White House seeks to ensure "soft landing" for Obama's June visit to Africa

U.S. President Barack Obama

By The Editor-in-Chief

Coming on the heels of the emerging scandals that have the Obama White House on the defensive, the latter announced this week that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, would be visiting Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania from June 26th to July 3rd on the president's next visit to Africa.

This would be the president's second visit to Africa, his last and only visit being the trip to Ghana in 2009 when he only stayed for a day.

It would seem that the president's Africa itinerary has been careful selected to include rather small democracies such as Tanzania and Senegal, with South Africa being the only major African democracy on the list.

There have been several reports on how unpopular this president is on the African continent, mostly due to perceived attempts (on the part of this administration through the U.S. State Department) to impose values and policies seen as alien to the core fabric of African society.

It is therefore not much of a surprise that deeply conservative countries such as Nigeria (the most populous African country and the continent's second largest economy after South Africa) as well as Obama's own father's home country of Kenya, are conspicuously missing from the itinerary. 

The U.S. President is extremely unpopular in Kenya at the moment (evidenced by the victory of Uhuru Kenyatta over his preferred candidate - Raila Odinga). The same can also be said of his popularity in Nigeria, more-so as a result of the perceived indifference of this administration, to the Islamic insurgency that has claimed over 2000 lives in the northern part of Nigeria.

Furthermore, the statement by White House press secretary Jay Carney that "apart from strengthening democratic institutions and investing in the next generation of African leaders, this upcoming trip seeks to underscore the President’s commitment to broadening and deepening cooperation between the United States and the people of sub-Saharan Africa to advance regional and global peace and prosperity", flies in the face of reason, in light of how this administration has turned a disconcerting blind eye to the genocidal actions of Al Qaeda-backed Islamic militants in much of West Africa (following the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi).

Still along those lines, referring to the likes of Jacob Zuma and Jakaya Kikwete as "the next generation of African leaders" is at best laughable.

It remains to be seen if this president will for once seek to navigate an African foreign policy initiative grounded in mutual respect and a true understanding of Africa's complex political landscape.

Mexico and Peru: The African Grandma in the Closet

By Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

In Mexico and Peru Professor Gates explores the almost unknown history of the significant numbers of black people—the two countries together received far more slaves than did the United States —brought to these countries as early as the 16th and 17th centuries, and the worlds of culture that their descendants have created in Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico, the Costa Chica region on the Pacific, and in and around Lima, Peru.

Amid frustrations with the White House and liberal watch dogs, Nigeria military increases offensive against Islamic militants

Defense Chief oversees troops deployment

By DAVID F. OLADIMEJI - CC

As a follow-up to CC's earlier report  that the Nigerian military intended to increase rather than scale back its military offensive against the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect, the Nigerian military has carried out directed attacks on the training and related bases of the group in the northeastern region of the country.

CC has gathered through credible sources within the Nigerian government and the military establishment in particular, that there is frustration with the United States government (the Obama White House and the State Department to be precise) over perceived interference in the internal affairs of the country.

This comes on the heels of unfounded and highly prejudiced claims by renowned liberal so-called human rights groups, that the "excesses of the military offensive" were to blame for the increased insurgency from the Islamic militants.

Furthermore, highly placed Nigerian officials in Abuja are said to be dismayed that the White House and the State Department haven't learned from the Libya and other North African experiences where Islamic extremists have essentially over-run the countries in that region, leading to instability that has spread deeply into West Africa, namely Mali, Chad, Niger and now the behemoth of them all, Nigeria.

Earlier this week, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a State of Emergency in three key northern states in Nigeria - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

On the heels of this, the Nigerian military has taken the initiative and amassed heavy equipment and artillery, including fighter jets and helicopter gun-ships, with a view to flushing out the insurgents and bring this harrowing tale in Nigeria's proud history to an end, once and for all.

The militants are said to essentially control at least 10 government areas in the state of Borno, where fighters overran the town of Bama last week, freeing more than 100 prisoners and killing at least 55 people. A few days before that, dozens of people reportedly died in the town of Baga, on Lake Chad. 

Nigerian troops, aided by troops from Niger and Chad burst into the town looking for the insurgents and in their usual manner of response, the latter set homes and buildings ablaze while killing innocent civilians, with the aim of blaming the atrocities on the Nigerian military.

