularities in this year’s vote.

Indonesian President Condemns Suicide Attack On Church

Zoe Maven
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Indonesian President Condemns Suicide Attack On Church

Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has ‘strongly condemned a Suicide Attack at Church in Makassar city on Sulawesi Island calling it an act of terror.

Widodo said Terrorism is a crime against humanity and called on everyone to fight against terror and radicalism, which go against religious values.

According to Authorities, two suspects were killed as they rode a motorbike into the compound of the church on Sunday, wounding 20 as worshippers as they celebrated the start of Holy Week.

Reports also said twenty church officials, congregants and security staff were injured by debris from the blast and Forensic investigators have been looking over the scene to determine the identities of the attackers.

Speaking with reporters in the capital Jakarta Indonesia’s chief security minister Mahfud MD confirmed the suicide bombing happened around 10:30 am local time (0330 GMT).

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Churches have been targeted in the past by extremists in Indonesia, which is the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation as well as home to several religious groups including Christians, Buddhists and Hindus.

Match Day 5 results in 2021 AFCON Qualifiers

Emenike Agu
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Match Day 5 results in 2021 AFCON Qualifiers

Below is the result of a Match Day 5 fixture played in Group L of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers, played on Saturday in Maseru:

With Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021 Qualifiers reaching its final Match Day, here’s how it stands in the qualifiers 12 groups.

Group A

  • Both Mali and Guinea qualified to Cameroon 2021.
  • Chad is disqualified while Namibia is eliminated.

Group B

Burkina Faso guaranteed their spot in next year’s finals. South Sudan is eliminated.

Uganda (8 points) and Malawi (7) battle for the second group slot. They face each other in Blantyre, where draw is enough for Uganda to qualify while Malawi needs a win.

Group C

Ghana qualified for the finals, while Sao Tome and Principe are eliminated.

South Africa (10 points) and Sudan (9) are still in the race. They lock horns in Omdurman, where Sudan must win to qualify while South Africa needs a point.

Group D

Gabon and Gambia qualified. DR Congo and Angola are eliminated.

Group E

Morocco qualified to the finals.

Mauritania (6 points), Burundi (5) and Central African Republic (4) battle for the second ticket.

Central African Republic hosts Mauritania in Bangui while Burundi plays Morocco in Rabat.

–       Burundi qualifies only if they win coupled with Mauritania failing to win.

–       Central African Republic qualifies only if they win, coupled with Burundi failing to win.

Group F

Cameroon qualified automatically as hosts.

Cape Verde (7 points), Rwanda (5) and Mozambique (4) are in the race for the second ticket.

Mozambique hosts Cape Verde in Maputo while Cameroon and Rwanda face in Douala.

–       Cape Verde qualifies if they win, or draw with Rwanda failing to win.

       Rwanda qualifies only if they win coupled with Cape Verde losing.

– In case of Rwanda winning and Cape Verde having a draw, goal difference will determine who qualifies, as the head-to-head between them is 0-0 in aggregate. Goal difference is currently Cape Verde (+2) and Rwanda (-2).

–       Mozambique only qualifies if they win coupled with Rwanda failing to win.

Group G

Egypt and Comoros qualified. Kenya and Togo are eliminated.

Group H

Algeria and Zimbabwe qualified. Botswana and Zambia are eliminated.

Group I

Senegal qualified, Eswatini are eliminated.

Congo (8 points) and Guinea-Bissau (6) battle for the second ticket. They lock horns in Bissau where the hosts need a win to qualify, while just a draw is enough for Congo to go through.

Group J

Tunisia and Equatorial Guinea qualified. Tanzania and Libya are eliminated.

Group K

Cote d’Ivoire qualified; Niger is eliminated.

Ethiopia (9 points) and Madagascar (7) battle for second spot. Madagascar entertains Niger while Ethiopia is away to Cote d’Ivoire.

A draw is enough for Ethiopia to qualify as they enjoy a better head-to-head result with Madagascar, who will only qualify if they win and Ethiopia lose.

Group L

Nigeria qualified, Lesotho is eliminated.

Benin (7 points) and Sierra Leone (4) are still in the race. They lock horns in Freetown.

A draw sees Benin through, while Sierra Leone needs a win to qualify

Lake Chad: Chadian President Urges Nigerian Counterpart To Convene International Summit

Angel Gimalo
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Lake Chad: Chadian President Urges Nigerian Counterpart To Convene International Summit

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said the restoration of Lake Chad will help to reduce the irregular migration of youths striving to get into Europe through the Sahara Desert.

He made the remark while hosting the President of Chad, Marshal Idris Deby Itno, at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power.

According to the President, about 30 million people are adversely affected by a shrunken Lake Chad, which is now just about ten percent of its original size.

He added that with inter-basin water transfer, farming, fishing, animal husbandry would resume, and curtail irregular migration of youths, who now dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, to get into Europe, seeking greener pastures, the statement noted.

On the recharge of Lake Chad, Chadian President Itno counseled Buhari to consider convening an international summit to move the idea forward.

Meanwhile, Buhari appreciated Chad for its role in curbing insurgency in the region, particularly the Boko Haram challenge.

Excitement Short-Lived As Boko Haram Throws Maiduguri Into Darkness Again

Angel Gimalo
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Excitement Short-Lived As Boko Haram Throws Maiduguri Into Darkness Again

Boko Haram terrorists has reportedly blown up a power tower in Maiduguri on March 27, 2021.

Barely three days after electricity was restored in Maiduguri, Boko Haram terrorists have plunged the North-East city into darkness again after blowing up a power tower on Saturday.

