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Ethiopia’s month-long war in its northern Tigray region has severely hampered efforts to fight one of Africa’s worst coronavirus outbreaks,... View Article
The post Ethiopia’s conflict stokes humanitarian and virus crisis: 'I think the war is worse' appeared first on TheGrio.
He replaces Debretsion Gebremichael, whose immunity from prosecution was removed Thursday.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International said Thursday that scores of civilians were killed in a \"massacre\" in the Tigray region, that witnesses blamed on forces backing the local ruling party.
The \"massacre\" is the first reported incident of large-scale civilian fatalities in a week-old conflict between the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize.
\"Amnesty International can today confirm... that scores, and likely hundreds, of people were stabbed or hacked to death in Mai-Kadra (May Cadera) town in the southwest of Ethiopia's Tigray Region on the night of 9 November,\" the rights group said in a report.
Amnesty said it had \"digitally verified gruesome photographs and videos of bodies strewn across the town or being carried away on stretchers.\"
The dead \"had gaping wounds that appear to have been inflicted by sharp weapons such as knives and machetes,\" Amnesty said, citing witness accounts.
Witnesses said the attack was carried out by TPLF-aligned forces after a defeat at the hands of the Ethiopian military, though Amnesty said it \"has not been able to confirm who was responsible for the killings\".
It nonetheless called on TPLF commanders and officials to \"make clear to their forces and their supporters that deliberate attacks on civilians are absolutely prohibited and constitute war crimes\".
Abiy ordered military operations in Tigray on November 4, saying they were prompted by a TPLF attack on federal military camps -- a claim the party denies.
The region has been under a communications blackout ever since, making it difficult to verify competing claims on the ground.
Abiy said Thursday his army had made major gains in western Tigray.
Thousands of Ethiopians have fled across the border into neighboring Sudan, and the UN is sounding the alarm about a humanitarian crisis in Tigray.
The MORE Act passed in the House on Friday, the first of many steps to reverse and rectify the extensive damage done by prohibition largely affecting Black and brown communities.
By LINDSEY TANNE Don’t travel over the upcoming holidays. But if you must, consider getting coronavirus tests before and after, U.S. health officials urged Wednesday. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the best way to stay safe and protect others is to stay home. The agency also announced new guidelines that shorten recommended […]
The Conflict Gets Worse
The Tigrayan regional government has fired rockets at two airports in the neighbouring Amhara region in Ethiopia with spokesman Reda asserting that further retaliation could continue and even Asmara in Eritrea could be targeted. The Ethiopian federal government confirmed that Gondar and Bahir Dar airports were damaged in the strikes late Friday — as the deadly conflict threatens to spread to not only other parts of Africa's second-most populous country but more areas in the horn of Africa.
Since the conflict began Nov 4th, reports from the Tigray region — still under a national state of emergency, see hundreds of people on both sides losing their lives and over 21,000 Ethiopians fleeing to neighbouring Eastern Sudan.
Many authorities in the international community who caution against inter-ethnic genocide fear a possible all-out civil war — compounded by the already chaélengiong Covid-19 pandemic.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU ICT minister Jenfan Muswere yesterday called on the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) to promote innovation and prioritize research if the country is to keep abreast with ICT technological advancements. Muswere made the remarks during the official launch of the 2020 Hackathon held in Bulawayo where he indicated that the event dovetailed into the government's National Development Strategy (NDS1), which is underpinned by human capital development and innovation. “It is important to note that innovation is not only an explicit focus of Goal 9 (of Sustainable Development Goals) which focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation, but is also a key enabler of most, if not all, of the Goals,” Muswere said. “For example, science, technology and innovation will play an essential role in achieving Goal 2 which focuses on ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. I cannot, therefore, overemphasise the importance of developing an innovation culture in the country, as a prerequisite for the attainment of the SDGs.” The 2020 Hackathon event is running under the theme: Hacking for SDGs Post-COVID-19 and Beyond and is seeking out local innovations that will help overcome challenges brought about by the global health pandemic. Potraz director-general Gift Machengete, speaking at the same event, said the ICT innovation drive “is aimed at identifying, supporting and capacitating ICT innovators in the country, in order to develop their ideas into bankable solutions for Zimbabwe and the global market.” The second edition of Hackathon saw teams competing in proffering the most relevant ICT solutions to solve post COVID-19 socio-economic challenges that may hinder the country’s efforts towards attaining SDGs by 2030. The inaugural event held in February was only open to universities and not ordinary Zimbabweans.
