Iraqi Forces Diminish Daesh

Military forces in Iraq have advanced deeper into the center of the last remaining district held by Daesh terrorists in the city of Ramadi, an army spokesman has announced.

The Iraqi army’s joint operations command spokesman Brigadier Yahya Rasool said on Saturday that the troops pressed their way overnight into the Hoz neighborhood of the city, one of the key targets of an operation that began on Tuesday and where the provincial government compound is located.

“The counter-terrorism forces are within 800 meters (0.5 mile) from the government complex,” Rasool said, adding that Iraqi forces pushed one kilometer deeper into the city yesterday.

The military official said that, “Airstrikes helped detonate explosive devices and booby-trapped houses, facilitating our advance.”

He declined, however, to offer a time frame for the final push to drive out the foreign-backed terrorist elements.


Iraqi pro-government tribal forces hold a position in the Tel Mushaihed area, east of Ramadi, 100 kilometers west of Baghdad, December 17, 2015. (Photo by AFP)
“The campaign’s priority is to avoid casualties among civilians and the troops, no matter how long it takes,” he emphasized.

Iraqi military commanders said earlier in the week that the Ramadi offensive would take several days to accomplish intended targets.

The recapture of Ramadi, which was overrun by Daesh terrorists back in May, would represent one of the most significant victories scored by the Iraqi military forces since Daesh started a large-scale offensive in Iraq in 2014.

Following the completion of the Ramadi offensive, the army plans to prepare for a new operation to recapture the northern city of Mosul, the most populated city held by the Daesh terrorists.

“The liberation of dear Mosul will be achieved with the cooperation and unity of all Iraqis after the victory in Ramadi,” Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday.


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Advice to All From the Richest man in China

From Jack Ma,

Please tell your children that the world is changing every day and no one is going to wait for you in the past. When lighter was invented, matches slowly disappeared. When calculator was created, abacus was to fade away.

When digital camera was designed, the market of negative film no longer existed. When direct market selling/internet-based selling arises, traditional marketing declines.

When smartphone with 4G (wireless internet access) was introduced to the world, you no longer need to turn on your computer at home. When WeChat and WhatsApp (mobile text/voice/video messaging) are developed, traditional text messaging is no longer as popular as before.

Let’s not to blame “Who took over Whose business.” It’s only because people are more adjustable and adaptable to new ideas and changes in the world.

Someone asks Jack Ma, “What is your secret for success?” He says, “Really simple…I am doing (action) while you’re only watching.”

Please remember that the world keeps changing every day. If you don’t change, you’ll be left behind. You reap what you sow with your time. If you spend time to drink, you may become an alcoholic. If you spend time to complain, you may become a blamer.

If you spend time to beautify yourself, you may become a pretty girl/handsome guy. If you spend time to stay healthy, you may enjoy a healthy good life. If you spend time to be picky, you may become a ‘mean’ person.

If you spend time to learn, you may gain wisdom. If you spend time with your family, you may foster a warm and loving relationship with your loved ones, Jack Ma says,


Courtesy GistHubng

Africa's Richest man (Aliko Dangote), Chinese Companies and Others Survive Robert Mugabe Take Over

By 2016, only Chinese companies, company (ies) owned by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote and a few others, will be free from being taken over by Zimbabweans as the Robert Mugabe led-government plans to enforce its indigenization law next year.

Zimbabwe’s finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, Thursday, gave foreign-owned firms operating in the country a March 2016 deadline to submit plans on how to comply with the law.

Photo credit Forbes

“All companies that have not yet submitted their indigenization implementation plans as required by the Act should submit their applications by the new deadline of 31 March 2016,” Patrick Chinamasa said in a statement. The deadline had earlier been set for January 2014.

The Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act, which was passed in 2008 under President Mugabe’s black empowerment drive, requires foreign companies to sell at least 51 percent shares to locals. However, with the economy struggling over the years, implementation of the law has been largely non-existent as potential foreign investors warned that it could discourage investment. But Zimbabwe seems ready to begin enforcement regardless of the perceived disadvantages of the policy.

