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The Christian Journal The Leading Christian Newspaper
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ISSUE #42
OCTOBER 2016
TEL: 718 684 2510 EMAIL: info@tcjonline.org WEBSITE: www.tcjonline.org
Negative Attitudes Toward Older People Shorten Their Lives
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Huge number of Presbyterian Ministers Seeking Divorce Page 9
10 Details on page 22
STARTING AT
US Fund to pay $412 Million Over Africa Bribery Page 17
Casting the First Stone
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ith the unending gaffes of Mr. Donald Trump, the Republican Presidential candidate, many would have thought that Hilary Clinton would have taken an unassailable lead of around 20 points in the polls, but her lead is just around 5 points. Why isn't she pulling away as could be expected? It's because majority of Americans think that she is not trustworthy. But wait a minute. Ask those people why and they will tell you that they don't trust her because of her email controversy and the Benghazi attacks. Latching onto this Republican drumbeat is Trump, who has given Hilary all sorts of names, including crooked, devil, liar, rotten, thief, unbalanced, unhinged and even a murderer. One could see that sometimes, Trump, whose consistent attacks on Clinton's character has become a key issue on his campaigns, runs out of words trying to describe Hilary on his rallies. With severe skepticism about Trump's psychological and mental psyche for the job he is chasing, he literally describes himself as a moralist. Trump's cronies have not shied away from the insults either. New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie led chants of 'lock her up' during the Republican Convention for throwing the world into conflagration, saying she was the cause of the crisis in Syria, Iraq and Libya, while Dr. Ben Carson simply called her Lucifer. This has caught on with her critics and it appears that the smearing is going to intensify with the elections a few weeks away. After initial denials of culpability, Clinton has admitted her mistakes on the email controversy and apologized for her wrong judgment, but her mea culpa hasn't satisfied her critics. They seize on it at the least opportunity and are portraying her as somebody who has no moral sense to lead. What is mind boggling is how her critics still link her with the Benghazi attacks. Read what Rudy Giuliani said about her on the attacks at the Republican Convention: “Her dereliction of duty and failure to keep her people safe played a major role in the horrific Islamic terrorist murders on September 11-12, 2012 in Benghazi which claimed the lives of 4 Americans.” This is a dishonest claim because Americans were all witnesses when the House Select Committee on
Benghazi grilled Hilary Clinton for 11 solid hours for her role in the terror attacks and found no wrong doing on her part. Those critics claiming moral superiority and depicting a holier-than-thou approach should remind themselves of the encounter between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees in the book of John. The Pharisees brought a woman they suspected of committing adultery before Jesus for His opinion on whether the woman should be stoned to death. And Jesus' answer? “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). The Scriptures say the Pharisees were convicted by their own conscience and went out one by one, leaving Jesus and the woman alone in the temple. Who is infallible? The Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All politicians, like all human beings, are prone to mistakes and sometimes shade the truth. In some situations, they admit their mistakes, pay the consequences, learn from them and move on. It is disheartening to see a woman who has dedicated her life to public service being ridiculed and torn apart by people who, because of hatred, just wouldn't find anything good in her. President Obama said it right when he told Americans that Hilary Clinton is by far the most qualified of all Presidential candidates in the history of the nation. And he is right. She has served as a First Lady, a Senator and Secretary of State, positions that have given her solid exposure to be a very capable President and leader of the free world. The attacks on Clinton's character may go on, but the American people know too well that those shouting themselves hoarse trying to defame her character will freeze on their tracks when asked to throw the first stone. It is this simple: Nobody is a saint. Trump should campaign on mundane issues like education and taxes instead of indulging in personal insults and character defamation.
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WORTHY NEWS Chinese man 'killed 17 Neighbours to cover up Murder of parents'
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Chinese man has confessed to killing his parents in an argument over money and then killing 17 neighbors in an attempt to cover up his crime, state media reported. The youngest victim of the murderous rampage in a remote village in southwest China was three, the oldest 72. They were members of six families.
Suspect Yang Qingpei, aged in his 20s, went to his home village on Wednesday. He was arrested in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, on Thursday. The Xinhua state news agency report did not say how the villagers were killed. Mass killings are rare in China and access to firearms is tightly controlled.
Churches Oppose Creation of Religious Ministry
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ambian churches have slammed President Edgar Lungu for creating a religion ministry, saying that this would lead to government meddling in church issues, According to the Tablet, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) were not pleased over the newly created ministry.
Meanwhile, the opposition party, the United Party for National Development (UPND) complained over the slow appointment of cabinet ministers. According to the Zambia Reports, a UPND official, McDonald Chipenzi warned that the country may not have a full functioning cabinet because of what he described as "piecemeal appointment of ministers".
