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Dovish Trump says not looking for regime change in Iran

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The United States does not seek “regime change” in Iran despite mounting Middle East tensions, President Donald Trump said Monday, in dovish comments also praising North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un as a “very smart guy.”

Speaking after summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump seemed at pains to dial down tensions in the world’s two most pressing flashpoints as the US faces increasingly bellicose regimes in Tehran and Pyongyang.

Iran “has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership. We’re not looking for regime change, I want to make that clear. We’re looking for no nuclear weapons,” said the president.

“I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal. I think that’s very smart of them and I think there’s a possibility for that to happen also.”

He had earlier opened the door to negotiations with Tehran, saying: “if they’d like to talk, we’d like to talk also.”

Washington has decided to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East amid growing friction with Iran after Trump pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal and later re-instated tough sanctions.

President Trump and Japan’s Shinzo Abe dined Sunday at a traditional Japanese grill restaurant, with wagyu beef and vanilla ice cream among the menu items

Trump also appeared to give backing to his host Abe to mediate, amid reports the Japanese prime minister is considering a trip to Tehran to negotiate.

“I know for a fact that the prime minister (Abe) is very close with the leadership of Iran… nobody wants to see terrible things happen, especially me,” Trump said before the summit.

– ‘Tremendous economic potential’ –

Addressing the other hot-button issue in international diplomacy, Trump doubled down on his backing for Kim despite two short-range missile tests that sparked renewed concern in the region after a period of relative calm.

Asked about the missile tests, Trump said: “My people think it could have been a violation… I view it as a man who perhaps wants to get attention.”

Trump is on a four-day feelgood mission to Japan

This appeared to be a second put-down of his hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton, who said Saturday the launches contravened UN Security Council resolutions.

Kim “is looking to create a nation that has great strength economically,” said Trump, repeating his oft-held view there was “tremendous economic potential” in North Korea.

“He knows that with nuclear, that’s never going to happen. Only bad can happen. He is a very smart man, he gets it well,” said the president, who even sided with the North Korean leader in criticising Joe Biden, who could be his main rival in next year’s presidential election.

“Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low IQ individual. He probably is, based on his record, I think I agree with him on that,” said the president.

For his part, Abe stated the launches were a violation of UN resolutions and reiterated Tokyo’s stance that they were “very regrettable”.

Abe said he had won Trump’s blessing to hold face-to-face talks “without preconditions” with Kim in a bid to resolve the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea decades ago — a burning domestic political issue.

– ‘Great time’ –

Trump was in Japan as the first foreign leader to visit the country’s newly enthroned Emperor Naruhito, which he described as a “great honour”.

US President Donald Trump presented the gargantuan President’s Cup to the sumo tournament winner Asanoyama

In the morning, Trump, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, reviewed the Japanese honour guard and greeted dozens of Japanese and visiting US officials as a military band played.

Naruhito, wearing a light blue tie, and his wife Empress Masako, who was in a white hat and jacket, accompanied Trump and his wife Melania, who wore a summery white dress and tall red high heels.

Monday marked the start of the official programme for the two leaders after a fun-filled weekend of sumo, golf and meals out. Trump said Sunday he was having a “great time” with his friend and close ally Abe.

Abe was hoping that their diplomatic bromance would act to his advantage in delicate trade talks between the world’s number-one and number-three economies.

And this seemed to have had some effect, with Trump saying that “much” of that deal would wait until Abe faces upper house elections likely in July — as rumours swirl that the popular prime minister will combine that vote with a snap general election.

On the even tougher trade negotiations with China, Trump suggested there was a “very good chance” for a “very good deal” with China.

In the evening, Trump and his wife Melania will be back at the palace for a banquet.

That will mark the lavish high point in a Japan visit laden with feel-good moments aimed at celebrating US-Japanese ties at a time of growing regional uncertainty due to US trade policies, a rising China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

Source:  AFP

Microsoft partners embracing transformation through graduate empowerment

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According to Stats SA, graduates are the most vulnerable in the South African labour market, with unemployment for this group reflected at 31% for the first quarter of 2019. These stats are alarming, stressing the need for local organisations to create programmes that empower graduates with the skills and experience needed to enter the job market.