Behind this renewed offensive is a Nigerian coalition in terms of leadership at the highest level (northern leaders included) who see the threat posed by Boko Haram as one that could potentially lead to a definitive break-up of the country and as such, the need to employ the full and devastating might of the Nigerian military to wipe out the cancer.

More to follow.

From Caddies to Sergio and even Marshals - Tiger as object of scorn on the PGA Tour of ingracy

CC SPORTS DESK

In this clip (below) Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith react to the two course marshals saying that Tiger Woods' statement about the incident on Saturday at The Players Championship wasn't true.

Stephen A. Smith touches on a very salient point, the not-too-subtle references to Tiger's character since his divorce from his wife (who is $100 million richer by the way) and how the same players and other folks that have benefited immensely from his ascent in the game, seem hell-bent on taking him down at all cost.

Tiger is the only golfer I have ever known that has had golf courses designed just to keep him from winning. 

Even more interesting is the fact that you essentially have relative underlings within the game (caddies and marshals) either calling him out specifically or questioning his character.

Nigeria's military vows increased offensive in wake of another deadly Boko Haram attack that kills 60 including women, children and security forces

Joint Military Task Force (JTF)

Breaking News alert from the CC GLOBAL NEWS DESK

Sixty people including women, children and security personnel are said to have died as a result of the latest attack, a pre-dawn raid in Bama, Borno State, in the north.

As the attacks in Northern Nigeria have become more deadly by the group, the Nigerian military has scaled up its offensive against the group, despite misguided outcries from ill-informed, liberal so-called human rights groups based in Europe and the United States.

This latest attack, according to a Nigerian Army spokesman resulted in the murder of 25 police officers, 14 prison officers, 5 soldiers and 5 civilians. Our sources also assert that around 11 members of Boko Haram were killed by members of the Joint Task Force (JTF), who arrived on the scene as cover for the first responder forces.

Correspondents say although extremist attacks have increased in Northern Nigeria, the scale of bloodshed makes this particular raid stand out.

Tuesday's raid in the remote town went on for several hours, the military spokesman said as security forces returned lethal fire without reservations.

Bama's police station, military barracks and government buildings were burned to the ground by the Boko Haram operatives, according to reports and it is believed this has become their trademark, as they seek to shift the blame of excesses onto the security forces.

Reports also state that more sophisticated weapons were recovered from the Boko Haram operatives with an increasing link to the Al Qaeda lineage, with its roots in the Libyan insurgency that toppled late Libyan strongman, Muammar Ghaddafi.

More to follow.....

Again at the risk of its declining credibility, UN Commission seeks to downplay use of chemical weapons by U.S. supported Syrian rebels

UN Sec. General Ban Ki-Moon - More headaches?

By ADEDEJI O. ADEGOKE - CC

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has sought to distance itself from comments made (ironically) by one of its members that there was evidence of the nerve gas sarin being used by rebels.

This would not be unexpected as Western nations (led by the United States) scramble to undo the irreparable damage done to the 'credibility' of their support for the Syrian rebels.

Earlier, one of the members of the commission, Carla Del Ponte had asserted that testimony from victims and doctors had given rise to "strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof". 

One wonders why the need for incontrovertible proof" is never exhausted when the shoe is on the proverbial 'other foot'. 

But the commission stressed that it had not reached any "conclusive findings".

The U.S. State Department and the White House (as would be expected) said they had no information to suggest rebel fighters had used sarin.

In recent weeks, Western powers have said their own investigations have found evidence that government forces have used chemical weapons. It should however be noted that this assertion by the former has not been independently validated by any credible non-aligned source.

In an interview with Swiss-Italian TV on Sunday, Ms. Del Ponte, who serves on the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, said: "Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals.

"According to their report of last week, which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated."

Sarin, a colorless and odorless gas which can cause respiratory arrest and death, is classed as a weapon of mass destruction and is banned under international law.

Ms. Del Ponte did not rule out the possibility that troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad might also have used chemical weapons, but said further investigation was needed.

On Monday, the Commission of Inquiry headed by Brazilian Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, issued a statement "to clarify that it has not reached conclusive findings as to the use of chemical weapons in Syria by any parties to the conflict".

"As a result, the commission is not in a position to further comment on the allegations at this time," it said, adding that it would present its findings to the Human Rights Council on 3 June.

