UN chief Guterres warns of risk of confrontation in Libya

Reuters, Tunisia Thursday, 4 April 2019

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that fighting between rival factions in Libya could break out again as forces from the east of the country move toward Tripoli, and he appealed for restraint.

“I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation,” Guterres said. (File photo: AFP)

Guterres arrived in Tripoli on Wednesday to promote peace talks as a brief skirmish took place between Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and forces allied to Tripoli Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj after the LNA moved discreetly westward from their stronghold in Benghazi.

“I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation,” Guterres said in a tweet.

“There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country.”

I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation. There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 4, 2019

Guterres said on arriving in the capital he was committed to a Libyan-led political process that would lead to peace, stability, democracy and prosperity.

The confrontation was a setback for the United Nations and Western countries which have been trying to mediate between Serraj and Haftar, who met in Abu Dhabi last month to discuss a power-sharing deal.

A national conference is set to follow this month to agree on a road map for elections.

Source: english.alarabiya.net

SAKATA LA PROFESA ASSAD LISIATHIRI KATIBA

Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania limepitisha azimio kutofanya kazi na Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Hesabu za Serikali (CAG), Profesa Mussa Assad baada ya kumtuhumu katika mahojiano na kituo cha televisheni cha Umoja wa Mataifa akisema kutofuatiliwa kwa ripoti zake ni “udhaifu wa Bunge.”

Azimio hilo lilifikiwa na Bunge juzi baada ya Kamati ya Bunge ya Haki, Maadili na Madaraka ya Bunge kuwasilisha mapendekezo yake kuhusu Profesa Assad.

Mwenyekiti wa kamati hiyo, Emmanuel Mwakalasa aliliambia Bunge kwamba CAG alikiri kutumia neno “udhaifu wa Bunge” lakini hakujutia kauli yake wakati alipohojiwa na kamati hiyo.

Mwakalasa alisema walipomhoji kwenye kamati kuhusu maana ya neno udhaifu kwa wananchi wa kawaida na watu ambao taaluma yao siyo wahasibu au wakaguzi, alijitetea kuwa yeye alikuwa na maana ya upungufu na si vinginevyo.

Siyo nia yetu kuendeleza mjadala kuhusu sakata hilo, tunafahamu Bunge ni mhimili unaojitegemea na una mamlaka yake kisheria katika utendaji wa kazi.

Hata hivyo, azimio hilo la Bunge limeonekana kuleta utata wa kikatiba na hata CAG mstaafu Ludovick Utouh, amekaririwa akisema itakuwa tatizo.

Kila mtu anafahamu Bunge letu ni chombo kinachowakilisha wananchi katika kusimamia utendaji wa Serikali kwa kuhoji masuala kadhaa na kutunga sheria.

Bunge limetoa azimio hilo ikiwa ni siku saba tangu CAG akabidhi ripoti mpya kwa Rais John Magufuli ambaye aliwahi kusema Serikali itaendelea kufanya kazi na ofisi hiyo. Katiba yetu inaeleza majukumu ya CAG na namna anavyohusika katika kuidhinisha fedha kutoka kwenye Hazina kuu ya Serikali, na pia ripoti yake ndiyo inayotumiwa na Bunge kuisimamia vizuri Serikali.

Siyo dhamira yetu kubeza azimio lilitolewa na Bunge dhidi ya CAG, bali tunaamini wabunge walikuwa na uwezo wa kufanya zaidi kwa kuangalia athari za mbali katika uamuzi wao.

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US envoy Brian Hook says three countries cut Iran oil imports to zero

Reuters, WashingtonWednesday, 3 April 2019

Three of eight countries granted waivers by Washington to import oil from Iran have now cut the imports to zero, a US official said on Tuesday, adding that improved global oil market conditions would help reduce Iranian crude exports further.

Hook said a decision on whether to extend the waivers would be made “in due course.” (File photo: AP)

The United States re-imposed sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump last May withdrew the country from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and several world powers, accusing it of supporting terrorism and conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

While the United States has set a goal of completely halting Iran’s oil exports, it granted temporary import waivers to China, India, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea to ensure low oil prices and no disruption to the global oil market.

The Trump administration is currently in consultations with the countries ahead of a May 2 deadline when the waivers expire.

“In November, we granted eight oil waivers to avoid a spike in the price of oil. I can confirm today three of those importers are now at zero,” Brian Hook, the special US envoy for Iran, told reporters.

Hook did not identify the three countries.

“There are better market conditions for us to accelerate our path to zero,” Hook said. “We are not looking to grant any waivers or exceptions to our sanctions regime.”

BREAKING NEWS: Wapinzani 'WASUSIA' Bunge, Mbowe, Mdee, WATOKA Nje!