Both bodies warned that the move could turn the country into a theocracy and extend state control over religion. In a joint statement the church organizations further described the move as "unwise and unnecessary". "In view of the various financial and economic challenges our country is currently facing, we neither see the creation of the said ministry as a top priority nor a prudent decision. After all, we believe that Zambians want their country to be a democracy rather than a theocracy", the church organizations reportedly said in a statement. Slow appointment of cabinet ministers Lungu reportedly appointed Pentecostal pastor Reverend Godfridah Sumaili, as head of the new ministry.
"At this snail's pace he is appointing Ministers, we are likely to reach festive season without a full Cabinet being appointed. It will be worse when it will come to appointing and replacing Diplomats, PSs and DCs. I foresee another five years of appointments without stability in the running of government," Chipenzi was quoted as saying. Lungu was sworn in early this month, with opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema saying the ceremony was "Illegal and unconstitutional".
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Lungu, who first took power last year, won the August 11 election by just 100 000 votes.
Pope Francis Warns Christians About 'Global War to Destroy Marriage'
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here's a "global war" against marriage, "the most beautiful thing that God has created," in the form of gender theory and divorce, Pope Francis warned, speaking to a Catholic community in the former Soviet nation of Georgia. “Today, there is a global war to destroy marriage," the pope told priests, members and seminarians at the Church of the Assumption in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, according to National Catholic Register. The pontiff said this after a mother who testified at the meeting asked if schools should address the issue of gender. "You mentioned a great enemy of marriage: gender theory," he said, according to Reuters. Gender theory refers to acceptance of someone's choice of identity as male or female, both or neither, irrespective of their biological sex. The mother spoke about "new visions of sexuality such as gender theory and the marginalization of the Christian vision of life." "Today you do not destroy with weapons, you destroy with ideas," Francis added. "It is ideological colonization that destroys." The pope previously spoke about "ideological colonization" to criticize rich countries linking development aid
to the acceptance of gay marriage and contraception. Francis called marriage "the most beautiful thing that God has created." He also mentioned that the Bible says God created man and woman to become one flesh, and spoke against divorce. "Do you know who pays the cost of divorce?" he asked. "Both people, and even more, God pays because when you divorce ... you dirty God's image." The pope suggested that three golden expressions could help: "May I," "thank you" and "sorry," according to Vatican Radio. However, the pope also acknowledged that there could be situations in which reconciliation is impossible. In that case, he added, the church must welcome them, accompany them, promote discernment and integrate them into the community. Last month, Francis supported a campaigning against the Mexican government's efforts to legalize samesex marriage. The pope said he is "in favour of family and life, which in these times require special pastoral and cultural attention around the world," according to The Independent.
Huge number of Presbyterian Ministers seeking Divorce
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massive number of Presbyterian ministers want to divorce their wives according to the Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayete Nyampong said the ministers have written letters to the Presbyterian Council seeking permission to dissolve their marriages due to unbearable circumstances. He disclosed this during the 155th Anniversary celebration of the Ebenezer Congregation - Kyebi, Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The subject came up when Rev. Ayete Nyampong was talking about the need for Christians to truly repent from their sins. He advised the general public especially Christians against corruption and let
their lives depict that of Jesus Christ. According to him, the corruption and other issues facing the country are reflections of the unchristian and corrupt conducts of the followers of Christ. These behaviors, Rev Ayete believes do not only ruin marriages and homes but wrecks nations as well. Rev. Ayete said : "I presented a report to the general assembly on the number of letters that come to my table from ministers requesting to be allowed to divorce their wives, they are frustrated...this calls for repentance." "In public [Christians] show themselves to love one another but they bear grudges in the various homes," he added and hammered on the need for repentance among couples, friends and families.
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Evelyn Branford Spectacularly COMMUNITY NEWS outdoors Maiden album "Soon Coming King" The Christian Journal Bronx, NY velyn Branford is a born superstar in waiting and she proved that during the launch of her maiden album "Soon Coming King" last Saturday October 1st. A talented singer who believes in her God-given, talents, she exuded grace and artistry on the day, giving patrons who graced the occasion a taste of what will come in the years ahead.
