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Ethiopia’s month-long war in its northern Tigray region has severely hampered efforts to fight one of Africa’s worst coronavirus outbreaks,... View Article
The post Ethiopia’s conflict stokes humanitarian and virus crisis: 'I think the war is worse' appeared first on TheGrio.
He replaces Debretsion Gebremichael, whose immunity from prosecution was removed Thursday.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International said Thursday that scores of civilians were killed in a \"massacre\" in the Tigray region, that witnesses blamed on forces backing the local ruling party.
The \"massacre\" is the first reported incident of large-scale civilian fatalities in a week-old conflict between the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize.
\"Amnesty International can today confirm... that scores, and likely hundreds, of people were stabbed or hacked to death in Mai-Kadra (May Cadera) town in the southwest of Ethiopia's Tigray Region on the night of 9 November,\" the rights group said in a report.
Amnesty said it had \"digitally verified gruesome photographs and videos of bodies strewn across the town or being carried away on stretchers.\"
The dead \"had gaping wounds that appear to have been inflicted by sharp weapons such as knives and machetes,\" Amnesty said, citing witness accounts.
Witnesses said the attack was carried out by TPLF-aligned forces after a defeat at the hands of the Ethiopian military, though Amnesty said it \"has not been able to confirm who was responsible for the killings\".
It nonetheless called on TPLF commanders and officials to \"make clear to their forces and their supporters that deliberate attacks on civilians are absolutely prohibited and constitute war crimes\".
Abiy ordered military operations in Tigray on November 4, saying they were prompted by a TPLF attack on federal military camps -- a claim the party denies.
The region has been under a communications blackout ever since, making it difficult to verify competing claims on the ground.
Abiy said Thursday his army had made major gains in western Tigray.
Thousands of Ethiopians have fled across the border into neighboring Sudan, and the UN is sounding the alarm about a humanitarian crisis in Tigray.
Defeaning vuvuzelas and party songs took over Ghana's capital Accra on Saturday, the final day of campaigning ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections.
Twelve candidates, including three women, are vying for the west African nation's top job, but Monday's vote is essentially a fight between President Nana Akufo-Addo, 76, and former head of state John Mahama.
The city centre was plastered with billboards and posters and flags at every corner.
Akufo-Addo, running for a second term, drove through the shanty town of Nima, making whistle stops to acknowledge mammoth crowds clad in T-shirts of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
\"It’s a done deal. It’s clear. The crowd says it all. Four more (years) for Nana,\" a party supporter, Dauda Faisal said.
Defying all COVID-19 protocols -– with just a handful wearing face masks -- the ecstatic crowd waved miniature flags as the president headed towards the rally grounds where he was due to address supporters.
Opposition leader John Mahama meanwhile kicked off his final day of campaigning by meeting local chiefs and labour union leaders, assuring them of more jobs if he won the December 7 election.
Mahama, 62, who has been campaigning hard for months, was expected later in the evening at a rally organised by his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
More than 17 million people are registered to vote in the nation's eighth poll since it returned to democracy nearly 30 years ago.
This is the third time that Akufo-Addo and Mahama are running against each other, and the race is expected to be very close.
Results could be announced within 24 hours after the polls close.
WHEN President Emmerson Mnangagwa came into office through a military-assisted transition, he immediately called his government a Second Republic or New Dispensation. It is critical to have an appreciation of what a dispensation or republic is. With that in mind, I have two or three key interventions that I would like to make as we try to unpack what all this means to the ordinary citizen. A dispensation is something new, a distinctive arrangement of governance. This means new faces have been brought at the forefront. It could also imply a new approach to doing government business. Where there was corruption, poor performance, there is now a robust mechanism to protect the public good. In the Zimbabwe case, Mnangagwa's government is made up of the bulk of ministers who served government since independence with a few coming along the way. The approaches and the system remains as it was — insensitive and unresponsive to the citizens' needs and rights. The pace of reform is not as fast as anticipated. The new system of governance prevailing now is not yet instilling confidence in the citizenry that it is caring, responsive and passionate about serving the citizens' interests. What makes the system to be weaker is that ministers say a lot of things, but when it comes to implementation, there is a snail's pace. Things are bad, but the government could lessen the burden by being more sincere, realistic and stop pretending to be nice. It is better to be lied to by a known liar than to be lied to by a person over-emphasising that they are honest and good for the people. As said above, it is futile to say Zimbabwe is under a new dispensation. It is still the same old story.
Florida has reached a grim milestone in COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, the governor is focusing on vaccines and says he’s opposed to mandates like requiring masks. BY TOM URBAN AND JIM SAUNDERS NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA On April 1, just weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, 7,773 people in Florida had tested positive for the insidious disease. […]
The post 1 MILLION AND COUNTING appeared first on Florida Courier.
