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This is to certify that Ms Theresa May successfully passed the admission exam of the ‘Higher Management and Governance’ executive education programme, generally known as ‘HMG’, in July 2013.

At the end of her first semester, during which her performance was evaluated through continuous assessment, she has now submitted her final semester exam, consisting of a research paper on the topic ‘The United Kingdom’s exit from and new partnership with the European Union’. She also has successfully completed her practical assignment of pushing a ‘Notification of Withdrawal‘Notification of withdrawal through parliament in a simulation exercise of democratic procedures. Her second semester is due to start on March 9 with a study trip to Brussels where she is expected to present this notification to a panel of peers.

Please find below her full semester grades and selected comments on her performance. Each grade is an average calculated from the assessment of the professors participating in the jury. Please note that HMG programme only employs renowned experts based in the United Kingdom.

Honi soit qui mal y pense!

The post Semester grades for Theresa May appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Lors de la Conférence humanitaire d'Oslo sur le Nigéria et la région du lac Tchad, 14 bailleurs de fonds ont promis vendredi 672 millions de dollars pour financer l'assistance aux personnes affectées par la grave crise humanitaire qui frappe cette région du monde, a annoncé l'ONU.

L'Ambassadeur de bonne volonté du Fonds des Nations Unies pour l'enfance (UNICEF), Orlando Bloom, s'est rendu cette semaine à Diffa, dans le sud-est du Niger, pour jeter un coup de projecteur sur la crise humanitaire qui frappe la région du bassin du lac Tchad où la violence de Boko Haram a provoqué d'importants déplacements de populations.

La Mission des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO) et le clergé catholique congolais se sont déclarés vivement inquiets des attaques récentes lancées contre des paroisses et autres installations catholiques dans plusieurs parties du pays.

United Nations human rights experts are calling for strong, urgent action by States to ensure that people around the world can enjoy the human right to live in environments free from contamination.

February 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Thursday appointed an Ethiopian general as Force Commander for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The new UNISFA Major General Tesfay Gidey Hailemichael succeeds Major General Hassen Ebrahim Mussa, who completed his assignment on 17 January 2017.

He has had a long and distinguished career with the Ethiopian Armed Forces spanning over thirty-three years. He graduated from the Ethiopian Defence Command and Staff College (1995) and is currently the Head of the Defence Logistics Department in the Ethiopian Army since April 2014.

Sudan and South Sudan have failed to run a referendum on the fate of the contested Abyei area which lies on the border between the two countries.

Initially, UNISFA was composed of 4,000 Ethiopian troops, established following the seizure of the disputed oil-rich region by the Sudanese army in May 2011 after clashes with South Sudan army (SPLA) troops.

In accordance with the resolution 1990 (2011) UNISFA's main mandate is to ensure the redeployment of Sudanese and South Sudanese troops out of the contested area of Abyei and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

On 29 May 2013, the Security Council increased UNISFA military strength to 5,326 troops and tasked it with the support for the operational activities of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, established by the Sudan-South Sudan Cooperation Agreement of 27 September 2012.

(ST)

By Deng Kiir Akok

The Nile Petroleum Corporation is a national Oil and Gas Corporation, which engages in oil exploration, production and marketing. Famous for its abbreviation Nilepet has been a dream place of work for every South Sudanese that lives in Juba. Though the country's economy is nearly collapsing, the locals still see pastures greener in there. As a result, some of the institutions are losing their employees to Nilepet each day. Those job seekers think that getting employment at Nilepet will make them flourish like its current employees. Each one of them has a different dream from another and has to fulfil it once they are appointed in there.

For ladies that have got to Nilepet are by now driving the latest KIA models. Yeah, they have done with Arab as the saying goes for South Sudanese. Also on their wish list, include a wedding in Freedom Hall, invite the President of the republic to wedding-Day, hire Juba-On-Time Studio photographer for coverage and spend the honeymoon in Dubai.

But for male employees' dreams is so complicated to tell. Any attempt to establish their needs will be an underestimation. They have a lot of problems to solve. From their fiancees' wishing to wed at Freedom Hall. Like Nilepet dreamers, Juba girls also have one thing in common, they think of and that's having their weddings at Freedom Hall. No girl in Juba had never ever heard of it.

Before Nilepet becomes a focal point for everyone in Juba, Central Bank of South Sudan employees was seen holding expensive wedding ceremonies. The bank staffs were able to pay for their bridals' beautification starting from henna to other necessities, the day before the wedding-Day at the most expensive hotels including Crown, New Sudan and Royal Palace hotel. Looking back on how the staffs were able to meet such expensive things in the past has now become a story in the light of the current economic crisis in the country.

