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The Democratic Labour Party is making a case for a return to house-to-house testing of residents to counter the rapid spread of coronavirus infections. Spokesman on health for the DLP Andre Worrell has suggested the introduction of a mechanism similar to Operation Seek and Save which was effective earlier this year in helping to identify […]
The post DLP urges return to house to house testing appeared first on Barbados Today.
\t While no one claimed responsibility for the attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif pointed the finger at Israel, calling the killing an act of ``\"state terror.''
\t ``Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardice _ with serious indications of Israeli role _ shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators,'' Zarif wrote on Twitter.
Many Clarendon sorrel farmers who had been hoping to cash in on Jamaicans’ love for the popular holiday drink are counting their losses, with recent rains almost entirely wiping out their crop. A member of the hibiscus family, the flower of the...
The fifth episode of Shelea, a radio drama that chronicles women struggles and triumphs in contemporary society, has cautioned society on the dangers of fraudulent money-making scams known as pyramid schemes. BY WINSTONE ANTONIO This come as Zimbabweans have fallen victim to the scams losing fortunes to masterminds of these fraudulent schemes. The drama is a compelling story of a young female politician, Shelea, who faces hurdles as she tries to balance between being a wife and mother at the same time making a difference in her community. Written by Sitshengisiwe Olinda Siziba and produced by Patsimeredu Edutainment Trust, the drama is part of a She-Leads Project being spearheaded by Hivos in partnership with the Irish Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. The episode opens with a conversation between main character Shelea Gore speaking to her maid Sisi Kiri who was a victim of fraudulent pyramid scheme that was being run by her potential fiancé who eventually dumped her. “I have a heartbreak madam, do you remember my potential candidate whom I used to talk about? “He has dumped me. “I was introduced to this guy by a friend of mine and we started dating without any problems and I was deeply in love with him madam, I am heartbroken, I am crushed madam,” Kiri said. “I was involved in a lot of investment deals with him as I thought we had a long-term relationship. “I had recruited other women who are my friends and I don’t know how I am going to tell them that he disappeared with their money.” Narrating her ordeal to her boss on how she was enticed to join a pyramid scheme, Kiri said she was advised to take advantage of the COVID-19-induced lockdown to make money in the comfort of her home. “Madam this man advised me that if I had some money it would be wise to invest in his project (pyramid scheme). “He assured me that with as little as US$13, the joining fee, I would get US$7 500 as interest or profit,” she said. “I decided to give him more money so that I could get more profits than just putting in US$13. I have been paying into the pyramid scheme and even the recent salary that you paid me, I took it there.” For her to make more money, Kiri said, she was encouraged to recruit more people to subscribe to the scheme. “I had recruited my friends, more than six people, and one of the women who had been impressed by the offer had to remove roofing sheets from her house and sell them to contribute to the scheme and now it is about to rain what will she do after the man varnished with her money,” she said. “Now he has switched off his phone, his office has been closed and now the women want their money, how will I tell them that he disappeared with their money? Shelea told her that most pyramid scheme fraudsters targeted poor women who would have struggled to obtain the money. “Sisi Kiri by now you should know that money does not grow on trees. “It’s so sad that people keep falling for this trick over and over again. “It is not realistic that someone makes an investment of US$13 and get a profit of US$7 500 just because they
With the holiday shopping season now in full swing, it's time to make it a point to buy Black.
ST JOHN’S (CMC): Information Minister Melford Nicholson yesterday announced that Michael Browne, 44 – the legislator who resigned as education minister on Wednesday – has been arrested and charged. The information minister did not state the nature...