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Other guest artists who graced the stage did a rendition of songs by other famous gospel artistes. Evelyn star of the night got on stage amidst applause from the audience and performed most of her songs. Other pastors from different churches were there to support her. Bishop George Creppy had the singular honour of launching the album. As the General Overseer of Grace Family Church, where She was simply amazing. Every track on the album Minister Evelyn Branford worships, he donated is a testament to the time and energy she has spent Two Thousand Dollars for the album. over the years baking an inspiring album for gospel music lovers. And they did not hold back, as every Evelyn is blessed with strong vocals and she single move of hers was appreciated. The launch delivered an exceptional performance. She attracted a quite a quite a huge crowd who gathered mesmerized the audience during the performance at The Apostolic church at 641 E 233 Street in the of the album's title, "Soon Coming King." The Bronx, New York. audience couldn't hold back and got on their feet,
dancing with their arms stretched above their heads, with faces turned upward; worshiping God in Awe. The rest of the night: a whirling, dancing, frenetic the audience came out in force to support Evelyn Branford. In an interview with The African Christian Network, a gracious Minister Branford was grateful to God and the community for coming out to help her launch her album. For those who couldn't make it to the launch, this video gives you an insight into one of the songs she performed at the event. We hope you enjoy "Soon Coming King"
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The Stay in School Foundation supports School Children in Ghana
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he Stay in School Foundation, nonGovernmental organization based in the United States of America, has handed over school bags and some stationeries to children at Kaase in the Ashanti Region to help them in their schooling. Established in 2008, the NGO seeks to mentor young ones through career guidance and counseling, as well as solicit funds to award educational scholarships to children in deprived communities. Addressing parents during a presentation ceremony at the Kaase Primary School, the founder of the NGO, Mr Thomas Osei, said it had always been his dream to
assist the less privileged in society and ensure that they stayed in school. He said the decision to assist the Kaase community was to honor his late sister, who was once at the Kaase Primary School and also help reduce the high drop-out rate of children in the area. He, in that direction, charges parents to devote more time for children and called on other corporate bodies and individuals to come on board to support government efforts in creating opportunities for these future leaders. Mr Osei urged school children to take their lessons seriously and see quality education as a way forward, adding that education is a powerful weapon; you can use it to change the world.
The NGO, earlier on handed over a fully stocked 50capacity library to the people of Bokankye in the Atwima Nwabiagye District of Ashanti Region. Dr Bukari Ali, a retired lecturer at the Geological Engineering Department of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST), who spoke at the ceremony, commended the group for assisting the vulnerable in society, especially in the area of education. He underscore the need for children to have access to quality education in order to prepare them adequately to becoming responsible adults in future.
Liberia Passes Law to Create Seats in Parliament for Women
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omen's rights activists in Liberia on Friday welcomed a new law creating parliamentary seats reserved for women, young people and people with disabilities, in a country where women are poorly represented in politics despite having a female leader. Liberia's House of Representatives passed the Equal Representation and Participation Bill, creating five seats for female politicians, one for youths and one for people with disabilities in the nation's lower house of parliament, according to the United Nations agency U.N. Women. "The long-awaited passage of this bill is great news for women in Liberia," said Mary Wandia, program manager at the rights group Equality Now. "Liberian women and girls have been failed for too long on
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several fronts". Liberia boasts the first woman freely elected as a head of state in Africa, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. However only one in nine seats in Liberia's parliament are held by women, according to the World Bank. The West African nation ranks 40th out of 54 African countries for the number of women in parliament, and 149th out of 191 worldwide, U.N. Women said. "Girls can aspire to join a space that is welcoming, that expects them," said Peterson Magoola of U.N. Women. "Women will know that Liberia cares to hear their perspectives and include it in decision making," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. While the law has been hailed as a positive move to
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encourage women's participation in politics, it may have unintended consequences, said Tamba Johnson of the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET), based in the capital Monrovia. Male politicians may seek to persuade voters that aspiring female candidates should be chosen only for the seats reserved for women, Johnson said. "The allotted seats will always be flagged by men when it comes to elections," Johnson said. "I feel the future political arena for women will become gradually gloomy over the years." Women's representation in politics has made substantial progress in sub-Saharan Africa, where the share of female parliamentarians increased to 22.3 percent last year from 9.8 percent in 1995, the InterParliamentary Union (IPU) said.
