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Congo is seeking to eliminate armed groups in its restive east, and introduced martial law in North Kivu and Ituri provinces
\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.
By Vernon A. Williams Nobody saw 2020 coming. Nobody. It started with a beloved Hall of Fame athlete dying in a helicopter accident with his teenage daughter and others, and it went down badly from there. But with all that went wrong, if you’re reading this column, you’re still here and prayerfully will eventually see […]
Thanksgiving is going to look a little different this year. To keep COVID-19 transmission at bay, families will likely opt for smaller gatherings (and smaller turkeys) instead of the customary large get-togethers with relatives who’ve flown in from across the country. Unfortunately, this means that many seniors, who are at a heightened risk of developing... [Read More]
Biden, 77, is all set to become the 46th President of the United States, while Senator Kamala Harris, 56, who is of Indian and African-American origin, will become the first-ever woman vice-president.
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.
In its October World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund projected a 6.6% contraction in the UAE’s growth this year.
Recovery, the institute said, was not expected before 2021.
Whilst oil price swings and the coronavirus pandemic have hit hard, the UAE capital Abu Dhabi says it remains committed to its economic growth & diversification plans.
Moreover, last month, the agency Fitch reaffirmed the capital’s ‘AA’ rating and outlook as “stable”.
It cited, amongst other factors, Abu Dhabi’s strong fiscal metrics and reduced exposure to tourism, real estate and retail, compared to neighbouring emirates.
ADIO action
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) is the central government hub supporting investment in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Its vision is to develop a thriving, knowledge-economy for Abu Dhabi that is competitive and diverse, whilst attracting FDI.
How? The entity cites the UAE’s strategic location between East and West, its high ranking in regional reports relating to the ‘Ease of Doing Business’, plus its positioning on global competitiveness and innovation indexes.
Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, is an Emirati-American, London-trained economist who hopes to expand Abu Dhabi’s economy as the Director-General and CEO of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
The former Emirates NBD executive is interested in cultivating a viable ecosystem for SMEs and startups in the UAE’s capital.
With a forward-thinking approach, Bin Hendi links diverse value systems across cultures to attract foreign investment.
Accelerators
A hashtag sculpture at Hub71’s space
Ghadan 21 is a $13 million accelerator program looking to support SMEs in the country which is overseen by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
When Inspire Middle East asked about the impact of Coronavirus on Ghadan 21, Bin Hendi says adaptability is key, with Ghadan 21 being both a proactive and reactive program.
The economist maintains that by adapting policy and with resources such as sovereign wealth funds, support from larger government entities, as well as the private sector, SMEs have the backing support to develop.
The fostering of innovation in the capital has seen the creation of Hub71 , an international tech base, which brings together startups, top VC funds, and investors.
AgriTech explorations
Crops being grown inside hydroponic greenhouses
ADIO has also encouraged innovators to flourish in the Agricultural Technology (AgTech) space, offering incentive programs, including financial incentives, to companies looking to relocate or expand in Abu Dhabi.
Pure Harvest is a farming startup that has reaped the benefit of ADIO’s support & investment.
Using climate-controlled, high-tech, hydroponic greenhouses located outside of the city, the company makes year-round farming possible in the arid desert.
“ADIO’s financial commitment is helping us significantly, as it’s allowing us to add additional technologies to our current deployments here in Al Ain,” Sky Kurtz, the Co-founder and CE
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) - With novel coronavirus cases surging again nationwide, the Supreme Court barred New York from enforcing certain limits on attendance at churches and synagogues in areas designated as hard hit by the virus.
1. Spend Green and Buy Black This Black Friday What You Need To Know: To address economic inequality in Chicago, the city has partnered with the Chicago Urban League and local advertising agency O'Keefe Reinhard & Paul to create “Black Shop Friday”. 2. Incarcerated During the Holidays Meet Eric Powell, an inmate at Ross Correctional…
President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that images showing Paris police beating up a Black music producer were shameful for France, and that government would have to find a way to restore public confidence in the force.
“We can no longer afford to be ignored especially by those running for the highest office in the land,” says Political Strategist Salima Suswell Written by Aliya Z. Khabir PHILADELPHIA, Penn. – After five days of uncertainty, the winner of the 2020 Presidential election was announced and the world was informed that the Biden-Harris campaign had […]
With over 20 years of experience in coalition building and strategic planning, Allison brought her drive and perseverance to help usher the Biden-Harris campaign into victory.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Juan Williams posited that he’s a Black man born in a Latin country and grew up in a Spanish-speaking family. The author and Fox News political analyst then stated a head-scratching fact that many still find difficult to rationalize. “It stuns me to see that […]
It was late on the first Tuesday in November, and Captain Hussen Besheir, an Ethiopian federal soldier, was on duty at a guard post outside the military camp in Dansha.
It was close to midnight when he saw headlights approaching.
Ten armed members of the Tigrayan special forces got out of the vehicle and demanded to see the camp's commander.
\"'We're not here for you',\" Hussen recalled them saying. \"'We want to talk to the leaders.'\"
Hussen refused. An argument ensued and gunfire rang out.
They were the first shots in a conflict that has since engulfed northern Ethiopia's Tigray region, killing many hundreds of people and forcing tens of thousands from their homes.
This week AFP visited the Dansha barracks, home to the Fifth Battalion of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian military, after gaining rare access to Tigray, where a near-complete communications blackout has been in place since the fighting began.
Shell casings littered the camp's grounds, and bullet holes were punched in the walls of buildings and sides of military trucks.
A metal sign at the entrance reading, \"We need to protect the constitution from anti-development forces and lead our country to renaissance,\" was so perforated with gunfire as to be almost illegible.
