McGregor blasts Cerrone in 40 seconds in UFC return LATEST STORIES READ: Fajardo still ready to play in Fiba Asia Cup if calf injury improves “If he can play, then that’s a bonus, but we’re preparing as if he can’t, because it’s more difficult [to wait-and-see]. We’re preparing as if he’s not going to be there. I think that’s the best way to handle this,” he said.Fajardo showed up in Gilas’ last practice before flying to Lebanon in street clothes as a show of support.ADVERTISEMENT LeBron James scores 31 points, Lakers beat Rockets Gilas’ Standhardinger on China: ‘I hope they won’t like playing against me’ MOST READ 787 earthquakes recorded in 24 hours due to restive Taal Volcano Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Injured center June Mar Fajardo, who walks with a limp, shows his full support for Gilas. Mark GiongcoGilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes said he has no plans of replacing June Mar Fajardo in the Fiba Asia Cup lineup.Fajardo is expected to miss the tournament in Beirut, Lebanon due to a strained right calf.ADVERTISEMENT Filipinos turn Taal Volcano ash, plastic trash into bricks PLAY LIST 01:40Filipinos turn Taal Volcano ash, plastic trash into bricks01:32Taal Volcano watch: Island fissures steaming, lake water receding02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ‘a duplicitous move’ – Lacson “No. If he can’t play, then we go with 11,” Reyes told reporters Saturday.READ: Fajardo out of Gilas for Fiba Asia Cup due to injuryFEATURED STORIESSPORTSEnd of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legendSPORTSRedemption is sweet for Ginebra, Scottie ThompsonSPORTSMayweather beats Pacquiao, Canelo for ‘Fighter of the Decade’The reigning three-time PBA MVP hasn’t ruled himself out of the Fiba Asia. He will join the team when it leaves for Beirut, Lebanon early Sunday morning.But Reyes said Gilas is already undergoing its buildup without Fajardo in mind rather than taking a wait-and-see approach. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Marcosian mode: Duterte threatens to arrest water execs ‘one night’ End of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legend ‘I’m out!’: PewDiePie releases last video before taking break from YouTube View comments Indian national gunned down in Camarines Sur Kawhi Leonard, Clippers rally to beat Pelicans read more