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church and ministry Immaculate Church of Christ Bronx, NY - The Christian Journal
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Commissions Church Building
he Immaculate Pentecostal Church of Christ International, headed by Reverend Kennedy Obeng-Sefah, launched a three-day power packed program to commission its new premises located at 1309 Gun Hill Road last month. Hundreds of people thronged to the well organized events, which featured several pulpit luminaries, including Dr. Isaac Arku, Bishop Alexander Kissi, Reverend Stephen Addo and Reverend Ben Boakye. Others included the President of the Ghanaian Ministers Association, Reverend Kuffour, Reverend Charles Acheampong, Bishop Ben Boateng, Reverend Hassan Zebaru, Reverend Darko and Reverend Akuffo. The highlight of the occasion was the ordination of some of the church's members, including The Christian Journal's Contributing
Editor and Columnist, Dr. Steve Danso to various positions of the church. The ordination was performed by Dr. Isaac Arku. In his speech, he reminded the congregation that the purpose of ordination is to recognize men and women whom God has called, to set them apart for ministry, to safeguard the ministry, and to provide an occasion that will encourage them in years to come. He told the ordainees that conferring the titles on them was not a personal status or privilege, but to be set apart as men and women who would be fully engaged in performing certain functions within the Church to the glory of God. Central to this responsibility, he said, is to preach the Word, celebrate the sacraments, and share in the pastoral
oversight of the household of God. “I enjoin you to live up to your responsibilities as men and women of purity, preach the Word and defend the truth with boldness and clarity,� he emphasized. Earlier, Bishop Kissi, who commissioned the magnificent three storey building, praised the vision and fortitude of the Pastor and members of the church in acquiring the building and encouraged them not to be daunted by the challenges that may arise because God was with them every step of the way. The church relocated to the new building in August last year from 4017 Seton Avenue in Baychester, where it was previously located.
Photos on centerspread
Zambia: Churches Slam President Over Creation of Religion Ministry
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ambian churches have slammed President Edgar Lungu for creating a religion ministry, saying that this would lead to government meddling in church issues, said a report on Wednesday. According to the Tablet, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) were not pleased over the newly created ministry. Both bodies warned that the move could turn the country into a theocracy and extend state control over religion. In a joint statement the church organisations further described the move as "unwise and unnecessary". "In view of the various financial and economic challenges our country is currently facing, we neither
see the creation of the said ministry as a top priority nor a prudent decision. After all, we believe that Zambians want their country to be a democracy rather than a theocracy", the church organisations reportedly said in a statement. Slow appointment of cabinet ministers Lungu reportedly appointed Pentecostal pastor Reverend Godfridah Sumaili, as head of the new ministry. Meanwhile, the opposition party, the United Party for National Development (UPND) complained over the slow appointment of cabinet ministers. According to the Zambia Reports, a UPND official, McDonald Chipenzi warned that the country may not have a full functioning cabinet because of what he
described as "piecemeal appointment of ministers". "At this snail's pace he is appointing Ministers, we are likely to reach festive season without a full Cabinet being appointed. It will be worse when it will come to appointing and replacing Diplomats, PSs and DCs. I foresee another five years of appointments without stability in the running of government," Chipenzi was quoted as saying. Lungu was sworn in early this month, with opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema saying the ceremony was "Illegal and unconstitutional". Lungu, who first took power last year, won the August 11 election by just 100 000 votes.
Ghanaian Immigrant Arrested in Rome for Vandalizing Churches
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frican Immigrant Arrested in Rome for Vandalizing Churches, Ripping Crucifix Off Wall A 39-year-old Ghanaian immigrant has been arrested by Italian police following a rampage on four churches in Rome, where he demolished several Christian icons, and even tried to destroy a crucifix, before he was stopped by a priest. Police are still investigating the motive behind the attack, Breitbart News reported, which began in the evening at the Church of San Martino ai Monti, where the man broke a statue. The suspect then went to the ancient Basilica of Santa Prassede, where he demolished several more statues of saints, purposefully smashing them to the ground and stamping on them. He then ripped a large crucifix from the wall and was preparing to destroy it, when he was stopped by Father Pedro Savelli, rector of the Basilica, who grabbed him by the leg. "At least I managed to stop him from doing that,"
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Savelli said. The "frenzied" attack reportedly scatted pilgrims that had come to the church. The priest said he didn't know why the man targeted houses of worship, but said that he was "unbalanced." "I don't know if he was a terrorist, but there was certainly a huge lack of respect for religion, a very serious action," he said. Savelli told Crux in an interview that the Ghanaian man was screaming that this was "a wrong way of using the statues with the children." Crux noted that the church was commissioned by Pope Hadrian I around the year 780, and houses the remains of Saint Prazedes and her sister Saint Pudentiana, who were murdered for providing Christian burials for early martyrs in defiance of Roman law. The suspect continued his rampage and vandalized two other churches, namely San Vitale and the Church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini in Piazza d'Oro, destroying several other precious statues. He was finally arrested by police in Rome's historic
district and charged with vandalism with the aggravating circumstance of religious hatred. While the immigrant's religion was not disclosed, Christian churches across Europe remain on alert following a deadly attack by Islamic State terrorist sympathizers on a French church on July 26 when two teenagers slit the throat of Father Jacques Hamel at the Church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen, murdering the priest during a morning mass. IS members celebrated the killing, and warned that other Christian churches across Europe will also be attacked. The murder prompted the condemnation of Roman Catholic leader Pope Francis, who said he was "particularly shaken by this act of violence that took place in a church, during the celebration of mass, a liturgical act that implores God for peace on this Earth," and asked God to "inspire all to thoughts of reconciliation and brotherhood."