'Betrayal'
Hussen and others described hours-long rifle and grenade battles against fighters loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), including special forces and militiamen, joined by some federal soldiers of Tigrayan ethnicity who turned against their comrades.
Echoing a statement from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Hussen said soldiers \"were killed in their pyjamas\", adding, \"What happened here is even worse than that.\"
\"Betrayal alone wouldn't describe the feeling that I have. These are soldiers who have been eating and drinking with us,\" he said of those former federal troops who allegedly turned their guns against them.
The government in Addis Ababa has claimed the attack on Dansha - and a simultaneous assault on another barracks in the regional capital Mekele - as justification for its military offensive in Tigray since November 4.
It points to an interview on Tigrayan media in which a prominent TPLF supporter, said a pre-emptive strike was \"imperative\".
\"Should we be waiting for them to launch attacks first? No,\" said Sekuture Getachew, in the interview, which Abiy's office has called a \"confession\".
Confrontation between Abiy and the TPLF was a long time coming. The TPLF dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades until anti-government protests swept Abiy to power in 2018.
Since then the TPLF has complained of being sidelined and scapegoated for the country's woes.
The rift widened after Ethiopia postponed national elections because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tigray went ahead with its own vote, then branded Abiy an illegitimate ruler.
Ethnic forces
Tadilo Tamiru, a sergeant in the government-aligned Amhara special forces, was 50 kilometres to the south with his 170-strong unit, in a small town along the bo
RENOWNED music promoter and Mokoomba band manager Marcus Gora yesterday called on artistes to invest in diverse management as well as marketing teams to ensure sustainable growth of their brands at a time lots of talent is emerging and fighting for recognition on the music scene. BY KENNEDY NYAVAYA Gora made the remarks speaking at the Managing your Music as a Business workshop that was organised by Gateway Stream (a subsidiary of the Rainbow Tourism Group) that recently launched a mobile and web music application (Gateway Stream Music Application) that presents an interactive platform for musicians and users. He said through working with the internationally-acclaimed Mokoomba band, for over a decade he had learnt that building a strong brand required different professional hands. “One of the things that I want to emphasise is that, it is important for an artiste that whichever direction you want to take to create a good team around you, you need to gather appropriate people to make it,” he said. “Inasmuch as doing it yourself is attractive and it can work, but in our environment it is a bit difficult to do everything for yourself, you need people to partner with so that you can multiply your power.” Gora said lack of understanding and requisite knowledge on how to effectively negotiate and earn fully from one’s artistic worth had seen artistes sell their souls for peanuts. “Some of the mistakes that we make, we are not an empowered negotiator…someone can come and present a deal, but if there are issues that may tie you up for 10 years or a lifetime they would have been done and well documented and we do not want to keep on making those mistakes,” he said. Gora said the local music scene needed more platforms like the Gateway Stream Music Application to professionally publish and for musicians to earn from their talents. “As an industry we ought to be thankful that there are things like Gateway Stream that are coming up because it broadens the opportunities and platforms that are there for artistes. We have a problem in Zimbabwe with gatekeepers choosing who can be heard and when, which affects our work,” he said. In a recent interview, Rainbow Tourism Group’s corporate communications and innovations manager Pride Khumbula said through the Gateway Stream Music Application musicians were able to upload their music, set prices, manage inventories and receive revenue for all purchases through a revolutionary wallet function. “The Gateway Stream Music App will give artistes access to consumers and ensure that they can earn revenue from their trade, reducing the risk of losing earnings through piracy,” she said. Follow Kennedy on Twitter @ken_nyavaya
’Tis the season for shopping. Or so we tell ourselves. Though some of us have been shopping all year long due to a pandemic that has given way to increased screen time and an uptick to “virtual…
Eric Connerly Data News Weekly Contributor A native of the State of Louisiana was officially named U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the incoming Biden-Harris Administration. Linda Thomas-Greenfield comes with 35-years of experience as [...]
The post President-Elect Biden Chooses Louisiana Native Linda Thomas-Greenfield as UN Ambassador appeared first on New Orleans Data News Weekly.
Kolkata, India - An Indian artificial intelligence (AI) solutionsprovideris trying to help farmers in the county better combat vagaries of weather aggravated by climate change. And, it has bagged a major prize recently. AI Farms, [...]
By Associated Press Undefined COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be with the Buckeyes when they play at Illinois on Saturday. Ohio State said Friday it had an increased number of positive COVID-19 tests in the program this week, but the game against the Illini was still on. Buckeyes veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson will act as interim coach with Day unavailable.
The post Ohio St. coach Day tests positive for virus, will miss game appeared first on Black News Channel.
On Friday, November 20, 2020, Milwaukee Health Services, Inc. (MHSI) hosted their '9th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway,' at their MLK Heritage Health Center, 2555 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Due to COVID-19 this year was different however, as families could not just walk up to receive their free holiday meal. Families were required... [Read More]
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
In this week’s Defender… Family members of victims of police violence Philonise Floyd, Marian Tolan, Mr. Richard and Wilhemena Beary share their demands for reform with Defender Associate Editor Aswad Walker in the second installment of the series 'Redesign of Public Safety.' The multi-talented Millennial Ikechi Ojore speaks on the pursuit of his dreams and […]
The post November 26, 2020 appeared first on DefenderNetwork.com.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is one of the leading... View Article
The post Dr. Fauci and Byron Allen talk COVID-19 pandemic outlook for Black America appeared first on TheGrio.
Edwin Buggage Editor-in-Chief The voters in the City of New Orleans are already early voting for the Dec. 5th run-off election where several races and millage proposals are on the ballot. While all are important; [...]
The post Who Will Be the Next District Attorney of New Orleans? appeared first on New Orleans Data News Weekly.