IntroductionThe airwaves in Liberia have been in recent times inundated with the debate on whether Liberia should be declared a Christian nation by law. This proposition, sponsored heavily by a group of church leaders during the recent Constitutional Review Conference, held recently in Gbarnga, was voted for by Christian delegates who attended the conference while the Muslim delegates boycotted the vote. There was even a shouting match between the Christian group and Muslim group, who had gathered around the Administrative Building, the venue of the conference, in order to make their voices heard. I, as a devout Christian, who had had all his elementary and secondary education in Lutheran schools before traveling abroad for college and advanced degrees, intend in this article to put across my personal views, with documentary evidences, my opposition to declaring Liberia as a Christian nation by law.Definition of a ChristianThe dictionary definition of a Christian tells me that “a Christian is one who believes in or follows the religion based on the teachings of Christ; a person who exhibits Christian qualities of kindness, fairness and decency”. This speaks volumes about Christianity. It is all embracing and full of love, and good moral attitudes as Christ himself displayed while on earth; as the hymn says, “in Christ there is no East or West.”The ArgumentsThose who are proposing that Liberia becomes a Christian nation are saying that the preamble of the 1847 Constitution of Liberia speaks of the founding fathers’ desire and intent to make Liberia a Christian nation, and because Liberians changed that path in the 1986 revised constitution, by making Liberia a secular state, Liberia was undergoing many challenges, detrimental to its progress. Being a religious nation is not a bad idea; in fact, Liberians are, by nature, a very religious people. According to a statistical research on Liberia by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandrigk in their 21st Century edition of Operation World, 38.33% of Liberians are Christians, with an annual growth rate of +8.6%; Muslims are 13% with an annual growth rate of +11.3%; while the traditionalists are 48.37% with an annual growth rate of 7.8% (http://www.liberia2027.com/627324).  It is however, an error to assume that Liberia is, or was ever a Christian nation, or founded on Christian principles. In fact those above statistics are saying that over 60% of Liberia’s 3.5 million people are not Christians (Ibid.).  Although the signing of the declaration of independence was done by Christians in the Providence Baptist Church, nowhere in the 1847 Constitution is there an article declaring Liberia as a Christian nation. In fact, based upon the definition of a Christian and seeing how Christianity is all inclusive, the definition of a Christian nation cannot fit Liberia since, based on historical facts, it was actually founded on divisive principles. Even assuming that the founding fathers had Christianity in mind, since their intentions were to civilize and Christianized the indigenes, the assumption that Liberia is a Christian nation is yet to be proven; it overlooks the fact that traditional religion practitioners and Muslims were present in this region long before 1822, when the newcomers arrived.As stated earlier, Liberia was actually founded on a divisive principle. In his book, Rise and Fall of the First Liberian Republic, George E.S. Boley (1983) mentions that the preamble of the declaration of independence spoke of a people returning to Africa from slavery in America, who claimed to have originated from America-when indeed they had earlier originated from Africa-speaking condescendingly about the land to which they were now returning. According to him, “a native or aboriginal Liberian was considered inferior to an Americo-Liberian by reason of his alleged heathenism; similarly a native… was not considered a full citizen unless he was, by the standards of the settlers, completely detribalized, or civilized…”(1983, p.28). The motto of the Republic of Liberia only speaks of “The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here” as if those met here did not matter. The late Bishop George D. Browne observed in his book, The Episcopal Church of Liberia: Under Indigenous Leadership: Reflections on a Twenty Year Episcopate: “Our constitution provided for two legal systems: for Tribal or Customary laws or Interior Regulations… meant for the ‘illiterate-Liberians’ or ‘the country-people’ who lived in the hinterlands… and other laws intended for the coastal and ‘literate’ Liberians who lived in the cities. While we were talking about ‘one nation indivisible’ we were actively sowing the seed for a divided nation” (1994, p. 150).Christianity is all inclusive based upon the teachings of Christ; in Christ there is no East or West. However, the settlers never consulted the indigenes or natives on the well-fare of Liberia as they were not considered citizens but heathens who needed to be civilized and Christianized.  As pointed out by Joseph Saye Guannu, in his Short History of First Liberian Republic, the indigenes were denied citizenship of Liberia until 1904 when President Arthur Barclay granted them a blanket citizenship (2010). Even so they did not benefit from the fruits of democracy until President William V. S. Tubman created the four new counties of Bong, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Lofa, and allowed them have representatives sit in the National Legislature (Ibid.). Again, the Liberian Constitution has never embraced the idea of having other races become citizens of Liberia except black, which, of course, is against Christian principles. Even citizens, who were forced to relocate to other areas of the world as a result of the civil war and political instability, are being denied dual-citizenship by the current constitution.The call by some Liberians for Liberia to move from being a secular state (meaning a state not affiliated with any particular church or particular faith) to being declared a Christian nation is a move in the wrong direction at this juncture in Liberian history. It will never make any individual Liberian more Christian than he or she has been, neither will it bring any more development to Liberia than exists. It is rather a monkey wrench being used by some politicians in order to derail the fragile peace that we enjoy now, as well as the reconciliation process underway. Lest we forget, history has taught us that the unwholesome collaboration of church, state, True Whig Party and the Masonic Craft in the past aided the entrenchment of corruption in Liberia. This is where the “so say one so say all” phrase originated from. The church compromised the integrity of the gospel by refusing to push for righteous life style in Liberia, as heads of state also became top cleric men of the church and secret societies; men, whose decisions could not be questioned.  This collaboration helped to solidify the Americo-Liberian hegemony over the indigenous Liberians as evidenced by their 133 year-rule over the country from 1847 to 1980.From the reactions of some members of his church, as observed by the late Bishop Browne, in his book, mentioned supra, (1994, pp. 125 &134), there was a major myth that the Liberian society was built on four foundations-the church, the state, the True Whig Party and the Masons, and the only way that one would climb the ladder of success in Liberia was to become a member of the craft. Many believed that the church existed along with the state and the state was the same as the Masonic craft and the True Whig Party. Currently, it is believed that some politicians and some clerics who have churches that have grown wealthy from their charismatic/Pentecostal churches are once again trying to return to the status quo which existed in Liberia before 1980 and this is dangerous for the country.Let us Liberians beware and be wise. Mixing religion with politics is dangerous, especially at a time in Liberia when the country has just recently emerged from a prolonged period of instability-1980-2003. Relative to the mixing of politics and religion in Nigeria, Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, of Jos, Nigeria, observed, “Religion, by its nature and content appeals not so much to reason. It is a heart matter and carries with it huge emotions” (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31026554). It is a ‘divide and rule’ technique (like money) often used by politicians (Ibid.); so Liberians should not allow politicians to once again divide and rule them by this means. Liberians need to wake up and live in the 21st century, not in the 19th century. Liberians need to move forward, not backward. Liberians must open their eyes and see all the red flags raised around them and the world, when it comes to mixing politics with religion. It is important to take note of what Boko Haram has done in our own backyard, Nigeria – the atrocities carried out in their attempt to declare Sharia laws in claimed territories of Nigeria; what happened in Kenya recently with the indiscriminate killing of 148 non-Muslim students at Garissa University College by the militant terrorist group, al-Shabab; see Iraq, Syria and other places where the Islamic State (IS) has created havoc in their quest to create an Islamic Caliphate. Who, in his right mind, will see his neighbor’s house burning down due to fire and then will send his own children to play with fire in their living room?ConclusionLet Liberia remain a secular state (one not associated with any church or faith) in which all religions will live and worship according to their religion in peace and harmony; with no one religious sect set above the others as the 1986 constitution says. The framers of that constitution foresaw the danger far ahead. Let sleeping dog lie. Liberians have suffered enough and seen many hardships.  Liberians need to heal, and we can only do this by turning our backs on those old divisive practices and prejudices that divided us in the past. Liberians should be more concerned now about stamping out corruption and other vices which have had more devastating effects on Liberia’s development. Tagging Liberia, as a Christian nation, has no direct effect on the country’s development.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) read more