By JERRY HARMER Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thousands of yellow-clad supporters greeted Thailand's king on Saturday as he led a birthday commemoration for his revered late father, the latest in a series of public appearances at a time of unprecedented challenge to the monarchy from student-led protesters. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, accompanied by Queen Suthida, waved as he arrived at Bangkok's Sanam Luang ceremonial ground. Supporters of the monarchy held Thai and yellow royal flags to welcome them, with some cheering 'Long live the king.' The crowd wore yellow shirts, the color associated with the royal institution. The king led […]
The post Thai king leads thousands to remember late father's birthday appeared first on Black News Channel.
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has dealt opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa another blow after allocating a paltry $2,3 billion to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), an amount inadequate to conduct by-elections next year. BY RICHARD MUPONDE Chamisa lost 32 MPs and 165 councillors to recalls by rival MDC-T faction led by Thokozani Khupe. He has been itching for by-elections that were already suspended on October 2 by Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga, citing COVID-19 fears, in order to regain lost political ground. But his dream appears shattered after Zec disclosed it is financially incapacitated to run the parliamentary and council by-elections after Treasury allocated the electoral body only $2,3 billion for electoral activities for 2021 against a demand of $12 billion. In his remarks at a post budget consultative meeting on Thursday before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Zec chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana said the electoral body was in financial doldrums to hold any credible by-election unless government provides the $12 billion needed for the exercise. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube allocated Zec $2,3 billion in the 2021 National Budget against $12 billion which the commission had said it wanted for electoral activities in the coming year. Silaigwana pleaded with Parliament to persuade Treasury to adjust the commission’s 2021 budget allocation warning the much-awaited by-elections will remain a pipe-dream without the funds. “We are very truthful when we say we need $12 billion instead of the $2 billion which is just a drop of our budget. It does not help us much,” Silaigwana said. Asked by Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna whether it meant Zec was currently not operational without the $12 billion, Silaigwana said: “Sure.” “We also highlighted that the allocation was not adequate to support our programmes that encompasses delimitation and the by-elections for the coming year and beyond. “What was allocated against the bid is only a total of 19% hence our cry for the committee to assist the commission so that it will be able to realise its obligations.” His sentiments were echoed by Zec chief inspector, Jane Pamhidzirai Chigidji who said the commission’s capacity to conduct credible electoral activities will be questionable if it was poorly funded. “It’s a drop in the ocean if we are to have credible elections,” Chigidji said. “So we are just appealing to Parliament to discuss this issue so that at the end of the day, we are able to carry out our duties and conduct credible elections. “There are delimitation issues that have to be dealt with before we have an election. Can we then have a credible election if we don’t consult stakeholders?” Silaigwana also advised the legislators that efforts to engage Treasury on the issue have not yielded desired results. Political analyst, Professor Austin Chakaodza, however said the underfunding of Zec was a calculated move by President Mnangagwa to avoid the by-elections at all
Globally, there is a concerted effort to boost agriculture production through all year farming and considerable reduction in post-harvest losses. As such, enhanced farming methods and best agricultural practices have been adopted to increase crop yield. In Africa, the agriculture sector has made some progress, nonetheless, the continent remains a net importer of food. This...
The post A look at West Africa's biggest Greenhouse Village in Ghana boosting agriculture appeared first on Face2Face Africa.
This weekend is the perfect time to get into the holiday spirit and there are tons of new films to... View Article
The post 5 magical, melanated holiday films to watch this weekend appeared first on TheGrio.
Manhattan’s usually busy Flatiron district will come alive with a different energy this holiday, as visitors and residents alike interact with its latest exhibition designed by Jamaica-born architect, Nina Cooke John.
The article Jamaican-born architect transforms Manhattan’s Flatiron district for the holidays appeared first on Stabroek News.
BY PATRICIA SIBANDA TWO Bulawayo ex-convicts, who robbed an elderly man of his cellphone and clothes before they killed and dumped his naked body in a bushy area, were on Wednesday sentenced to life in jail. Perfect Sibanda (30) of Four Winds suburb and Vusumuzi Ndebele (35) of Siphambaniso Flats robbed and killed Joseph Godfrey Mataviri (65) only months after they were released from prison under the Presidential Amnesty in March 2018. Sibanda was previously convicted for unlawful entry while Ndebele had served three years for robbery. Mataviri’s naked body was found in the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) premises in Mpopoma suburb. Police officers received a tip-off from members of the public that the two had committed the crime leading to their arrest. When officers investigating the case raided Sibanda, they found him in possession of the deceased’s jeans, belt and jacket. He implicated Ndebele. Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa convicted the two of murder with actual intent. Mabhikwa condemned the two accused persons’ to life in jail, saying their actions warranted their permanent removal from society. “You committed an offence of murder in the course of robbery, which is a very serious offence. “You killed an innocent, poor man who had done nothing to you, and under normal circumstances you deserved a death sentence,” Mabhikwa said. “However, due to your ages, as youthful offenders at the time of commission of the offence, I will spare you from capital punishment. “Accordingly, you are sentenced to undergo life imprisonment.” Prosecuting, Kudakwashe Jaravaza said on June 5, 2018 at around 8 am, Mataviri left his home and proceeded to his garden at Steeldale industrial area near NRZ, but never returned. When he left his home, he was wearing a pair of blue jeans, brown t-shirt, a pair of brown safety shoes, a black and white jacket and a Samsung cell phone. The court was told that when the deceased’s son discovered that his father had not returned home, he went out to look for him in his garden. “The following morning, Mataviri’s son set out at 6 am to look for his father in the garden. “When he got to the dust road within the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Mpopoma station yard, his attention was drawn to a group of people among them, police officers,” Jaravaza said. “He drew closer to the crowd and saw a male adult who was lying naked on the ground in his underwear and upon closer examination he discovered that it was his father.” According to a post-mortem report, it was concluded that the cause of death was extensive subarachnoid haemorrhage, blunt force trauma and head assault. Investigations led to the arrest of the two accused persons and subsequent recovery of some of the deceased’s stolen clothes. In their defence, both accused persons through their lawyers from R Ndlovu and Company and VJ Mpofu and Associates, denied the charges, arguing that they were forced into admitting the charges after police tortured them and severely assaulted them with batons and subjected them to electrocut
[East African] The East African region is bracing itself for a second wave of a desert locust upsurge after efforts to control their breeding in Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen failed.
