Daniel Bafia (’16) recently completed his PhD in Physics at the Illinois Institute of Technology. His dissertation was on superconducting radio-frequency cavities, which are part of high-energy beamlines used in particle physics research. Daniel now works as a research associate in the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Division at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia Do you have a fun memory to share from Loyola or from Loyola Physics? The physics BBQs were always fun It was a great chance to talk with professors and students outside of the classroom.  What field of physics did you study in graduate school? I studied general physics when I first started out grad school Once I started my graduate research assistant position at Fermilab I took a few extra courses that more closely aligned with my research in condensed matter such as solid state physics and superconductivity How was the transition from Loyola to graduate school? The application process for grad school was straightforward but tedious A lot of research went into understanding what universities might be best for my research interests I remember studying for it during the Fall semester of my senior year while simultaneously applying to schools There was a big rush to get everything done in time The transition from Loyola to graduate school certainly had an adjustment period The amount and difficulty of the coursework was substantially larger than what I was used to I think that Loyola prepared me pretty well for this as it gave me an excellent theoretical foundation where I led two discussions and two lab courses a week in electricity and magnetism Although I did a bit of one-on-one tutoring at Loyola and gave a few school-related presentations/talks I did not feel prepared to basically lecture 50 students I got more into the groove of things. I think what may have helped to better prepare me for grad school are final examinations with a presentation-based component This would have given me more exposure to teaching larger groups of students and presenting at conferences.  How did you get started in quantum computing? I've always been interested in quantum computing but the path I took to work in this field was somewhat indirect My PhD thesis was on exploring and understanding the limiting mechanisms in the performance of superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities these resonators have been used in high energy accelerators these SRF cavities have found applications in quantum computing and it's since then been a hot area of research The skills and knowledge that I gained from my thesis work were directly applicable to those necessary to work in this field so it was almost natural for me to go into it What advice would you give to a student that wants to pursue a career in quantum computing? Quantum computing is the intersection of many different fields of physics From algorithms to cryogenics to materials there is basically something to do for everyone If a student is thinking of going into quantum computing good programming skills are a must. In my experience Do you have any recommendations for how students can prepare for post-Loyola careers? I would strongly recommend students to get more comfortable with programming Many excellent job opportunities open up if you develop a good background in this if a student is considering going into research my best advice is to take part in as many internships or research opportunities as possible This will give them a much better idea of what they might like to do.  What activities do you enjoy away from the lab? I like to mountain bike Some of my hobbies include playing guitar and drums 773.508.3533 Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Director General of BAFIA announced that Afghan nationals who entered the Islamic Republic of Iran after the events of July 1400 and participated in the Headcount scheme and  have not yet succeeded in enrolling their children in schools from Saturday 14 January to 20 January for issuing and renewing the education support slip.” Metrics details Reducing contact between humans and black flies can lead to interruption of onchocerciasis transmission The Esperanza Window Trap (EWT) has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing black fly densities Several shape-based improvements to this trapping system have been made to optimise its effectiveness but optimisation of this trapping system has been based most often on the shape of the trap collection in areas of high black fly density and the addition of attractants without considering transmission potentials and parity rates This study aims to investigate the differences in biting rates and transmission potential between three catch points along a transect to guide the choice of EWT placement Monthly black fly collection was carried out over a 1-year study period using the human landing method at three catch points along a transect from the riverside toward the centre of two first-line villages (Biatsota and Bayomen) All female black flies caught were counted and dissected and entomological indicators were computed and compared between the catch points and villages of which 57,517 were dissected; of the latter 2743 (4.8%) were parous and 44 (1.6%) were infective with the highest annual biting rates being recorded at the riverside The highest annual transmission potentials were also recorded at the riverside (165 vs 255 infective larvae/man/year in Bayomen and Biatsota the highest parity rates were recorded at the riverside in Biatsota (5.1%) where various human activities are frequent and at the centre of Bayomen village (6.3%) The results of this study reveal that entomological parameters were the highest at the riverside catch sites and indicate that riverside locations should be prioritised for EWTs or other trapping systems to achieve optimal performance in onchocerciasis control even though transmission potential is an important parameter in the epidemiology of onchocerciasis the effectiveness of EWT could be optimised by placing them in areas where the biting rates and transmission potentials are the highest The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the differences in biting rates and transmission potentials between three catch points along a transect to guide the choice of EWT placement for an optimal reduction of black fly population densities and onchocerciasis transmission in two first-line villages of the Bafia Health District Catch points in both villages located at the riverside; P2 catch points in both villages located at about 1 km from the riverside; P3 catch points in both villages located at about 2 km from the riverside In 2017, the population of the Bafia Health District was estimated at about 161,400 inhabitants, with 388 residents in Biatsota and 481 in Bayomen [16] the main human activities are agriculture (mainly cocoa) fishing and sand mining along the Mbam river a number of various human activities are carried out throughout the day at the riverbank including crossing the Mbam river by ferry (mainly traders and transporters) and sand mining close to the ferry site almost no human activities occur at the riverbank apart from those on poorly tended cocoa fields A longitudinal entomological study was conducted from October 2019 to September 2020 then dissected to assess parity and infectivity Entomological indices were calculated and compared between the different catch points black flies were