GOVERNMENT is considering cutting the sizes of stands in low-density suburbs to create room for more human settlement saying there was a lot of space which was underutilised. BY RICHARD MUPONDE The move, which is not a policy position, is a proposal to landlords to fully utilise their land and derive value from it. In an interview yesterday, National Housing and Social Amenities minister Daniel Garwe said the issue was a suggestion to make landowners see that they were seating on gold. “There is no land appropriation or acquisition,” Garwe said. “That is far-fetched. We are saying, ‘people, you are seating on gold and you don’t realise that because you are holding on to land for prestige’. If you have, let’s say five acres, why don’t you dispose of four acres either by outright disposal or wait for any investments to come.” He said there were good examples of such a practice in the neighbouring South Africa, where plush houses are seating on small pieces of land. “For example, we have the plush suburb of Sandton. Most of those houses sit on 500 square metres or less. It is not about a big stand, but the quality of the houses. So it should be understood that this is not a policy position, but a conversation,” he said. Garwe first revealed the issue at a Parliament pre-budget seminar last week. He said his ministry was working closely with the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) so that the land is subdivided and increase the number of houses in low-density areas. “Those who live in Borrowdale are aware that the stands are five acres, two acres and the minimum 100 square metres. “A house and every activity in that space occupies less than 2 000 square metres, so the other is dead space. We are now working closely with ZIDA to motivate the development of such dead spaces so that we increase the number of human settlements, the number of houses, clusters including in all low-density suburbs,” he said. The minister’s sentiments come at a time local authorities are saddled with huge housing waiting lists, with Harare City Council alone recording over one million. ZIDA, which was established by the government and is supervised by the Office of the President and Cabinet, will help push for investments in the areas, Garwe said. Harare has run out of land after barons parcelled out large tracts of State land to unsuspecting home seekers, who established illegal settlements.
By NICOLE WINFIELD and TRISHA THOMAS Associated Press ROME (AP) — The Vatican's Santa Marta hotel was built to sequester cardinals during papal elections. It's now sequestering soon-to-be cardinals in town for this weekend's ceremony to get their red hats: A handful are in protective coronavirus quarantine, confined to their rooms on Vatican orders and getting meals delivered to their doors. The 10-day quarantines, with COVID-19 tests administered at the start and finish, are just one example of how Saturday's ceremony to elevate new cardinals is like nothing the Holy See has ever seen. 'They told me it would be […]
The post New cardinals quarantine in pope's hotel ahead of ceremony appeared first on Black News Channel.
ST JOHN'S, Antigua - Information Minister Melford Nicholson yesterday announced that Michael Browne, 44, - the legislator who resigned as education minister on Wednesday - has been arrested and charged.The information minister did not state the nature of the charge.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the National Reserves of the Jamaica Defence Force will be deployed across the country as of December 1, to give support to the police during the Christmas season.\t“In our discussions yesterday [Thursday] at...
Ex-Health minister Obadiah Moyo’s former aide was yesterday arrested and charged with criminal abuse of office for allegedly illegally facilitating issuance of visas to gold dealer, Ali Muhamad and his family. BY WINSTONE ANTONIO Gideon Mapokotera was yesterday picked by law enforcement agents and charged with contravening section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23. Mapokotera is alleged to have created visa application letters on June 18, 2019 for a single entry visa, September 26, 2019 for a multiple entry visa and November 24, 2019 and for multiple entry visas for Muhamad’s family — wife and six children. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest. “Allegations are that Gideon Mapokotera generated letters as the personal assistant to the minister applying visas for Ali Muhamad and family to gain access into the country without the minister or permanent secretary’s authority or approval or knowledge,” he said. “He was arrested for abuse of office and is being questioned by the police.” Muhamad has a case pending before the courts, where he is charged together with suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya and three others for smuggling and unlawful possession of gold. This was after Rushwaya, a former football administrator, was intercepted with 6kg of gold worth US$330 000 in her hand luggage at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport which she allegedly intended to smuggle to Dubai.
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has announced a pilot programme to improve efficiency by streamlining its billing cycles, with greater convenience for customers. The streamlining of the company’s billing cycles will mean that customers’...
The ruling by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals was a complete repudiation of President Trump’s effort to halt Pennsylvania’s certification process. Mr. Trump committed to leave the White House in January if the electors vote, as expected, for President-elect Joe Biden on Dec. 14.
