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TP Mazembe head coach, Lamine Ndiaye, who won a CAF Champions League trophy with the team in 2010 remains set on his objective. The team's held a presser on Thursday (Apr. 25) in Cairo ahed of Friday's match.
South Africa is one of the hardest-hit countries in Africa with over 740,000 infections.
The country recorded 60 more virus-related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 20,011.
Germs are talked about a lot nowadays. Avoiding germs and killing germs are high priority now that the novel coronavirus has made it's mark on the world. So now people are not only trying to get healthy but also stay healthy. And getting rid of germs is a big part of that. So here's your […]
The post How to Kill Any Germ in Your Home appeared first on BlackDoctor.org.
Schools will open again and children will benefit from in-class instruction. But only when it’s safe for all concerned. We have not reached that moment yet.
Ramaphosa will provide the public with an update on lockdown and government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic at 20:00 on Wednesday.
The city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces growing insecurity.
Day and night, the killings of civilians have multiplied under the helpless watch of Congolese authorities.
Today, Sharifa Kamana is a widow. Her husband was shot a few meters from home at night.
10 days later, no investigation has been opened yet.
\"We don't know the killers, they go after money changers like my husband. We are currently living in fear. The authorities need to take this situation seriously and know where these weapons come from? How can a civilian live with a weapon illegally without the State knowing about it,\"? Kamana asked.
To battle against the insecurity, a provincial deputy has initiated an operation to collect weapons.
These firearms, ammunition and military effects were handed over to the authorities for a sum up to US$100.
\"I had been keeping this weapon since the M23 took control of the city and I took the opportunity to get it back. I kept it at home waitin g for the right time to avenge my father who was murdered a few years ago here in Goma\", Didier Mwamba told our Congolese Correspondent, Gael Mpoyo.
Patrick Munyomo is the National Deputy and Initiator of the project.
\"What is certain is that now is the time for anyone who has a weapon illegally to hand it over because we are in the process of educating them. After this campaign is over, if a gun is found in someone's home, that person will be brought to justice,'' he said.
During his last visit to Goma, President Felix Tshisekedi promised to defeat the scourge of insecurity once and for all.
Since October, about ten murders have already been recorded in the region.
The alleged financier of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Felicien Kabuga, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday as he made his first appearance at a UN court after a quarter of a century on the run.
Once one of Rwanda's richest men, Kabuga allegedly helped set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to \"kill the Tutsi cockroaches\" and funded militia groups.
Now in his 80s, he was arrested in France in May and transferred to the court in The Hague in October to face charges of a key role in the killing of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
The frail Kabuga sat in a wheelchair behind a glass screen in the courtroom, wearing a coronavirus mask. A court official helped him adjust his headphones.
His defense lawyer Emmanuel Altit said Kabuga was \"very tired\" and \"preferred not to speak\" when asked by judge Iain Bonomy if the former businessman wanted to enter a plea.
\"Given the situation, I would be grateful if you could consider this lack of response as a plea of not guilty on all the counts, under the rules and procedures,\" Altit told the court.
Kabuga, who until his arrest near Paris was one of the world's most wanted men, had already denied the charges in his court appearances in France.
The Rwandan faces seven counts including genocide, incitement to genocide, extermination, and persecution.
The UN court will later decide if he will be transferred to its branch in Tanzania for trial.
'Contributed to deaths'
The UN says 800,000 people were murdered in a 100-day rampage that began in April 1994 in Rwanda, in scenes of horror that shocked the world.
An ally of Rwanda's then-ruling party, Kabuga allegedly helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), whose broadcasts incited people to murder.
The lengthy indictment, read out by a court official, said that \"RTLM broadcasts contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of persons identified as Tutsi civilians.\"
The radio station also identified the hiding places of Tutsis where they were later killed, it said.
Kabuga controlled and encouraged the station's content, failed to stop the broadcasts, and defended it when the minister of information criticized the broadcasts, the indictment said.
He is also accused of helping to buy machetes that were distributed to militias and ordering them to kill Tutsis.
Kabuga spent years on the run using a succession of false passports, with investigators saying that he had been helped by a network of former Rwandan allies to evade justice.
Following his arrest in a small apartment near Paris, his lawyers argued that Kabuga -- who says he is aged 87 but according to the arrest warrant is 84 - should face trial in France for health reasons.