collected by a team of two volunteers working alternately from 7 AM to 12 PM and from 12 PM to 5 PM To limit biases related to aptitude and individual attractiveness of fly collectors the allocation of the fly collectors to catch points was organised on a monthly rotation basis in a total reaction volume of 10 μl containing 1 μl template DNA or molecular biology-grade water as a negative control 0.3 µl of each OvOoND5 (10 µmol/;) forward (5′-GCT ATT GGT AGG GGT TTG CAT-3′) and reverse (5′-CCA CGA TAA TCC TGT TGA CCA-3′) primer 0.1 µl of hybridisation probe (5 µM; Fam-TAA GAG GTT ATT GTT TAT GCA GAT GG-BHQ1) 1.2 µl of MgCl2 (4.5 mM) and 6 µl molecular biology-grade water Amplification was carried out using the StepOnePlus thermal cycler (Applied Biosystems USA) with the following cyclin conditions: an initial denaturation (Taq polymerase activation) at 95 °C for 10 min followed by 45 cycles of denaturation at 95 °C for 10 s and hybridisation at 61 °C for 30 s with fluorescence acquisition on the FAM channels at the end of the reaction A positive pool of thorax-abdomen was interpreted as being infected with microfilariae or developing O whereas a positive pool of heads was interpreted as containing infective L3 parasites monthly biting rate (MBR) was defined as the total number of black flies captured divided by the number of days of capture during a month The annual biting rate (ABR) was calculated as the arithmetic sum of the MBRs for the 12 months of black fly collection The PR was defined as the proportion of parous flies among the total number of flies dissected Monthly transmission potential (MTP) was calculated as MBR of the month multiplied by the total number of L3 found in black flies’ heads for the targeted month divided by the total number of flies dissected The annual transmission potential (ATP) was calculated as the arithmetic sum of the MTPs of the 12 months of black fly collection and processing All data collected were recorded into a purpose-built Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp. USA) database and subsequently exported to R software (version 4.1.2) for statistical analyses R Foundation for Statistical Computing A negative binomial regression model was used to account for variations in the number of bites (dependent variable recorded as counts) between catch sites villages and date of collection (independent variables) The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare MTPs within different catch points in each of the two villages and between catch points located at similar distances from the river and the Chi-square (χ2) test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare PRs within different catch points in each of the two villages and between catch points located at similar distances from the river the threshold for significance was set at 5% The results of pool screening were expressed as infection (proportion of infected pools of thorax-abdomen) and infectivity (proportion of infected pools of heads) rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at each catch point computed using the Wilson method Although monthly catches were generally higher in Bayomen than in Biatsota there was no significant difference between these at the points located at similar distances from the riverside in the two villages (P > 0.547) A similar trend of cumulative black fly diurnal biting activity over the 12 months of collection was globally observed at the three catch points in both villages Of the 80,732 blackflies collected, 57,517 (71.2%) were dissected for parity, including 30,009 (69.0%) caught in Bayomen and 27,508 (73.9%) caught in Biatsota. Globally, PRs at the different catch points ranged between 4.4% and 6.4% in Bayomen and between 4.0% and 5.1% in Biatsota (Table 1) The highest PR was recorded at the riverside in Biatsota (5.1% 95% CI 4.7–5.4%) and at the centre of the village in Bayomen (6.4% The PRs were significantly different between the three catch points P < 0.0001) and in Biatsota (χ2 = 10.91 The Bonferroni correction showed significant differences between P1 and P3 and between P2 and P3 in Bayomen (P < 0.0001) whereas the only significant difference in Biatsota was observed between P1 and P3 (P = 0.0012) PRs at the catch points located at similar distances from the riverside in the two villages were significantly higher in Biastota than in Bayomen for catch point 1 (χ2 = 8.06 but significantly higher in Bayomen than in Biatsota for catch point 3 (χ2 = 32.320 A total of 140 (77 in Bayomen and 63 in Biatsota) pools of heads and the abdomen-thorax were prepared and analysed using the real-time PCR technique. Table 3 shows the distribution of pools and infection rates according to the catch points in each village 95% CI 90–97.5) abdomen-thorax pools (94.8% 95% CI 87.3–97.9) in Bayomen and 95.2% (95% CI 86.9–98.3) in Biatsota) were positive to O volvulus; the infectivity rate (proportion of pools of heads positive to O volvulus) was 49.4% (95% CI 38.5–60.3) in Bayomen and 31.7% (95% CI 21.6–44.0) in Biatsota Monthly transmission potentials in each catch points in the study villages. For explanation of catch points P1, P2, P3, see Fig. 1 caption The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in MBR and ATP between three catch points to guide the choice of EWT placement for an optimal reduction of black fly population densities and onchocerciasis transmission in two first-line villages located in the Bafia Health District this is the first study to investigate the potential location where traps should be deployed for an optimal impact on vector density and transmission potential Both of these parameters were found to be higher at the riverside of the two villages indicating that there should be a priority for setting up EWT or other trapping systems at riverside locations for optimal performance within the framework of onchocerciasis control/elimination which showed a low proportion of pools containing O the dissection-based results in this study and the transmission potentials obtained are considered to be reliable This study reveals that there was a vector density gradient observed based on the distance to the river with the highest ABRs and ATPs recorded at the riverside sites The placement of EWTs and/or other trapping systems can be optimised to reduce black fly densities and contribute to the interruption of the transmission of onchocerciasis Transmission potentials and parity rates should be considered while optimising trap placement All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files Community-directed treatment with ivermectin Onchocerciasis control program in West African Progress toward elimination of onchocerciasis in the Americas WHO/Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP). Evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the onchocerciasis control programme. African programme for onchocerciasis control (APOC). 1986. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/311993 The African programme for onchocerciasis control (APOC) Alternative treatment strategies to accelerate the elimination of onchocerciasis Eliminating onchocerciasis after 14 years of vector control: a proved strategy The onchocerciasis control programme in West Africa (OCP) Community-directed vector control to supplement mass drug distribution for onchocerciasis elimination in the Madi mid-North focus of Northern Uganda The Esperanza Window Trap reduces the human biting rate of Simulium ochraceum s.l in formerly onchocerciasis endemic foci in Southern Mexico Optimization and evaluation of the esperanza window trap to reduce biting rates of Simulium damnosum sensu lato in Northern Uganda Still mesoendemic onchocerciasis in two Cameroonian community-directed treatment with ivermectin projects despite more than 15 years of mass treatment Etude clinique et parasitologique de l’onchocercose dans huit villages de la vallée du Mbam Excess mortality associated with blindness in the onchocerciasis focus of the Mbam valley Entomologic study on the transmission of onchocerciasis in a forest-savanna transition area of Cameroon Onchocerca volvulus transmission in the Mbam valley of Cameroon following 16 years of annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin and the description of a new cytotype of Simulium squamosum Standardization of criteria for assessing the effect of Simulium control in onchocerciasis control programmes Contribution to the study of human African onchocerciasis; problems of prophylaxis at Leopoldville Control of vectors of human onchocerciasis in intertropical Africa (author’s transl) Onchocerca volvulus: comparison of field collection methods for the preservation of parasite and vector samples for PCR analysis Spatial and temporal variations relevant to tsetse control in the Bipindi focus of southern Cameroon The differential dispersal of nulliparous and parous Simulium damnosum Studies on the dynamics of transmission of onchocerciasis in a Sudan-savanna area of North Cameroon II Seasonal and diurnal changes in the biting densities and in the age-composition of the vector population Download references The authors are grateful to the residents of Bayomen and Biatsota villages who willingly agreed to participate in the study as well as to the health personnel of Bafia Health District for facilitation of the procedures This study was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the KfW (German Development Bank) and managed in Cameroon by the “Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale” (OCEAC) This funding allowed for the data collection in the field Higher Institute for Scientific and Medical Research (ISM) Department of Animal Biology and Physiology Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences HCND and GRN provided and monitored data collection and management HCND reviewed the results and contributed to the interpretation of data AD prepared the first draft of the manuscript All authors participated in the interpretation of results and revisions of the manuscript All authors read and approved the final manuscript The survey was carried out as part of an interventional project to accelerate interruption of onchocerciasis transmission using vector control an ethical clearance was granted by the Regional Ethics Committee for Research in Human Health for the Centre Region (No 905/CRERSHC/2019) and an administrative authorization was granted by the Centre Regional Delegation for Public Health (No.624/AP/MINSANTE/SG/DRSPC/CRERSH) The objectives and schedule of the study were explained to the District Medical Officer the community drug distributors and to all volunteers before requesting a verbal consent to participate and any individual was free to opt out without fear of retaliation from their community leaders and programme personnel The authors declare that they have no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-05832-y Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article For Valparaiso High School senior Devin Bafia being named 1st Team All Area by multiple news sources The star baseball player recently received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Evansville and he hopes to eventually play in the big leagues baseball is both the motivation and the goal that success doesn’t come without hard work One of the baseball team’s slogans supports Bafia’s sentiments: “Nothing is given to you he started playing baseball with his father who was recruited into pros only to suffer a tragic injury taught him to pitch with his left hand – a huge advantage when it comes to pitching Bafia played on a combination of school and traveling teams his dad pitches live so that Bafia can practice batting in a more realistic setting Bafia is grateful for all of his dad’s encouragement and expertise Bafia’s biggest piece of advice for younger baseball players is to practice more live hitting “Nothing can get you better than actually seeing the ball out of the hand,” Bafia said Coyle coaches baseball similarly to how he coaches the high school football team: players work until they achieve their goals “Coach Coyle always has us run the same practice,” Bafia said “It’s on a time schedule and we always do the same things in the same order everyday.” This endless repetition helps athletes know what to expect and solidifies each day’s training “It’s a mindset for improvement,” Bafia said Even when baseball is exhausting and demanding Bafia keeps up his hard work and dedicates himself to the game that’s why he’s a Valpo Life in the Spotlight Share Good News Contact Us Meet Our Team A research opportunity at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory led Daniel Bafia to increasing the efficiency of beamlines While attending the International Particle Accelerator Conference in Melbourne Daniel Bafia took first prize in a poster contest for his research at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Daniel had started his research at Fermilab a little over a year prior and IPAC was the first big conference he ever attended with more than 1,000 people He says he never thought he would win the poster competition which features researchers from around the world I had a hard time sitting still in my seat from excitement," Daniels says The research centered on the performance of the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities which give the particles a kick as they pass through he discovered a way to infuse the inner surface of the cavities with nitrogen in a process called nitrogen doping surface treatment The result increased the boost of the particles as they pass through the SRF cavity This surface treatment allows researchers to increase the beams to higher energies at shorter distances "My ultimate goal is to understand what causes this very high performance of cavities subject to the nitrogen doping treatment," he says Contact Us The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee We protect displaced people and support them as they build a new future The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brings renewed hope to Gaza and we are ready to scale up our work to meet the enormous needs We started our relief efforts after World War Two we work in both new and protracted crises across 40 countries where we help save lives and rebuild futures NRC works to protect the rights of displaced people during crisis NORCAP works to better protect and empower people affected by crises and climate change We collaborate with partners on finding solutions to meet the needs of people at risk Get the latest news from our work in the field The two projects – a child-friendly space including a playground water point and latrines in the Shahrak-e-Ghaem area and a surface water collection system in Saheb-Al-Zaman neighbourhood – were designed and implemented by the NRC with financial support from the Australian Embassy in Iran (Direct Aid Program) the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).  