Microsoft SA, in conjunction with its network of partners, has been instrumental in bridging the gap between graduates and potential employers through its Student to Business (S2B) Programme, which connects Microsoft partners and customers with talented, young graduates seeking entry-level jobs or internships and arming them with skills in the technology sector to enhance their employability.

The latest addition to the S2B Programme, and a first in the Microsoft stable, is the Modern Marketer Internship, which officially launched on 16 May 2019.

As a 2018 Microsoft Go-to-Market Finalist, Mint Group was keen on partnering with the S2B team on this initiative and has, therefore, taken an intern under its wing.

“We have a modern and mature marketing practice in the group and felt we could make a difference by growing a graduate’s capabilities through this rigorous programme,” states Mint Group Head of Marketing, Sugeshni Subroyen. “This is a fantastic channel to ‘send the elevator back down’ through the provision of meaningful mentorship, while simultaneously gaining a brand advocate in the Mint family; we all know millennials have a wide social following and are not shy to share their experiences.”

The transformative Modern Marketer Internship learning experience offered by Microsoft is a first of its kind as, previously, IT Pro graduates had been at the forefront of this hugely successful S2B programme.

Internships across specialisations, however, are key to ensuring a rise in graduate employment especially in the Microsoft partner ecosystem, Subroyen stresses. “I am passionate about empowering graduates to become valuable assets to the technology sector and feel confident that Microsoft’s S2B Programme will secure permanent positions for most of the 2019 Modern Marketer Internships, in addition to the valuable experience they get to add to their resumes.”

Highlighting ROI as a core business focus, Subroyen reiterates that, while every organisation needs to focus on the bottom line, it is crucial to invest time and resources into initiatives that will ensure an innovative workforce to help support the rapidly expanding digital economy.

Concurring with Mint Group, Microsoft SA Modern Marketer Internship Programme Owner and Partner Marketing Advisor Madelein Gray notes: “Our skilled youth is our future, and working with a compassionate, inclusive and highly competent partner such as Mint, we can change people’s lives. When innovative people with a passion for marketing and technology get together, we create things together that can change the world!”

Gray adds that digital transformation is a continuous cycle, and investing in an internship programme allows companies the opportunity to transform their business through the talent they acquire, highlighting the importance of employing tech-savvy graduates. “These future leaders are often on the cutting edge of the latest technologies and trends and are eager to make a difference.”

Gray concludes that, in line with Microsoft’s vision, Mint Group is committed to creating a better tomorrow, and what better way to embody this than with the Modern Marketer Internship Programme with Microsoft SA, an initiative that embodies the ethos of Microsoft’s global CEO Satya Nadella, who stated: “Be passionate and bold. Always keep learning. You stop doing useful things if you don’t learn.”

 

Source : https://www.itweb.co.za

Mint Group

Yolandi Booyens

Ronaldo not enough as Juve extend Italian domination but fall short in Europe

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Massimiliano Allegri oversaw his final game as Juventus coach on Sunday, after guiding the team to an eighth consecutive Serie A title but paying the price for yet another Champions League failure despite the sensational signing of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo was left out alongside a host of other starters as the Allegri era ended with the whimper of a 2-0 defeat at Sampdoria, having played 31 of 38 matches and closing the season as the team’s top scorer with 21 league goals.

But helping the team to another Serie A title was not why the 34-year-old was signed last summer.

Ronaldo had spent nine glittering seasons at Real Madrid, lifting a fourth Champions League trophy in five seasons before moving to Italy.

His arrival in Turin on a 100-million-euro ($115 million) deal, plus a reported 30 million euros a year, was hailed as “the deal of the century” by the Italian press.

But after a season in which they were expected to sweep all before them Juventus have won less than the previous season, with their four-year reign as Coppa Italia holders ended in a 3-0 quarter-final defeat by Atalanta.

Ronaldo single-handedly lifted Juventus into the Champions League quarter-finals with a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid.

