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Kenyan Titus Ekiru, winner of the Milan marathon in May 2021, received a ten-year suspension for doping and obstructing the investigation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Monday.
The court enjoys global jurisdiction.
Investigators will now need the authorization of the court’s judges to open a probe. Bensouda appealed for support from Nigeria’s government.
She said the army has dismissed accusations against government troops after examining them.
Boko Haram strictly opposes formal education. In 2015, Nigeria enlisted the support of neighbors Chad, Cameroon and Niger to try and defeat the group.
While the joint operations made the group lose considerable territory, they have not been able to wipe it out.
The ICC has conducted investigations in several African countries. In Sudan, Libya and Ivory Coast, former leaders were indicted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity after the investigations.
ON December 9 2020, consumers and internet users nationwide struggled to access internet services as one of the biggest internet services provider ZOL Zimbabwe’s system was not working. The company issued a statement and this was one of the most widely felt disruptions of internet service platforms since the 2019 national internet shutdown. The disruptions had far-reaching implications on the provision of downstream services. In Zimbabwe, the ability to access critical services such as healthcare, education, banking and commerce can literally depend on the reliability of the internet at all times and the broader business online in the age of the global pandemic, COVID-19. Since the outbreak of the pandemic which limited face-to-face meetings, the majority of organisations are performing their business online. In 2016, the Information Communication Technology, and Cyber Security ministry issued the Postal and Telecommunications (Quality Services) Regulations. These quality service regulations apply to the quality of voice calls, SMS, internet and mobile data, customer services and postal services. It is not enough for both internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile network operators (MNOs), to blame system upgrades for prolonged interruptions of internet services. ISPs should uphold internet services standards to ensure that disruptions of internet services are minimised and consumer rights are protected while engaging on the platforms available. As Zimbabwe, as is the case with rest of the international community, grapples with containing the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, network resilience and responsiveness becomes a strategic national issue. Accordingly, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe second-quarter 2020 industry report noted: lThe COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the critical importance that telecommunications infrastructure plays in keeping businesses, governments, and societies connected and running. lAs a result, many telecom players providing broadband have benefitted from a surge in the traffic of data as shown in the report. l The exercise of the right to freedom of expression and to access information using the internet are central to the enjoyment of other rights and essential to bridging the digital divide. MISA Zimbabwe
Dr. Anthony Fauci is attempting to assuage the discomfort of Black people who are averse to taking the COVID-19 vaccine by noting a Black woman scientist
BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA HIGH Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero yesterday ordered ailing Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa to appear before him in person so that he assesses her wounds before he passes his judgment on whether she should be given her passport. Mubaiwa, through her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, had filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court for the release of her passport so that she seeks medical attention in South Africa. She had not come to court earlier in the morning, but her lawyer Mtetwa appeared on her behalf. But Justice Chikowero requested that the former model must be present in the court. The frail-looking Mubaiwa then came to court later in the afternoon and she visibly struggled to walk and had to be assisted throughout to get into the court. However, Justice Chikowero did not examine her wounds. Mubaiwa is out on bail on allegations of attempting to kill Chiwenga. She is also facing money-laundering and assault charges. Mubaiwa is suffering from a disease which causes swelling of the hands and feet. Her trial on allegations of assaulting her maid at Hellenic Primary School failed to kick off last month after Mtetwa, submitted to magistrate Trynos Wutawashe that she was not fit to stand trial. Last month, Mubaiwa was brought to the Harare Magistrates’ Court for remand in an ambulance and was carried on a stretcher to the courtroom where she was seated in a wheelchair, with two medical aides at her attention. She had been issued with two warrants of arrest for failing to appear in court. In her urgent application to have her passport released, Mtetwa argued that it was important that Mubaiwa gets medical attention so that she will be able to stand trial. She told the court that Mubaiwa also wants to seek medical attention out of the country just like Chiwenga who is often airlifted to China for medical attention. Mtetwa said she was unable to access adequate medical care locally, adding that she cannot stand trial in her current condition. Mtetwa also submitted pictures of Mubaiwa’s wounds to the court as evidence of her condition. The State, led by Sharon Fero, acknowledged the need for Mubaiwa to get medical attention, stating that it was her constitutional right which ought to be respected. But Fero argued that Mubaiwa could seek medical attention locally because some of her accomplices in one of the charges are in South Africa and, therefore, there is a possibility of interference. Justice Chikowero reserved his judgment.
The Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, along with the Ward 7 Business Partnership, has been awarded a DC Main Streets Grant by the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development.