But France's top court ruled he should be moved to UN custody on a warrant issued in 1997 by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
Kabuga was initially to be transferred to the UN court's facility in Arusha, Tanzania, which took over the ICTR's duties when it formally closed in 2015.
But a UN
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By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week to 709,000, a still-high level but the lowest figure since March and a further sign that the job market might be slowly healing. Yet the improvement will be put at risk by the sharp resurgence in confirmed viral infections to an all-time high well above 120,000 a day. Cases are rising in 49 states, and deaths are increasing in 39. The nation has now recorded 240,000 virus-related deaths and 10.3 million confirmed infections. As colder weather sets in and fear […]
The post 709,000 seek US jobless aid as pandemic escalates appeared first on Black News Channel.
Police in Dema, Mashonaland East province, have launched a manhunt for four armed robbers who pounced on a businessman before stealing a cashbox with US$30 000, among other valuables. BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA The businessman, Hazvinei Mutasa (43) also lost his pistol to the armed robbers who besieged his homestead. Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident and urged people not to keep large sums of money at home. “The public is warned against keeping large sums of cash at home,” Mwanza said. “This is a security risk which results in the money being easily stolen through robberies. We also take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who might have information on the whereabouts of the suspects to report at any nearest police station.” On November 10 at around 8pm, Mutasa was in company of his two workersoutside his home when armed men approached them and ordered them to lie on the ground. One of the suspects allegedly fired shots in the air and disarmed Mutasa of his FN Browning pistol. It is reported that three of the suspects remained outside, while others dragged Mutasa inside demanding money. The suspects disabled the alarm at the premises and threatened to kill the businessman’s child if he refused to surrender the money. He reportedly surrendered the cashbox which was in his bedroom containing US$30 000. The suspects also dismantled a CCTV server. They also got away with a Samsung S10 cellphone, Itel P33 cellphone and two small Itel cellphones before speeding off in a vehicle belonging to one of Mutasa’s workers. The vehicle was recovered in Vera village, Seke. The matter was reported at Dema Police Station and no arrests have been made. Follow Jairos onTwitter @jairossaunyama
NEW YORK — During the COVID-19 pandemic, public life in much of the world has largely ground to a halt. For the two billion people living in conflict-affected countries, however, there has been no lull in violence and upheaval. Some of the world’s conflicts have even escalated or been reignited during the crisis, dealing devastating new blows to infrastructure and health-care systems that were only beginning to be rebuilt. Globally, we continue to invest far more in the tools of war than in the foundations of peace. guest column:Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka As the world awaited the outcome of the US presidential election, no one doubted the stakes. But, even if Joe Biden emerged victorious, Americans must reckon with the fact that nearly 70 million of their fellow citizens voted for a candidate who lacks any capacity for ethical reasoning. Of course, some are working for peace. On March 23, at the outset of the pandemic, United Nations secretary-general António Guterres called for a global ceasefire, in order to enable countries to focus on the COVID-19 crisis and allow humanitarian organisations to reach vulnerable populations. More than 100 women’s organisations from Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen quickly joined the appeal with a joint statement advocating a broad COVID-19 truce, which could form the basis for a lasting peace. It should come as no surprise that women were among the first to support the call for a ceasefire. Last week, governments and civil society came together to mark 20 years since UN Security Council Resolution 1325 first recognised women’s pivotal roles on the frontlines of peace-building efforts. It is women — including young women — who do much of the painstaking, long-term work that underpin high-profile formal agreements, which are still often reached in talks that exclude them. For example, in Syria, women have negotiated ceasefires to allow the passage of humanitarian aid, worked in field hospitals and schools, distributed food and medicine, and documented human-rights violations. In South Sudan, women have mediated and resolved tribal disputes to prevent conflicts from escalating to violence. Women also spearhead the critical work of campaigning for peace, including through education programs, which teach young people that conflict is never inevitable. Feminist organisations have long called for nuclear disarmament, arms control, and the reallocation of funds from the military to social investments. These appeals are essential. But they have gone unanswered. So has the UN’s call for a COVID-19 ceasefire: according to the Norwegian Refugee Council, in the two months following Guterres’s appeal, armed conflict in 19 countries displaced at least 661 000 people. Unless we listen to women, and shift our investments from war toward peace, the devastation will continue. Enjoy unlimited access to the ideas and opinions of the world’s leading thinkers, including weekly long reads, book reviews, and interviews; The Year Ahead annual print magazine; The Green Recovery special-edition print maga
Mozambique continue their quest to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations when they play Cameroon on Thursday.