Kamati ya Bunge ya Haki na Maadili imewasilisha Bungeni Hoja ya kulitaka Bunge hilo kusitisha kufanya kazi na Mkaguzi na Mdhibiti Mkuu wa Hesabu za serikali (CAG) Profesa Mussa Assad, kutokana na kauli yake ya kuliita Bunge hilo dhaifu...

Wabunge wamechangia hoja na kutoa maoni yao kuhusiana na hoja hiyo ambapo wanakinzana pande moja inakubaliana na hoja huku pande nyingine ikikataa na kudai kuwa CAG hana kosa lolote.

Wabunge wa Upinzani wamechukizwa na hoja hiyo na kuamua kutoka nje ya ukumbi wa Bunge.

Via  Global TV Online

Lema apelekwa kwenye kamati ya Maadili baada ya kutoa utetezi kwa Mdee.

Bouteflika kunga'atuka mamlakani

Mwandishi: Lilian Mtono. Mhariri: Bruce Amani

Rais wa Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika ataachia wadhifa wake huo Aprili 28, kabla ya kumalizika kwa muhula wake wa nne. Ameamua kuchukua hatua hiyo baada ya washirika wake wa karibu kujitenga naye

Ni hatua ambayo imechukuliwa katika wakati ambapo pia kuna maandamano makubwa ya raia ya kumshinikiza kiongozi huyo mdhaifu kung'atuka.

Bouteflika mwenye umri wa miaka 82, ambaye pia amekuwa akionekana mara chache hadharani tangu alipopatwa na kiharusi mnamo mwaka 2013, amekuwa akikabiliwa na wakati mgumu mamlakani, kutokana na kuongezeka kwa shinikizo kwa wiki kadhaa baada ya jaribio lake la kutaka kusalia madarakani baada ya miaka 20 ya utawala.

Bila ya kutoa maelezo zaidi, taarifa kutoka ofisi ya rais imesema Bouteflika atajiuzulu kabla ya Aprili 28, baada ya kuchukuliwa kwa kile kilichotajwa kama "maamuzi muhimu".

Hata hivyo, taarifa iliyotolewa na shirika rasmi la habari nchini humo la APS imesema Bouteflika atachukua kwanza hatua zinazolenga kuhakikisha taasisi za serikali zinaendelea kufanya kazi zake katika kipindi cha mpito.

Rais wa chama cha upinzani cha UCP Zoubida Assoul amezungumzia hatua hiyo ya rais Bouteflika, kwenye mahojiano na shirika la habari la AFP. Alisema "Sitaki kumsubiri hadi atangaze kujiuzulu kwa sababu tunajua kwamba anatakiwa kuondoka mamlakani ifikapo Aprili 28. Kwa hiyo sio tukio la kushangaza na wala halikutangazwa kwetu kama kitu kikubwa. Tungependa atuambie anarejea kwenye mkakati wake uliokataliwa na watu na hata upinzani, ikiwa ni pamoja na mimi."

Maandamano yalihanikiza katika jiji la Algiers kumpinga Bouteflika

Katika siku za karibuni, Algeria imekumbwa na maandamano makubwa hasa baada ya rais kutangaza mnamo mwezi Februari kwamba angegombea awamu ya tano ya urais. Bouteflika alisema mwezi uliopita kwamba angejiondoa kwenye kinyang'anyiro cha urais na kuuahirisha hadi mwezi huu wa Aprili, hatua iliyowaongezea ghadhabu waadamanaji, walioichukulia hatua hiyo kama mbinu ya kuongeza muda wa kusalia mamlakani.

Bado kuna wasiwasi wa mabadiliko iwapo mfumo uleule utasalia baada ya kuondoka Bouteflika.

Mahojiano na Maalim Seif Sharif #Clouds360

Arab leaders to seek UNSC resolution against US decision on Golan Heights

Reuters, TunisSunday, 31 March 2019 

Arab leaders warned on Sunday any country from following in the US footsteps in recognizing Israel sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf attend the 30th Arab Summit in Tunis. (Reuters)

In a statement agreed by the 22 member states at the closing session of the Sunday’s summit of the Arab League in the Tunisian capital Tunis, the Arab leaders said they will seek a UN Security Council resolution against the US decision on the Golan Heights.

“We, the leaders of the Arab countries gathered in Tunisia ... express our rejection and condemnation of the United States decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan,” Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said.

He said Arab countries would present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council and seek a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice on the US decision. It warned other countries away from following Washington’s lead.

Trump signed a proclamation last week recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel, which annexed the area in 1981 after capturing it from Syria in 1967.

Trump’s earlier decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital also drew Arab condemnation. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

The Arab leaders also invited non-Arab Iran to work with Arab countries on the basis of good neighborly ties and without interfering in each others’ internal affairs, according to Reuters.

Rais Uhuru asema vita dhidi ya ufisadi kushika moto; na hakuna jamii inalengwa: Mbiu ya KTN