Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Hillary Clinton news more like a rap sheet
Hillary Clinton news more like a rap sheet
Wading through the daily deluge of Hillary Clinton news, I feel like I’m reading the police blotter. The litany of her shameful shenanigans resembles the litany of neighborhood crimes recorded by cops. There are simply too many to stomach.
There is another similarity, too: In both cases, fear and revulsion are the proper responses from honest Americans.
More than 17 months before Election Day, Clinton scandals are piling up faster than robberies during a police strike. There is a media feeding frenzy over her shady dealings and the sheer volume of unsavory revelations is approaching a critical mass. The pace of disclosures probably can’t continue, but already she’s looking less and less inevitable.
Yesterday brought a new batch of bombshells. The Washington Post reported that, in addition to $5 million she earned from her latest book, Clinton earned $11.7 million by delivering 51 speeches since January, 2014. The paper reported that she was paid an astonishing $625,000 for two speeches — in one day!
Stack those facts up against her recent remark that the only answer to income inequality is to “topple” the 1 percent of wealthy Americans, and it’s obvious that she’s long past the point of simple hypocrisy.
She’s a caricature from PanderLand and has no challenger for the crown as the least authentic politician on the planet.
Not to be outdone in the media sweepstakes, The New York Times revealed that Clinton used a second, private e-mail address — HROD17@clintonemail.com — to correspond with a political aide stashed on the family foundation payroll. The aide, Sidney Blumenthal, a longtime Hillary hit man, was also playing both sides of the street by mixing his consultant business with her diplomatic efforts in Libya, according to e-mails The Times obtained.
The new e-mail address adds another layer of lies to Clinton’s false claims about her use of a private server to conduct State Department business. She also had claimed to use only one electronic device, before evidence emerged that she used at least two. Maybe she can’t count?
The Wall Street Journal added detail to the paid speech bonanza, saying the list showing total family income of $30 million in 16 months did not include about 100 other speeches where payment went directly to the foundation. That raises a potential tax issue because those payments were not reported as personal income, the paper said.
Even Chelsea comes in for a pounding, with my colleague Richard Johnson reporting that foundation executives found her “very difficult” and that she caused high staff turnover, with people she hired soon hitting the street.
And so it goes in ClintonGate, a multi-angled, mushrooming series of outrageous conduct coming to light. Some 30,000 emails are deleted, official American business gets mixed up with international rogues and shady oligarchs and the Clintons emerge with vast wealth for precious little work.
The foundation is awash in billions of contributions, some secret, from businesses and foreign governments. It acts like a mothership, with employees wearing different hats to serve the ruling family at different times. Its structure is so opaque and complex, the respected Charity Navigator organization put it on the same “watch list” as Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
Meanwhile, she who seeks the restoration of the Clinton presidency can’t take a stand on the big challenges America faces, including the pending Asian trade deal. She dodges the press like the plague, obviously believing she can get by on lifeless, scripted events and answer a few token questions only when press frustration boils over.
She did that yesterday, taking five minutes to answer five questions after a month of radio silence. She said about as close to nothing as humanly possible.
Asked, for example, how she can make so much money and still claim to understand the straits of working people, she offered mush: “Obviously Bill and I have been blessed and we are very grateful for the opportunities,” adding “I’m running a campaign that is very clearly stating we want to reshuffle the deck.”
Opportunities? Already behaving like the old bosses from Tammany Hall, she’s starting to sound like them, too. It was George Washington Plunkitt who colorfully defended “honest graft” and said of his riches, “I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em.”
Then again, there is a distinction. The Tammany crowd was known to skim a bit off the top. The Clintons take the whole cake.
Ethics easy as dough, re mi, ABC
ABC’s dilemma about George Stephanopoulos is linked to his $105 million contract. He’s the face of the network’s news division, and sidelining him over his secret contributions to the Clinton foundation would probably hurt the bottom line.But Stephanopoulos’ violation of journalism ethics is so fundamental that it’s hard to see how he escapes unscathed. The gusher of Clinton news, and the fact that he can’t be trusted to report it, illustrates how untenable it is for him to be ABC’s point man.
In the event the network brass is seeking clarity, I humbly offer my education on conflicts of interest. It came when I was a young reporter for The New York Times under legendary editor Abe Rosenthal.
Abe didn’t need a 10-page memo to establish the principle. He illustrated it by example.