In the latest news on Friday 27 November, we keep a watch on Black Friday, and examine the Covid-19 surge warning for the Eastern Cape.
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) board last night suspended Zifa chief executive Joseph Mamutse from all football activities amid reports that the Under-17 boys and girls teams travelled to South Africa for international assignments without clearance from the supreme sports governing body. BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho was also placed under suspension to pave way for an investigation into the circumstances under which “authority” was purportedly granted, in retrospect, for the teams to travel to South Africa. Sports and recreation development director Sebastian Garikai was redeployed to act in Mupazviriho’s stead pending the outcome of the investigations. The SRC, which had initially refused to clear the Under-20 soccer team which is also set to travel to South Africa, capitulated and advised Zifa that it will grant exemption to enable the team to make the trip for the Cosafa tournament. The supreme sports governing body, however, clarified that any final authorisation would be at the instance of the Sport and Health ministries in light of the COVID-19 regulations. “Notwithstanding the clear provisions of the law and related guidelines, policies and directives relating to the undertaking of external tours by football teams representing Zimbabwe at various age and gender groups under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), the SRC board notes the persistent flouting of the aforesaid framework in place, with the attendant controversies and embarrassments to the country,” SRC board chairperson Gerald Mhlotshwa said in a statement. “Noting the need to balance the interests of athletes against the need to hold accountable those administrators responsible for these shortcomings, the board of commissioners of the SRC has resolved as follows:- “1. The placement of the general-secretary/CEO of Zifa, Joseph Mamutse, under immediate suspension from all forms of football administration pending an investigation into the circumstances under which:- “1.1 The Zimbabwe national women’s football team left Zimbabwe to participate in a tournament in South Africa without the necessary approval from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation (Sports ministry) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (‘Health ministry’) in light of the COVID-19 regulations and attendant directives thereto; “1.2 The Zimbabwe national Under-17 girls’ football team left Zimbabwe to participate in a tournament in South Africa without the necessary approval from the Sports ministry in conjunction with the Health ministry in light of the COVID-19 regulations and attendant directives thereto; “1.3 The circumstances under which the Zimbabwe national Under-17 boys’ football team left Zimbabwe to participate in a tournament in South Africa without the necessary approval from the Sports ministry in conjunction with the Health ministry in light of the COVID-19 regulations and attendant directives thereto; “1.4 The circumstances under which the Zimbabwe national Under-17 boy’s football
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has warned residents to be wary of a possible second Covid-19 surge in January, when people return home from the festive season.
Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says that the ticketing system for breaches of the coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines will be ready soon.\tHolness, who was responding to questions during the recent sitting of the House of Representatives, said the...
The 2020-21 farming season started badly in Chiredzi after a 21-year-old Hippo Valley man was struck and killed by lighting on Sunday night this week. BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA According to a police report, the deceased, Herbert Mukwetura of Chishamiso village, was in the company of four workmates on their way to work at Tongaat Huletts Hippo Valley Mill. Mukwetura died on the spot, while his colleagues were immediately rushed to Hippo Valley Medical Centre for treatment, where they were said to be in a stable condition. The report further states that the five were struck by a bolt of lightning on a flyover on their way to the mill. These were the first rains in Chiredzi. Violent thunderstorms characterised by strong winds have so far destroyed infrastructure and a number of residents were left homeless in various provinces across the country including Gwanda since the onset of the rain season. In Chipinge, roofs of two classroom blocks at Chisavanye Primary School in ward 22 of Musikavanhu constituency were blown away two weeks ago. Climate experts predict higher than average rainfall in the 2020-21 cropping season. According to the latest Global Agricultural Geo-monitoring Initiative global outlook report, Southern Africa may receive more rainfall compared to the 2019-20 farming season pointing towards greater chances of a La Nina. The Meteorological Services Department has since issued a warning to the public about weather-related hazards including floods, hailstorms, and lightning among others as the rainy season starts. Having experienced Cyclone Idai in 2019, climate change and disaster preparedness now becomes important themes for discussion in Zimbabwe. Follow NewsDay on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
THEODORE WHITMORE'S Jamaica, fresh from their troubled tour of Saudi Arabia, remain in the top...
