Wagner group ‘using Africa wealth’ to fund Ukraine war

 The US says Russian mercenaries are exploiting natural resources in the Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan to fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Russia has rejected the charge as “anti-Russian rage”, Reuters news agency reports.

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Russia’s shadowy Wagner mercenary group was using the “ill-gotten gains” to “fund Moscow’s war machine in Africa, the Middle East, and Ukraine”.

“Make no mistake: people across Africa are paying a heavy price for the Wagner Group’s exploitative practices and human rights violations, “she told a UN security Council meeting on the financing of armed groups through illicit trafficking of natural resources.

Russia denies any links to Wagner.

The group has been active in Libya since 2016, where it supported General Khalifa Haftar’s advance on the official government in Tripoli in 2019.

In 2017, the Wagner Group was invited into the Central African Republic (CAR) to guard diamond mines. It is also reported to be working in Sudan, protecting gold mines.

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Ukraine war: World must act now to stop Russia nuclear threat – Zelensky

 Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian officials have begun to “prepare their society” for the possible use of nuclear weapons, but added he does not believe Russia is ready to use them.

In an interview with the BBC, President Zelensky denied having urged strikes on Russia, claiming that an earlier remark had been mistranslated.

“You must use preventive kicks,” he said, referring to sanctions, “not attacks”.

In recent weeks, the Ukrainian army has recaptured large swathes of territory in a successful counter-offensive that has forced Russian troops to abandon long-held positions. In what Kyiv describes as Moscow’s response to its defeats, President Vladimir Putin has incorporated four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.

The annexations, widely dismissed as illegal, have raised fears of a possible escalation in the seven-month war. President Putin and other senior Russian officials have suggested that nuclear weapons – possibly smaller, tactical weapons – could be used to defend those areas, although Western officials say there has been no evidence Moscow is prepared to do so.

Speaking in English at the presidential palace in Kyiv, President Zelensky said: “They begin to prepare their society. That’s very dangerous.

“They are not ready to do it, to use it. But they begin to communicate. They don’t know whether they’ll use or not use it. I think it’s dangerous to even speak about it.”

He denied having called for strikes on Russia during an online event on Thursday, saying the word he had used in Ukrainian had been misunderstood.

The initial comment was denounced by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as “an appeal to start yet another world war”, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it demonstrated why Russia was right to launch its operation in Ukraine.

“After that translation,” President Zelensky said, “they [the Russians] did their way, how it’s useful for them, and began to retranslate it in other directions.”

The interview happened hours after US President Joe Biden said that the Russian threat to use nuclear weapons had brought the world closer to “Armageddon” than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War.

President Zelensky said action was needed now, as Russia’s threats were a “risk for the whole planet”. Moscow, he claimed, had “made a step already” by occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear station which President Putin is trying to turn into Russian property.

“The world can stop urgently the actions of Russian occupiers,” President Zelensky said. “The world can implement the sanction package in such cases and do everything to make them leave the nuclear power plant.”

Empowered by sophisticated Western-supplied weapons, the Ukrainian army has made significant advances in the east and the south, reclaiming towns and villages even in areas the Kremlin claims are now part of Russia. The setbacks, a major embarrassment for President Putin, have sparked unusual criticism of the country’s military.

Amid the losses, President Putin announced the mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of reservists, which led to rare anti-war protests in Russia and to a huge exodus of military-age men.

President Zelensky urged Russians to “fight for your body, rights and soul”, saying: “These mobilised kids now, they come without machine guns, armoured jackets, they are just cannon fodder…. If they don’t want to be kebab… they need to fight [for their lives].

“All Putin is afraid of is not a nuclear strike. He’s afraid of his society, of his people.

“Because only this people can replace him, strip him of his power and give it to another person.”

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Angola attends conference on Creative Economies

 Luanda – The Angolan minister of Economy and Planning, Mário Caetano João, is since this Wednesday in Bali, Republic of Indonesia, to participate in the Third World Conference on Creative Economies, set to happen on 05-07 October.

Mário Caetano João will deliver his speech at the event on Thursday, at the top level panel that will debate “how emerging countries have played their roles towards boosting and promoting creative economies”.

 

According to a press note, which cites an official document from the conference, for many emerging nations, creative economy can be a promissing and sustainable factor.

 

Creative Economy can guarantee better conditions and options for peoples, stresses the document. One of its advantages is that it helps to find solutions to challenges of any type and generate income.

 

Adapted World Cup: Angola face Brazil in quarter-final match

 

Istanbul - The National Amputee Football Team face Brazil National Squad this Thursday, at 2 pm, with the Angolan side focussing on winning the World Cup for the second consecutive time, an event which is taking place in Istanbul, Turkey.

This quarter-final match, taking place at the Turkey Football Federation complex, brings together teams that know each other very well. The last time they faced each other was in 2018, in the semi-finals of the World Cup held in Mexico.

 

With a persistent 1-1 draw in the 50th minute, it was necessary the advantage of extra time for Augusto Cheto´s players to resolve the situation, Angola scored through Heno Guilherme and José Candeeiro.

 

The Angolan team then went on to face hosts Turkey in the final, winning 5-4 on penalties, due to a persistent tie that was cancelled until extra time.

 

The truth is that both CPLP countries are back in the field again in a knockout stage with the same players as before. Angola, for example, has only four debutants, the defenders Paciência Félix and Rocha Manuel, winger Lucas Fungula and goalkeeper Augusto Lilito.