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IMF: Ghana’s economic Outlook remains challenging
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espite approving the release of the third instalment of funds to Ghana under the Extended Credit Facility, the IMF says there are still fiscal risks in the economy that need attention. Acting Chair and IMF Deputy Managing Director, Tao Zhang, said Ghana's implementation of the Extended Credit Facility is broadly satisfactory, but the economic outlook remains challenging. “There has been progress in stabilizing the macroeconomic situation and reducing financial imbalances, but fiscal risks remain elevated,” he said in a release. He acknowledges that managers of the economy are continuing their fiscal consolidation program and aim to strengthen policy and reform implementation, but said further efforts are needed to address revenue shortfalls, while expenditure control measures should be fully enforced to contain the
wage bill and other current spending. “The government is projected to run a primary surplus this year, which, along with the stability of the cedi, should contribute to a marked decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio. Ongoing fiscal consolidation and implementation of the medium-term debt management strategy will be key to further reducing domestic refinancing risks in 2017. The authorities will need to remain cautious in accessing external market financing with due consideration to costs and debt sustainability,” said Mr. Zhang. The following are other recommendations by Mr. Zhang on how managers of the economy can tackle existing challenges in the economy: To ensure that the gains from fiscal consolidation are sustained over the medium term, the government needs to continue its efforts to effectively implement a wide range of ambitious reforms. These include measures to
AFRICAN NEWS
broaden the tax base and enhance tax compliance, strengthen control of the wage bill, and enhance public financial management (PFM). In this regard, the recently adopted PFM legislation is an improvement over previous laws. Steps taken to address SOEs financial problems are welcome, but more work is needed to reduce risks to the economy, the financial sector, and the government budget from their underperformance.
additional amendments to the BoG Act in 2017 are welcome. Full and timely implementation of the BoG's roadmap for the banking system is essential to address financial sector risks. Although the adoption of the two new banking sector laws strengthens the authorities' toolkit, the new legislation warrants further improvements to enable the authorities to effectively safeguard financial stability.”
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) should maintain a tight monetary policy stance to bring inflation back to target. Recent amendments to the BoG Act have introduced some improvements to central bank governance but continued scope for central bank financing of the government and government influence on central bank operations remain significant shortcomings. The authorities' commitment to maintaining zero BoG financing of the government under the program and to introducing
The Executive Board of the IMF last Wednesday approved the disbursement of some $116 million to the country, paving way for release of $116 million to be transferred to Bank of Ghana's account within the next 10 days. Funds are expected to support the Ghana's balance of payment. Ghana signed the three-year Extended Credit Facility with the IMF for $918 million on April 3, 2015, to cushion the troubled economy.
AFRICA
US fund to pay $412m over Africa bribery
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eading US hedge fund Och-Ziff has been ordered to pay $412m (£316m) to settle charges that it paid millions in bribes to top officials across Africa to secure mining and investment rights. It is the first time a fund has been sanctioned under US foreign bribery laws, the US justice department said. Its investigation details bribes of tens of millions of dollars paid to Democratic Republic of Congo
officials. It says the bribes secured investments for the fund in diamonds and mining. Corrupt payment to officials in Libya, Chad, Niger, Guinea and Zimbabwe were also detailed as part of the settlement. Campaign group Global Witness called the fine "a major step forward" in tackling corporate corruption and called for the individuals behind the deals to be jailed.
New York-based Och-Ziff had more than $39bn in assets under management as of September 2016, making it one of the world's largest hedge funds. "Gaining the upper hand in a business venture by engaging in corrupt practices is bribery in its purest form," said FBI investigator William Sweeney, quoted in a statement from the US Department of Justice.
