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BY STEPHEN CHADENGA A GWERU-BASED company Mansach Gases yesterday donated food items and other goods to victims of flash floods at Mtapa and Shumba halls evacuation centres. Residents affected by the flash floods that hit the city in the past weeks were moved to various centres established in the Midlands capital after their houses were filled with water. Mansach Gases donated items such as sugar, cooking oil, mealie-meal, salt and kapenta among other items. The company’s managing director, Salimu Mbwana said it was important for the corporate world to assist people affected by the flash floods. “It is now more than two weeks since these families moved from their homes,” Mbwana said. “Some of us might have already forgotten about them but it’s critical that we become each other’s keepers especially in times of need.” He said the company was looking into ways to provide gas to the affected families. Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Development Trust (GUPRRDT) sourced the donations on behalf of the victims. GUPRRDT housing portfolio committee member, Maisiri Zindoga appealed to other well-wishers to chip in to support the affected residents. Councillor for ward 6, Godfrey Giwa commended Mansach Gases for the donation saying it would help the distressed families. “This is a timeous donation which comes at a time victims of flash floods lost their property and food items in the past weeks,” he said. Incessant rains that pounded Gweru in recent weeks, coupled with poor drainage systems left many residents particularly in low-lying areas affected by flash floods.
Announcement of the death of former President Rawlings pic.twitter.com/7ext0fp4sd
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) November 12, 2020
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Indian Premier League (IPL) big spenders Rajasthan Royals said they will not be keeping Australian star batsman Steve Smith.
Schoolteacher Mamadou Junior Diakhaté is on a mission to rebuild a school in Senegal in time for students to pass their exams to enter high school.
The teacher nicknamed \"Junior\" used his social media accounts to crowdfund the rebuild and has raised about 3,000 euros.
The institution was shut due to the coronavirus pandemic in March and only pupils who were sitting the tests could partially return in June, coinciding with the heavy rain period.
\"This school must host students on September 14th for exams and look at the state of the classrooms. So we came to give a hand,\" said Diakhaté.
\"With the money we buy equipment, then we publish on social media the invoices, everything the money was use for. We show before and after photos and regular updates. So people trust us because they see that their donation is used for something and not used for other purposes .\"-
Thanks to his popular Twitter page, he has raised about 3,000 euros. But he says one headteacher accused him of playing politics.
But many other schools in the country are in the same state. He's received about 40 requests from schools in similar conditions.
Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel joined WHBY radio show “Fresh Take” to discuss why he has crossed party lines to back Joe Biden. Listen to the full interview here. On crossing party lines to endorse Joe Biden: “All my career, all my life…I’ve always believed that leaders must have some requisite skills and values, regardless […]
The post ICYMI: Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Takes to Wisconsin Radio to Discuss His Support for Joe Biden: “Uniter” appeared first on Milwaukee Community Journal.
Health officials are warning parents and students returning to in-person instruction that traces of Legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires disease, have been found at several schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires disease is a serious and sometimes fatal type of pneumonia which can be caught […]
[MAP] Rabat -- Taking into consideration the growing number of infections with the new coronavirus (Covid-19) and deaths recorded in past days, and to preserve the health and integrity of citizens, the government has decided to apply, as of this Wednesday August 05, 2020 at 8 p.m., a series of preventive measures at the level of the prefectures of Tangier-Assilah and Fez.
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) -The biggest test yet of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine got underway yesterday with the first of some 30,000 Americans rolling up their sleeves to receive shots created by the US Government as part of the all-out global race to stop the outbreak.
[MAP] Rabat -- Journalist Abdellatif Abilkassem of the Moroccan News Agency (MAP) has won the news agency's award at the 18th edition of the National Press Grand Prix.