Soon after The Times hired a veteran reporter from Philadelphia, a newspaper there reported that she had engaged in a long affair with a Philly politician she covered and accepted expensive gifts from him.
Rosenthal summoned the woman to his office and asked if the story was accurate.
She said yes, and he promptly fired her. Some Times reporters objected, saying the woman had been unfairly treated over a consensual adult relationship.
Rosenthal waved aside their complaints and in one unforgettable sentence, summarized her mistake and his rule.“You can sleep with elephants if you want to,” he declared, “but then you can’t cover the circus.”
Somebody at ABC needs to say that to Stephanopoulos.
South Sudan rebels say capture oil refinery, tell firms to leave
South Sudan rebels say capture oil refinery, tell firms to leave
(Adds details, background)
By Denis Dumo
JUBA, May 19 (Reuters) - South Sudanese rebels said on Tuesday they had captured a refinery near a major oilfield in Upper Nile State, where fighting has flared up in recent days, and told firms there to shut down operations and evacuate their staff.
No government official was immediately available to comment.
SPLA-in-Opposition spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, said that the rebels were still fighting government troops in the area that is home to South Sudan's biggest oilfield - Paloch.
"This is a matter of urgency! This is due to the ongoing clashes between our forces and pro-Salva Kiir troops near the oilfields," he said, referring to the country's president.
Oil firms in South Sudan include China National Petroleum Corp, India's ONGC Videsh and Malaysia's Petronas.
Forces loyal to Kiir and rebels allied with his former deputy, Riek Machar, have been fighting for nearly 18 months in the world's newest state, which seceded from Sudan in 2011.
Several ceasefires have been reached and broken and each side accuses the other of violating one announced in February.
"In response to the government's full-scale offensive on our positions in the three states of greater Upper Nile region, we have decided to take control of the oilfields and deny Salva Kiir from using the oil revenues to perpetuate the war," Gatdet Dak said in a statement.
He said the rebels had asked the companies to close the oilfields safely to avoid any damage to the facilities and the environment. The refinery site is some 10 km (6 miles) from the main Paloch oilfields.
Thousands have fled their homes in recent days because of the fighting and some 650,000 civilians are without access to aid in Upper Nile State and neighbouring Unity State, according the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.
Gatdet Dak said that in fighting on Tuesday, the rebels had seized artillery from government troops. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Louise Ireland)
By Denis Dumo
JUBA, May 19 (Reuters) - South Sudanese rebels said on Tuesday they had captured a refinery near a major oilfield in Upper Nile State, where fighting has flared up in recent days, and told firms there to shut down operations and evacuate their staff.
No government official was immediately available to comment.
SPLA-in-Opposition spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, said that the rebels were still fighting government troops in the area that is home to South Sudan's biggest oilfield - Paloch.
"This is a matter of urgency! This is due to the ongoing clashes between our forces and pro-Salva Kiir troops near the oilfields," he said, referring to the country's president.
Oil firms in South Sudan include China National Petroleum Corp, India's ONGC Videsh and Malaysia's Petronas.
Forces loyal to Kiir and rebels allied with his former deputy, Riek Machar, have been fighting for nearly 18 months in the world's newest state, which seceded from Sudan in 2011.
Several ceasefires have been reached and broken and each side accuses the other of violating one announced in February.
"In response to the government's full-scale offensive on our positions in the three states of greater Upper Nile region, we have decided to take control of the oilfields and deny Salva Kiir from using the oil revenues to perpetuate the war," Gatdet Dak said in a statement.
He said the rebels had asked the companies to close the oilfields safely to avoid any damage to the facilities and the environment. The refinery site is some 10 km (6 miles) from the main Paloch oilfields.
Thousands have fled their homes in recent days because of the fighting and some 650,000 civilians are without access to aid in Upper Nile State and neighbouring Unity State, according the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.
Gatdet Dak said that in fighting on Tuesday, the rebels had seized artillery from government troops. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Amazing Talent - He Kills The Dance ! [ 2015 ]
Amazing dancing skills...........physical fitness.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbfuvcOWhw8
Published on Mar 10, 2015
Ugandan army denies losing helicopter to South Sudan rebels
Ugandan army denies losing helicopter to South Sudan rebels
May 17, 2015 (JUBA/KAMPALA) – The spokesperson for Uganda’s People Defense Forces (UPDF), Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda has dismissed claims that its helicopter was allegedly shot down by South Sudanese rebels in the Upper Nile state capital, Malakal.
- Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda (new vision)
“Our gallant forces shot down a helicopter gunship on Sunday which came to bomb our troops that have controlled Malakal town since Saturday,” James Gatdet Dak, the spokesperson for South Sudan’s rebel leader, Riek Machar told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.
“It was downed at 4:10pm by our forces under the overall command of Major General Johnson Olony,” he added,
But the Uganda army spokesperson described the rebels’ claim as a “bad lie”
"All Ugandan air crafts are accounted for Uganda has no air crafts in South Sudan. Claims by Riek Machar rebels to have hit one are a bad lie", Ankunda said on Monday.
The South Sudanese army (SPLA) spokesperson, Col. Phillip Aguer separately told Sudan Tribune that the rebels’ claim regarding the chopper was “ rubbish and baseless propaganda”.
“The general command of the SPLA would like to assure the general public of our readiness and capability to defend this country. The rebels of Riek Machar will be defeated with their propaganda”, he said by phone.
Gordon Buay, a South Sudanese representative in the US, also dismissed the rebels’ claim.
“It is a lie. There is nothing like that. No helicopter has been brought down by the rebels. All that they have reported is propaganda. It does not carry any truth”, Buay told Sudan Tribune.
According to Buay, Uganda troop are only present in Juba and the Jonglei state capital, Bor.
SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS FIGHTING
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) strongly condemned the large-scale attack by the country’s armed opposition forces in the Upper Nile state capital on 15 May.
"The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the repeated violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement ... and underscored that there is no military solution to this conflict," the 15-nation UN body said in a statement.
Members of the Council called on all the parties to engage meaningfully in the peace process so as to bring about a political solution to the crisis and an end to the conflict.
It further renewed its calls for the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the full, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies to all those in need and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with relevant provisions of international law and UN guiding principles of humanitarian assistance.
The UN says over 2 million people have been displaced, 1.5 million internally, and 500,000 in neighbouring countries as a result of the South Sudan conflict and that more than 2.5 million people face severe food insecurity, especially in greater Upper Nile region.
(ST)
COMMENTS:
18 May 11:13, by Juma El-Saidi.
Eh!
You have to defend the sources where dollar is coming from otherwise
bread will be out.Look at the prices in the market and look at the
exchange rate 100 ssp is only 10.000 Ush this used to be 50.000 ush per
100ssp. Salva Kiir Shame on you the Uganda have milked all the dollars
and am shameful to see that you went to World Bank and you were refused
to borrow hahahaha failed nation Under Kiir
18 May 11:41, by Kumbo
Bold
lies from Uganda every body iPhilip aguering a small child know that
Uganda Airforce is in S. Sudan defending this warlord Slave Kiir Mayar
idiot there is no way to deny that fact yes the chopper was gun down
finish.
otherwise it is Paddy Ankunda & philip aguer who are layers
otherwise it is Paddy Ankunda & philip aguer who are layers
18 May 17:12, by Bentiu Sudan
The Ugandan’s gunship that was shot down in Malakal is laying down in the
Booth Village near Malakal. Any willing person can go there and take
photo of the damaged gunship.
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article55016
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article55016
South Sudanese rebels reach oilfields in Upper Nile state: spokesperson
South Sudanese rebels reach oilfields in Upper Nile state: spokesperson
May 19, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese rebels led by former vice president, Riek Machar, have asked all the oil companies operating in the oilfields in Upper Nile state to close down immediately and evacuate their staff for their safety.
- South Sudanese soldiers stand during President Salva Kiir’s visit to an oil refinery in Melut, Upper Nile State, South Sudan on November 20, 2012 (Getty Images)
“SPLM/SPLA leadership has asked all oil companies operating in Upper Nile state to shut down their operations and evacuate their staff immediately,” Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, said in a statement extended to
Sudan Tribune.
“We also ask them to do the process of closing down in a safe manner that will not damage the oil facilities and cause environmental damage,” he said.
He said rebel forces already captured Tangrial Bil oil refinery site on Tuesday night and were moving to Melut town, which he said, was only 5kms from the oil refinery site.
Dak explained that the decision to take over the oilfields came in response to the ongoing government’s full scale offensive in the three states of the Upper Nile region.