For Cameroon, this would be a crucial game if Cameroon were not automatically through as tournament hosts.
Mozambique and Cameroon are the top two in Group F, the pair having four points from their two games. But both sides have issues to deal with.
The Indomitable Lions were only able to summon a reduced squad whilst the visitors have not played an international match of any description for over a year.
Mozambique head coach Luis Goncalves was in a positive frame of mind, ahead of his side's crucial fixture in Cameroon on Thursday. \"I'm feeling well because I'm working with my team, with my boys.\"
The top two sides in Group F of AFCON qualification with four points apiece, the pressure is off Cameroon as they go through automatically as hosts. Goncalves though, is still wary of the Indomitable Lions.
\"Cameroon have very good players. They play in the better leagues in Europe in some of the better clubs.\"
Mozambique will not want any slip-ups with a capable Cape Verde squad in third spot.
As hosts, Cameroon are already guaranteed their spot at the tournament, but are taking part in the group stage and their results do count towards qualification for the other sides.
So, of the three other teams involved in Group F, only one can join Cameroon in the final tournament.
As things stand, Mozambique are in good stead to be that team, leading Group F after two games.
A 2-0 win over Rwanda in their group opener last November was followed by a 2-2 draw with Cape Verde, who will be hoping for a Cameroon win this week.
Cameroon are currently second, two points ahead of Cape Verde and level with Mozambique having also drawn one and won one of their opening matches.
Hundreds of Ethiopians gathered Thursday to donate blood for troops fighting in the northern Tigray region, as officials tried to rally support for a week-old conflict Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said was going his way.
The government also announced that police had arrested 150 people in the capital suspected of trying to carry out \"terror attacks\" on the orders of Tigray's ruling party.
Prime Minister Abiy blames the Tigray ruling party for a conflict that analysts fear could spiral into a protracted civil war.
Hundreds have died and thousands have fled the country since Abiy, last year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, sent troops and warplanes into Tigray last week after a months-long feud with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Abiy said the TPLF -- which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before he took office in 2018 -- had crossed a \"red line\" and attacked two federal military bases, which the party denies.
Thursday's blood drive was organised by the office of Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abebe, who claimed the population was unified against the TPLF while donating blood herself.
\"The aim of this blood donation is to express our respect for our army,\" she told journalists as a nurse drew blood from her left arm.
\"The attack done by TPLF to our army is shameful for Ethiopia. Never happened in our history. We want to condemn this.\"
Tigray has been under a communications blackout since the military operation was launched on November 4, making it difficult to verify the situation on the ground as both sides make conflicting claims.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Abiy said government forces had \"liberated\" the western zone of Tigray -- made up of six zones, plus the capital and surrounds.
Abiy also accused TPLF-aligned fighters of \"cruelty\", saying that when the army took control of the town of Sheraro they \"found bodies of executed defence force personnel whose hands and feet were tied\". There was no immediate reaction from the TPLF.
Under Abiy, Tigray's leaders have complained of being unfairly targeted in corruption prosecutions and removed from top positions.
Tensions soared as Tigray defiantly held its own elections in September, insisting Abiy was an illegitimate leader after national polls were postponed due to the coronavirus.
-'Rule of law'-
The conflict has seen multiple rounds of airstrikes targeting arms and fuel depots along with heavy fighting in western Tigray.
The UN said Wednesday some 11,000 Ethiopians had sought refuge in neighbouring Sudan, and Ethiopia has acknowledged some of its troops at one point retreated into neighbouring Eritrea, highlighting the conflict's potential to draw in the wider Horn of Africa region.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, quoted by state news agency SUNA as he hosted Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, on Wednesday called for a \"stop to the fighting as soon as possible\" and a return to the negotiating table.
The African Union has also called for an immediate stop to fighting and for dialogue, as internationa
THE MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan today announced a further £1.4m contribution to the London...
The post Mayor provides further £1.4m to support the capital’s community and voluntary organisations through Covid-19 appeared first on Voice Online.