The Fort St John Wildcats are having a bottle drive on sat oct 25 from 11:00 – 4:00, so if everyone could leave their bottles on the step we could pick them up. And if anyone has any questions please feel free to call 785 -2759. This is to help with ice times and for the painting of our bus and if anyone else wants to play in PCFHL this year we still have room and we are still taking donation to help us out for ice and you can contact Paul at the same number or leave a message if there is no answer- Advertisement – read more

0Shares0000Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t played for Sweden since retiring after Euro 2016 © AFP/File / VINCENZO PINTOSTOCKHOLM, Sweden, Mar 1 – Veteran Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic hinted on Thursday that he could return to international football in time for the World Cup in Russia.The 36-year-old Manchester United player has suffered with injuries over the last 12 months and retired from Sweden duty after Euro 2016. “I miss the national team,” he told Swedish press.“If I want, I do it. I want to feel that I can deliver a good performance.”The former Paris Saint-Germain star has only played five Premier League games this season for Jose Mourinho’s United, with his last match ending when he was replaced at half-time in a 2-2 draw with Burnley in December.Sweden qualified in Ibrahimovic’s absence with a famous 1-0 victory over four-time world champions Italy in a two-legged playoff last November.Ibrahimovic has scored a Swedish record 62 international goals in 116 matches.The Scandinavians kick off their World Cup campaign against South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod on June 18, before further Group F games against holders Germany and Mexico.0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) read more

0Shares0000Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri reacts after Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to come offLondon, United Kingdom, Feb 28 – Maurizio Sarri insists Kepa Arrizabalaga is still Chelsea’s first choice goalkeeper despite dropping the rebellious Spaniard for Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham.Sarri axed Kepa following his star’s astonishing mutiny in the League Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday when he refused to be substituted after suffering an extra-time injury at Wembley. With Argentine veteran Willy Caballero in goal while Kepa languished on the bench, Sarri’s side recorded a vital Premier League victory against their London rivals at Stamford Bridge.Kepa was fined one week’s wages by Chelsea for his behaviour, but Sarri appeared keen to draw a line under the damaging row when he faced the media after the Tottenham game.Asked if Kepa was still his number one, Sarri said: “Of course. I think it was the right decision. Kepa made a big mistake, he paid with the club and then he had to pay with the team.“Caballero is a good goalkeeper with great experience and he’s a great man for us, he’s very confident on the pitch and in the dressing room.“But now I think we have to stop. From tomorrow he will be with us.“I don’t know if he will be on the pitch in the next match, but in one of the next two for sure.”Chelsea face Fulham on Sunday and then Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League the following week.Sarri didn’t make it clear which game Kepa would play in, meaning the world’s most expensive goalkeeper will have to wait to see if his ‘first choice’ status is now limited to non Premier League matches.That would be a big call from Sarri, who is fighting to save his job after a dismal first season in charge and couldn’t afford to let such a challenge to his authority go unchecked.After making his point to his team, Sarri is now playing the peace-maker.“We cannot kill him. When you are young you can make mistakes,” he said.“The most important thing is you need to understand after every mistake. For me the question is closed.”Sarri revealed he didn’t speak to Kepa one to one, preferring to let him find out he had been dropped in a team meeting.“I didn’t tell him anything. On the matchday I don’t speak to players in an individual way. I only speak with the team. He found out in the meeting,” Sarri added.0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) read more