The projects are in line with NRC’s larger interventions in Iran aiming to improve the living standards shelter and sanitation capacities of the Afghan refugee population that has been living in urban areas of the country for decades NRC helps Afghan refugees cope with the struggles of living in long-term displacement While both projects were critical to meet the needs of the refugee population the partnerships that ensued surrounding the construction of the playground made the project a success story to be remembered “Any project where the effects can be multiplied by bringing local authorities in is obviously advantageous,” said Australian ambassador to Iran “This is a truly enormous humanitarian responsibility that Iran has taken on and which we are privileged to be able to help with in a small degree.” Director General of the Iranian Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants’ Affairs (BAFIA) also indicated the satisfaction of the local authorities of NRC’s services and efforts in the province expressing optimism for more collaboration with the organisation in 2017 “With the expansion of collaborative initiatives and humanitarian schemes we can turn the individual steps taken for the betterment of the livelihoods of refugees into a bright continuous path; one that will benefit both the refugee population and the host community,” Mr Further emphasizing on the critical role that constructive collaboration between various stakeholders played as part of the projects Olivier Vandecasteele said: “These two projects over attained our initial plans Both areas – home to thousands of vulnerable Afghans - used to be deprived of any infrastructure and services we have been able to put hundreds of families on the map and basic urban services such a garbage collection or even street names are finally a reality.” "The project in Qom sets a very strong precedent in how inclusive NRC aims to work and will be showcased as a good practice for the country,” Mr The signing ceremony was a part of a larger donor visit where the delegation from the Australian Embassy visited sites of NRC projects and spoke to the Afghan community members about their needs On the sidelines of visiting project sites the delegation was also briefed by a range of stakeholders – from the Government NRC and implementing contractors – on completed and ongoing projects and future aspirations for the province Two home visits were also part of the mission where refugees shared their stories and provided much-needed insight into their livelihoods and needs; insight that will have an impact on future planning of humanitarian projects by NRC NRC has been working in Iran since 2012 to strengthen the coping strategies of Afghan refugees residing in the country We have offices located in Tehran and Kerman and undertake further activities in the provinces of Semnan water and sanitation facilities and give information NRC Iran has been working closely with the government and other stakeholders to address the basic needs of Afghan refugees in the country +47 23 10 98 00nrc@nrc.no +47 90 56 23 29media@nrc.no fundraising@nrc.no Over 90 per cent of our global revenue goes directly to fulfil our purpose First grader students participating in the recount plan; and holders of the previous year’s educational support slip whose educational level or educational unit (school) has changed should refer to kanoonnobat.ir to receive the educational support slip for the new year of 1402-1401 Holders of the previous year’s educational support slip whose educational unit (school) has not changed will be asked to refer to kanoonnobat.ir to receive the educational support slip for the year of 1402-1401 from the 23 October 2022 Students registered in the Headcount plan with slips valid until 22 October 2022 issued by Kefalat offices: The students (between 6 and 18 years old) of this group after receiving the sample health assessment form from the websites of the BAFIA Offices and referring to the comprehensive health service centers of their place of residence take the results of the medical examinations with their headcount slip (valid until 22 October 2022) to the educational unit (school) of their place of residence for temporary registration After the temporary registration in the schools this group will be called to receive the educational support slip for the year of 1402-1401 from the above-mentioned web address from the 22 November 2022 Students registered in the Headcount plan with slips valid until 22 October 2022 issued by Pishkhan offices: Students (between 6 and 18 years old) of this group who have a white slip shall get an appointment to visit Khadamat offices by referring to kanoonnobat.ir (Registrants with white slips in each province will only be assigned to the offices of the same province No appointment will not be granted for the no-go provinces) On the day of the appointment the Khadamat offices will issue the students and his/her guardian a slip valid until 22 October 2022 and also the sample health assessment form after completing the administrative process This group shall refer to the comprehensive health service centers of their place of residence to take the results of the medical examinations with their headcount slip (valid until 22 October 2022) to the educational unit (school) of their place of residence for temporary registration but this 55-year-old bishop is focused on his mission© Diocese Bafia | Facebook Upon arriving in the Diocese of Bafia, in the ecclesiastical province of Yaoundé, Cameroon, to succeed Bishop Jean-Marie Benoît Bala, who was assassinated in 2017, Bishop Emmanuel Dassi To meet the 250,000 Catholic faithful (50% of the population) still reeling from the tragedy on savannah and forest roads that are often impassable the first African bishop to be a member of the Emmanuel Community describes the challenges facing the Church in Cameroon which has been shaken by the "Anglophone crisis." He describes the panorama of his diocese especially the precarious situation of his 68 diocesan priests and the delicate pastoral situation of the catechists he takes stock of the particularities of the Synod as experienced in Africa You were appointed in 2020 to succeed Bishop Jean-Marie Benoît Bala who was found dead in the Sanaga River three days after his disappearance on May 31 What is the status of the investigation into this tragedy Bishop Dassi: Bishop Bala was murdered; it must be said clearly the prosecutor in Yaoundé who handled the investigations stated in a report that everything pointed to the conclusion that he had drowned But the Cameroonian episcopate reaffirmed clearly Several bishops saw the body being pulled out of the water We’re still waiting for the investigations to tell us who carried out this murder and how I have no recent news on this subject.  Journalist Léger Ntiga published a book  on this case in 2019 (Un crime trop parfait alleging that Bishop Bala was killed for denouncing a network of homosexual pedophilia including priests Bishop Dassi: So many things have been said I have no evidence to support such a thesis The fight against unethical behavior is the fight of the entire Church of Cameroon He is not the first bishop to have spoken out against such a scourge.  Do you feel threatened yourself as his successor?  