BY SILAS NKALA/ PRAISEMORE SITHOLE GOVERNMENT yesterday gathered between 450 and 500 people at the Emakhandeni Hall to receive farming inputs under the presidential inputs scheme, in violation of COIVID-19 lockdown measures that outlaw large gatherings. A resident, who preferred not to be named, said the people were expecting to be given 5kg maize seed and a 50kg bag of fertiliser per person. “We were expecting inputs such as 5kg of maize seeds and 50kg of fertiliser. It is sad that they are now bringing these inputs so late. We must have been given last year,” the resident said. “Target beneficiaries are elderly people and middle aged, especially those who have fields.” Ward 11 councillor Pilate Moyo (MDC Alliance) Emakhandeni said he was surprised that the government went to an extent of violating its own COVID-19 regulations. “In fact, I was not told about that gathering,” he said. “We are not conducting meetings at council because we adhere to COVID-19 regulations. It is surprising that the government officials from Mhlahlandlela government offices organise such huge gatherings posing a serious danger of the spread of COVID-19 to the residents.” He added: “They are the government and they must protect citizens from the pandemic. Why are they rushing? Is there any urgency in giving people inputs that can warrant the death of people?” Zanu PF central committee member Christopher Dube, who is also acting provincial chairperson, said he was not aware of the meeting. “I am not aware of these developments, but I would have liked to get the maize seed too. I am not aware because these are district-related things and they have their leadership who are responsible for it, I am just a central committee member,” Dube said. Some residents expressed fears of a potential spike in the spread of COVID-19 in the ward due to gatherings organised by the ruling party and government at a time the same authorities forbade gatherings. Zanu PF youth deputy secretary for administration Mabutho Moyo said the programme was under government and not Zanu PF. “No, that was not a Zanu PF programme, it was a government programme, I was also supposed to receive the inputs as well because it’s a programme meant to benefit everyone,” Moyo said. Efforts to get comment from Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube were fruitless as she was said to be on leave. Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
Usain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus. But Jamaica's stern and by the book Prime Minister says there will no special treatment for Bolt and anyone who broke social distancing … Continued
The post Usain Bolt has COVID-19 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
\tKINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Jul 18, CMC – St. Vincent and the Grenadines has recorded three new cases of the coronavirus (COVID019), with officials indicating that two of the cases were nationals who returned home on an American Airlines flight...
“Everything that I did, different things I was told, just ended up being food for my soul.' - Cee-Lo ('Soul... View Article
The post Goodie Mob’s 'Survival Kit' is the album we need right now appeared first on TheGrio.
Mayor of Spanish Town Norman Scott is banking on increased sanitisation stations along with patrolling police and members of the national reserves to keep patrons and vendors safe during this year's Grand Market in Linstead, St Catherine. The event, which will be held on Christmas Eve, is traditionally one of the biggest events of the year. This year it is being held at a time when the country battles with the coronavirus pandemic.
Steps to make this “happiness molecule” … well … happy again Being home 24/7 can mess up our day and night cycles. And the lack of social interactions can affect our moods. These days, we can also throw uncertainty and anxiety into the mix. It turns out that all of these things can impact our []
US President-elect Joe Biden took the first steps on Sunday towards taking over the White House but Donald Trump showed no signs of being ready to admit defeat.
As congratulations poured in from world leaders and supporters nursed hangovers after a day of raucous celebrations, Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris launched a transition website, BuildBackBetter.com, and a Twitter account.
While Trump is refusing to concede Tuesday's election and most Republican lawmakers are adopting a studied silence, former President George W. Bush said the \"outcome is clear.\"
Bush, 74, the only living Republican ex-president, said he had called \"President-elect\" Biden and Harris to extend his \"warm congratulations.\"
While Trump has the right to request recounts and pursue legal challenges, Bush said \"the American people can have confidence that this election was fundamentally fair, its integrity will be upheld, and its outcome is clear.\"
\"Though we have political differences, I know Joe Biden to be a good man, who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country,\" Bush said in a statement. \"We must come together for the sake of our families and neighbors, and for our nation and its future.\"
The transition website lists four priorities for an administration led by Barack Obama's former vice president: Covid-19, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change.
\"The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One,\" it said in a reference to January 20, 2021, when Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
Biden, who turns 78 on November 20, is the oldest person ever elected to the White House. Harris, 56, the junior senator from California, is the first woman and first Black person to be elected vice president.
Biden planned to name a task force on Monday to tackle the coronavirus pandemic which has left more than 237,000 people dead in the United States and is surging across the country.
He has also announced plans to rejoin the Paris climate accord and will reportedly issue an executive order on his first day reversing Trump's travel ban on mostly Muslim countries.
Biden has vowed to name a cabinet that reflects the diversity of the country although he may have some trouble gaining Senate approval for more progressive appointees if Republicans retain control of the Senate -- an outcome that will depend on two runoff races in Georgia in January.
'Accept the inevitable'
Biden, after John F. Kennedy just the second Catholic to be elected US president, attended church Sunday morning in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and visited the graves of his son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015, and his first wife and daughter, who died in a 1972 car accident.