0Shares0000Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay walks into the pitch before the Mashemeji Derby tie against AFC Leopards at the Kasarani Stadium on May 19, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy OlobuluNAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – “It didn’t feel like a derby… just the crowd, very many people but that’s just it.”Those are the words of Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay on Sunday evening after his side picked their eighth win over arch-rivals AFC Leopards in the Mashemeji Derby with a comfortable 3-1 thrashing at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani. The tactician went on to say that he expected a tough duel from AFC, but didn’t feel any, and his side should have won by as much as seven goals.“We had control of the game in the first half and second half. We missed so many chances. I told some of them that we will win this game 4-1 or 5-1. The last 10 minutes we missed three clear chances. We should have won even 7-1,” the coach boasted speaking to Capital Sport after the game.“We dominated the game, played attractive football and won. I always respect every single team and discipline is first in my book; but they didn’t give us competition. I was expecting that today, they would give us a hard game, but they didn’t,”Gor Mahia players dance to the tunes of victory during the Mashemeji Derby tie against AFC Leopards at the Kasarani Stadium on May 19, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu“That’s why this week I didn’t speak to any media about the game because I was concentrating on my job with the team…. but they didn’t give us competition,” the tactician stated.A brace from Nicholas Kipkurui and another from Jacques Tuyisenge saw Gor pick the comfortable victory. But, all the three goals came off errors from AFC.The first goal was a gift from the keeper, spilling a tame shot from Samuel Onyango to allow Kipkurui to tap home. The second was off an error from Said Tsuma who was easily dispossessed by Kenneth Muguna who played Kipkurui through.The third was off another mistake, this time from Salim Abdallah who stopped chasing the ball thinking it had gone out and allowed Kipkurui the prestige of jogging into the box and when his chipped effort was sent to the bar by the keeper, Tuyisenge nodded home.Gor Mahia forward Jacques Tuyisenge celebrates his goal during the Mashemeji Derby tie against AFC Leopards at the Kasarani Stadium on May 19, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy OlobuluThe victory puts Gor Mahia on the verge of their 18th league title and if they beat Vihiga United on Wednesday in Machakos, they will be declared champions, the KPL trophy threaded with green and white for the third consecutive time and the sixth time in seven season.But, even with victory in sight, Oktay remains humble and wants his charges to give their all in the remaining three games of the campaign.“I am not concerned. I didn’t even check the table because we still have three games to go and the league is not yet won. We have to give our best until the last game because I respect all the teams,” the tactician further added.0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) read more

COURTS: Organizers of U.S. genocide memorial say backer interfered. He says he was forced out. By Stephen Manning THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON – As diplomatic tensions flare over a House committee’s approval of a resolution labeling the World War I-era killings of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, another dispute has roiled plans to build a museum and memorial to the victims. “He has done everything he can to scuttle the building of the genocide museum,” said Arnold Rosenfeld, an attorney for the nonprofit group behind the project. The museum is intended to memorialize and study the killings of Armenians in the Turkish Ottoman Empire during World War I. Armenians claim it was a systematic genocide that killed 1.5 million people; Turkey says the death totals are inflated and that the killings were largely the result of internal civil strife, not organized mass murder. Earlier this week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution labeling the killings as genocide despite opposition from President Bush and Turkish-American groups. Turkish officials condemned the vote and Turkey’s ambassador to the United States returned to Ankara this week for consultations. The Bush administration, worried about alienating a strategically important U.S. ally, is trying to patch up diplomatic relations with Turkey and has warned against passage of the resolution by the full House. Plans for the museum came out of the Armenian Assembly of America, a Washington-based advocacy group that helped push for the congressional resolution. According to court papers, assembly leaders in the 1990s approached Cafesjian, who agreed to use his foundation to help buy the bank for $7.25 million. Plans initially called for the museum to open by 2002 at a cost of $40million. Cafesjian, born to Armenian parents in the United States, came from a family that lost numerous relatives during the killings, according to Thornton. He was a top executive for Minnesota-based legal publisher West Publishing, retiring after it was sold to Thompson Corp. in 1996.160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREGame Center: Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 10 a.m.In a series of lawsuits, the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial and its backers are wrestling with a major donor over control and finances of the long-planned project honoring the hundreds of thousands of Armenians who died between 1915 and 1917. The memorial would be the first permanent exhibit dedicated to the subject outside of Armenia. Museum organizers say the litigation won’t affect the redevelopment of a former bank just a few blocks from the White House. First conceived in the 1990s, the museum recently signed contracts for design and planning of the 35,000-square-foot facility. But a major funder, retired Armenian-American publisher Gerard Cafesjian, has filed several lawsuits that seek to reclaim much of the $15 million in money and property he donated. Cafesjian claims the museum has forced him out of the project and significantly scaled it down. “Mr. Cafesjian is the museum,” said his attorney, Tim Thornton. “Gerry Cafesjian is 90 percent responsible for everything the museum has.” The museum has countersued, claiming Cafesjian is meddling with real estate titles for the bank and other property to be used for the museum. The museum argues Cafesjian has tried to use the nonprofit venture for personal gain, and is trying to get his contributions back to cash in on a big increase in the property’s value. read more

AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREGame Center: Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 10 a.m.This week, the city’s administrative office started warning about shortfalls in revenue – $75 million this year and as much as $300 million within two years. Meanwhile, City Administrative Officer Karen Sisson said hiring and spending ought to be reined in tightly and some jobs not filled. Sober advice, but where was Sisson, where were the warnings, a month ago when the city’s negotiating team was about to put the seal of approval on $273 million worth of pay raises? Shortfalls don’t happen overnight, and the economy has been slowing for months. She should have been kicking up a fuss, warning City Hall to prepare for lean times and coming up with ways to avoid cuts to city services. Instead, it seems Sisson was actually heading up the negotiating team that agreed to the deal. At the time, she called the proposed contracts fair to both the city and the workers. Now, just a few weeks later, though, it’s all doom and economic gloom, and Sisson is asking for departments to cut spending, which translates to services. She says vacant jobs in the Police and Fire departments may remain unfilled. City Hall is asking a lot of the public to swallow that the financial outlook could have plunged so dramatically in a few weeks. Just like the public has been asked to swallow the fake emergency for the phone tax, as well as water and power rate increases and anything else city officials believe they can shove down the public’s throats.160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! City Hall grants big pay raises, then starts cutting public services LOS Angeles’ elected officials agreed to a generous pay raise for 22,000 City Hall employees earlier this month. The 23 percent raise over five years will help L.A. workers retain their distinction as the country’s best-paid municipal workers. But surely city officials wouldn’t have committed to such a costly deal if future revenues didn’t look bright. Right? Wrong. read more

1 Jorginho in action for Napoli Napoli midfielder Jorginho is drawing interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid, according to the player’s agent.The 24-year-old has been a regular for the Italian side this season and clubs have flocked to see him in action.Arsenal were linked with the Brazilian during the January transfer window but negotiations never took place.However, Jorginho’s agent, Joao Santos, has confirmed interest from the Gunners in his client and added that Real Madrid are lurking too.“Interest from Arsenal? It’s true,” Santos told Radio Kiss Kiss.“After the game against Palermo, compliments arrived from Real Madrid as well.“Only compliments, nothing more. But it’s pleasing to receive expressions of respect from one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.” read more

The body of a woman has been recovered from the sea off the pier at Teelin in south Donegal this afternoon.It is understood a car with one occupant went off the pier shorlty after 2pm.Gardaí at Glenties, who are investigating the incident, have said they cannot comment on the matter at this stage. However foul play is not suspected.The woman’s body was taken to the morgue at Letterkenny General Hospital.A source revealed “It does appear at this stage that it was an accident and Gardai are not looking to speak to anybody about the matter.“However they are looking for anybody who might have been near the pier at Teelin at the time the car went into the water to contact them.” The age or identity of the woman has not yet been revealed.It is believed her relatives have been contacted about the tragedy.Saturday’s U-21 County Final which was to feature Kilcar and Naomh Conaill at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny has been cancelled as a mark of respect to the dead woman.© 2011 donegaldaily.com, all Rights ReservedThe copying, republication or redistribution of donegaldaily.com Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited by law. Follow us on www.twitter.com/donegaldailyFollow us on www.facebook.com/donegaldailySell anything on www.donegaldailyclassifieds.comWOMAN’S BODY RECOVERED AFTER CAR DRIVES OFF PIER was last modified: December 3rd, 2011 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Tags:TEELIN PIER read more