Bishop Dassi: I welcomed my appointment with faith and with total willingness I received warnings that could have unnerved me from people close to me who were worried and told me they’ll finish you off!" – as we say at home But I did not entertain any fears when I went there I stayed immediately at the bishop's residence I couldn’t immerse myself in these legal matters I wasn’t going to be able to contribute anything revolutionary So I accepted the Holy Father's call to continue the mission that my predecessor carried out the mission that he would’ve wanted to continue In what condition did you find the diocese?  Bishop Dassi: The faithful were deeply affected by this tragedy and he left an enormous mark on people's consciences and hearts through his pastoral work I had it at heart to visit the whole diocese access was sometimes almost impossible; I had to go on foot This great tour was intended to create a climate of trust between the pastor and the people of God.  You also came to this position to initiate the diocesan phase of the bishops' synod on synodality You are also part of the synod coordination team at the national level How was this implemented in Cameroon and in your diocese we made questionnaires adapted to the parishes and convened a diocesan assembly to draw our conclusions This process made it possible to become aware of necessary changes we realized that a poor exercise of the priest's pastoral authority in a parish can lead many lay people to not feel truly integrated It’s necessary for the laity to take things in hand for them to feel that they are part of the process and not the executors of the priest who manages "his business." The laity should not live in the Church as if they were tenants or transients The Church is a family that will remain eternally even when their natural family has passed.  such as the ordination of married men or of women Bishop Dassi: These matters are not a concern for us we have the grace of having candidates for the priesthood We don’t have the same pressure as a diocese in Europe that has no seminarians and whose average age of its priests is around 80 Bishops in that situation are experiencing some anxiety about the future such as the financial autonomy of our churches and some priests live in unacceptable conditions you would understand that I have many challenges to forming my 25 seminarians We’re aware that we will never fully mature until we find the means to make our Church self-sustaining.  What do you expect from this synod at the level of the universal Church?  Bishop Dassi: I hope that we will be able to take a step towards the equal dignity of the members of the People of God and laity can truly see each other as brothers and sisters without remaining in the mindset of structures of authority we will have learned to listen to the Holy Spirit and not to the ideologies of the world that destabilize us.. we must be aware of what our world is going through But what we will contribute will come from what the Holy Spirit tells us and not from adaptating to the world to avoid being "out of step." I’m convinced that if there’s an institution that we should end up copying Paul uses the image of the body to speak of the Church Is this really what we’re experiencing now suffers with its challenges in the formation of priests do the other Churches feel solidarity with the situation All of history shows us this beautiful solidarity embodied by the saints This must not be allowed to fade in our world today what we will contribute will come from what the Holy Spirit tells us and not from adaptating to the world to avoid being "out of step." I’m convinced that if there’s an institution that we should end up copying Cameroon is also suffering from the Anglophone separatist crisis. A few days ago, on September 18, in the diocese of Mamfé, in the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda, a church was burned and eight hostages, including five priests, were kidnapped for ransom Bishop Dassi: We are all outraged and hurt But I’m geographically too far from the place (West Cameroon editor's note) to give you a reaction on a par with that of the bishops who are there I prefer to refer you to the words of Bishop Andrew Nkea the president of the bishops' conference of that ecclesiastical province.  does this crisis have repercussions within the episcopal conference It’s clear to us that we’re all in Cameroon But the bishops who are in the Anglophone zone are suffering enormously When they try to dialogue with the separatists the government calls them supporters of separation If they dialogue with the government to point out that war cannot be a solution then they’re called supporters of the government by the separatists.  It may sometimes seem that the Church is doing nothing But the bishops have spoken out repeatedly calling for an end to this terrible violence and a commitment to inclusive dialogue anything that leads to a resolution – such as ongoing dialogues with those who hold the strings – is done without publicity we made a national pilgrimage to our national shrine where all the bishops from all the dioceses came And we were there for the same cause: to pray for peace in Cameroon You were recently in Rome for a congress on catechesis Is this an important theme in your diocese Have you instituted catechists according to the rite promulgated by Pope Francis in 2021?  Bishop Dassi: The great challenge of our diocese is that many catechists live in irregular situations and don’t practice the sacraments Many are influenced by a certain widespread libertinism and settle down in concubinage – which we call "come and stay" – without concern about marriage; others are dissuaded from marriage by the local culture but also the passion of my struggle: If catechists aren’t the primary witnesses in their community We cannot truly transmit the Christian life by remaining "peacefully" in a situation contrary to the Gospel because our testimony counts more than the speeches that we might make It’s no longer optional for a catechist to live the sacraments we will remain a fragile and superficial Church So I have begun a journey along these lines We’ll institute catechists in a second phase But I cannot finish without saluting the life witness of the great majority of catechists both in my diocese and in the dioceses of Africa and elsewhere The ministerial institution will only confirm what they already live as a true "priesthood" Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Conservative incumbent Shelby Kramp-Neuman was officially re-elected in the riding .. By Michael Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Beavers with the 1st Bancroft Beavers donated 75 pounds of non-perishable food items to .. By Bill Kilpatrick On April 5 Grade 8 student Ares Worsley and Grade 10 student Thomas Love from North Hastings High School traveled to Centennial .. By Michael Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter South Algonquin Township and Algonquin Fibre had a sod breaking ceremony in Whitney on April 16 for the .. By Nate Smelle At the April 8 council meeting presented a report recommending significant changes to the town’s waste management .. By Mike Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Art Gallery of Bancroft had the grand opening of Garrett Gilbart’s show Terra Precarium on April 3 By Mike Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Carlow Mayo Township council had a final discussion and passed their 2025 budget at their meeting on April .. By Bill Kilpatrick On March 2 the North Hastings Community Trust held a meeting where they announced that they were gifting their property and building .. By