Trump, 74, was playing golf on Sunday at his course near Washington, the same place where he was on Saturday when the US television networks delivered the news that Biden had secured enough Electoral College votes for victory.
\"Since when does the Lamestream Media call who our next president
BOGOTA, (Reuters) - Colombia has reached an agreement with Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical division Janssen to acquire 9 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, President Ivan Duque said in a televised address yesterday.
The article Colombia reaches deal with J&J for 9 million vaccine doses appeared first on Stabroek News.
By ASTRID GALVAN Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden's campaign credits its success in Arizona to the immigrant-rights and grassroots organizations that have been mobilizing Latinos for nearly two decades. The fruits of their labor — in triple-digit heat, no less — paid off in this traditionally conservative state, where changing demographics and suburban voters turning out to oppose President Donald Trump also worked in Biden's favor. But what that means for the future of Democratic candidates and how the party can capitalize on these gains will be tested in 2022 and 2024 — especially because there wasn't […]
The post To court Latinos, Democrats have to expand strategy in 2022 appeared first on Black News Channel.
LANSING, Michigan (AP) - President Donald Trump did not ask Michigan Republican lawmakers to 'break the law' or 'interfere' with the election during a meeting at the White House, a legislative leader said Sunday, a day before canvassers plan to meet about whether to certify Joe Biden's 154,000-vote victory in the battleground state.
BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE PENSIONERS have urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to increase their monthly stipends in order to cushion them from the harsh economic situation that continues to affect the country. Zimbabwe has an estimated 500 000 pensioners who earn a paltry $1 500 monthly when the poverty datum line is at $20 000. Their call comes a few months after Bulawayo pensioners launched the Bulawayo Pensioners Forum last year in November in order to get full representation on issues affecting them. Other provinces such as Matabeleland North, Masvingo and Harare followed suit and also established branches. Bulawayo Pensioners Forum co-ordinator Winos Dube told NewsDay that they would take their campaign for better payouts to Mnangagwa as the country’s pensioners struggling. “When political parties are campaigning during elections, we listen as they present their manifestos. However, we also do follow ups on those electoral promises to find out if they are being executed as promised,” Dube said. “Mnangangwa clearly said that he was a listening President so there is no reason why he should not listen to our plea as pensioners to have payouts reviewed upwards,” he said. Dube said they wanted Mnangagwa to intervene and ensure that the National Social Security Authority pays out better stipends to pensioners. “We also call upon other provinces that have not yet joined us like Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland South to do so,” he said. Harare Pensioners Forum representative Mafingei Nyamazwa said pensioners were struggling to survive throughout the country. Masvingo Pensioners Forum co-ordinator Charles Gonzi said their membership in the province had increased. Follow Praisemore on Twitter @TPraisemore
Edgar Sanchez, MD, Orlando Health Medical Group Infectious Disease People are hearing quite a bit about “herd immunity” these days, particularly as a potential solution to the COVID-19 crisis. But that will not occur quickly or easily. “Herd immunity is going to happen with this virus at some point,” said Edgar Sanchez, MD, with […]
MSNBC is apparently betting on Black to make it more competitive against rival cable news networks. But the decision to promote Rashida Jones to be its top executive is far from a gamble.
BY THOMAS CHIDAMBA GOVERNMENT has banned the issuance of special mining grants in reserved areas, effectively shutting the door on prospecting in contentious areas. The announcement was made last week in an internal circular to provincial offices by the Mines ministry secretary Onesimo Moyo. He said the reserved areas are part of exclusive prospecting orders (EPOs) which are known to be mineral rich. Moyo advised all provincial offices to stop processing any special grants applications in reserved areas. “Cabinet at its forty-fourth meeting of December 8 2020, directed that with immediate effect, the issuance of special grants in reserved areas owned by government and the Mining Promotion Corporation be stopped until exploration and evaluation of targeted areas is completed. “In view of this development, you are hereby instructed to stop accepting Special grant applications . . . until further notice,” Moyo wrote. The move was received with mixed feelings by mining stakeholders with some welcoming it, while others felt they have been elbowed out from mining in mineral-rich areas. An engineer, Chris Chirove said: “It is a good move as these are national assets that need to be preserved for future generations. The bulk of Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth lies in these reserved areas, especially the national parks’ estates which include safari areas. Hopefully, government will now come up with a policy to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund that will be based on these mineral assets, instead of dishing them out to foreign investors in the form of these special grants.” Centre for Natural Resources Governance director Farai Maguwu said government has misplaced priorities. “We must ensure every gram of gold and carat of diamond is accounted for. Anyone who is involved in corruption regarding our minerals or colludes with foreigners to smuggle must face a lengthy prison sentence. “Mining is also at war with the environment and poor Zimbabweans living in rural areas who stand to be evicted without compensation. We must be reminded that mining is not the only economic activity possible in Zimbabwe.” Maguwu said there was need for a balanced approach to ensure that there is accountability and to end corruption in the minerals sector for the benefit of future generations. “We must slow down on mining which is increasingly making Zimbabwe ungovernable and a scene of large scale transnational organised crime. Zimbabwe is already producing minerals worth more than $12 billion annually, but some of it is unaccounted for. President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube have acknowledged the massive smuggling of Zimbabwe’s minerals to South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Maguwu said there was need for more investments in mining and to tighten regulations to prevent resource plunder, which include revisiting mineral taxation laws. Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
Twenty-eight people were detained during a gathering near Cape Town's Civic Centre to follow up on demands for services to new shack residents in Khayelitsha.