The Act defines an indigenous Zimbabwean as “any person who before the 18th of April 1980 [independence] was disadvantaged by unfair discrimination on the grounds of his or her race, and any descendant of such person.” Such persons can take up majority stake in foreign companies. Indigenisation is defined in the law as “a deliberate involvement of indigenous Zimbabweans in the economic activities of the country, to which hitherto they had no access, so as to ensure the equitable ownership of the nation’s resources”.

Chinese-owned companies may not be affected by an enforcement of the law as they are believed to be exempted from it, unofficially though. The minister for indigenization and empowerment has the power to allow some companies to be exempt of the transfer law for some time. This prerogative is expected to be applied in China’s case as the country has been a trusted ally of Zimbabwe for decades. Recently, the Asian powerhouse said it will cancel $40 million worth of Zimbabwe’s debt due to mature this year. This is coming at a period lenders have stopped giving out loans to the southern African country which has been finding it hard to service its debts. Chinese-owned companies may not be the only ones to be exempted, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote was also said to have been assured of exemption from the indigenization law before going ahead with his investment plans in Zimbabwe.

Dangote plans to invest in the country’s power and mining sectors. He is also building a $400 million cement plant in Zimbabwe.

Finance Minister Chinamasa said existing foreign-owned firms could continue operating in the country  without compliance to the law for up to five years, including a possible extension, but would be forced to pay an “indigenisation compliance levy as a trade-off for non-compliance.”

To give up 51 percent stake of their holding, foreign-owned companies in manufacturing, financial services and construction will have to directly sell between 20 and 30 percent shares to locals, while the balance will be covered by empowerment credits, such as funding youth and women programmes.

In May, the African Economic Outlook projected Zimbabwe’s real GDP to marginally improve to 3.2 percent in 2015, riding on the back of planned investments in agriculture, mining, communications and other infrastructure projects, including in the water and energy sectors. How the indigenization law affects this remains to be seen.

Courtesy TheNerve

Muslims Attend/Guard Churches with Christians during Christmas

In an interesting trend that seems to be spreading world wide and have caught the attention of many is Muslims protecting Christians.


Last Christmas, Pastor Buru and Muslims of the Islamic movement did the same with the Muslims guarding his Church in a pre-election hallmark event that the CAN President Oritsejafor insisted on denying

On Friday December 24 in France, a significant number of Muslims in the city of Lens not only volunteered but successfully guarded the event at the Catholic Church Christmas in the morning

In similar fashion, no fewer than 150 Muslim youths and Imams worshipped together with Christians during Christmas service in Kaduna to strengthen peace, unity and religious tolerance in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessary Fellowship Ministry led the service in Kaduna.

He said that the prayer was to promote peaceful co-existence among different faith organisations “and to shun ethno-religious and political differences affecting the state for decades.’’

Buru said “more than 150 Muslims youths and Imams, traditional title holders and various groups attended Christmas service with their brother Christians in order to promote peace and harmony and religious tolerance across the state.

“Prayers were offered by both Muslim and Christian scholars and we also pray for the unity and development of the country.’’

The general overseer expressed satisfaction over the large number of Muslims who attended the service, as some Muslim youths protected the Church by providing security service.

He said “I am very happy with what I witnessed today; today is a very special day to all Christians all over the world,it is surprising to see that not only Christians came to worship with us today.

“We have large numbers of Muslim youths and traditional title holders who joined us in prayer; this is a clear fact that Nigerians can really be their brothers’ keepers; it is amazing.

“We all must remember that we are from same parents (Adam and Eve) and we all worship one God.’’

Among the traditional title holders at the prayer was Alhaji Ahmed idris, the Chika Soran Zazzau and Hakimin Unguwar Ma’a’zu, who led a team of some Muslims to the pastor’s house to congratulate him and wish Christians a Merry Christmas and happy new year.

Idris told Pastor Buru that “we are here to join our Christian brothers in prayers and to let you know that Muslims also love Jesus Christ.

“We want to enlighten you and to let you know that in Islam, whoever does not believe in Jesus Christ is not a true believer.

“We all must realise that we are from same parents and we all worship one God and we must know that there is no need for misunderstanding because we are one.’’

Edited from Newsrescue