Michael Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The grand opening of the new Keller Williams real estate office-Go with Crowe Real Estate occurred on April .. By Mike Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter At their March 17 meeting Limerick Township council heard from Ken Deboo News | London Staff at a London zoo are mourning the death of a 54-year-old gorilla who had lived there since 1969 was Chessington zoo’s oldest critically endangered Western Lowland gorilla Chessington World of Adventures Resort and will be very much misssd by the whole resort - everyone is extremely sad at her passing,” staff wrote in a statement Bafia had been monitored closely in the days leading up to her death She had been receiving treatment for “age-related illnesses for some time” by external specialist vets and the zoo’s welfare team in the last 10 days her mobility and subsequent quality of life deteriorated rapidly Despite further treatment and the team’s best efforts “As such the very hard and agreed decision was made by the vet and our welfare experts to put her to sleep last night.” Many visitors to the zoo will remember Bafia because she had been living there since 1969 making her the oldest animal in the zoo’s care Bafia was part of endangered species breeding programme Chessington zoo has a troop of nine Western Lowland Gorillas with Western Lowland Gorillas being the smallest Efforts to give drivers ‘peace of mind’ about EV touring amid staycation worries Starmer says ‘heavy duty’ on Labour to deliver change for Scotland How to plan the ultimate trip to Universal Orlando Resort They are also the most widespread subspecies These gorillas live in tropical rainforests and are currently listed as critically endangered The biggest threats to gorilla population is the loss of habitat through modification and agriculture; habitat disturbance; being illegally hunted by humans for bushmeat; the live ape trade; climate change; invasive species; energy production and mining; and the spread of diseases from humans Chessington zoo was founded in 1931 and became a theme park with the addition of rides in 1987 Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints (Business in Cameroon) - In its 2021 action plan Industry and Technological Development (Minmidt) indicates that it intends to protect some Cameroonian products by getting geographical indication (GI) for them  "In the field of technological development and industrial property we will (...) continue the process aimed at protecting Cameroon's red cocoa by registering it as a protected geographical indication We will also launch the process aimed at protecting Regalia the green mango from the east called "Ndôô" (which is prized for its special flavor) and the highly prized Pineapple of Bafia," the action plan reads The said products are specific to Cameroon The brick-red color of Cameroonian cocoa is sought after by chocolate producers The geographical indication process for the said cocoa started on July 17 in Yaoundé with the African Organization of Intellectual Property (Oapi) it is a traditional garment very popular in Cameroon it is a royal cloth worn by chiefs and notables It is made with black velvet on which hand patterns and decorations are embroidered with threads of various colors The "Bafia pineapple" (which is grown without fertilizers or pesticides in Bafia central region) labeling process began in 2018 According to Yanick Yemga (from the Cameroonian Council for Industrial Property) "geographical indications are signs that identify a product as originating from the territory or any other characteristic of the said product are essentially linked to the geographical origin indicated.” He adds that thanks to the geographical indication consumers are assured of the origin of the products and their quality as well as the essential characteristics linked with the products’ place of origin The consumer gets good value for money while the profits will also be substantial for producers The example of Oku honey and Penja Pepper clearly illustrates this a kilogram of Penja pepper was sold at XAF2,500 The volume produced also tripled reaching 300 tons in 2015 Kribi Bitumen Plant Set to Start Construction in 2025 with Government Backing CEMAC Bond Market Hits CFA 8.45 Trillion in March 2025, Interest Rates Drop Cameroon’s Timber Output Projected to Rise in 2025 Despite Higher Export Taxes Central Africa Stock Exchange Sees 98% Drop in Trading Value in Q1 2025 Every week the economy and investment news from Cameroon Mboa Paris Trains 30 Young Cameroonians to Boost Tech and Entrepreneurship Cameroon Audit Targets Former Officials for Mismanagement in Agricultural Project Camwater Seeks Global Bids to Launch Bottled Water Lines in Five Cities Bafoussam Workshop Highlights Benefits of Cameroon-EU Trade Agreement Cameroon Could Reach 350,100 Tons of Cotton in 2025 (Beac) Paul Biya Appoints Johnny Razack as Chair of Cameroon’s National Investment Company Cameroon Refuses Work Visa Renewal for Casino and Super U Boss Over Toxic Workplace Claims Cameroon Joins Global Charter to Fight Illegal Fishing BURSASGXHomeBy SHAH ALAM: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) director of strategy Rafizi Ramli was charged in a Sessions Court yesterday with alleged violation of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) 1989 by disclosing confidential details relating to the National Feedlot Corp Sdn Bhd (NFC) scandal claimed trial to the charge under Section 97 (1) of Bafia The courtroom was packed with media personnel his supporters and opposition leaders including PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad The confidential details comprised customer profiles of balance sheets belonging to NFC Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd and NFC chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail Rafizi is alleged to have revealed the details to two journalists at the PKR headquarters in Merchant Square Both accused face a maximum sentence of three years’ jail or RM3 million fine Judge Aslam Zainuddin granted Rafizi and Johari bail of RM15,000 each and fixed both cases for mention on Sept 10 PKR Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad posted bail for Rafizi while Johari’s brother posted bail for him DPP Nahra Dollah prosecuted while the two accused were represented by N Surendran Rafizi was picked up from his residence by the authorities and Bank Negara officials at 7am and taken to the Hulu Kelang police station where the central bank lodged a report against him Johari was apprehended at his office parking area at 7.30am Rafizi arrived at the court with his wife while Johari came with his brother Jeers erupted when the two men were handcuffed and led out of the courtroom as opposition leaders condemned what they described as “high-handed treatment” of the duo Rafizi pinned the arrests on his voicing out concerns about the alleged irregularities in the award of the Ampang LRT extension job instead of the NFC scandal “The charge was expected but the timing was a shock,” he told the media “This has nothing to do with NFC but with George Kent (this is) in order to divert the media’s and public’s attention from the issue.” He was referring to yesterday’s announcement by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd that a consortium led by George Kent (M) Bhd has won a RM955.84 million contract for systems work for the Ampang LRT line extension project Rafizi had previously alleged that