But his hopes of a fourth straight European triumph were ended when they crashed out to daring Dutch Ajax in the last eight.

Amid criticism of Allegri’s tactics, Ronaldo, who has scored 124 goals in 160 Champions League appearances, reportedly said: “I don’t work miracles”.

“Cristiano showed us he could always score in the games that counted. But then you have to have a strong team behind him,” said veteran defender Andrea Barzagli.

– Money-spinner –

Despite the financial fallout of failing to advance in the Champions League, Ronaldo’s signing has been a money-spinning one for Juventus.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the most followed sports star on social media with a global reach of over 340 million followers.

More fans ultimately means more money, and suddenly Ronaldo’s transfer fee does not look so extortionate.

The club’s value on the Milan stock exchange has rocketed by 133 percent since his arrival last July.

Shares had been trading around 0.6 euro in mid-May, jumping to 1.8 euro during the session on September 20, before dipping slightly following rape allegations against Ronaldo in the United States dating back to 2009 which he vehemently denies.

Shares jumped by 30 per cent after his hat-trick catapulted the Italian football club into the quarter finals of the Champions League in March.

Next season there will be a new coach on the bench with reports that Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, former coach of Napoli, Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino and Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi are among the candidates.

On the pitch Welsh international midfielder Aaron Ramsey arrives in Turin from Arsenal.

Source : AFP

Ex- President Rawlings, Zoomlion, Forestry Commission plant trees to mark June 4 uprising

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About 288 trees have been planted from the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange to the Legon ECG Park in Accra as part of celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the June 4 Revolution.

Led by former President Jerry John Rawlings, the exercise was organised in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and the Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

It was to encourage Ghanaians to protect the country’s vegetation and avoid the indiscriminate felling of forest trees for commercial and industrial use without replacing them and allowing the natural forest to regenerate.

The 40th anniversary of the June 4 uprising, is under the theme “Developing a National Character for Sustainable Good Governance.”

Addressing the participants, former President Rawlings described deforestation as an illegal practice which causes great damage and destruction to the country’s vegetation and some other resources that affects economic growth.

He advised the citizenry to inculcate and adapt the culture of protecting the environment and implement proactive measures to minimise the impacts of climate change in the country.

He charged the law enforcement agencies across the country to ensure the laws governing the country’s environment and sanitation were enforced for positive outcomes.

Sensitisation of Ghanaians, Mr Rawlings said, was crucial in addressing environmental and forest degradation and called on civil societies, government agencies and state institutions as well as the media to support in reducing the risk of these activities and its accompanying negative effects on national development.

Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of Jospong Group, urged the media to intensify campaign and education against the indiscriminate felling of trees, littering among others, which were hinderances to the country’s economic growth.

He said that measures had been put in place to prevent encroachers from destroying the newly planted trees along the streets of Accra and warned that anyone who flouted the law would be dealt with.

He noted that his outfit would continue to plant more trees and urged members of the public to support the initiative to make the streets of Accra clean and beautiful and commended the former President for the tree planting exercise initiative as part this year’s celebrations.

BY EVANGEL KELVIN AINOO

Use Policy Summits To Tweak Gov’t Programs – Oguaa Manhene

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The Omanhene of Oguaa Traditional Area in the Central Region, Osabarima Kwesi Atta, has urged government to use the policy summits aimed at engaging citizens to tweak government programs.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta made the suggestion during a courtesy call on him and his chiefs by a delegation from the Ministry of Information.

The delegation was led by Deputy Information Minister, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah.

The delegation was at the palace to formally brief the Omanhene and his chiefs about the 6th National Policy Summit taking place in Cape Coast on 26th and 27th May at the Cape Coast University.

Osabarima Kwesi Attah praised government and the Ministry of Information for the initiative.

”The platform is a good communication channel between the people and government and vice verse,” he said.

“Major topics selected for the summit are appropriate and relevant and we welcome the decision,” he noted.

The two main topics for the summit which includes sanitation and fisheries are very important to our people here.
I am confident the cape coast edition will be one of the best” he added.

