Kioo17 Journal

  Accra, GHANA: Ghana soccer team-captain Gyan Asamoah claims he is broke and cannot provide for his family despite once being ranked as one of the highest paid footballers in the world. Gyan, 33, is widely considered as one of the finest strikers to emerge from the African continent, having featured 105 times for the Ghana national team and scoring 51 goals. Two weeks ago, Ghana famous News website, MyNewsGh.com filed the exclusive story of Black Stars Skipper Asamoah Gyan who is claiming he is broke and has not been paid for many months for which reason he is unable to foot the cost of the Business class travel of his wife and three children.  It has now emerged from Gyan family source that Asamoah Gyan has finally submitted proof of his being broke, and shockingly, it is a National Investment Bank (NIB) Account with 4000 Ghana cedis($823). According to Asamoah Gyan, “My front and back, up and down is that money (GH¢4000) ($823) you see there”.  ...

By Gren Ford, GLOBAL RESEARCH: The Americans wager that they can exercise veto power over African political alignments by force of arms, through AFRICOM’s massive military infiltration of the region. “The ‘West’s’ political economies are spent forces, incapable of either keeping up with China’s phenomenal domestic growth or of competing with China in what used to be called the Third World.” Donald Trump last week trotted out his war dog, National Security Advisor John Bolton, to growl and snarl  over China’s attempts to “gain a competitive advantage” in Africa through “predatory” practices that supposed include “bribes, opaque agreements, and the strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive” to Beijing’s global schemes. On 13th December, US National security adviser John Bolton laid out the new strategy in remarks at the Heritage Foundation, saying the U.S. will now choose its African partners more carefully. He took special aim at China, accusing it ...

Harare, ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa said his country will have a difficult Christmas in the wake of   deep seated economic challenges. The country is experiencing its worst inflation since 2008, which peaked to a 10 year high of 31% last month. The health sector is in crisis with doctors on strike for close to a month, while there is critical shortage of medicines. Commodities such as fuel, beverages and basic foods are also in short supply with many industries unable to produce due to foreign currency shortages. At the weekend yet another outbreak of cholera claimed three lives. In a Christmas message to Zimbabweans on Sunday, Mnangagwa said: “there will be further bumps along the road”. “I am aware that many will have a difficult Christmas. I encourage all of us to be patient, resilient and to work harder in collective unity, as we create a better, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe for all. From my family to yours, I wish you a Merry ...

London, UNITED KINGDOM: While they may be the bane of every driver who is stuck for a space in a busy city centre, most of us accept that when we’ve parked on those dreaded double yellow lines, we’ll inevitably have to pay a fine later. But that’s not the case for the various diplomats who inhabit the city of London. With the power of diplomatic immunity, the staff of embassies and consulates based in the capital are able to park where they like – and are not legally obliged to pay their fines. The result, as you can imagine, is some fairly huge debts racked up against the missions of London. In an effort to shame them, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has just released how much the the various embassies owe from last year. Top of the list this time is the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who owe a massive £39,225. (But even their debts are still dwarfed by the £11,925,920 the United States of America owes in unpaid congestion charge fines.) In the spirit of trying to...

Entebe, UGANDA: President Yoweri Museveni has rebuked Miss Africa Quiin Abenakyo for wearing fake Indian hair rather than being a natural African woman. Museveni said this on Wednesday after meeting Quiin Abenakyo who paid him a courtesy visit at State House Entebbe. Miss Uganda 2018/19, Quiin Abenakyo waves to her fans upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport. Image: SoftPower. Abenakyo had just returned from Europe where she emerged the third best in the recently concluded Miss World beauty contest, making her Miss Africa- the first accolade to be bagged by a Ugandan in the history of the world beauty pageant. Miss Uganda,Quiin Abenakyo with other Miss World 2018 beauty pageant top contestants. Image: Miss World. Museveni took to his twitter and congratulated Abenakyo for flying Ugandan flag higher, but blasted her for wearing non-African hair which he treasures most. “Abenakyo is indeed a tall, beautiful Musoga girl. My only concern is that...

  Gourav Mukhi looked to have made history in the Indian Super League when he became their youngest goal scorer in October at the age of 16. But the player has now been suspended for six months having been exposed as a fraud after it emerged he is actually 28 and not a teenager as listed on league documents. The historical goal came when the Jamshedpur FC striker netted a crucial equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Bengaluru FC. A failure to prove his age after questions were raised have seen his club registration revoked and six-month suspension put in place with immediate effect. The All India Football Federation statement read: ' All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee has imposed a six-month suspension on Jamshedpur FC player Gourav Mukhi with immediate effect. 'The AIFF Disciplinary Committee found the player Gourav Mukhi guilty on the basis of the evidence presented by him, his admissions and the statements of Manager of U-16 AIFF aca...

Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa has issued an arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s former first lady Grace Mugabe in relation to an alleged assault on a woman in a hotel in Johannesburg last year. Gabriella Engels accused Mugabe of beating the “hell out” of her with an electrical extension cord in a room at the Capital 20 West hotel in Johannesburg’s Sandton district. After the alleged assault came to light in August 2017, the South African government granted Mugabe diplomatic immunity. That immunity was overturned by a court this year after Engels, a model, challenged the decision. “I can confirm that a warrant for the arrest of Grace Mugabe was issued last Thursday,”  said Vishnu Naidoo, a spokesman for South Africa’s police service. He said police were seeking Interpol’s help to enforce the warrant. Gabriella Engels and her mother Debbie are seen at the North Gauteng High Court on September 2017. Image: Citizen. Gabriella Engels sits during a press...

Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA: South African regulators on Tuesday banned a television advert that showed a black man discovering a foreign land and naming it 'Europe', ruling that colonisation was 'not open for humorous exploitation'. The advert, for a chicken restaurant chain, tells a spoof story how the man leaves South Africain 1650, sails overseas and, after many adventures, comes ashore and meets white local people wearing three-pointed hats and waistcoats. 'Hola MaNgamla (Hello white folk). I like this place, I think I will call it... Europe,' the man says, sticking his spear into the ground. The Advertising Regulatory Board ruled that the commercial 'trivialises an issue that is... upsetting for many South African people.' 'Turning the usual colonisation story around might be perceived as having a certain element of humour,' it said. 'The reality though is that colonisation of Africa and her people was traumatic. ...

Manchester, ENGLAND: José Mourinho has been sacked as Manchester United manager following Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool, ending a tenure that began in May 2016. United finally lost patience with a head coach who was not adhering to the club’s core attacking values and who had overseen their worst start to a campaign for 28 years. Mourinho was also relieved of his duties due to a transfer spend of around £400m on 11 players that, it is understood, the club insist were all the Portuguese’s choice. In addition to the disquiet regarding the side’s stultifying style, there was further disappointment at Mourinho’s development and improvement of United’s younger players. The club also took into account the growing unhappiness from fans at the direction of the club under Mouinho. It is understood the compensation due to Mourinho will be no more than £15m. Michael Carrick will take charge of training on Tuesday, before an interim boss is appointed. That move is expected to happen ...

Muhammad Ali’s only biological son has claimed he is surviving on less than $8 a day and is forced to do odd jobs to make ends meet. Muhammad Ali Junior expected to inherit $5 million after the boxing legend’s death, aged 74, in 2016. But he claims all he receives is a small allowance from the estate, meaning he will spend Christmas penniless. Junior said:  “I have no plans for Christmas. I’m just trying to make a living. “I’ll do anything – construction, breaking up concrete, painting, but at the moment I’m making nothing. I cut grass, pull hedges, weeds, clean shutters, clean gutters. My friend lets me use his truck and equipment and I give him half.” Muhammad Ali Junior with his father and Mike Tyson. Image: thisischriswhite.com Junior, 46, lives in a dingy room in a three-bedroom condo in Miami. Estranged wife Shaakira, 49, and their two young children live in Englewood, Chicago – a neighbourhood with one of the worst crime rates in the U...

Cambodia seized more than 3.2 tonnes of elephant tusks hidden in a storage container sent from Mozambique, a customs official said Sunday, marking the country's largest ivory bust. The discovery Thursday of 1,026 tusks at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port followed a tip from the US embassy, the official said, and highlights Cambodia's emergence as a key regional transit point for the multibillion dollar trade in illicit wildlife. "The elephant tusks were hidden among marble in a container that was abandoned,"  Sun Chhay, director of the Customs and Excise Office at the port, told AFP. He said the ivory was sent from the southern African nation of Mozambique and arrived at the port last year. The unidentified owner of the shipment did not arrive to pick up the cargo. Pictures of the massive haul showed long rows of confiscated tusks spread out on the ground at the port. Sun Chhay said he did not know whether the shipment was destined for markets in...

Harare, ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe's Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s adopted son, Abhallha Mone Moussa Moummare, is resisting attempts by Zimbabwean authorities to have him deported to Tripoli, Libya. Ziyambi was briefing a Senate thematic committee on human rights on how Government was dealing with refugees, and addressing their living conditions in prisons. He said Gaddafi’s son recently refused to disembark from a plane in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was supposed to board a connecting flight to Libya. Zimbabwe's Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. In an interview, Minister Ziyambi said Gaddafi’s son ran away from Libya after his father was deposed and killed in 2011, and arrived in Harare in 2014. He has since approached the High Court challenging his detention at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison and wants to be granted refugee or asylum status.  Said Ziyamb...

Lagos, NIGERIA: Nigeria's army has called for the closure of Amnesty International's operations in the country. In a report on Monday, the human rights group said at least 3,641 people had died in clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria since 2016. The army has accused Amnesty of trying to destabilise the country with "fictitious" claims. A spokesperson for Amnesty told the BBC that the group "would not be discouraged" by the military's remarks. The exchange of words comes days after Nigeria's military briefly suspended the activities of the UN children's agency Unicef in the north-east of the country. Aside from those killed, thousands of people have been displaced since 2016 as a result of the long-running conflict between cattle herders and farmers in central Nigeria, according to Amnesty. The NGO said more than half of these deaths had occurred in 2018 alone. "These attacks were well planned and co-ordi...

Lusaka, ZAMBIA: Zambia has denied claims by a White House official that China is about to take over its state power utility to recover $6-10 billion debt, noting the utility was never provided as collateral and its debt to Beijing was only $3.1 billion. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Thursday that China’s quest for more power in Africa was evident in nations like Zambia, and China was poised to take over Zambia’s utility company Zesco to collect the debt. US National Security Advisor John Bolton speaks about the administration's African policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC, Dec. 13, 2018. Image: abc. Zambia’s presidential spokesman Amos Chanda told Reuters the figure of between $6-10 billion given by Bolton was wrong. Zambia’s total external debt was now $9.7 billion including $3.1 billion owed to China, he said. “It is regrettable that such information can come from such a high-ranking official. In fact, Zesco is not within ...