The turn is now for Nilepet employees and the bank staffs become broke after the demise of letters of credit (LC). They were better than Nilepet employees in term of how to get money. Before the central bank ran out of dollars two years ago, there were letters of credit and the bank staffs by then knew how to deal with them. Currently, they can't even manage to pay for their birthday celebrations at Smart Camp in Thongpiny, the least expensive lodge in Juba.

As luxury weddings are increasing in Juba despite the country's shrinking economy, I witnessed one occasion last Saturday in which a former Lialy restaurant owner, now changed to University Medical Center along Malakia - Custom road found himself caught up in wedding cars of white Land Cruiser V8 while crossing the road from the property to the other side. He didn't know what to do in the middle of such speeding Japanese cars when he suddenly came to a standstill and cars passed by him from all sides. Thank God that he escaped being crushed. The man later complained to anyone that was near to him. He was heard saying, "even president Kiir's motorcade doesn't run like these cars."

In the current economic crisis, most broke citizens of South Sudan, including this author have suspended their birthday celebrations until the economy recovered. But people are not sure of when things will get better such that life could go back to normal.

Here is our question. How do you tell if a bridegroom is an employee of Nile Petroleum Corporation? In case you come across his wedding cars out there on the roads. It's easy to tell. One need not to waste time guessing where could be his place of work.

Firstly, if wedding cars are of the Land Cruiser V8 models, then automatically that bridegroom works for Nilepet or simply call him a Nilepeter.

Secondly, the wedding belongs to an ordinary South Sudanese or Darfurian when Premio, light buses, Raksha and boda-boda (motorcycle) are used.

And thirdly, if it involves water tank trucks, Surf, Rav4 and blah, blah, then that bridegroom is either an Ethiopian or an Eriteran.

My message to Juba pedestrians is that they should be watchful of wedding cars while crossing roads on weekends, especially on the road that links Freedom Hall in Custom, Marx Studio in Nimra Talata and Juba-On-Time Studio at Mobil roundabout.

With the above little and better than nothing knowledge, I hope that South Sudanese public by now, have known about how to differentiate between Nilepet bridegrooms and other bridegrooms that wed in Juba.

To end this piece, I would like to tell my readers that it's just a matter of time before I follow those heading for Nilepet in favour of high-paying jobs.

The writer is a blogger with blog address https://dengkiirsouthsudan.blogspot.com. He can be reached at dengkiirsouthsudan@gmail.com. Tel: +211912186333

February 23, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir has arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa for talks on the implementation of border control and security cooperation deal signed last year.

On 28 October 2016, President Kiir and Ethiopian Hailemariam Desalegn signed a series of cooperation agreements on Friday, including a security arrangement to stop hosting armed opposition groups in their respective countries.

During his three day visit, the South Sudanese president will hold talks with the Ethiopian prime minister on Friday. Also, the two leaders are expected to sign a number of bilateral cooperation agreements including security issues in line with a memorandum of understanding signed last year.

Last October, the two leaders signed an agreement on border control and security cooperation but it seems that the implementation conditions had not been included in the deal.

“It will be something good for us, South Sudanese and Ethiopians, should these two leaders put into action what they will agree on. It's our hope that the two agree on security issues. We don't want any negative force to use another country's territory to launch hostile activities on the other. Borders are really important to a country and having a good relationship with the bordering country is always the goal for both countries to progress together,” said Presidential Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny.

"South Sudan- Ethiopia borders are not safe and this is what has prompted the two to meet,” Ateny further stressed.

“We have so many sectors that need the involvement of Ethiopians in our country and the Ethiopians in return have many sectors needing our involvement. For a country to excel, Mutuality is the key,” he added.

The Nuer in Ethiopia's western region of Gambella, have kept their tribal links with the South Sudanese Nuer across the history.

Since the eruption of hostilities between the government army loyal to President Kiir and troops loyal to his former First Vice President Riek Machar in December 2013, many rebels crossed into the Ethiopian territory of Gambella where the South Sudanese army cannot hunt them.

Juba government was suspicious for the tolerance that Addis Ababa had shown towards the South Sudanese rebel presence in Gambella.

It further went to object the participation of Ethiopian soldiers in the regional protection force. However in November Kiir declared accepting their participation and pointed to the security deal signed with Desalegn.

(ST)

February 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek will visit Khartoum next Sunday for talks on bilateral relations. Also, he is expected to seek a presidential pardon for a journalist sentenced to life in prison last January.