It would appear the UN was taken by surprise at Ms. Del Ponte's comments but it is a welcome development within an organization that has increasingly become a laughing-stock among developing nations, who now view it as an all-too-willing accomplice, in the imposition of draconian international resolutions and policies by Western powers. 

Afghan President Karzai admits he received secret cash payments from the U.S.

Hamid Karzai

CC GLOBAL NEWS DESK

The Afghan president has admitted his office received secret payments from the United States, but says the amounts were small and 'used legitimately'.

Hamid Karzai was responding to a New York Times report that alleged the CIA sent suitcases stuffed with cash to the president's office on a regular basis.

It said tens of millions of dollars "came in secret" and cash was given on a vaster scale than previously thought.

The president said the money was for projects such as helping the sick.

"It was used for different purposes: operational, assistance to injured people, rental costs and other goals. This was efficient assistance and we appreciate it," he said in a statement.

He added that the money had been delivered to Afghanistan's National Security Council, which is part of the president's office, during the last 10 years.

The New York Times report said: "Wads of American dollars packed into suitcases, backpacks and, on occasion, plastic shopping bags have been dropped off every month or so at the offices of Afghanistan's president."

It quoted Khalil Roman, who was Mr Karzai's chief of staff from 2002 until 2005, as saying the cash was referred to as "ghost money".

"It came in secret, and it left in secret," Mr Roman is quoted as saying.

The report cited unnamed U.S. officials' assessments that there was little evidence the payment bought the influence the CIA sought, and said that the cash was not subject to the conditions placed on official US aid.

It added that much of the money fuelled corruption and went to paying off warlords and politicians with dubious connections.

The CIA declined to comment on the New York Times report, as did the U.S. State Department.

In 2010, Mr Karzai acknowledged that his office had received cash from Iran, but insisted it was part of a "transparent" process. He said the money was not for an individual, but to help 'run the president's office'.

Afghanistan receives billions of dollars in aid, but remains one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world.

Indian math wizard Shakuntala Devi "the human computer" passes on....

Shakuntala Devi

CC BIOGRAPHY DESK

Shakuntala Devi, the Indian math wizard fondly referred to as "the human computer" passed away in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, over the weekend. 

Shakuntala Devi's dazzling computational powers revealed themselves in early childhood but she had no formal education. 

Among her adult feats, she was able to multiply two random 13-digit numbers in a few seconds. 

She once calculated the 23rd root of a 201 digit number mentally in under a minute.

When given a date in the last century she could instantly calculate which day it fell on.

She was featured by Guinness World Records for this facility with numbers.

"God's gift. A divine quality," said Ms. Devi once when she was asked about her ability.

She also said nobody in her family had shown a head for numbers.

"Not even remotely, although my father was a stage magician," she said.

According to reports, he discovered his three-year-old daughter's abilities with numbers when playing cards with her.

He apparently found that she beat him not by sleight of hand, but by memorizing the cards.

Devi was already being called a "child prodigy" when, at the age of six, she demonstrated her skills in a public performance at an university in her native state of Karnataka.

DC Shivdev of an education trust run in her name said Shakuntala Devi "strove to simplify math for students and help them get over their math phobia".

He said her "techniques to simplify math were not used by educational institutions".

"It is a pity that her techniques died with her," he told The Hindu newspaper.

Devi wrote a number of books with titles like Fun with Numbers and Puzzles to Puzzle You.

She also had an alternative career as a successful astrologer, and she often toured to give lectures and offered astrology consultations.

Documentary feature: The innerworkings of the Aryan Brotherhood

CC BIOGRAPHY DESK

Boko Haram respond to Jonathan's amnesty offer with more bloodshed

President Goodluck Jonathan during a parade

By ADEDEJI O. ADEGOKE - CC

Islamic militant group Boko Haram responded to the amnesty offer from Nigeria's government with more violence and bloodshed over the weekend.

According to credible reports, close to 200 people have been killed with scores of hundreds also wounded as a result of intense fighting between the radical Islamic sect and Nigeria's security forces in the Northern Nigerian town of Baga, near the border with the Republic of Chad.

Sources informed CC that this particular battle showed that Boko Haram had for all intents and purposes increased their attacks on soft targets as well as security targets, even as calls increased from Northern leaders for amnesty to be granted to a group, that continues to murder innocent civilians in cold blood,

This attack would count as the deadliest to-date by Boko Haram since the height of the baseless insurgency in 2009.

More to follow.