“In response to the government’s full scale offensive on our positions in the three states of greater Upper Nile region, we have decided to take control of the oilfields and deny Salva Kiir from using the oil revenues to perpetuate the war," he said.
In the Tuesday’s battles over the control of the refinery site, Dak said the SPLM-IO forces inflicted heavy casualties on the government’s troops, including the capture of the government’s warship mounted with heavy artilleries.
He said the oil fields had been besieged and the call for closing down the facilities evacuating the oil workers was a matter of urgency for their safety.
Major General Johnson Olony, the militia commander on the ground said they given an ultimatum to the civilians and humanitarian organisations in the area to immediately leave to avoid being caught in crossfire.
"We do not want civilians to be caught in the fighting. We have asked them, through the media, their relatives, and international organisations and through individuals who have contacted us to let civilians leave Melut town and surrounding areas because we are around it,” Olony exclusively told Sudan Tribune by phone on Tuesday.
“We do not target civilians, but we fear the government could use them as a shield. So we advise the civilians to leave so that they are not caught in the middle", he added.
Olony, who recently fell out with the Juba regime, further said they had contacted foreign diplomats, particularly the Chinese embassy in Juba, to advise their citizens working at the oil companies in Upper Nile to halt production and immediately leave.
“We have no problem with them [workers] and this is why we are alerting them to leave. We don’t want them to ignore this message,” he said.
FIGHTING IN MALAKAL
South Sudan army spokesperson Col. Phillip Aguer said fighting continues between government troops and armed opposition forces in the Upper Nile capital, Malakal.
Aguer told reporters on Tuesday that pro-government forces were in control of the situation and it was a matter of time before they took control of the strategic town.
"The general command of the SPLA is closely monitoring the current developing situation on the ground in Upper Nile. Our forces are in control of the situation and the only update for the public is that there is fighting in Malakal and we are monitoring how the situation is developing, but with difficulty getting the details of the fighting,” he said.
(ST)
========================
UNSC condemn violence in South Sudan, renew threats for sanctions
May 17, 2015 (JUBA) – The United Nations Security Council has condemned the renewed and ongoing large scale violence in South Sudan’s Unity state, saying military offensives by pro-government forces had led to the displacement of over 100,000 civilians.
- A UN Security Council session on New York (UN photo)
The council further condemned the large-scale attack by armed opposition forces in Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital on 15 May.
"The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the repeated violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement ... and underscored that there is no military solution to this conflict," the 15-nation UN body said in a statement.
"The members of the council further expressed their condemnation of the large-scale attack initiated by the SPLM/A (in Opposition) on the town of Malakal in Upper Nile State", the statement said.
Members of the council, however, called on all the parties to engage meaningfully in the peace process so as to bring about a political solution to the crisis and an end to the South Sudan conflict.
The council expressed concern about the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in the country and renewed its call for the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the "full, safe and unhindered access" of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies to all those in need and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance.
It further condemned all human rights violations and abuses and demanded an immediate end to them, noting that the government bears the primary responsibility to protect the civilians from abuses and from potential crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The council members further acknowledged the peace process led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), urging renewed regional and international efforts to swiftly implement a common plan and to table a reasonable and comprehensive solution to end the crisis in South Sudan, the statement stressed.
THREATS FOR SANCTIONS
"They reiterated their willingness to impose sanctions against those who threaten the peace , security or stability of South Sudan as established in the resolution 2206 ’2015) and noted the 24 March 2015 African Union Peace and Security Council communiquĂ© On South Sudan and the 12 May 2015 African Union Commission Chairperson’s Statement on South Sudan in this regard", it stated.
Meanwhile, the 15-member UN body also reiterated its full support for its peacekeepers in South Sudan, demanded all parties end intimidation and harassment against the UN mission in South Sudan and stop restrictions on freedom of movement.
The world body further demanded full adherence to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and permission for the deployment of essential assets and enablers currently being blocked by the government of the world’s youngest nation.
“The members of the Security Council underscored the importance of close cooperation and communication between UNMISS and government in addressing these issues,” stressed the statement.
Last week, the head of the UN mission in South Sudan decried the “untold suffering” of people from the devastating effect of conflict that broke out in the country in 2013.