According to a press statement released Thursday Zaoralek will hold talks with the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour. Also, he is will "meet senior officials and visits some investment sites".

Further, a Sudanese official who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Sudan Tribune that the visiting minister will request an amnesty for the Christian filmmaker Jasek who is accused of espionage.

On 29 January, a Sudanese court sentenced Jacek to life imprisonment for spying against the Sudan and disseminating reports - via an "American organisation hostile to Sudan" - including alleged persecution of Christians in the country, and the bombardment of civilian populated areas in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan State.

The Czech foreign ministry swiftly rejected the ruling of the Sudanese court, pointing that there was no evidence to support his conviction or sentence, according to the Associated Press.

At the time, the Czech foreign ministry said a deputy foreign minister would travel to Sudan in the coming days to try to negotiate Jasek's release and if necessary, Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek is ready to go there, too.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese authorities released a British filmmaker, after a presidential pardon granted by President Omer al-Bashir. Philip Cox who is the first journalist to report the Darfur crisis to the world had been captured in Darfur region as he entered the country illegally.

(ST)

Elizabeth Ohene considers Ghanaians' wanderlust as her compatriots join those taking risks to claim asylum abroad.

To fully benefit from today's sophisticated weapon systems, maintenance and attendance are more important than ever.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) has awarded follow-on production contracts worth $150m to Lockheed Martin for delivery of the target sight system (TSS).

Naval personnel from the US, UK, Oman and France have commenced the 22nd iteration of the annual multilateral mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Khunjar Haad in the Gulf of Oman.

Lockheed Martin has secured a $150m contract for the lot 13 and 14 production of target sight systems (TSS).

Technology solutions provider Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) has been awarded a new contract to deliver its ATLAS remote combined influence minesweeping system (ARCIMS) mission system.

Névnap Mátyás – héber-latin eredetű; Jelentése: Jahve ajándéka.

Jázmin – magyar eredetű; Jelentése: a virág maga. Idézet „Nincs keservesebb, mint fájdalmat szavakba önteni akkor, midőn a tett hatalmunkban nem áll.”

Kölcsey Ferenc

• A nap aktualitása
• A nap igéje
• A nap liturgiája

NÉPI KALENDÁRIUM:

Jégtörő Mátyás napja: “Ha Mátyás jeget talál, akkor töri, ha nem talál, akkor csinál.” Ugyancsak ismert szólás: “Mátyás, Gergely két rossz ember”, mely arra utal, hogy ezeken a napokon nagy hidegek szoktak lenni. Az e napi időjárásból jósoltak a termésre, tojásszaporulatra. A hideg idő jó termést, a szeles idő kevés tojást jelzett. Eső esetén attól tartottak, hogy a jég elveri a termést, és a szőlő savanyú lesz.

A halászok a Mátyás-napkor fogott halat az egész évi szerencsés halászat előjelének tekintették.

Magyar Néprajz VII.

 EZEN A NAPON EMLÉKSZÜNK RÁ:

Kassai Antal (Bercsényifalva, 1921. február 24. – Ungvár, 1992.

Festőművész, a kárpátaljai festőiskola képviselője. Erdész családbólszármazott. Az ungvári ruszin gimnáziumba járt, ahol Boksay József is tanította. Nem végzett képzőművészeti főiskolát, autodidakta művész volt.  1945 után pénzügyi tisztviselőként dolgozott.

Forrás: Keresztyén Balázs: Kárpátaljai Művelődéstörténeti Kislexikon (Hatodik Síp Alapítvány – Mandátum Kiadó, Budapest – Beregszász, 2001.)

 MAGYARORSZÁG KULTÚRTÖRTÉNETÉBŐL:

- Debrecenben összeül a református zsinat (1567) és kialakítja a kálvinista egyház szervezeti kereteit.

- Jászai Mari színésznő (1850), a klasszikus tragédiák fenséges nőalakjainak legtökéletesebb megtestesítője. A versmondás nagy művésze volt, megtanult németül, angolul, franciául és görögül, hogy kedvenc költőit eredetiben olvashassa.

Forrás: Magyarország kultúrtörténete napról napra, Honfoglalás Egyesület 2000.