It took power authorities almost two months to repair the damage inflicted in January as the insurgents laid land mines, which injured officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria when repairs commenced.

Repairs had to progress under heavy military escort, as residents and business owners turned to alternative power generating sets for electricity.

Last Wednesday, residents expressed elation after electricity from the national grid was restored.

But that elation now seems short-lived after Saturday’s attack.

Foreign Direct Investment, Key Driver Of Vietnam’s Economic Growth

Angel Gimalo
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Foreign Direct Investment, Key Driver Of Vietnam’s Economic Growth

Vietnam received $4.1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first three months of 2021, up 6.5% from a year earlier, government data showed on Saturday.

FDI has been a key driver of Vietnam’s economic growth. Companies with investment from foreign firms account for about 70% of the southeast Asian country’s exports.

FDI pledges — which indicate the size of future FDI disbursements — rose 18.5% from a year earlier to $10.13 billion in the January-March period, the government said in a statement.

it added that of the pledges, 49.6% would go to manufacturing and processing, while 38.9% are to be invested in electricity distribution.

Singapore was the top source of FDI pledges in the period, followed by Japan and South Korea.

Boeing Co Resumes Deliveries Of Its 787 Dreamliner Jets

Angel Gimalo
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Boeing Co Resumes Deliveries Of Its 787 Dreamliner Jets

Boeing Co has resumed deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner jets, handing over one plane to United Airlines, an initial step as the U.S. planemaker works through production defects that sidelined dozens of aircraft.

Last week, Boeing remained on course to resume deliveries of a few 787s this month, which a Boeing spokeswoman said remained the goal.

The delivery from its South Carolina factory comes as Boeing undertakes painstaking repairs and forensic inspections to fix structural integrity flaws embedded deep inside dozens of 787s, issues which halted deliveries since October, cutting off a key source of cash.

The inspections and retrofits could take up to a month per plane and are likely to cost hundreds of millions – if not billions – of dollars, depending on the number of planes across the fleet that are impacted and the defects involved.

Air Bag Concerns: Volkswagen To Write Owners Of Audi A3s In The U.S.

Angel Gimalo
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Air Bag Concerns: Volkswagen To Write Owners Of Audi A3s In The U.S.

Carmaker Volkswagen has issued a recall for more than 150,000 Audi vehicles in the United States on concerns that their passenger air bags might not activate, according to a filing to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The recall is expected to affect 153,152 Audi A3 cars built between 2015 and 2020, including the Sedan, Etron and Cabriolet models, as well as certain S3 Sedans.

The system which detects whether the passenger seat is occupied might malfunction and switch off the air bag even if a person is sitting there, the filing said.

  • MEDLEY, FL – MAY 22: A deployed airbag is seen in a 2001 Honda Accord at the LKQ Pick Your Part salvage yard on May 22, 2015 in Medley, Florida. The largest automotive recall in history centers around the defective Takata Corp. air bags that are found in millions of vehicles that are manufactured by BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Volkswagen will write to owners of the affected vehicles by May 21 and will contact them again once a solution to the problem has been found.

Cabinet Appointments: Lebanon’s Largest Christian Bloc Warns Against Sidelining President Aoun

Angel Gimalo
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Cabinet Appointments: Lebanon’s Largest Christian Bloc Warns Against Sidelining President Aoun

Lebanon’s largest Christian bloc, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), warned prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri on Saturday against sidelining President Michel Aoun and other parliamentary interests in talks over forming a cabinet.

Hariri and Aoun have been at loggerheads over the cabinet for months, dashing hopes of a reversal of Lebanon’s deepening financial meltdown. Hariri has said Aoun’s party is trying to dictate cabinet seats in order to gain veto power.

The FPM, which is headed by Gebran Bassil, who is also Aoun’s son-in-law, accused Hariri of trying to orchestrate a majority for his own supporters.

The party said its priority remained forming a government of non-partisan specialists to halt the financial collapse.

Veteran Sunni politician Hariri was nominated in October to form a cabinet after Hassan Diab’s government resigned in the wake of the Beirut port blast, which killed 200 people and damaged large swathes of the city.

Diab’s government has stayed on in a caretaker capacity. On Monday, the 18th meeting between Hariri and Aoun failed to produce any concrete results.

Lebanon is in the throes of a deep financial crisis that is posing the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war. A new cabinet is needed to carry out reforms that could unlock foreign aid.

Domestic Violence Treaty: Turkish Women Protest Erdogan’s Exit

Angel Gimalo
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Domestic Violence Treaty: Turkish Women Protest Erdogan’s Exit

Turkey has reversed its decision to withdraw from an international treaty against domestic abuse which it once championed and this move has brought several thousand women to the streets in Istanbul on Saturday to demand a rescind in the decision.

President Tayyip Erdogan stunned European allies with last week’s announcement that Turkey was pulling out of the Istanbul Convention, named after the Turkish city where it was drafted in 2011.

Turkey was one of the first signatories and women say their safety has been jeopardised by Erdogan’s move against the European treaty.

World Health Organization data shows 38% of women in Turkey are subject to violence from a partner in their lifetime, compared with 25% in Europe.

Estimates of femicide rates in Turkey, for which there are no official figures, have roughly tripled over the last 10 years, according to a monitoring group. So far this year 87 women have been murdered by men or died under suspicious circumstances, it said.

Conservatives in Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party say the convention, which stresses gender equality and forbids discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, undermines family structures and encourages violence.

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