Addressing the Security Council on Thursday, Ellen Margrethe Loj detailed how the conflict has displaced millions of people, yet showing no signs of an end, despite the efforts by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
“The untold suffering of the people of South Sudan must stop,” Loj said.
“Every day without a political agreement contributes to a further deterioration of the situation on the ground, leading to greater displacement and human misery, and risks regional peace and security,” she added.
According to the UN official, the most serious situation is currently in the oil-rich Unity state, citing reports of Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) advancing and fighting as they push into southern areas of the oil-rich region towards Koch, Leer and Adok.
The UN says over 2 million people have been displaced, 1.5 million internally, and 500,000 in neighbouring countries as a result of the South Sudan conflict.. Also over 2.5 million people face severe food insecurity, especially in greater Upper Nile region.
(ST)
The United States’ Investment in Emerging Global Entrepreneurs Summit in Nairobi (GES)
The President Speaks on Global Entrepreneurship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=31&v=XDvEI7p38xg
Published on May 11, 2015
President Obama delivers remarks at the White House Global Entrepreneurship Event in South Court Auditorium. May 11, 2015.
Obama
is right that people need to be entrpreneurs and stop relying on other
peoples' companies to employ them. People come out of college and can't
find jobs. They have huge debts and no way to ever pay them off. This is
not the 60s and 70s when industries were growing and could employ ever
more people. Unless somebody retires, a job might not come up. America
is a Capitalistic Democracy so take advantage of that fact. A job should
only be something you do to get working money to get something better
going. I personally wouldn't go to college in the present environment.
Just doesn't seem to be a good idea anymore and you have to put up with a
bunch of frat boy knobs giving everybody wedgies. That gets old pretty
fast.
+Lincoln Abraham
Whites have put blacks in the position they are in now. Stripped them
of their jobs, their dignity. Now, our leaders in Washington have taken
notice to the racism that is rampant in every police district in
America.
=================
CHECK FACT SHEET!!!
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 11, 2015
FACT SHEET: The United States’ Investment in Emerging Global Entrepreneurs
Today, as global entrepreneurs gathered for an event at the
White House, President Obama announced several steps to increase support
for emerging entrepreneurs here in the United States and around the
world. First, the President made investing in women and youth
entrepreneurs the top priority for his Administration’s global
entrepreneurship programs. Second, ahead of his travel to the Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi this July, the President issued a
call to action, challenging companies, organizations, and individuals to
increase their investments in global emerging entrepreneurs. Third,
the President announced nine new Presidential Ambassadors for Global
Entrepreneurship, enlisting even more of America’s top talent to expand
the frontiers of inspiration, opportunity, and development around the
world. Finally, he recognized the creation of the Spark Global
Entrepreneurship coalition, made up of leading entrepreneurship
organizations who will support his call to action and better connect,
coordinate, and communicate entrepreneurship efforts across the globe.
Increasing Global Support for Women and Young Entrepreneurs
The United States is making empowering women and youth a central
objective of its global entrepreneurship programs. Today, even as
innovation and entrepreneurship spread rapidly around the world, there
are many marginalized groups unable to realize their entrepreneurial
aspirations. Access to capital, training, and markets, as well as
cultural and legal barriers continue to prevent millions from starting
their own ventures. For this reason, the President directed U.S.
programs to increase efforts to attract investment for women and young
entrepreneurs. In 2014, the Administration set a goal for its global entrepreneurship programs, led under the umbrella of the U.S. government’s Spark Global Entrepreneurship Initiative,
to generate over a billion dollars in private investment for emerging
entrepreneurs around the world by the end of 2017. Half of this goal
will be specifically for women and young entrepreneurs.
This increased emphasis builds on a strong foundation of programs
that have pioneered new engagement with emerging entrepreneurs around
the world in recent years. Women and young entrepreneurs currently
benefit from flagship exchanges offered by the President’s young leader
initiatives in Africa, Southeast Asia, and now the Americas, as well as programs like the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, and Women Entrepreneurship in the Americas.
As a result of today’s announcement, the Administration will expand
opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs in other U.S. Government
global programs.
Call to Action
During today’s event, the President issued a call to action to
companies, organizations, and individuals across the globe to increase
their support to emerging entrepreneurs, especially women and youth,
particularly in the run-up to this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit
in Nairobi. This support can come in the form of financial investment,
mentorship, networking, education, and exchange programs. By putting
women and youth at the center of our efforts, the U.S. Government will
bring entrepreneurship, innovation, and empowerment to underserved
communities around the world.
