Kioo17 Journal

Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA: A South African craft brewery has launched the nation’s first lager containing cannabis, capitalizing on the globally known Durban Poison strain after the private use of the plant was legalized in the country last month. Drinks infused with marijuana-derived compounds could grow to a $600 million market in the U.S. within the next four years, outpacing the growth of other categories of retail cannabis products, according to analysts at Canaccord Genuity.  Corona-parent Constellation Brands Inc. became the largest stakeholder in Canadian pot cultivator Canopy Growth Corp. earlier this year, while Molson Coors Canada has formed a joint venture with Hexo Corp. It’s not legal to grow the plant in South Africa, so the beer is being made with imported strains, mostly from Germany and Eastern Europe, Schubert said. Funded by investors including RCL Foods Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Miles Dally, Spar Group Ltd. CEO Graham O’Conno...

Washington DC, UNITED STATES: A luxury handbag designer in Palm Beach, Florida, has reportedly been chosen by Donald Trump as the next US ambassador to South Africa. Lana Marks, whose products retail for $10,000 to $400,000, was born in South Africa but has not lived there for more than 40 years. Lana Marks is a South African-born American fashion designer who founded the eponymous fashion brand, Lana Marks. On 29 September 2018 it was announced by the US President Donald Trump, that he was his nominate to be the US Ambassador to South Africa. The appointment of Lana Marks, whose products sell between $10,000 and $400,000, would be likely to cause some surprise: Marks was born in South Africa but has not lived there for more than 40 years. Relations between South Africa and the US have soured in recent weeks following a tweet by the president inaccurately describing “large-scale killing” of white farmers in the country. Trump’s statement prompted outra...

Lusaka, ZAMBIA: Police in Zambia arrested two Chinese nationals over the weekend over allegations that they were giving illegal military training to members of a local security firm. Police said one was arrested on Saturday and another on Sunday in the country’s tourist capital, Livingstone. In total, at least 11 people, including Zambians, were arrested in the operation. A Zambian director of Alert Safety Security in Livingstone was also detained. The nine were round up near the Livingstone Weighbridge and two kilometres off Great North Road. Southern Province Police Commissioner, Bonnie Kapeso said the suspects were found with one pistol, seven shotguns and one big air gun with a box containing shotgun ammunition. Southern Province Police Commissioner Bonny Kapeso said in a statement that Police had confiscated shotguns, a pistol and ammunition, he added. The military hardware allegedly belongs to a security company whose proprietor is Lusaka b...

Younde, CAMEROON: The international football striker Samuel Eto’o fils has filed a complaint at the national communication council against a Yaounde based radio station. A Yaoundé based radio station known as Soleil FM was accosted by the footballer for reasons being that one of its journalists popularly known as Michael Doppas, made some “unjust” statements with regards to his personality during a highly followed program that he anchors. It was therefore reported that Michael Doppas during a recent edition of the program dubbed “Sport et Investigation” referred to Samuel Eto’o as “a footballer with golden legs but with a dark heart”. Samuel Eto'o Fils born on 10 March 1981 is Cameroon's professional footballer who plays for Qatar SC, as a striker. He is the most famous African player of all time, having won the African Player of the Year award four times record: in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010. He came third for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2005, an...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may not play for Gabon again following a row with the country's football association, new coach Daniel Cousin has told RMC. Gabon captain Aubameyang reacted angrily when the Gabon Football Federation announced that his father, Pierre Francois, would be co-coach, claiming they had done so the day before he had said he would give his decision on the offer. Pierre-Emerick Emiliano François Aubameyang born on 18 June 1989 is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Premier League club Arsenal captains the Gabonese national team. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has criticised the country's football federation (FEGAFOOT) after they appointed his father as national team coach and said Pierre Francois did not want the job. Pierre François Aubameyang "Yaya" is a Gabonese international footballer. He also holds French passport. He is the father of Catilina, Willy and Pierre-Emerick. He won 80 caps for the...

Kigali, RWANDA: Drawing cartoons or producing writing that "humiliates" a government official is now a crime in Rwanda. Journalists say the law that took effect on Thursday will greatly affect work that is meant to hold public officials, including Cabinet members to account. Defaming Rwanda's head of state, President Paul Kagame, already was illegal, bringing five to seven years in prison and a $11,000 fine. It was not immediately clear if the law affects people who post such writings on social media. A cartoonist who breaks the law faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $1500. If the cartoon targets a member of parliament or top-ranking official, the penalty doubles. " Any person who, verbally, by gestures or threats, in writings or cartoons, humiliates a member of parliament when exercising his/her mandate, a member of the Cabinet, security officers or any other person in charge of a public service in the performance or in conn...

Lusaka, ZAMBIA: A Kenyan law professor and former director of his country’s anti-corruption commission was on Saturday refused entry to Zambia due to “security considerations”, authorities said. Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba (born 17 July 1962) is a Kenyan who served as the Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission from September 2010 to August 2011 and is currently the Director of The Kenya School of Laws since the year 2014. An eloquent lawyer , he holds PhD in Laws of the sea from the University of Ghent in Belgium. He is also a staunch Pan-Africanist and has delivered several powerful speeches to all about African solutions to African problems. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, director of the Kenya School of Laws, had been due to deliver a talk on Chinese influence in Africa on Sunday. On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International airport in Lusaka, however, he was refused entry before being deported back to Kenya. “(The) government through (the) immigr...

New York, UNITED STATES: Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for urgent reforms at the United Nations to ensure Africa is allocated two permanent seats at the Security Council complete with all attendant rights and prerogatives. Speaking when he delivered Kenya’s country statement at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, the Head of State said, besides the two permanent seats being demanded by the continent, Africa deserves more non-permanent seats. Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for urgent reforms at the United Nations to ensure Africa is allocated two permanent seats at the Security Council complete with all attendant rights and prerogatives. Speaking when he delivered Kenya’s country statement at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, the Head of State said, besides the two permanent seats being demanded by the continent, Africa deserves more non-permanent seats. Currently, Africa has three non-permanent seats at the UN ...

Jose Filomeno dos Santos. Luanda, ANGOLA: The son of Angola's former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos was taken into custody in connection with a US$1.5 billion corruption case, a state prosecutor told the AFP. Jose Filomeno dos Santos, nicknamed Zenu, the former head of Angola’s sovereign wealth fund, Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA) was in March charged with fraud over an alleged illegal transfer of $500 million while in his former position. Another former fund manager, Angolan-Swiss businessman Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais, is also under investigation. Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais is a Swiss-Angolan entrepreneur who has founded and led several businesses over the course of his career. Among these are Quantum Global Group, an international investment group with a particular focus on Africa and Banco Kwanza Invest, Angola’s first investment bank.  “Given the complexity and seriousness of the deeds and in order to guarantee an effective enquiry...the state ...

New York, UNITED STATES: Members of the United Nations‘ General Assembly have laughed at Donald Trump after he told them his administration had “accomplished more than almost any ... in the history of our country”. Mr Trump on Tuesday began his address by noting that this is the second time he has spoken to the UNGeneral Assembly, and then began to tout the progress his administration has made since he took office. “One year ago I stood before you for the first time in this grand hall. I addressed the threats facing our world, and I presented a vision to achieve a brighter future for all of humanity,”  Mr Trump, who has frequently claimed the US is laughed at internationally for weak international policies, said. “Today I stand before the United Nations General Assembly to share the extraordinary progress we’ve made”. In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,”  Mr Trump c...