The post Catalonia lined up for Jamaica’s next friendly appeared first on Voice Online.
CIVIC society organisations have confronted Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda over Parliament’s submissive role to Zanu PF, a situation they claimed was stalling development in Matabeleland region. BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE The allegations came up during Mudenda’s meeting with civic society organisations in Bulawayo during his nationwide tour to educate citizens about the role and operations of the Legislature. Gwanda resident Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo said Zanu PF had a lot of influence on parliamentary business, blaming it on the alleged marginalisation of Matabeleland as a region. He alleged that most developmental projects were spearheaded by parliamentary committees led by Zanu PF. “We do not see how Parliament is performing its role of oversight. There are many reports that get into Parliament and no actual outcome is seen. It seems the ruling party has more power over Parliament,” Fuzwayo said. “Government leaves many projects unfinished. For example, in Gwanda, we have a court that has not been completed for 15 years now. The road from Gwanda to Maphisa has also not been finished for so many years.” He said in 2018, they had to chase away a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for not taking the people’s views to Parliament after public consultations. But Mudenda dismissed the claims that Zanu PF controlled Parliament business. “There is nothing like that in parliamentary committees. They are composed of MPs from across the political affiliations represented in Parliament. The chairmanship is shared by the Standing Rules and Order Committee which is the executive of Parliament,” Mudenda said. “The opposition MDC chairs seven committees, including one of the most important committees on Public Accounts, which must always be handled by members of the opposition in most jurisdictions throughout the world.” Mudenda said that was the reason why the MDC Alliance MP, Tendai Biti was the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). “Some of the reports that have been published on our website by Biti are very scathing in their oversight response on how the government is operating in terms of the use of public funds,” Mudenda said, adding that PAC worked with the Auditor-General’s Office to expose misuse of funds. “The reports and recommendations have been taken on board, for example, the Nssa forensic report has resulted in the arrest of several high-ranking officials at the National Social Security Authority.” Mudenda said the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy’s report had led to the arrest of the former Energy minister (Samuel Undenge) who is currently languishing in jail. He said reports by the Committee on Health had also exposed corruption at the National Pharmaceutical Company. Follow Praisemore on Twitter @TPraisemore
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says that the Government is examining measures to facilitate funerals with restrictive protocols.Ceremonies are prohibited as part of measures to contain transmission of the novel coronavirus. However, burials are allowed with strict observation and enforcement of the 15-person rule.
LOCAL digital storyteller and founder of FotoKulture, a conceptual and portraiture art company Ernest Muvunzi says through his photographic skills he seeks to inspire and remind people living in the high-density suburbs (ghetto) that there is nothing shameful about their daily lifestyle. BY KENNEDY NYAVAYA High-density suburbs across the country have for long been branded havens of crime and drug abuse among other sorts of immoral activities. In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Muvunzi said using one perspective to depict life in the high-density suburbs had tainted the beauty they convey. “Photography can be used to dispel widespread and often baseless negative perceptions that ghettos are dingy, filled with decadence and retrogressive behaviour,” he said. “My main wish is to inspire the ghetto demographic that there is nothing wrong or shameful about living in the ghetto and I want my work to show them how beautiful their life is so that no one should define the narrative better than them.” The 25-year-old Dzivarasekwa-bred artist who is a product of the ghetto, said he was a self-taught photographer whose work was highly concept, portrait art-based and used grungy township motifs. “In an attempt to reflect the beauty from what is generally viewed as unpleasant, my main drive is to rewrite the African narrative because those who have made it in life have made those who have not, most particularly in the ghetto, lose the belief in where they belong,” he said. “Many people shy away from associating with the ghetto and always want to capture their moments only when they are miles from the dusty township surfaces.” Muvunzi, who is also a professional graphic designer, said living his early life in the rural areas before coming to live in the ghetto exposed him to the dynamic nature of life. “People, who do not come from where we come from think that because we are living in poverty and marginalised communities we are always sad and gloomy, but actually that is the opposite. That energy got me inspired and my work tries to portray the happy side of the ghetto,” he said. Muvunzi worked with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe as creative designer in 2016 before doing photographic work for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and later joined the National Taskforce on Command Agriculture as their photographer and graphic designer. Follow Kennedy on Twitter @ken_nyavaya
The UAE Has Supposedly Halted Travel Visas
In light of an as yet unconfirmed and unexplained alleged ban on foreign visitors by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reports are coming out of several travel agencies located in countries on the African continent and the Middle East who claim that the issuing of new visas to citizens on their soil has been momentarily stopped.