By ALEXANDRA OLSON and DAVID KOENIG Associated Press Fifty-one separate elections — one in each state and one in Washington, DC. Each with different rules and regulations, and no national elections commission to tell the world who wins. How, then, to quickly and accurately determine who won the highest office in the land? That's where the news media come in — and have done so since 1848, when The Associated Press declared the election of Zachary Taylor as president. The Electoral College actually chooses the president under the U.S. Constitution, acting in a process that starts with the popular vote […]
The post EXPLAINER: Why do the media call races in US elections? appeared first on Black News Channel.
THE island's public health system has been highlighted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for best practices in COVID-19 contact tracing.Speaking at PAHO's weekly press briefing yesterday, Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa named Jamaica, along with Costa Rica and Argentina, for doing 'particularly well' with this aspect of the prevention and control machinery, against the spread of the novel coronavirus.
ORGANISERS of the annual international literature festival, LitFest Harare said this year’s edition would celebrate the resilience of artistes during the COVID-19 pandemic. BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO The festival, which will run from November 25 to 28 under the theme, Art Longa, Vita Brevis — Art is Long, Life is Short will be partially streamed online. “The onset of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns saw many arts and culture practitioners losing revenue streams, sources of livelihood or even loved ones,” Festival director Chirikure Chirikure told NewsDay Life & Style. “Through all this, most artistes showed great resilience and continued to move forward, adapting and daring to keep creating works of artistic expression. We have to salute that resilience,” he said Chirikure said the COVID-19 pandemic had a lot of ripple effects in households and societies around the globe. “In particular, gender-based violence cases reportedly increased since the COVID-19-induced lockdown and as such, the festival will focus on issues related to violence and peace transformation,” he said. “Art, and literature in particular, have to contribute to the dialogue around social challenges and their effect. The ability to stay firm under difficult conditions and to interrogate such challenges, are the stamina that keep us going.” Chirikure said the passion and purpose to create works was noble because art would live forever, and help shape the future. “The LitFest Harare festival will feature discussions, readings, recitations and performances by various local and international participants. Details of sessions and participants will be announced in due course,” he said. The LitFest Harare festival celebrates literature, arts and culture by bringing together authors, artists, academics, students and the public to share knowledge, collaborate, as well as showcase and enjoy talent. Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
A NYANGA man committed suicide after he was accused of raping and impregnating his minor sister. BY KENNETH NYANGANI Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident to NewsDay yesterday. The man (26, name withheld) of Gohoto village under Chief Katerere in Ruwangwe, Nyanga North, killed himself on November 6. It is said that on November 5, the family members of the now-deceased met and discussed the matter as they accused him of impregnating his 14-year-old sister. The following day, the accused told his son that he was going to Nyapomboro Mountain. The family members became suspicious when he failed to return after several hours. They went to the mountain and found him hanging from a baobab tree. Kakohwa said no foul play was suspected. Ruwangwe police officers attended the scene. Follow Kenneth on Twitter @KennethNyangan1
County health workers will partner with certified worker organizations to support employees who want to form councils and train them on protocols so they can help monitor compliance.
The post L.A. County Moves to Set Up Worker-Driven COVID-19 Compliance Councils appeared first on Los Angeles Sentinel.
Drink Up: These Are The 50 Best Bars In The World For 2020
2020 Impacting Lives Ceremony In 2014, the New Journal and Guide newspaper began this annual event to recognize persons and entities that have made a significant impact on the lives of people in Hampton Roads for more than one generation. Over the years, over 60 honorees have been awarded by the Publisher, Brenda H. Andrews. The 2020 ceremony was abbreviated to comply with social distancing and safety guidelines mandated by the Commonwealth of Virginia to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Continue reading 2020 Impaction Lives 7th Anniversary - VIDEO at The New Journal and Guide.
DON THOMPSON | Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California's coronavirus cases are at their highest levels in months, a disquieting reality Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday was 'obviously sobering' and that led San Francisco Bay Area health officials to urge people who travel outside the region to quarantine for two weeks upon return. Newsom […]
The post California Seeing Biggest Jump in Virus Cases in Months appeared first on Voice and Viewpoint.
With these words, the president-elect, Joe Biden, set a new tone and a new mood in Washington. No longer will the bully pulpit of the White House be used to spew lies and insults or to fan division and hatred. The White House will once again call on the “better angels” of Americans and not our “darkest impulses.”