The Deputy minister for information on her part, stressed the need to constantly engage stakeholders and citizens through platforms such as the national policy summit.

She appealed to the chiefs to support the program which is one major event to get feedback on government policies.

The NPS is designed to bring together policymakers, business leaders, Industry players, academia and Civil Society Organisations among others, to brainstorm, interact and dialogue on topical issues of national importance.

Key speakers include Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, and the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

IoD marks 20th anniversary with free corporate governance training

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The Institute of Directors Ghana (IoD-Gh) is marking its 20th anniversary with free training on corporate governance in the regional capitals across the country.

Mr Rockson Dogbega, President of the Institute said in a release that the initiative was in line with the quest to ensure that good corporate governance practices penetrated the nation’s public and private sectors.

“The Institute takes the opportunity to invite everyone to come on board and help uphold and maintain good corporate governance practices in both the public and private sectors of the country and beyond,” he said.

Mr Dogbega said management of the institution was keen on advancing the gains made by its predecessors in the socio-economic development of the country by sustaining its capacity building and institutional support programmes on corporate governance. 

He said the leadership would take the IoD through a “Mega Transformational Agenda” towards making it the choice corporate governance institute in the African sub-region, and that, its training and policy reforms were the core initiatives towards that end.

Mr Dogbega said IoD would establish an index to measure the strength of corporate governance practices in the country, while leading the advocacy for mandatory training of directors of both private and public sector institutions on corporate governance.

He said ten regional branches of the Institute would be established by the end of July 2019, and that an award scheme would also be introduced to promote good governance.

Mr Dogbega said the IoD is targeting the recruitment of 1,000 new members within two years, and would work to enhance international outreach and collaboration.

He also revealed that strategic collaborations would be developed with tertiary institutions to promote research in corporate governance, and also ensure “ethical culture” at the basic school level.

The training tour, which has been piloted in Ho, would be held at Koforidua on May 29, Kumasi on June 6, Sunyani on June 7, Cape Coast on June 12 and Takoradi on June 13, 2019.

The rest are Wa – July 9, Tamale – July 10, and Bolgatanga – July 11, 2019.

Mr Dogbega said the newly created regions would be covered by the end of 2019.

GNA

13 Institutions Benefit From AfDB

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Government has announced that 13 technical institutions and universities in the country under the Ministry of Education are beneficiaries of infrastructural projects to be undertaken by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The facilities which are expected to be constructed across the Institutions include classrooms, administrative blocks, lecture halls, workshops, laboratories, dormitories, assembly halls, dining halls, teachers accommodation, among others.

Gifty Twum – Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Education In charge of Technical and Vocational Education announced this during a workshop organized for the Principals of TVET Institutions held at Koforidua.

Speaking on the theme: The Performance of the TVET Sector and Preparation of Action Plan for 2019,’’ she said the projects under the name ‘’Development of Skills for industry Project’ would be undertaken across the 10 Technical Institutions, two Techincal Universities, and one TVET Teacher Training University in the country.

She noted that the beneficiary institutions included those in the areas such as; Ada, Akwatia, Amankwakrom, Kpando, Krobea Asante, Asuansi, Bolgatanga, Nkoranza, Dobokpa, and Wa.

The rest are the University of Education, College of Technology Education, Kumasi campus, as well as Accra and Takoradi Technical Universities respectively.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua

Ensure violence free Homowo festival – President urges Osu Traditional Council

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appealed to the chiefs and people of the various traditional councils within the Greater Accra Region to help make this season’s Homowo festival free from violent incidents.

The President, in a meeting with the Osu Traditional Council on Friday afternoon, said residents of the region would be looking forward to a successful Homowo festival and appealed to the traditional authorities to do whatever possible to ensure that the festival was free from violence

Issues discussed at the meeting which took place at the Jubilee House bordered on chieftaincy disputes in the region, land administration, local governance, security, among others.

The President of the Council, Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, who is also the President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, briefed President Akufo-Addo on the activities of the House in relation to the resolution of conflicts in the region. 