Commitments can be made through www.state.gov/spark.
A report on the initial pledges put forward in response to the call to
action will be presented at GES in Nairobi. The summit will provide a
platform for elevating and linking these commitments. Two Spark Global
Entrepreneurship events will take place on the road to Nairobi. The
first will be hosted by the U.S. Government in Madrid, Spain in mid-June
and the second in Lagos, Nigeria in early July. These international
events will offer the opportunity to attract additional support for the
President’s challenge. Meanwhile, here at home, the President is
focused on ensuring that those underrepresented in entrepreneurship
across the United States are being tapped to fully contribute their
talents, which is why later this summer there will be the first-ever White House Demo Day focused on inclusive entrepreneurship.
Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE)
Established by President Obama in 2014, the Presidential Ambassadors
for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) employ the skills, networks, and
resources of top American entrepreneurs to develop the next generation
of entrepreneurs at home and abroad. Each PAGE member has developed a
signature initiative, designed to make significant contributions to the
U.S. Government’s goal of generating over $1 billion for emerging global
entrepreneurs. With the addition of the nine new PAGE members
announced today, there are 17 active PAGE members. The initial class of
PAGE members supported entrepreneurship by creating new tools for
entrepreneurs; speaking at major international gatherings such as the
Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the Mandela Washington Fellows
summit; and joining Administration officials on travel advocating for
improvements to the entrepreneurial ecosystem around the world.
The new members of PAGE are listed below:
Brian Chesky, Co-Founder & CEO, Airbnb (San Francisco, CA)
Antonio Gracias, CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Valor Equity (Chicago, IL)
Julie Hanna, Executive Chair of the Board, Kiva (San Francisco, CA)
Elizabeth Holmes, Founder and CEO, Theranos (Palo Alto, CA)
Daymond John, CEO of FUBU and Shark Branding (New York, NY)
Daniel Lubetzky, Founder & CEO, KIND Snacks (New York, NY)
Alison Rosenthal, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships Wealthfront, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA)
Debbie Sterling, CEO and Founder, GoldieBlox (San Francisco, CA)
Andrew Yang, Founder & CEO, Venture for America (New York, NY)
Spark Global Entrepreneurship Coalition
After the U.S. Government launched its Spark Global Entrepreneurship
initiative last November, leading entrepreneurship organizations came
together to form an umbrella coalition. The aim of the Spark Global
Entrepreneurship Coalition is to connect, coordinate, and create common
goals across public, private, and non-profit sector efforts to advance
entrepreneurship around the world. The coalition will help to advance
the efforts of the U.S. Government’s Spark Global Entrepreneurship
Initiative to invest in emerging entrepreneurs by linking participants
from those programs with resources, networks, and opportunities. One of
their first activities will be to work with the U.S. Department of
State on coordinating partnerships for this summer’s Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Reinforcing the U.S.-Africa Partnership
Reinforcing the U.S.-Africa Partnership
Posted by on March 30, 2015 at 10:30 AM EDT
Last summer, the United States paved new pathways for our relationship with Africa by hosting the historic U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Fifty-one African leaders joined President Obama in Washington for a discussion on "Investing in the Next Generation", the theme of the Summit. This gathering resulted in $33 billion dollars in new commitments to support economic growth across Africa, as well as tangible U.S. and African efforts to improve security, promote human rights and good governance, and provide opportunities for Africa’s sizeable youth population.
As the White House announced earlier today, the United States is partnering with the Government of Kenya to host the sixth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). The President will travel to Kenya this summer – his fourth trip to sub-Saharan Africa and the most of any sitting U.S. president – where he will participate in bilateral meetings and attend this important event.
Launched by President Obama in 2009, GES will bring together more than 1,000 entrepreneurs and investors from across Africa and around the world to showcase innovative projects, exchange new ideas, and help spur economic opportunity. This year’s Summit in Kenya will have an overarching focus on generating new investments in entrepreneurs, particularly women and young entrepreneurs. Choosing Kenya as the destination for GES underscores the fact that Africa, and Kenya in particular, has become a center for innovation and entrepreneurship. Kenya is a world leader in mobile money systems like m-pesa and a driver of innovation, through creative spaces like “iHub.” These are just a few tangible demonstrations of the entrepreneurial spirit that is deeply rooted on the African continent.