PETROJAM Limited has donated fuel valued at $350,000 to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to offset transportation expenses related to the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz symbolically handed over the fuel to state minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, during a ceremony at the refinery's Marcus Garvey Drive facility on Wednesday.
By NOMAAN MERCHANT, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a lawsuit backed by President Donald Trump to overturn Joe Biden's election victory, ending a desperate attempt to get legal issues rejected by state and federal judges before the nation's highest court. The court's order was its second this week rebuffing Republican requests that it get involved in the 2020 election outcome and overturn the will of voters as expressed in an election regarded by both Republican and Democratic officials as free and fair. The justices turned away an appeal […]
The post Supreme Court rejects Republican attack on Biden victory appeared first on Black News Channel.
BY SHELTON MASINA A MAN from Dekezi area in Filabusi under Chief Sibasa went berserk beheading one of his three wives after he found her having sex with a local herdman. Zama Mafu, allegedly beheaded his wife with an axe on Wednesday after finding her having sexual intercourse with one of the local herdman from the area. According to a close family member who narrated the tragic event on condition of anonymity, Mafu was greatly distressed after finding one of his wives intimate with a herdman. “This did not go well with Mafu because he failed to control his temper and murdered his wife with an axe,” a family source said. “Mafu was practicing polygamy and he built one of his homesteads in Dekezi a place commonly known as Nyoni. I really do not know what prompted him to do such a horrific act in our area. He was always sober-minded and rational,” one of his friends who identified himself as Xolani said. It is alleged that after Mafu beheaded his wife with an axe, he committed suicide by drinking cattle dip. He died upon admission at Filabusi Hospital. “After beheading his wife, he committed suicide by drinking cattle dip and died upon admission at Filabusi Hospital,” a close family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. Efforts to get a comment from Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele were fruitless as he was not picking calls.
Four years ago, The Weeknd's brand XO collaborated with Puma to release apparel and sneakers, and other celebrities were keen to follow suit, like Rihanna and Kylie Jenner. And for the past two years, he has been quiet on the clothing front, mainly focusing his energy on the music. But on Saturday, December 12, the […]
Supporters of President Félix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of Congo celebrated on Thursday night as parliament voted to oust pro-Kabila speaker, Jeanine Mabunda. It's the latest round of a bitter dispute between President Felix Tshisekedi and supporters of Joseph Kabila.
A total of 484 lawmakers out of 500 were present. Some 281 voted in favor, while 200 voted against.
\"We are happy because Jeannine Mabunda has been removed from the National Assembly, we are very happy about her removal. This spirit of Kabilism is finally disappearing, we only need Felix Tshiskedi\", José Ngalamulumbe, a Tshisekedi supporters said.
On the floor of parliament, the move to oust Jeanine Mabunda elicited mixed reactions.
\"The departure of this office is the departure of Mr. Kabila, it's the end of Kabila's reign\", pro-Tshisekdi allied lawmaker said.
For Paulin Kashomba, a pro-Kabila Member of Parliament, \"Everything we've done here has had a manufactured basis of cheating. In fact, we had to reject this whole parade we're seeing here and we didn't even have to vote.\"
Kabila's supporters in the Common Front of the Congo party accuse President Tshisekedi of breaching the constitution.
Earlier, the speaker had asked the assembly to reject the petition against her due to ‘’purely technical and non-political reasons.’’
The roots of the crisis date back to the handover of power between Kabila and Tshisekedi in January 2019.
It was the DR Congo's first peaceful political transition since its independence from Belgium in 1960.
But Kabila, who is still only 49 after ruling for 18 years, retains huge clout through political allies and appointees in the military.
By Sentinel News Service The Black Lives Matter PAC responds to former President Barack Obama’s recent remarks about “losing people with snappy slogans” and formally announces the launch of the organization’s Snappy Slogan campaign. The campaign can be found at http://www.snappyslogan.com. President Obama thinks you lose people with snappy slogans like #DefundThePolice. Our movement believes when leaders waste time criticizing a hashtag instead of talking about stopping the murders committed by law enforcement and white supremacists, we lose Black lives. If the former President is worried about whether #DefundThePolice is the right slogan, we must make it known that this […]
The post OP-ED: Black Lives Matter responds to President Obama with the launch of the Snappy Slogan campaign appeared first on Black News Channel.
It's been nearly a year since Tony Award-winning actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr. has been able to see his... View Article
The post Leslie Odom Jr. talks staying connected and making music during this challenging holiday season appeared first on TheGrio.