By Associated Press undefined FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Republicans have picked up their 11th seat overall in the U.S. House and the third seat in California, as Republican David Valadao reclaimed the seat he lost in the farm belt two years ago. The former congressman defeated Democratic Rep. TJ Cox, who ousted Valadao in the 21st Congressional District two years ago by 862 votes. Valadao endorsed President Donald Trump after withholding his backing in 2016 — a risk in a swing district the president lost by 15 points four years ago. But he also stressed his independence, criticizing the Trump […]
The post Former House Republican flips central California seat appeared first on Black News Channel.
BY JIM TURNER AND TOM URBAN
NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
TALLAHASEE – Shoppers in Florida emerging from coronavirus stay-at-home orders can now avoid paying sales taxes while putting together disaster preparation stockpiles for the 2020 hurricane season.
In addition to helping residents buy everything from coolers to generators, Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley hopes the seven-day tax “holiday” can provide a boost for businesses suffering from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Social distancing and other (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance to keep you safe from COVID-19 may impact the disaster preparedness plan you had in place, including what is in your go-kit, evacuation routes, shelters and more,” Carlos Castillo, acting deputy administrator for resilience for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a prepared statement.
FEMA’s storm-prep checklist includes flashlights, batteries, portable radios, multi-purpose tools, emergency fuel, personal hygiene items, cell-phone chargers, emergency contact lists and copies of personal documents, along with supplies of water, food and medication for three days to two weeks, depending on different scenarios involving evacuation or riding out the disaster at home.
During the period, shoppers will be able to avoid paying sales taxes on items such as reusable ice packs that cost $10 or less; flashlights and lanterns costing $20 or less; gasoline and diesel fuel containers costing $25 or less.
By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer/ BNC Contributor USA Football has developed a phased approach for the return of youth football this year. The plan is based on phased reopening guidelines from the CDC. The governing body for the sport in this country advises youth leagues to consult their city or county health departments to determine which CDC phase their community is in. That step begins a youth programs local reopening procedure during the coronavirus pandemic. From there, those youth leagues are advised to consult with local school systems to share information and resources. Naturally, the leagues should be []
The post USA Football Plans Return for Youths in 2020 appeared first on Black News Channel.
LONDON, CMC – Kieron Pollard’s contract with English county Northamptonshire has been cancelled by “mutual agreement”, amidst the ongoing uncertainty owing to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
Pollard, West Indies’ white-ball captain, is one of one two players to have their deals squashed, with Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf also suffering a similar fate.
Club chief executive Ray Payne said he was hopeful Pollard and Ashraf could return at some point in the future.
“We don’t have any schedule yet for next season so those players don’t know where they’re going to be.
Pollard could also miss out on his campaign in the Indian Premier League which was due to start in March but has also been suspended because of COVID-19.