NIGERIA
"Nigeria Is Too Big to Fail" - Adesina "The Nigerian Private sector has a critical role to play to help the country come out of the present recession," African Development Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina, said in Abuja. "Nigeria is too big to fail, and the private sector can help the government to the tackle the headwinds affecting the economy, which are by no means unique to Nigeria at this time" Adesina said during a brain storming session with Nigerian business executives. Noting that other Africa oil exporters such as Angola and Equatorial Guinea faced similar challenges, the AfDB President said it was important for the private sector to take advantage of the
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incentives that should accompany the devaluation of the local currency, the naira, to boost production, especially in the agri-industrial sector. "The intensification of agricultural production would boost food production and create employment across the country," he said. The meeting, held on the last day of President Adesina's three-day official visit to Nigeria, examined a host of issues including the macro-economic landscape, inflation and the interest rate regime. The meeting also discussed the impact of infrastructure deficit on industrial development, security concerns, unemployment and
acute skills shortage. Adesina and his team highlighted a range of support funding that the Bank is providing in sectors such as energy, agriculture, transportation and economic integration across West Africa to help domesticate economic production and grow economies of scale. The Bank has invested US$180 million for power distribution and another US$ 200 million in the electricity transmission company in Nigeria, he said. Ultimately, the Bank aims to reaching 75 million people through off-grid systems that can reach the large
majority of poor and rural people who lack access to electricity. "We are focusing on energy, the most important infrastructure in Africa which impacts every human activity," he said. On integration, he said the Bank is pushing the Lagos-Abidjan and Abidjan-Dakar highways to link markets across West Africa. It is also working on linking the Casablanca, Lagos, Abidjan, Nairobi and Johannesburg stock exchanges to promote regional financial integration. Some three dozen business executives attended the two-hour session.
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The Ups and Downs of Church Life
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ost of us are followers of Jesus who link or live with others and link together within a church. These churches have different names, worship styles, cultures, languages and Bible translations. In given times these churches will have joyous moments, and also serious conflicts. In fact we tend to remember and review the serious conflicts and dark days more readily than the joyous periods. We may call these the ups and downs of church life and accept that is part of church life. Most serious conflicts can often be found in times of dark days and are caused by the central leaders. This would include the ministry staff and elected lay leaders. It is often a time when all involved share in the responsibility of the problems and the responsibility of the healing. These issues may have come from staff problems, financial issues, personal conflicts, moral, social or religious issues. From these experiences wounds persons, destroys leadership and harms our witness as a church. The key question is always "What do we do next?" Some very good solutions will be offered by responsible persons. The first step is to create a descriptive overview of the present issues with general actions that would be positive to the church at large. The most effective steps we can take is to move on an emphasis of the primary practices that
most persons will embrace. These can be an emphasis on warm fellowship, a corporate practice on the practice of intense prayer, a time of meaningful Bible study and embracing the mission of the church, meaningful worship services and prayer projection of the future ministry of the church. This can be very helpful to create small groups that will embrace each other. Spiritual and emotional healing can come to wounded churches and their people when leaders look for common hopes and paths to form a healthy church. Healing also comes when people are urged to do "hands on" ministries in the fellowship of fellow Christians. Such opportunities create settings for positive projections for the church. The benefits of this plan is the feeling of working together for the needs of others, and serving with fellow Christians for needs of others in the church. This works best when those volunteering to serve are carefully put together into comfortable work teams. This gives team members the opportunity of appreciating each other, do a good thing for the needs of real people and restoring communication and mutual service to impact very special persons. At the same time, we must be aware of serious conflicts that individuals are suffering personal wounds in their lives and families. If not addressed in a meaningful way, these person's wounds can be
Fair trade, not Sympathy President Mahama tells western countries
Ghana's President John Mahama at United Nations
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ew York - Ghana's President John Mahama has called on developed nations to be fair in their trade dealings with Africa. Speaking at the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations in
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New York, Mr Mahama, who was nicely dressed in a traditional local outfit,fugu,said Africa does not the “sympathy” of the west when it comes to trade, but fairness. “Africa does not need your sympathy or Overseas Development Assistance. Africa needs a fair chance to trade with the rest of the world and amongst ourselves. The progress towards the creation of a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) is commendable and must be fast tracked.” This year's summit is discussing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and each of them will be achieved. He says the existing trade inequality between Africa and their counterparts in the western economies is something that needs critical assessment and attention. “We can achieve a lot in collaboration with the rest of the world and yet we must realize that a lot rests within our own capacity to achieve as Africans. Recently I took the decision to allow citizens of other African countries travelling to Ghana to obtain visas on arrival. This would stimulate trade and investment if it were replicated across the continent. One of the critical components of the summit is the call for more investments in the youths. A sideline meeting held between the World Bank and African leaders projected there's a growing data on Africa's youth under 30, and more investment is needed to tap their potential. UNFPA's Executive Director Dr.