the contract would be awarded to the consortium although it had failed a technical assessment also expressed unhappiness over the manner in which he was taken to court saying that there was no need for a “dawn raid” as a summons notice would have sufficed described the charges against Rafizi and Johari as politically motivated “It is clear that the charge was ordered to silence Rafizi and punish him for exposing the mismanagement of public funds,” he said Surendran also claimed that Rafizi and Johari were treated like “hardened criminals” and pointed out that Mohamad Salleh had not been handcuffed when he was charged on two counts of criminal breach of trust in March “The innocent and public spirited are charged while the guilty goes free,” he added a Defend Whistleblowers Fund was set up by a newly established firm for contributions to the two men’s legal expenses The Selangor government has also set up a special fund for the same purpose Rafizi is the former chief executive officer of Selangor’s Economic Advisor’s Office but submitted his resignation on June 21 This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 2 BURSASGXHomeBy KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 12): The legacy rule that allows certain banks’ individual shareholders to own a stake larger than 10% under the Financial Services Act (FSA) will not be extended to anyone else said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus “Whatever approvals were given under Bafia (the Banking and Financial Institutions Act) for any individuals to exceed 10% it is very specific to a group of shareholders who already own shares in excess of the 10% [limit] before the FSA came into force [in 2013],” she told reporters at the second-quarter gross domestic product briefing on Friday (Aug 12) The governor was asked earlier whether this grandfathering rule would be passed on to other individual shareholders “Any future acquisitions by individuals would need to comply with the 10% [limit],” she added the prohibition on individuals owning more than 10% of shares in a financial institution does not apply to individuals whose shareholdings have exceeded this level before June 30 where they have obtained prior to hold the stakes under Bafia in the case of a licensed bank or licensed investment bank or where they were not required to obtain such approval under Bafia or the Insurance Act 1996 Hong Leong Bank Bhd's 80-year-old chairman Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan was recently reported to be weighing options to reduce his controlling stake in the bank Quek controls 62% of Hong Leong Bank via Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd which far exceeds the 10% limit on individual shareholdings in financial institutions there are two other local banks whose major shareholders have yet to reduce their individual shareholdings to comply with the FSA threshold namely Public Bank Bhd and AMMB Holdings Bhd founder Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow owns a 23.41% stake former non-independent non-executive chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim holds 11.81% being the second largest shareholder after Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd Yaoundé, Cameroon - July 2018 - From July 2 to 8, 120 young people from the Salesian communities of Ebolowa, Bafia, Yaoundé, take part in the first edition of the "Biblical Week" at the St Augustine Salesian theologate. The event is organized and guided by the Cameroon Youth Ministry team; Fr Alphonse Owoudou, Superior of the Vice Province of Equatorial Tropical Africa (ATE), discussed the theme: "The disciples of Emmaus". ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007. This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information". BURSASGXHomeBy SHAH ALAM (Aug 1): PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli was charged in a Sessions Court here on Wednesday with violating the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) 1989 by disclosing confidential details relating to the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC) scandal including PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad Both accused face a maximum sentence of three years' jail or RM3 million fine PKR Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad posted bail for Rafizi while Johari's brother posted bail for him Rafizi was picked up from his residence by the authorities and Bank Negara officials at 7.00am and taken to the Hulu Kelang police station where the central bank lodged an official report against him Rafizi arrived at court accompanied by his wife Jeers erupted when the two men were handcuffed and led out of the courtroom as opposition leaders condemned what they described as "high-handed treatment" of the duo Rafizi pinned the arrests on the alleged Ampang LRT scandal instead of the NFC scandal "The charge was expected but the timing was a shock," he told the media "This has nothing to do with NFC but with George Kent in order to divert the media and public's attention away from the issue." He was referring to yesterday's announcement by Syarikat Prasarana Negara that a consortium led by George Kent (M) Bhd has won the RM1.18 billion contract for system works for the Ampang LRT line extension project saying that there was no need for a "dawn raid" as a summons notice would have sufficed "It is clear that the charge was ordered to silence Rafizi and punish him for exposing the mismanagement of public funds," he said Surendran also claimed that Rafizi and Johari were treated like "hardened criminals" and pointed out that Mohamad Salleh had not been handcuffed when he was charged on two counts of criminal breach of trust in March "The innocent and public spirited are charged while the guilty goes free," he added for contributions to the two men's legal expenses Rafizi is the former chief executive officer of Selangor's Economic Advisor's Office MINCOMMERCE chaired the handing over ceremony in Muyuka on Tuesday February 5 a major cocoa producing basin situated some 17 km from Muyuka in the South West region is the first beneficiary of the Oven Rehabilitation Project masterminded by the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CCIC) A total of 44 repaired and operational ovens out of the 141 earmarked in the region for Owe Kombone Mission and Ekombe to the tune of FCFA 100 million have already been handed to the beneficiary cocoa farmers in Bafia in a ceremony presided at by the Minister of Trade You have selected an article from the AllAfrica archive, which requires a subscription. You can subscribe by visiting our subscription page. Or for more information about becoming a subscriber, you can read our subscription and contribution overview You can also freely access - without a subscription - hundreds of today's top Africa stories and thousands of recent news articles from our home page » AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals representing a diversity of positions on every topic We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you There was a problem processing your submission Site managed by Bafia — Cameroon's farmers have run into trouble after unusual early rains two years in a row pushed them to begin planting ahead of time causing confusion over the farming calendar and leaving crops withering in the fields When the rain arrived abnormally in late January and early February many farmers set to work planting crops like maize 120 young