Just as President Kennedy’s historic visit to Ireland in 1963 celebrated the connections between Irish-Americans and their forefathers, President Obama’s trip will honor the strong historical ties between the United States and Kenya – and all of Africa – from the millions of Americans who trace their ancestry to the African continent, to the more than 100,000 Americans that live in or visit Kenya each year. The President’s trip will be an opportunity to point to the progress already made in improving health, education, human rights and good governance, security, and economic growth across the continent, while helping to spark new opportunities for future generations.
Grant Harris serves as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs on the National Security Council. Shannon Green is the Senior Director for Global Engagement of the National Security Council.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/03/30/reinforcing-us-africa-partnership
Alma Madge Ofula’s Profile joining Spark Global Enterpreneurship Coalition
Spark Global Entrepreneurship Coalition
After the U.S. Government launched its Spark Global Entrepreneurship
initiative last November, leading entrepreneurship organizations came
together to form an umbrella coalition. The aim of the Spark Global
Entrepreneurship Coalition is to connect, coordinate, and create common
goals across public, private, and non-profit sector efforts to advance
entrepreneurship around the world. The coalition will help to advance
the efforts of the U.S. Government’s Spark Global Entrepreneurship
Initiative to invest in emerging entrepreneurs by linking participants
from those programs with resources, networks, and opportunities. One of
their first activities will be to work with the U.S. Department of
State on coordinating partnerships for this summer’s Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya. The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, July 25–26?
Unlike past years, registration for the 2015 summit will be more
limited to allow for more interaction and networking. The organizers are
now gathering all expressions of interest. Please go to the 6th Global Entrepreneurship Summit website to apply and tell them about yourself.
Hurry, because the application process closes on Monday, May 18!
Alma Madge Ofula’s Profile:
My
name is Alma Madge Ofula; I will be turning 13 years on 30th July
2015. I am in class seven (7) of my primary education. I school at Rose of
Sharon Academy in Nairobi. I love cooking, singing and reading books. In music,
I was ranked the best in the Kenya Music Festival of 2014. I am viewed as the most
disciplined pupil and the best overall performing pupil in my class rating from
the kindergarten to the upper school category where I have maintained the same good
performing position. In the past two
years I developed the desire to assist the less fortunate children in our society;
though, I did not have the means on how to go about it, I believed that someday
God will favor me with the means and since then, I put my focus to work hard in
everything I do and by joining our Church youth group fellowship. While in
church my Sunday school teacher mentioned to us in the class that there is a
program she was introducing for young people in entrepreneurship. I got
interested in the training as I was assured of setting up a small business that
could enable me to get something little to assist those less fortunate in our
society by way of creating employment opportunity from understanding the scarcity
of employment positions for school leavers. I began to attend entrepreneurship
classes during the school holidays where I learn different things on
entrepreneurship especially for young people.
With
the help of my parents, they helped me to set up a peanut butter project. I sell peanut butter to some people and also
donate to support less fortunate children in our community. My parents allowed me to call the peanut
butter Alma’s Peanut butter. Probably the best peanut butter in the country based
on what I have heard people say about it after they have purchased.
CHALLENGES IN PRODUCTION COST,
MARKETING AND TRANSPORATION:
We
buy the groundnuts from the local markets in Nairobi, but since the cost of
buying the nuts from the market is high, we plan to use the small farm in my
rural area in Gem, Siaya County to grow the groundnuts and transport them to
Nairobi for the business. This will help to reduce the cost of production and
boost my business. Some of the
challenges that I have experienced include marketing of our product and moving
the finished product closer to the growing clients. I would like to see our
peanut also sold in different local stores shelves in Kenya. I would like to
set up a peanut production company in future to compete with other bigger production
unites in the country and this will open more employment opportunity for our
community job seekers. As this grows, I would like to set aside some money to
give back to the community by supporting the needy children achieve their
dreams as well. With this I think we
shall save many children from going astray or wasting their lives by doing
negative things but contribute positively to help make life better for many
homes in the community. I may not be able to touch everybody’s life in Kenya as
the employment situation keeps getting worse, but I would like to have to fill a
gap in the vacuum and impact people’s lives positively. I trust that God will open more opportunities,
give me strength and by accessing more funds, I will endeavor to improve and
expand the projects capacity progressively from where we are presently.
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