By JONATHAN LEMIRE, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Friday pressed Food and Drug Administration chief Stephen Hahn to grant an emergency use authorization for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine by the end of the day or face possible firing, two administration officials said. The vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech won a critical endorsement Thursday from an FDA panel of outside advisers, and signoff from the agency — which was expected this weekend — is the next step needed to get the shots to the […]
The post White House threatens FDA chief's job over vaccine approval appeared first on Black News Channel.
As the country finds itself knee-deep in a second wave of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, Wits University’s professor of vaccinology, Shabir Madhi, has called for a ban of poorly ventilated indoor events in an effort to curb the further rise in infections.
Garikai Mafirakureva Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACCc) investigating officer, Lindiwe Sabeka this week gave evidence against two Chiredzi Town Council officials who were facing criminal abuse of office charges. The two council officials, town Engineer, Wesley Kauma and town planner Consider Kubiku, appeared before Chiredzi Regional magistrate Judith Zuyu, after the corruption case was transferred from the magistrate’s court. Sabeka in her findings nailed the two top council executives when she took to the witness stand. Kubiku and Kauma were arrested by the Zaac on four counts of criminal abuse of office early this year after United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Uchirra) wrote to ZACC informing them of underhand dealings involving residential stands by council officials. They are currently out on $10 000 bail each. Kauma and Kubiku are facing four counts of criminal abuse of office dating back to 2015 when Kubiku, who was the acting Housing Director, facilitated their acquisition of stands measuring 3 609 square metres and 3 610 square metres respectively at a ridiculously low price of $500 which they did not even bother to pay. Kubiku later sold his stand to Kauma, and the agreement of sale was produced in court by the investigating officer, which showed that he never paid anything to council as was required. Kauma proceeded to construct buildings without following proper council procedures. According to the investigating officer the two executives’ actions resulted in depriving the local authority of its revenue collection by allocating themselves land which they did not pay for. “We received an anonymous report at our office sometime in May 2020 that Chiredzi Town Council employees are abusing their office. “We then visited the local authority in September this year. “We went through the files and we noted that most of the stands in question belonged to Wesley Kauma and Consider Kubiku, the executive members of council,” Sabeka said. Sabeka also said the accounting system indicated that all stands in question were never paid for while one of them which measured 3457 square metres was only paid US$200 leaving a balance of US$800. Sabeka said Kubiku had the duty to ensure developmental control of stands in Chiredzi, to ensure that no illegal developments are mushrooming and that building inspection fees are paid for but he ignored because Kauma was his best friend. Prosecutor Noel Muranda for the State said the stand measuring 451sq m was fully-developed despite the fact that no payment was made. The duo is being represented by Wellington Muzenda of Muzenda and Chitsama Attorneys and the case was remanded to December 14, 2020 for judgment.
Making Sense of 2020 focuses on the year from a journalists and newsroom perspective. The year 2020 is a year unlike any other, and Chicago newsrooms and journalists, were challenged to cover the multitude of issues and events happening simultaneously. WTTW's new series, Making Sense of 2020, explores the problems Chicagoans faced this year. Its … Continued
The post WTTW’s, Making Sense of 2020 Focuses on an Unprecedented Year. appeared first on Chicago Defender.
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer When it was announced Nov. 13 that state Rep. Austin Davis was elected chairman of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation for the 2021-22 legislative session, he became the first African American to ever hold the title. That’s all fine and dandy, but Rep. Davis said that “being … Continued
The post Austin Davis named chair of Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation appeared first on New Pittsburgh Courier.
The president of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, who is one of the world's longest-serving leaders, will seek a fourth term in elections due next March, the country's ruling coalition said on Thursday.
The 77-year-old has led the central African country, also called Congo-Brazzaville for a total of 36 years since he first became president in 1979.
His bid to run for the top job comes after nominations by the 17 parties that make up his presidential majority.
\"The presidential majority believes that of all its leaders, it is President Sassou Nguesso who holds all the trump cards,\" said Pierre Moussa, acting chairman of the parties in the coalition.
He has yet to announce his candidacy but he could do so during a speech to the Nation on December 19 when he could also set the date of the vote which is scheduled for March 2021.
Bloodshed
The country staged a referendum in 2015 to remove a 70 year age limit and a ban on presidents serving more than two terms.
The move paved the way for Sassou Nguesso to secure a third term in elections in March 2016, which sparked bloodshed.
His rivals, former general Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and former minister Andre Okombi Salissa, disputed the results.
They were arrested, put on trial and each handed 20 years in jail on charges of undermining state security.
Congo is an oil-rich but impoverished country.