people from the Salesian communities of Ebolowa take part in the first edition of the "Biblical Week" at the St Augustine Salesian theologate The event is organized and guided by the Cameroon Youth Ministry team; Fr Alphonse Owoudou Superior of the Vice Province of Equatorial Tropical Africa (ATE) discussed the theme: "The disciples of Emmaus" ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements Rwanda Revenue Authority have ended their continental bid ranked fifth in Egypt Rwanda Revenue thrashed Bafia of Cameroon 3-0 to finish fifth at the 2018 women’s African club championship The Rwandan representatives faced Bafia today as they vied for ffth and sixth positions on the final standings The impressive ladies under Kenyan coach Dorcus Ndasaba crushed Bafia 3-0 (25-21 RRA club’s right attacker Seraphine ‘Baby’ Mukantambara led the Rwandans with impressive 19 points while Manuela Ruth scored 13 for the Cameroonians Revenue highlighted their ability in the match by an early dominance and Bafia lost their way early it’s a rather straight road to victory for Revenue Highlights of the match include incredible spikes from Mukantambara RRA received from a 0-3 quarterfinal loss to Kenyan side Prisons to thump Egyptian side Shams 3-0 (31-29 Ahly of Egypt was et to face Carthage of Tunisia in the women’s African club championship final seeking a ninth Cup triumph while Carthage will be looking to seal their place in the top echelons of African volleyball history The Social Vaccine programme of the First Lady of Cameroon was at the locality of Ombessa and Bafia in the Mbam and Inoubou Division over the weekend Authorities and traditional rulers from the Mbam and Inoubou Division says their indigenes popularly known as the “Mbamois” need to restraint or completely bar the way for HIV 2019 at the Bafia ceremonial ground during an event to officially launch the sensitisation campaign against HIV/STIs dubbed “Social Vaccine Programme” It was a crowd pulling event which also saw the inauguration of two Multimedia and Video HIV Conference Centres at the Ombessa Council building and at the Bafia Women’s Empowerment Centre which are gifts from the First Lady of Cameroon video camaras and other ICT tools destined to enable the entire community to learn more about HIV/STIs and also for researchers to disseminate information on the fight against HIV/STIs in the division whose HIV prevalence rate stood at 7.9 per cent last year more than the national HIV prevalence rate on behalf of the population in the Mbam and Inoubou Division thanked the First Lady for making sure that the Mbamois are edified against the deadly pandemic He urged the population not to end at what they have learned from the social vaccine programme but should put it into practice because they will be killing themselves by not practising what they have learned against HIV As the governor installed the committee members in charge of running the multimedia centres he told them not to transform the computers for their personal use but to make them available for use by any person who wants to use it Naseri Paul Bea also called on the population to massively adhere to the campaign in a bid to change their behaviour because the fight against HIV is a collective one as well as members of the educational community took turns to thank the First Lady for the HIV sensitisation caravan They stressed the need for prevention which is better than cure and underscored that abstinence and fidelity were the best methods for the mbamois to fight HIV/ STIs Наслаждайтесь азартом на любом устройстве! Скачайте мобильное приложение Vavada kz и играйте без блокировок Начните с приветственного бонуса и открывайте для себя турниры Offer your company and your employees the best information Take advantage of our preferential rates reserved for professionals Discover our digital subscription offers to find Cameroon-Tribune at home Many night travellers and farmers have lost valuable items and even their lives to armed bandits NFL Draft Diamonds What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2025 NFL Draft I’m a top safety prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft because of my range in the backend as a post-safety and my ability to cover any receiver man-to-man out of the slot I have the speed to run with anyone and the physicality to come up and stop the run My versatility is also a strength as I can play both field and boundary safety as well as slide down to play nickel at a high level My football IQ and play recognition are a result of countless hours of film study This allows me to play fearlessly and fly around to finish at or with the ball at the end of every play I love playing special teams too because it provides another opportunity to change the game positively What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you I am relentless in improving daily and I’m the most competitive person you’ll ever meet I lead by example and take pride in trying to set the standard on what it looks like to prepare like a pro daily I expect to win every time I step on the field because of the ability God has given me paired with the extra work I put in outside of workouts and practice with the team My mindset is one of my greatest strengths as I’m constantly trying to learn new things to improve all areas of my life If you could donate to one cause in the world I would donate to cancer research because of the effect the disease has had on some of my loved ones They have sacrificed so much to help me get to where I am today and I’m extremely grateful for all the things they do for our family My dad taught me the importance of hard work from a young age and he is one of the most positive people I know My mom is very caring and her selflessness has always inspired me to treat everyone well Who is the most underrated teammate at your school There are a lot of talented players on our team and I honestly can’t narrow it down to just one player so I’ll say our entire defense From the defensive line to the linebackers to the secondary we all play with a chip on our shoulder and hold each other to the highest standard We have a great scheme in place and continuing to execute it at a high level will allow us to be as good as we want to be I believe we all have something to be grateful for in our lives and keeping a positive attitude at all times is important for being able to leave a positive impact on the world I love seeing all my friends and family winning in whatever they pursue Overcoming adversity is what defines character what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome The hardest moment of my life was when my grandma passed away during my freshman year of college She was always smiling and was very strong in her faith so I strive to be more and more like her every day I’m studying finance and risk management If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive The first person would be Jesus Christ because faith plays a major role in my life and as a man of God I would love to gain even more insights on His teachings The second person I would pick is my late grandma just to have one more conversation with her and listen to any more advice she could give me The third person I would choose is Ed Reed as he is one of the best safeties of all time and I would want to pick his brain on the way he studied film and how he played certain techniques NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com You must be logged in to post a comment.