He said steps had been taken to settle the chieftaincy disputes in Prampram, Ningo, and added that very soon, the House would add Teshie to the list of traditional areas where chieftaincy disputes had been resolved.

He appealed for the enactment of a legislation which would give more powers to the various traditional councils within the region to ensure that no party undertook traditional programmes without the approval of the councils. 

That, according to him, would bring coordination within the traditional structures at the local levels and minimise chieftaincy related disputes in the various traditional areas.

Nii Dowuona VI appealed to the government to pay the land compensation for the Marine Drive Project owed the traditional leaders and help them acquire their land illegally taken by the Achimota School.

President Akufo-Addo commended the House for its efforts to resolve all traditional disputes in the region and added that the government would support all process aimed at ensuring peace in the region.  

On the creation of the Korle Klottey Municipality, he said the initial foundation for the municipality was being created for its effective administration. 

He promised to expedite payment for the compensation for the Marine Drive Project and expressed the commitment to look into the land allegedly taken by the Achimota School through illegal means.

“The treatment of traditional lands in urban areas is a tricky and complex matter but we will work out a way forward,” he said and assured the traditional leaders that the government would ensure that they were not cheated.


BY YAW KYEI

Ghana tops FDI in W/A …due to prudent economic management – President

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday evening, met with the Chief Executive Officers of the Ghana Club 100 companies at the Jubilee House in Accra to discuss ways to improve the business climate in the country and make Ghanaian companies competitive on the global stage.

The meeting with the top brass of business executives created an opportunity for the President to explain the various programmes and policies his administration has in place to position the country on the path of sustained progress and prosperity.

President Akufo-Addo said due to the prudent macroeconomic management by his government over the past two years, Ghana had become the largest recipient of foreign direct investment in West Africa.

From 3.4 per cent in 2016, he said real GDP growth increased to 8.1 per cent in 2017 and had been growing steadily, making Ghana’s recent GDP growth one of the highest in the world. 

“The debt to GDP ratio has declined from 56.6 per cent of GDP in 2016 to 54.8 at the end of 2018. Inflation has dropped down from 15.4 per cent at the end of 2016 to 9.5 per cent in April this year. Interest rates are declining and so is the Bank of Ghana Monetary Policy rate.

“Our trade balance account, for the first time in more than a decade, recorded a surplus in 2017 and is expected to remain in surplus. These are good figures and we expect impressive figures and good performance to continue,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo expressed the government’s commitment to ensure that it did not lose sight of the importance of maintaining fiscal discipline and correct fundamentals of the economy. 

He said the government’s programme for the private sector was focused on policies that would stimulate a “symbiotic relationship between industry and the agricultural sectors thereby creating the ripple effect of growth in the entire economy”.

President Akufo-Addo indicated that his administration was bent on developing strategic industries out of the nation’s abundant natural resources of bauxite and iron ore and had established the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Corporation to assemble the relevant financial resources for the exploitation and development of the full value chain of Ghana’s large bauxite deposits.

The General Manager of MTN Business, Sam Addo, commended the government for the initiatives to soothe the investment climate in Ghana.

He expressed the hope that the government would not extend the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy in December 2019 as promised.

“We believe there are ways to provide a more enabling environment for telcos to operate. With this, the revenue pile will expand, increase tax contributions, while avoiding the risk of industry shrinkage with increase taxes in segments such as mobile money,” he said.

BY YAW KYEI

Author Supports SDA Students

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Nana Yaa Egyiriba Rowe Asamani, author of the award-winning book -Beyond The Clitoris – has donated learning materials to students of Okwabena SDA School at Bawjiase in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.

The materials include reading books, exercise books and sanitary pads.

Miss Asamani, the Executive Director of the Young African Women Network, was in the district as part of her outreach program aimed at educating students on Career Guidance and development, vocational and technical skills and menstrual health.

During her visit to the school over the weekend, she educated female students from Class 6 to JHS 3 on sexual reproductive health.

She further advised the students to take their education seriously and avoid engaging in premature sex to reduce teenage pregnancy which negatively affects girl-child education.

BY Daniel Bampoe

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