It is in the grip of a deep economic crisis, triggered by the slump in oil prices but worsened by long-standing debt and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Higher Coronavirus Infections and an Even Lower Death Rate
The Covid-19 pandemic hit Kenya in March with around 20,636 cases and 341 deaths reported at July's end. Figures significantly lower than those in Europe and the United States. However, recent testing is revealing that more Kenyans could be infected than initially believed.
Isabella Ochola-Oyier, the Head of the Biosciences department at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Wellcome Trust, explains the essence of the tests used in the study.
\"The PCR test tells you who has an active viral infection at the time, so who has the virus in their system. The antibody test tells you this person may have been affected in the recent past, may be infected or may have been exposed to the infection. That means they may have been in contact with somebody who was positive for SARS-CoV2.\"
Infected and Healthy
As per a study based on antibody tests on over 3,000 blood sample donors between April to mid-June, doctors state the real number of infected people went unnoticed because many may have been asymptomatic. Isabella Ochola-Oyier, further explains the studies' findings in real terms.
\"What we have been able to understand from the data we have been receiving for the COVID-19 testing because we support the six coastal counties in Kenya, was that a large proportion of the individuals earlier on in the pandemic asymptomatic which means they have the virus but don't show any clinical signs of just coughing or sneezing, or the standard signs that we know of. That means that they are roaming around in the population with the virus but not being sick and they are not aware that they have the virus.\"
Even Higher Recovery Rate
Kenya's low official infection rate could also be due to its young population of people who were more likely to be asymptomatic or have mild infections with relatively few hospitalisations as well as the strict containment measures and the limited PCR tests available. Ahmed Kalebi, the CEO and consultant pathologist at Pathologists Lancet Kenya, appears to corroborate how the findings have played out within Kenya society.
\"The infection is actually quite prevalent, not dissimilar to other countries in the world, the similarity. What is different is we are not seeing as much (many) people getting sick, getting admitted (to the hospital) and dying compared to the other countries which had similar prevalence in terms of the infection.\"
The study has not tested whether the antibodies generated in the sample population has resulted in immunity against future infections.
As Covid-19 cases spiked and a racial reckoning exploded over the summer, more than half of Black and Latino adults felt angry about the state of the country.The number of Black adults who said they were angry dropped to 41% in the weeks after Nov. 3 from …
Statement of Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II December 11, 2020 I would like to congratulate Walnut Way Conservation Corp, a neighborhood-based nonprofit known for its innovative work in economic and environmental health and wellness, and their leadership for cutting the ribbon this week on the second phase of the Innovations & Wellness Commons (“The […]
The post Walnut Way leading the way with second phase of Commons project in Lindsay Heights appeared first on Milwaukee Community Journal.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) welcomes a \"landmark\" ruling by Kenya's High Court that ordered the government to pay compensation to four female survivors of a wave of sexual violence that unfurled after violently disputed elections in 2007.
The four will each receive the equivalent of around $36,000, while another four plaintiffs -- two women and two men -- had their cases dismissed.
The government was responsible for a \"failure to conduct independent and effective investigations and prosecutions of SGBV (sexual and gender-based violence)-related crimes during the post-election violence,\" the court said.
The result, it said, was a \"violation of their constitutional rights\".
Rights groups found that more than 1,100 people were killed and at least 900 people suffered sexual assaults, including gang rape and castration.
Years later, the International Criminal Court in The Hague indicted Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for crimes against humanity, but both cases collapsed when witnesses failed to testify.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), a charity that helped bring Thursday's case to court, welcomed the \"landmark\" ruling, saying it was the first time in Kenya that post-election sexual violence has been recognised by the government, and compensation offered.
\"After more than seven years of litigation ad delays, some justice has finally been served,\" said Naitore Nyamu, head of PHR's Kenya office.
\"This is a historic day for survivors of the rampant sexual violence perpetrated in the aftermath of the 2007 election.\"
One of the compensated survivors said, \"We are happy that the court has finally recognised the harm that we suffered as victims. However, we do not understand why the court separated us and did not offer compensation for the other four victims.\"
Violence -- including sexual violence -- continues to be a staple of presidential elections in Kenya, where the next vote is due in August 2022.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The Trump administration Thursday carried out its ninth federal execution of the year in what has been a first series of executions during a presidential lame-duck period in 130 years, putting to death a Texas street-gang member in the slayings of a religious couple from Iowa more than two decades […]
The nation's top infectious diseases expert, Anthony Fauci, recently addressed skepticism among the Black community surrounding the safety of a coronavirus vaccine, stating that one of the major vaccine candidates has been worked on by an African
A Marginalised Yemeni Community Descended From Africa
No community in Yemen has suffered more from the current war than Al-Muhamasheen — a term which literally translates to ‘the marginalised ones.’