The news — or speculation, comes amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the UAE's normalisation deal with Israel.
According to a document which surfaced this week and was leaked this week from Dubai’s state-owned airport free zone, restrictions against a range of nationalities have been declared and it appears that the supposed ban is confusingly aimed at 11 Muslim majority nations - in addition to Kenya and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, citing an order from the country’s immigration authorities, the note to companies operating in Dubai’s airport free zone announced a pause in issuing all new employment, long and short-term visit visas “until further notice” from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iraq and Tunisia.
No Official Response From UAE Authorities
No reason has been offered and Emirati authorities are yet to acknowledge the suspension of issuing travel visas.
When asked by The Associated Press (AP) about the order, the country's immigration department said it’s “not aware of any formal list of nationalities requiring visa suspension.” Dubai’s airport free zone confirmed the veracity of the document to the AP and said it was waiting for further clarification from officials.
Meanwhile, across the region, agencies and authorities say their citizens are forbidden from entering the UAE.
Rumours and Speculations
The reports have reached social media where network feeds and news outlets worldwide with many foreigners wondering about the news concerning the country where expat workers and visitors outnumber locals nearly nine to one.
In Kenya, locals are speculating over the supposed travel-ban and some people assume that the East African nation has made it onto the list over an incident involving forged certificates of “negative” coronavirus test results that were used in an attempt to travel to the region and resulted in 21 arrests on Thursday.
People Want Answers
On a more official level, four travel agencies in Nairobi, the capital city, stated that they were seeking clarification from Emirati authorities after dozens of tourist visas were rejected.
According to one of the aforementioned agencies, Travel Shore Africa, 40 of its clients travelling to for Dubai had been blocked from boarding their flights at the last-minute on Thursday.
All this comes as the UAE welcomes Israeli tourists for the first time in history and right in the middle of the pandemic that sees a surge in confirmed cases across the region. In addition, foreigners looking for work in the federation of seven sheikhdoms increasingly overstay their tourist visas amid a cascade of business shutdowns and lay-offs.
LAFARGE Cement Zimbabwe, in partnership with Practical Action, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for sustainable development, will today conduct training with local journalists on sustainability reporting. BY Staff Reporter In a statement, Larfage said the one-day workshop was aimed at equipping participants with in-depth insight into corporate and community sustainability issues so as to further enhance the quality of reporting on the subject. “This workshop is a first of a series that Lafarge will be convening in the coming years. As a corporate with a strong commitment to operating a sustainable business model in Zimbabwe, we believe that creating a platform for knowledge-sharing on sustainable development with journalists will go a long way in influencing impactful sustainable business and social practices,” Lafarge spokesperson Tsungie Manyeza said. Practical Action said it believed in doing things differently by placing ingenious ideas to work so people in low-income communities can change their world. “It is against this background that Practical Action found this training programme a valuable investment towards the overall sustainable development narrative in Zimbabwe,” it said.
A report has pointed to the lack of legal recognition of transgender persons and the continued criminalisation of same-sex relations between consulting adult men are among factors driving a high level of discrimination against lesbian, gay,...