The post A White House That Once Again Calls on Our Better Angels appeared first on Los Angeles Sentinel.
ABC NewsBy MATT GUTMAN, IGANCIO TORRES, and ASHAN SINGH, ABC News (EL PASO, Texas) - Charlie Brown had spent years motivating his high school football team as their coach. But…
A 22-YEAR-OLD Lobengula West man in Bulawayo on Tuesday disarmed an ex-police sergeant using a golf club during a robbery attempt prompting members of the community to bash the suspect. BY NIZBERT MOYO The young man disarmed Ian Sibanda (54), who was accompanied by Learnmore Kwari intending to rob an old woman (name yet to be revealed) after getting wind that she had sold a house for US$20 000. Neighbours told Southern Eye that the 22-year-old young hero (name not disclosed)’s action resulted in the arrest of the suspect. Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele yesterday confirmed the arrest of Sibanda, adding that investigations were in progress. “I can confirm that on November 10, the complainant was watching television in her sitting room with her three grandchildren,” Msebele said. “The two robbers knocked at the back door of the house and were allowed in by one of the grandchildren. They had parked their dark green BMW vehicle in the neighbourhood.” She added that Sibanda and Kwari were wearing caps and face masks, which partially covered their faces and they demanded cash from the old woman while holding an unregistered pistol whose serial numbers had been removed. Msebele said the old woman fled from the room while screaming for help, and one of her grandsons came out of the bathroom and armed himself with a golf stick. The police spokesperson said the young man used the golf stick to beat Sibanda until he dropped the gun. The young man and Sibanda wrestled until neighbours, as well as police officers, arrived and apprehended the suspect. Kwari managed to escape from the scene. Police officers recovered BMW car keys which belong to Sibanda and a firearm with one live round of ammunition.
Los Angeles County reported 2,152 new cases of COVID-19 and 22 additional deaths on Wednesday,
The post LA County’s surge continues: 2,152 new coronavirus infections appeared first on L.A. Focus Newspaper.
SAD news broke yesterday about a pregnant Chivhu woman who beheaded her four daughters and set the family house on fire before handing herself to the police following a dispute with her husband over infidelity. EDITORIAL COMMENT It was indeed a sad day for motherhood in the country. No one can ever, even in their wildest dreams, expect such an unthinkable thing to happen. Life is precious and some people spend millions in hospital bills to boost their fertility and chances to have a child, but the Chivhu woman chose to take life. Not hers, but that of four innocent blooming flowers which she compounded by trying to drink poison while she was pregnant, in effect attempting to take two more lives. Cases of both domestic and gender-based violence are increasing, especially during these times when the country is reeling under harsh economic conditions. The situation will likely get worse, hence it is time we invested in counselling. Research has established that violent behaviour is often a result of an individual’s interaction with various situational and individual factors, meaning community and other cultural influences come to play, if not influenced by alcohol or drugs. Studies have also shown that children are the most victims of domestic violence. The violence can cause physical and emotional harm not only to children, but all people close to the disturbing behaviour. Children can suffer emotional stress, depression and even sleeping disorders. In this case, it is not only sad that the children lost their lives, it is devastating and unimaginable for any community. It is difficult to imagine what was going on in the mind of the woman, what sort of demons was she dealing with which made her lose her mind. This goes a long way in explaining the importance of mental health, which we have ignored for generations. Who can imagine a mother slitting her child’s throat in front of the others? Imagine the trauma they went through while watching the gruesome deed. Couples do have misunderstandings and it is very important to seek counselling and monitor each other until the emotional wounds are healed. It is important for people to learn how to diffuse violent situations, which should start with situational awareness and understanding of each other’s state of mind. Government should invest in counselling. In the past, traditional leaders were the custodians of ensuring peace in families, but with the advent of courts, home-grown solutions to solving domestic disputes have been discarded and this has brought about tension. People should seek counselling instead of engaging in needless loss of life. Mental health is an important issue and counselling is one of its biggest remedies. Government should also invest in social workers to conduct counselling in communities. As a country, we cannot afford to ignore this anymore.