Hospitals across the United States are being put under immense pressure as the nation continues to hit record levels of new Covid-19 cases, adding more than 1 million new cases in the first five days of December. 'We're seeing day-by-day increasing numbers of patients with Covid-19, both those who are a little bit sick and those who are really sick,' […]
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert today was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for November by the league office. The monthly award is Herbert’s second of the season, previously winning in October.
The post Justin Herbert Named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month appeared first on Los Angeles Sentinel.
More than two dozen various hand sanitizers sold by the Mexico-based company 4E Global -- many carrying the Blumen label -- contain high levels of methanol, or wood alcohol, and have been recommended for recall.
The post FDA Warns Against Using Hand Sanitizers That Could Contain Toxic Wood Alcohol appeared first on The Seattle Medium.
This Black and female-owned start up will make sure all your loved ones get a holiday card this season.
Mali's interim legislature has elected Colonel Malick Diaw as its president. Diaw is a member of the military junta that toppled president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August.
The 121-seat body known as the National Transition Council on Saturday elected Diaw after meeting for its inaugural session in the capital Bamako.
Colonel Malick Diaw was elected president unopposed with with 111 votes in his favour and seven abstentions.
He was second in command of the military junta that took power after Keita's ouster. The junta has never formally been dissolved.
On Friday, the opposition June 5 Movement, which led protests against Keita this year, said it was boycotting the new legislature. It said it would not serve as a \"stooge\" for a disguised military regime\".
According to a government decree, members of the defence and security forces have 22 seats in the transition council, while political parties, civil society groups and trade unions also have seats.
US President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of American soldiers from Somalia by early 2021.
According to the Pentagon, nearly 700 US soldiers are currently deployed in Somalia. Their responsibility include conducting training with local forces — comprised of the elite Danab special forces — and assisting them in their fight against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militant group in counterterrorism missions.
The Pentagon statement on Friday added that the US is not \"withdrawing\" or \"disengaging\" from Africa and that some forces could be reassigned outside of East Africa.
It said it the US will instead \"retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia, and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland.\"
Trump had recently ordered similar troop withdrawals from Germany, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The troop cut from Somalia is the latest in a planned global pullback of US personnel before Trump leaves office in January.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to France and Monaco, Akin Fayomi, who is also a former Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shares with T...
It was Bottas' 16th career pole position, three years after scoring his maiden pole at the same venue in 2017, and inflicted Russell's first qualifying defeat by a team-mate, albeit in helping Mercedes clinch another front-row lockout.
President Donald Trump pressed his own grievances over losing the presidential election at a rally Saturday in Georgia, more so than trying to help two Republican Senate candidates whose fate will decide the balance of power in Washington once President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month. Trump rallied thousands of largely maskless supporters in Valdosta, not long after he was […]
[Addis Fortune] For Grave Rights Concerns, Truth Should not be Casualty of Conflict
\"Saturday Night Live\" this weekend did several sketches on the coronavirus, including one about last week's Staten Island, N.Y., demonstration following the arrest of a bar owner who allegedly defied government restrictions on indoor dining.
[Reporter] The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said humanitarian routes in Tigray have been opened for aid providers following an agreement reached between the government and the United Nations.
But rather than whine and cry as many do today, Americans did what Americans do, or at least used to do.
President-elect Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure to expand the racial and ideological diversity in his choices for Cabinet and other top jobs. A month and a half before he takes office, he's drawing rebukes from activists who fear he'll fall short on promises to build an administration that looks like the country it governs.
Senator Lambert Brown cherishes witnessing Santa Claus parading along Hope Road in St Andrew more than all other childhood Christmas memories. The veteran trade unionist told The Gleaner yesterday that family and friends have always been at the...
[DW] As Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sends troops into the Tigray region, the country could be on the brink of a civil war.