 

In a statement to ANGOP on Wednesday, the national coach, Augusto Cheto, said that Angola will face a strong opponent technically, but not so physically, and Angola will focus on the latter issue.

 

The coach mentioned also that the physical condition of the players and speed as being the points that differentiate them from the remaining competitors.

 

He expressed anxiety as an issue to overcome, considering Wednesday´s match in which Angola beat England, 1-0, but had to suffer until shortly into extra time to secure qualification for the quarter-finals.

 

“The team went in determined to solve the match early and as the goals did not come in the intial period, anxiety ended up influencing the approach to the game, which fortunately ended with victory”, he said, adding that after dialogue, he hopes that against Brazil it will be different.

  

The national squad players are goalkeepers Jesus Mateus, Sebastião Cacumba and Lilito Augusto, defenders Félix Paciência, Francisco Amaro, Celestino Elias and Rocha Manuel, midfielders Laurindo Lucamba, Hilário Cufula and Jesus Morais and forwards Sabino António, José Candeeiro, Lucas Fungula, João Chiquete and Heno Guilherme.

Angola produces more than 30, 000 tons of cocoa/year

 Luanda - Cocoa production in the country stands at more than 30,000 tonnes a year, said Wednesday the Secretary of State for Forests, André de Jesus Moda.

André Moda released the data to the press on the sidelines of the Cocoa and Honey Symposium and Fair, running under the motto "Disseminating Angola's unknown treasures".

He said with a greater commitment it is possible to diversify the portfolio of exported products.

The official also noted that the Government's policy is to continue to expand the production of honey and cocoa, stating that, with the work done, this production will be able to boost the national economy.

Moda stressed that the country has 3.150 million family farms, and if everyone gets involved in the production of honey, some statistics from other countries will be exceeded.

As for the legislation on cocoa, the official said that the country still operates under the colonial one. He added that at this time, as part of the restructuring process of the Ministry, the sector is going to work on agrarian policies and their subsequent instruments to correspond with the demands of the market.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) ambassador to Angola, Jeannette Seppen, reiterated the continuous support for the country in its effort to diversify the economy.

She pointed to the agriculture and products made in Angola, such as cocoa, coffee, honey, among others, as crucial for diversification of the national economy.

The diplomat highlighted the programme developed with the Government called “Joint Path”, with extensive cooperation in security, education, investment and trade.

Jeannette Seppen recognises that producers are committed to developing agricultural potential.

Jeannette Seppen also stressed the EU’s interest in strengthening trade and economic ties between member states and Angola.

The Ivory Coast ambassador, Somet Santiero Jean-Marie, highlighted the fact that it is the first power on the continent that covers 40% of the world's needs.

He considers that it is necessary to have an agreement for cooperation with this African country, as they can easily help Angola to have a good cocoa production.

World Bank provides over US$ 2 billion for Angola

 Luanda – The World Bank (WB) has available USD 2.7 billion for the implementation of social development projects, stated Wednesday in Luanda, Albert Zeufack, WB regional director.

To the World Bank representative, who was speaking at the end of an audience President João Lourenço granted him, the projects aim to increase supply of drinking water, electricity, agriculture and social protection.

 

Among other issues, the audience served to analyze the reforms in Angola in the fields of electricity, water, digital economy, human capital development, education, heath, economic diversification and creation of more jobs.

 

 

Albert Zeufack visits Angola for the first time.

 

Regarding the Central African region, the World Bank works with Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe and Burundi.

Russia warns US of direct military clash risk

 The US’s decision to send more military aid to Ukraine “increases the danger of a direct military clash” between Russia and the West, Moscow has warned.

Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said it was an “immediate threat” to Moscow, describing the US as “a participant of the conflict”.

Earlier, the US announced another $625m (£547m) in military aid to Ukraine.

Advanced US weaponry has been credited with helping Ukraine build momentum against occupying Russian forces.

Ukrainian troops have made significant advances in the country’s north-east and south in recent weeks.

The latest US hardware includes another four of the high-precision Himars multiple rocket systems.

In all, Washington has committed nearly $17bn in military support for Kyiv since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on 24 February.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Antonov warned that the US decision “to continue pumping the Kiev regime with heavy weapons only secures Washington’s status as a participant of the conflict”.

He said this would result in “protracted bloodshed and new casualties”.

“We call on Washington to stop its provocative actions that could lead to the most serious consequences,” the Russian ambassador said.

After suffering a string of major defeats on the battlefield in Ukraine in recent weeks, Russia has vowed to defend itself with all means available – not ruling out the use of its nuclear weapons.

Moscow is also pushing ahead with its annexation attempts of four Ukraine’s regions: Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

However, Russia does not fully control any of the regions, and Ukrainian troops have been making rapid advances in the Kherson region in recent days.

Mr Antonov’s warning comes shortly after US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris discussed further military co-operation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a statement, the White House stressed that “the United States will never recognise Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory.

“President Biden pledged to continue supporting Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression for as long as it takes.”

The statement said the new military aid package included “Himars, artillery systems and ammunition, and armoured vehicles”.

The US-made HIMARS -High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – have been used to hit Russian targets such as command posts and ammunition depots. It has also been used to target bridges, including those on the approach to Russian-occupied Kherson, which Ukraine is trying to reclaim.

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