Malian authorities have charged six prominent figures, including a former prime minister, with seeking to mount a coup in August last year, their lawyers said. The public prosecutor’s office in the capital Bamako said in a statement on Thursday that six people were under investigation for “plotting against the government, criminal association, insulting the head of state and complicity”. A group of lawyers defending the six said the individuals, who include Boubou Cisse, the last prime minister before the August move, had been charged with an “attempted coup”. “All of those charged are civilian figures with no established connection to anyone in the military,” they said. Five of the six have been detained in custody, except for Cisse whose whereabouts are unknown, the public prosecutor said. Apart from Cisse, those charged include his half-brother Aguibou Tall, who runs an agency connected with telecommunications, and Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, a campaigner and radio presenter popular among young Malians and whose stage name is Ras Bath. The others are Vital Robert Diop, director of Mali’s Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMI), an agency that is in charge of gambling on horse races, and two senior financial officials, Mamadou Kone and Souleymane Kansaye. Another person who was arrested earlier, but later released, is the secretary of the president’s office, Sekou Traore, who holds the ranks of a magistrate and minister. His case has been referred to the prosecutor general to the Supreme Court, the public prosecutor said. Cisse denied on December 23 having any involvement with any alleged plot. The allegations came during a period of turbulence in the African nation following the removal of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita by army officers on August 18. Threatened by international sanctions, the military rulers handed power to a caretaker institution which is supposed to last for up to 18 months until elections are held. But disenchantment at the slow pace of reforms is growing, increased by accusations that figures with army links dominate the transitional government. In its statement, the prosecutor’s office did not use the term “attempted coup” as the lawyers did. It alleged there had been deeds that “harmed domestic security” and serious evidence of a “criminal enterprise” and “actions to sabotage” initiatives taken by the transitional authorities. On Monday, security sources said a number of people had been detained on December 21, while the prosecutor’s office said a “preliminary inquiry” had been opened “relating to violations of state security”. In the run-up to their arrest, social media posts said there had been a scheme to “destabilise” Mali’s post-coup transitional institutions. Mali, an impoverished landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel, is notoriously volatile. The August 18 coup was the fourth since the nation gained independence from France in 1960. It came after weeks of escalating protests against Keita, who had become unpopular over perceived corruption and failures to roll back an armed rebellion that has
By May 13, every African country had recorded a case of COVID-19, the last being Lesotho. Africa’s first case was recorded in Egypt on February 14. It therefore took 89 days for the virus to make its journey across the continent.
Eritrea is one of two African countries as at May 17 that could boast of being free from COVID-19 having recorded infections. Virus-free status in this context meaning having attained full recovery of patients previously infected.
The official national declaration of this status was issued on May 15 when the Health Ministry confirmed that the 39th patient had fully recovered after retesting and was duly discharged from the hospital.
As of today, June 25, the country has recorded new cases and what could be described as a spike in cases. From 39 cases, the country now has case load of 144 cases with recoveries still at 39 with 105 active cases and no deaths according to John Hopkins University tallies.
This article focuses on pre-virus arrival measures and other containment decisions implemented by the COVID-19 Task Force – that leads the national response to the pandemic.
COVID-19 response before index case
But the journey to the May 15 status lasted roughly two months (exactly 55 days) from the day an index case was recorded and reported by the ministry. It was on March 21 when an Eritrean national returning from a trip abroad was identified at the airport and tested.
Ten days before March 21, the government of Eritrea, GOE, had admitted that the virus had attained global dimensions and it was just a matter of time before it entered the country. The first official coronavirus directive was issued on March 11.
Contained in that directive was an appeal to citizens with travel plans to postpone on their own volition, that sensitization campaigns were to continue, but the big news for many was that nationals of four countries – China, Italy, Iran and South Korea – arriving in Eritrea were to be quarantined.
Same was the case for all persons with recent travel history through the said countries. They were the most impacted nations at the time.
Between index case and containment dynamics
In between the March 11 statement and the first case, all internal and external travel was banned by the government on March 17. Eritrea will go on to issue stricter guidelines two days after the first confirmed case in a March 23 statement.
Amongst others, gatherings above 10 people were banned and a number of public places including cinemas and nightclubs were shut as were places of worship. Public places allowed to remain opened had to enforce strict physical distancing regulations.
On March 25, commercial flights into and out of the country were suspended. Five days later, the case count had reached 15 according to the health ministry.
April: A total lockdown amid steady case rise
The first move in April was the imposition of a total lockdown. The case count stood at 22, a little over half of the 39 cases that were eventually recorded. Government in the April 1 stateme
In late March, Congress approved the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act, setting aside $376 billion in funding for American workers and small businesses.
Eligible business owners could apply for a $10,000 advance through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL, program or obtain forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP.
Banks approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration to issue loans gave large companies funding, leaving little for smaller enterprises.
Only 5% of small businesses that had applied for an economic injury disaster loan received money; just 25% got cash under PPP, according to a recent National Small Business Association survey.
Funding Circle, an online lender that specializes in loans for small businesses, said tens of thousands of those businesses won’t have access to funding before the money runs out.