FEATURED ARTICLE magnified by the weakness of the church and its weakened comforters. The key question is "what is a leader and who will be one of the leaders?" That question must be addressed to the pastor and staff plus lay leaders. Time should be taken for the leaders to take the lead by holding meetings for prayer, honest reviews how they got there and renewal of the mission of the church. There should be a weekly meeting attended by the lay leaders. There should be a second immediate discussion of leaders about spiritual trauma. The most effective steps we can take toward healing is majoring of the primary practices that provide thoughtful prayer, caring fellowship opportunities with a casual atmosphere, encourage your small groups like Bible study classes or prayer circles to engage and meaningful conversations throughout the healing time. A key time for healing will always be corporate worship and mission actions. A major emphasis should be the need for spirit-led fellowship, on-going recognition of God's guidance and remind the members of church that there are others who have or are having a time of suffering. Dr. Highland is an Adjunct Professor of Newburgh Theological Seminary and College of the Bible in Indiana.
UNITED NATIONS By Anny Osabutey, The Christian Journal Babatunde Osotimehin told the leaders: “ We have estimates that show that if we do this, and we do it right, we can actually add to the GDP of Africa – $500 billion every year for 30 years.” He described the potential as “mind-blowing.” The growing unemployment rates in the continent and the desperation for most young people to seek better lives for themselves has forced most of them to seek alternative routes to a better life, mostly travelling to Europe through the dangerous Mediterranean sea with the aim of sharing in Europe's continues dwindling wealth. President Mahama touched on the problem in his speech. He gave the examples of some Ghanaian youths who after many years of desperation in trying to find work, made the journey to Europe through Libya. But the trip was to be an ill-fated one for some of them. “Two members of their group do not make it. After months of living under the threat of death from any of the armed groups including ISIS in Libya, they finally board an overloaded dinghy bound for Italy,” he narrated, adding: “Rescued from the sea after their dinghy capsized, only one of them remains, held in a refugee detention centre in Italy. He is the lucky one. The only one of five friends to survive the perilous journey. How long he will remain in the centre, he does not know. This could be the story of any young African seeking a better life in Europe.”
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Rich, But Poor!
By Dr. Steve Danso
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n the mid-eighties, Africa witnessed the emergence of a fellowship of lay businessmen called the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International. The fellowship, which was founded in 1951 in Los by Demos Shakarian, a California rancher, called themselves the “Happiest People on Earth.” The fellowship holds chapter meetings in informal settings, typical around meals, where members share stories of how God has transformed their lives for the better. There is no preaching, just testimonies of God's faithfulness. Drawn by incessant radio and television advertisements about the group's activities, I honored a friend's invitation to one of their chapter breakfast meetings and was awe-struck by the energy of an all men gathering in a packed hall singing praises, waving handkerchiefs and just simply 'doing business' to the glory of God. The men's activities that day kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the program. It was an unbelievable experience. The occasion humbled me and when I came home later that day, I asked God to show me the way to become one of the happiest men on earth. I was a budding young man then, full of life, described myself as a Presbyterian and very confident with my fortunes, but deep in me, I lacked that inner peace and satisfaction. This was the dilemma faced by the young, rich ruler described in the Books of Mark, Matthew and Luke. The Pharisee's were peppering Jesus Christ with
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various questions about divorce after His teachings in Judea, and after dealing with these questions, a young, rich man, who apparently was enthralled by His teachings, ran and kneeled to Him, asking, “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life.” Some Bible scholars refer to this man as a leader in the synagogue, perhaps a present day deacon and an upstanding member of the religious community. In the eyes of his people, he was a model, who kept the letter of the law and was not expected to ask questions about his salvation, but this man was not so certain and to him, it was the opportunity to find out from the Savior Himself. Paul said to the Galatians, “Curse is the one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of law, to do them” (Gal. 3:10). When the Lord asked John to write to the church in Sardis, John wrote: “These are the words of Him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). The young man wanted to be declared spiritually alive, not dead! The 'spiritually dead' tag is a label so many believers cannot easily shake off. Most believers still maintain their objectionable habits and go for days without praying, fasting or sharing the Word with anyone. The Lord's response to the young ruler was simple: 'You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness or defraud and honor your father and mother.' The young man, apparently pleased that he had passed the test answered, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” The young ruler thought he was doing his best; he knew that he was very orthodox in his faith and wasn't like the Sadducees who did not believe that there was life after death. What inspired him to take that line of action was that after hearing Jesus teach and preach in various places, he saw in Him, the very embodiment of life. The Scriptures say Jesus loved the young man for his confident reply and told him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come take up the cross and follow Me.” Just let go of your idols, those things that pull you away from God, the negative thoughts that keep you
FILLING UP awake all night and then come follow me and you will get eternal life. At this stage, the young man thought he had run into a brick wall. It wasn't the answer he wanted and to him, it was a difficult choice! The Scriptures says, “But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” The young man might have said to himself, “Lord, You are wonderful, I love You, but this is my comfort zone and I am not prepared to let it go.” He was looking for change, but wasn't in the mood to accept the conditions that he had to meet to make that change possible. His wealth provided him a false sense of security. The young ruler's intransigence was in sharp contrast to Zacchaeus (See Luke 19), who after accepting Christ into his life, gave away half of his belongings to the poor and paid back all who he had wronged. Zacchaeus needed salvation and was prepared to sacrifice everything to be saved. We all seek Christ to be saved and do everything we can to advance that cause; go to church, pay our tithes, and become active participants in the Church's activities, but if we do not walk away from the things that stand between us and God, we are deceiving ourselves. The rich young ruler went to the right Person, asked the right question, and received the right answer, but he made the wrong choice because of pride and wealth. He was rich, but poor in spirit. So many believers want to go to heaven, but want to do so through the back door! They want salvation on their own terms, but brothers and sisters, it just doesn't happen that way. We have been declared by God as being righteous under the Law, which is based solely upon Jesus' sacrifice on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). Having thus been justified, we have to strive to submit to God's will and resist the 'worship of idols,' which keeps us enslaved to the machinations of the devil and shatter our efforts for salvation.