Jon Ossoff took the stage in Columbus and looked out over a parking lot filled with cars, with supporters blaring their horns in approval as he declared that “change has come to Georgia.” Hours earlier, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler stepped to a microphone in suburban Atlanta and addressed hundreds of eager supporters packed into the Cobb County GOP headquarters. The […]
A 29-YEAR-OLD Chivhu woman yesterday slit her four children’s throats before setting the family house on fire following a dispute with her husband over infidelity. BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA Emelda Marazani also reportedly attempted to commit suicide by taking poison after killing her daughters aged nine, five, three and one. Police sources claimed that Marazani, who was pregnant, had a stillbirth while in hospital where she was being treated, but personnel at the hospital said the pregnancy was intact. She handed herself to the police after committing the crime, but was admitted at Chivhu General Hospital, where she was put under police guard. Chivhu Hospital medical superintendent Alice Kanyemba said Marazani was in a stable condition. “She is at an advanced stage of pregnancy, but for now, no signs of complications have shown,” she said. It is reported that Marazani and her husband Lameck Brande had a dispute at the weekend after she saw a message from his alleged girlfriend, a Form 4 pupil at local school. Following the dispute, on Monday they went to Chirumanzi to seek advice from Marazani’s relatives and returned to Chivhu. Yesterday, Brande went to work, but Marazani, who was employed as a shop assistant in Chivhu, did not go to work and instead bought an unknown pesticide. When she returned home, she locked her four children in one room, tied the two older ones together and cut their throats with a kitchen knife. She then turned on the smaller ones and killed them too. Neighbours rushed to the scene after seeing smoke coming from the house and met Marazani who told them it was just a minor fire which she had already extinguished. She then left her house in haste, according to witnesses. “I quickly sent messages to various local WhatsApp groups when I saw smoke from the house, attempting to notify the house owners that their house was on fire, only to discover few minutes later the owner was actually there,” a witness, who preferred anonymity, said. Neighbours managed to retrieve the bodies of two younger girls, but the other two who were tied together were burnt beyond recognition. The house and the property were also destroyed by the fire. Police confirmed the incident. “The suspect, Emelda Marazani (29), had a marital dispute with her husband, Lameck Brande (43) and when the husband left for work in the morning, the suspect locked the children aged nine, five, three and one in the house. She took a rope and tied the other two elder children before slitting open their throats with a knife. The suspect went on to kill the other two children with the knife before setting the house on fire,” Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement last night. He said Marazani then drank poison which she had earlier bought before going out. “Neighbours saw some smoke and asked her what was happening. She said all was in order before she handed herself over to the police.”
After months of closure, schools have reopened Thursday in Senegal.
Unicef had deplored in early October that only one country in three from West and Central Africa has managed to reopen its schools for the start of the school year 2020-2021 on schedule.
Most of the students sitting Thursday in groups under the courtyard of an elementary school in Mbao, a suburb of Dakar, were not wearing masks. On the contrary, in a high school in Yoff, a working class neighborhood of the capital, most were wearing masks.
But these same students passed through the doors of the school without any provision to keep them at a distance from each other.
Four million students, from primary to secondary school, were expected to return to classes, but a number of them delayed their return, a common practice even outside of a pandemic.
Schools were closed in March after the first case of Covid-19 in the country. Only 500,000 students in examination classes had returned to school by June.
Since then, the pandemic appears to have been contained at low levels. Senegal reported 15,744 cases and 326 deaths.
Economic activity, which has been severely affected, is slowly resuming its course. But there is also a slackening of daily vigilance.
\"We have defined a health protocol with the Ministry of Health for the compulsory wearing of masks - except in preschool - hand washing, physical distancing,\" Ministry of Education spokesman Mohamed Moustapha Diagne said.
The authorities also assured that masks and gel would be transported for schools to remote localities.
\"We have not yet received a supply of masks and hydro-alcoholic gel,\" an official of the school in Mbao said anonymously.
\"Until last night, some schools in inland localities had not received their equipment in masks and gel,\" said a teacher union official, Abdoulaye Ndoye.
The start of the school year is also undermined by a financial dispute between private schools, which accommodate nearly a third of students, and parents.
Private schools demanded that parents pay for two to three months of schooling between April and June. Some parents reported in the press that they did not owe anything because classes were closed.
\"We recommend discussion between the schools and the families,\" said the ministry spokesman, assuring that the ministry had \"no legal basis to intervene\".
\"Only the state can settle this issue. It must have the political courage to do so,\" replied trade unionist Ndoye.