A name adopted by members of the ethnic group themselves to escape the derogatory term of ‘Akhdam’ i.e. ‘servants’ in the Yemeni spoken Arabic dialect — by which they are often referred by the rest of the broader Yemeni society.
A society in which the Muhamasheen have experienced centuries of discrimination, exploitation and poverty — judged as the lowest part of the social hierarchy.
Who Are the People of this Black Community?
While there are no official statistics on the size of the Yemini underclass community, the UN has reported that there are up to 3.5 million Muhamasheen in Yemen.
Many believe the ethnic origins of the group descends from enslaved African or Ethiopian soldiers from as far back as the sixth century. And although Yemen has officially abolished its caste system, the legacy of centuries of discrimination persists today.
War is Worse for \"Second-Class\" Citizens
Rawiah Saei, a member of the Muhamasheen community who has set up camp in a cave with her family after fleeing the violence. She shares the hardship she and her family are currently undergoing.
\"I feed my children lunch and dinner all at once in the afternoon. I always go to look for food and ask people. Sometimes my husband gets paid for work he does, and sometimes he doesn't. He sometimes brings one kilo of flour and sometimes he brings nothing. I swear, I cooked yesterday afternoon and kept the little leftovers we had for today. I swear sometimes we fall asleep hungry. We also can't find water and spend the whole day looking for it.\"
A History of Discrimination in Yemen
The dismal conditions of the cave sanctuary in which Rawiah Saei and her family find themselves are sadly not a far cry from the typical indecent lifestyles the Muhamasheen have been subjected to in Yemen for hundreds of years. The Muhamasheen have mostly been confined to slums on the outskirts of cities and relegated to menial low-paid — such as garbage collection and cleaning as they are typically blocked from economic opportunities and suffer from higher rates of unemployment.
To top it off, the justly self-named marginalised community also generally live in abject poverty and even lack access to basic services such as water, sanitation and education.
WESTERN BUREAU: Several Westmoreland residents are not surprised that their parish has now emerged as the epicentre of the nation’s COVID-19 cases, including Custos Hartley Perrin, who is among those who are deeply worried about persons who are...
PORT ANTONIO, Portland: British High Commissioner to Jamaica Asif Ahmad said he is impressed with Jamaica’s coronavirus preparation, response, and state of readiness, noting that it is exemplary. Ahmad was speaking at the launch/groundbreaking of...
1. Susan Rice to Lead Biden Domestic Policy Council What You Need To Know: Foreign Policy expert, Dr. Susan Rice, has been selected to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council. 2. Black Democratic State Rep Stripped of Duties for 'Unacceptable' Response to Lynching Threats What You Need To Know: Michigan state Rep. Cynthia Johnson, […]
South Africa's chief justice on Friday vehemently defended a prayer he made against \"satanic\" Covid-19 vaccines, seeming to refer to a conspiracy theory that they could \"infuse 666\" into people's DNA.
Mogoeng Mogoeng, a devout Christian, came under strong criticism on social media following the prayer at an event in Johannesburg on Thursday to honour people who died from Covid-19 in Africa's hardest-hit country.
\"I lockout every demon of Covid-19, I lock out any vaccine that is not of you, if there be any vaccine that is of the devil meant to infuse 666 in the lives of people, meant to corrupt your DNA,\" he said in the prayer.
On Friday he told a media conference that he would not be dissuaded from speaking against or praying against possible \"satanic\" vaccines.
\"You can't say we must, as Christians, just fold our arms and say 'whatever people come with' is fine. No. We can't,\" he said.
\"If there is a vaccine with 666, I want God to destroy it. If there is any vaccine meant to corrupt the DNA of people, I'm asking God to interrupt it. Any clean vaccine, they must produce it quickly,\" he said.
On Wednesday South Africa declared that it had entered a second wave of the pandemic as the number of new infections surged, with nearly 837,000 cumulative cases and more than 22,700 deaths.
The government has warned against spreading misinformation about the coronavirus, as it waits to secure its first vaccine doses through the COVAX global distribution scheme.
But Mogoeng said he was unfazed by any backlash and that nothing stopped him from commenting on any issues because of his judicial responsibilities.
\"This is a free country. I'm not going to be silenced. I don't care about the consequences,\" he said.
In June this year the judge sparked an outcry for remarks seen as pledging support for Israel.
\"I cannot, as a Christian, do anything other than love and pray for Israel,\" he said then.
AFP
… was worked on by an African American woman, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett.
… rebuilt,” she added.
Although Black Americans and other people of color … said they would not.
“Black Americans have been hit hard by … that only 14% of Black Americans and 34% of Latino …