KERESD A MEGBÉKÉLÉST! (2)

„…békülj ki előbb atyádfiával, és csak azután térj vissza, s vidd fel ajándékodat.” (Máté 5:24)

Haragban vagy valakivel? Ez folyamatosan ott jár az fejedben, elrabolja a békességedet, és a munkádra, teljesítőképességedre is kihat? Jézus szerint ezt kellene tenned: „ha tehát áldozati ajándékodat az oltárhoz viszed, és ott jut eszedbe, hogy atyádfiának valami panasza van ellened, hagyd ott ajándékodat az oltár előtt, menj el, békülj ki előbb atyádfiával, és csak azután térj vissza, s vidd fel ajándékodat” (Máté 5:23-24). Azt mondod, arra vársz, hogy ő jöjjön hozzád? Mi van, ha nem jön? Jézus ma neked mondja: „menj el, békülj ki”! Ez alázatra késztet. És kockázatos is, mert a másik talán nem úgy fog reagálni, ahogy szeretnéd. Miért nem azt mondta Jézus: „várj egy darabig, amíg a helyzet megváltozik”? Mert, ha engedjük, hogy a dolgok felgyűljenek, akkor robbanni fogunk! Előszedünk minden muníciót – mindent, ami az utóbbi évtizedben zavart ezzel az emberrel kapcsolatban! Másrészt, ha esetleg úgy döntöttél, hogy erre még alszol egyet, a Biblia azt mondja: „a nap ne menjen le a ti haragotokkal, helyet se adjatok az ördögnek” (Efezus 4:26-27). Az ellenség mindkettőtöknek ártani akar azzal, hogy éket ver közétek – te pedig hagyod, hogy ezt tegye? Mi van, ha megnyered ugyan a vitát, de a másik megsebzetten és zaklatottan távozik? Mi a fontosabb, hogy neked legyen igazad vagy a kettőtök közötti kapcsolat? Az Isten szerelmére és a saját jól felfogott érdekedben: bocsáss meg, nézd el a sérelmet. És lépj tovább az életben! Az oltárra szánt ajándékod múlik rajta! Ha azt akarod, hogy Isten használjon és megáldjon: ne várj, keresd a megbékélést!

A fenti elmélkedés a Keresztyén Média UCB Hungary Alapítvány napi elmélkedése (honlap: maiige.hu), melynek írója Bob Gass. Magyar nyelven negyedévre szóló kiadvány formájában megrendelhető az említett honlapon, vagy a következő címen: Mai Ige, 6201 Kiskőrös, Pf. 33.

 

Szent Mátyás apostol

Mátyás ott volt Jézus közelében, és az apostolok által kapott meghívást a tanúságtételre. Jézus közelében lenni, megtartani parancsait, egész életre szóló feladat. Ha kitartunk benne, nekünk is alkalmunk nyílik a tanúságtételre.

Az Úr tanítványai közé tartozott, és követte Jézust “János keresztségétől fogva egészen mennybevétele napjáig”. Sorshúzással választották az apostolok közé, Júdás helyébe, hogy “velük együtt tanúskodjék Krisztus föltámadásáról”. Az apostolok szétszéledése után a hagyomány szerint Etiópiában hirdette az evangéliumot. Alexandriai Kelemen őrizte meg egy mondását: “Gyöngítsd önmegtagadással testedet, hogy a lélek a Megfeszítettnek szolgálhasson.” Vértanúságot szenvedett Krisztusért. Szent Ilona császárnő az apostol ereklyéinek egy részét Rómába, másik részét Trierbe vitette.

bacskaplebania.hu

 

Anders als man auf den ersten Blick vermutet, gibt es keine ausgearbeitete christliche Flüchtlingsethik. Acht Prinzipien können aus christlicher Perspektive der Orientierung dienen. Dazu gehören eine realistische Wahrnehmung der Wirklichkeit, das Wissen um die Grenzen der Belastbarkeit, das Spannungsfeld von religiösen Anspruch und politisch Machbarem, die Frage der Barmherzigkeit als politischer Kategorie. Zentral ist die Erkenntnis, dass Politik für realistische Hoffnungen werben und an ihnen arbeiten muss, um eine Verständigung über gemeinsame Überzeugungen und Lebensstile zu erhalten.

La Commission européenne souhaite interdire les exportations d'ivoire brut d 'ici l'été ou l'automne prochain. Elle va publier un document intitulé « Les objectifs de la Commission pour l'ivoire ». Le trafic d’espèces sauvages est l’une des activités criminelles les plus lucratives au monde, générant entre 8 et 20 milliards d'euros par an.

Condemning, in the strongest terms, the terrorist attack on 16 February in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, the United Nations Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of such reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.

A working group of the United Nations agency which coordinates telecommunication services throughout the world completed today a cycle of studies on key performance requirements of the next generation mobile networks (5G) for the International Mobile Telecommunications-2020 systems.