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Study: Negative Attitudes Toward Older People Shorten Their Lives
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study by the World Health Organization finds negative attitudes toward older people can badly affect their physical and mental well-being and shorten their lives. In advance of the International day of older people (October 1), the WHO is calling for global action
HEALTH
to combat ageism, which it says is detrimental to leads to their social isolation and has serious older people and society alike. consequences for their physical and mental health. He tells VOA a widely-held misconception about A World Health Organization survey of more than population aging is that older people are a burden 83,000 people in 57 countries finds 60 percent of and a drain on society. participants have little respect for older people, with negative attitudes higher in richer countries. Beard says a study in the United Kingdom shows that contrary to common belief, older people are a The analysis confirms that ageism is pervasive net benefit. and extremely common. WHO Director of Aging and Life Course John “When they looked at the contributions that older Beard says even older people believe negative people make in terms of the taxes they pay, in stereotypes that old age limits their capacities and terms of the other financial contributions they that they are a burden on society. make — their volunteering, and compared it to the cost they presented to society, there was a very “There is very good evidence that people who clear benefit, overall benefit to society from the have negative ideas themselves as they grow older contributions way in excess of what the costs were — it has multiple implications — even it shortens …40 billion pounds every year,” he said. their lives,” said Beard. "One research study found that people with negative attitudes had seven-and- Beard says there is no such thing as old. He says one-half years less life than people with positive older people should be evaluated on the basis of attitudes.” their abilities and not on rigid stereotypes that arbitrarily categorize and assess people’s value on Beard notes discrimination against older people the basis of chronological age
Immigration In Deposition, Donald Trump Says Illegal Immigration Led to Nomination The New York Times Trump's new hotel development at the Old Post most people think I'm right.” Office Pavilion in Washington. Mr. Trump is also He explained that his raising the topic of illegal suing another chef, José Andrés, who backed out immigration “led to my nomination in a major of another restaurant. party in the country.”
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onald J. Trump is often seen at rallies or on reality television or across from a journalist. A Washington judge made public video showing Mr. Trump in a far more subdued setting: the deposition room. The video shows Mr. Trump, in a black suit and blue tie, sitting in an nondescript law office in June answering questions in his suit against Geoffrey Zakarian, a celebrity chef who backed out of Mr. www.tcjonline.org
The chefs pulled out after Mr. Trump made incendiary comments last year about Mexican immigrants as he announced his presidential campaign. Mr. Trump said Mexico was sending people with “problems” — “They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.” He is suing the companies associated with Mr. Zakarian and Mr. Andrés for breach of contract. In the deposition, Mr. Trump sat for about 100 minutes, often with his arms folded and sometimes swaying in his chair. He answered questions about the contracts with the chefs and about his remarks on Mexicans, telling Mr. Zakarian's lawyer, Deborah Baum, that he had been misinterpreted by the news media, which he called “very dishonest.”
“I've tapped into illegal immigration,” he said. “I've tapped into other things, also. But, you know, when you get more votes than anybody in the history of the party, history of the party by far — more than Ronald Reagan, more than Richard Nixon, more than Dwight D. Eisenhower who won the Second World War — you know, that's pretty mainstream, when you think about it.”
The judge in the Zakarian case ordered the release of the deposition video, as well as those of two of Mr. Trump's children, in response to requests from news organizations, including BuzzFeed News, which posted the footage online. A federal court judge hearing a separate fraud case pertaining to Trump University recently decided not to make public the video of Mr. Trump's “All I'm doing is bringing up a situation which is deposition in the case. very real, about illegal immigration,” he said during the deposition. “And I think, you know, Page 20
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