Caribbean countries were on Friday reporting increased cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) while reiterating the need for their nationals to follow the various measures and protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
County reports 1,197 new cases; state reports 12,844 by PublicSource reporters Allegheny County reported 1,197 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, breaking the previous record of 1,028 new cases reported Thursday. The recent caseloads showed a sharp increase in local infections and were met with a plea from Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the county health department, … Continued
The post Allegheny County and Pennsylvania’s new COVID-19 cases again break records appeared first on New Pittsburgh Courier.
Video footage taken from the ground shows aggressive boos from the stands as the players took the knee, prompting criticism from ex-players including Lineker, Trevor Sinclair and Greg Halford
TMZ has reported that R&B singer Jeremih was released from Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Friday, and is at home recovering... View Article
The post Jeremih released from hospital after coronavirus battle appeared first on TheGrio.
… face Blacks.
“In most cases African-Americans are on the front line … , and they are largely of African-American descent. This is about more …
BY PATRICIA SIBANDA TWO Bulawayo ex-convicts, who robbed an elderly man of his cellphone and clothes before they killed and dumped his naked body in a bushy area, were on Wednesday sentenced to life in jail. Perfect Sibanda (30) of Four Winds suburb and Vusumuzi Ndebele (35) of Siphambaniso Flats robbed and killed Joseph Godfrey Mataviri (65) only months after they were released from prison under the Presidential Amnesty in March 2018. Sibanda was previously convicted for unlawful entry while Ndebele had served three years for robbery. Mataviri’s naked body was found in the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) premises in Mpopoma suburb. Police officers received a tip-off from members of the public that the two had committed the crime leading to their arrest. When officers investigating the case raided Sibanda, they found him in possession of the deceased’s jeans, belt and jacket. He implicated Ndebele. Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa convicted the two of murder with actual intent. Mabhikwa condemned the two accused persons’ to life in jail, saying their actions warranted their permanent removal from society. “You committed an offence of murder in the course of robbery, which is a very serious offence. “You killed an innocent, poor man who had done nothing to you, and under normal circumstances you deserved a death sentence,” Mabhikwa said. “However, due to your ages, as youthful offenders at the time of commission of the offence, I will spare you from capital punishment. “Accordingly, you are sentenced to undergo life imprisonment.” Prosecuting, Kudakwashe Jaravaza said on June 5, 2018 at around 8 am, Mataviri left his home and proceeded to his garden at Steeldale industrial area near NRZ, but never returned. When he left his home, he was wearing a pair of blue jeans, brown t-shirt, a pair of brown safety shoes, a black and white jacket and a Samsung cell phone. The court was told that when the deceased’s son discovered that his father had not returned home, he went out to look for him in his garden. “The following morning, Mataviri’s son set out at 6 am to look for his father in the garden. “When he got to the dust road within the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Mpopoma station yard, his attention was drawn to a group of people among them, police officers,” Jaravaza said. “He drew closer to the crowd and saw a male adult who was lying naked on the ground in his underwear and upon closer examination he discovered that it was his father.” According to a post-mortem report, it was concluded that the cause of death was extensive subarachnoid haemorrhage, blunt force trauma and head assault. Investigations led to the arrest of the two accused persons and subsequent recovery of some of the deceased’s stolen clothes. In their defence, both accused persons through their lawyers from R Ndlovu and Company and VJ Mpofu and Associates, denied the charges, arguing that they were forced into admitting the charges after police tortured them and severely assaulted them with batons and subjected them to electrocut
