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THE 2021 budget presented by the finance minister Mthuli Ncube to Parliament shows that the minister was living in a ‘fantasy world,’ according to academic, Professor Austin Chakaodza. “Some of the major challenges facing our society are issues of poverty and unemployment. Ninety percent of the people of Zimbabwe were already unemployed before the eruption of COVID-19. The majority of the people continue to lack certain basic capabilities which are encapsulated in the socio - economic rights guaranteed in the constitution,” he said. “They continue to be deprived of basic capabilities - such as the capability to be free from hunger, to live in good health, to be literate and access to a social security safety net. This budget does not fulfil a number of human rights such as the right to food, health, education and training,” Chakaodza said. A big part of Mthuli 2021 budget is a range of new tax measures to fund the ambitious $421,6 billion budget. The highlight of this plan is how the taxman plans to go after the informal sector, which is the bulk of the economy but pays little tax. From new and higher taxes to a new tax unit targeting SMEs, it is a budget that gives away very little, but takes a lot. Here is how some of Mthuli’s measures will affect you. If you are a low-income earner There is not much tax relief for you. The tax-free threshold has only been raised slightly from $5 000 per month to $10 000 per month. Tax bands will begin at $10 001 and end at $250 000 per month. This does little for the poorest workers. For perspective; in October, a Zimbabwean family of five needed $18 750 just to stay above the poverty line. If you earn more than $250 000, you pay the highest marginal tax rate of 40%. If you are expecting a bonus, the bonus tax-free threshold has gone up from $5 000 to $25 000, with effect from 1 November 2020. If you were tired of the 2% tax, sorry The 2% tax on mobile money and other electronic transfers stays. The tax has been unpopular since it came in 2018, but Mthuli says it has “generated substantial resources that have enabled Government to support various infrastructure projects”, including the COVID-19 response. So, the Minister isn’t giving much of this cash-cow away. You will no longer pay the 2% for transactions of up to $500, which is just a small increase from the current $300. For forex transactions, this tax will apply above US$5. The maximum of this tax that your business can pay has been raised from $25 000 to $800 000 on transactions with values exceeding $40 million, with effect from 1 January 2021. If you were planning to import a car Government will now control the importation of cars that are 10 years or older. Owning a car has just slid further from the reach of the majority, who cannot afford new vehicles. According to Mthuli, Zimbabwe has spent around US$1,3 billion importing buses and used cars over the past five years. Cars older than 10 years are now off the Open General Import Licence. This means that, from 2021, you will need a special import licence for older cars.
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
By CALVIN WOODWARD and HOPE YEN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A more measured President Donald Trump does not necessarily mean a more truthful one. In the final debate of the presidential campaign, he was loose with facts on the crisis of the time — the pandemic — and much else. Trump did, though, exploit confusion sowed by Joe Biden during the primaries, when the Democrat occasionally made his position on energy sound more to the left than it actually is. Trump accurately called out Biden when Biden denied he had ever vowed to ban fracking. That was never Biden's […]
The post AP FACT CHECK: Trump and Biden in their last clash on stage appeared first on Black News Channel.
A BREAST cancer survivor is often referred to as someone who previously had cancer, but no longer shows signs of the disease. GUEST COLUMN:Mackintosh Chigumira However, it can as well refer to an individual living with, through and beyond cancer. This means cancer survivorship begins from a point one is diagnosed with cancer. Breast cancer has been so much associated with pain, psychological trauma and in worst cases scenarios, death. However the big question still remains, can one can survive the severity of this most dreaded disease? In exploring these possibilities, there are quite a number of factors which are intertwined to define the fate of the victim. Having a clear understanding of this disease on how it begins, how it grows attacking other surrounding body organs and also when exactly it can completely get out of control becomes key. This means that there is nothing odd that can happen on an individual’s body which can be ignored as it can define one’s fate. The following key elements are important in the cancer fight: Cancer awareness There are symptoms which have been noted to be common among individuals during the onset of cancer from clinical studies and observations. This formulates the basis of what information one must have about cancer and it becomes the push factor to quickly seek medical attention for further clarification and diagnosis. Knowledge is power and that is the reason why advocacy on “Cancer literate Zimbabweans” is on the rise. When cancer is diagnosed at its early stages it becomes easy to manage or even eradicate and this will determine one’s survival. Many regional and local organisations, and trusts, including Talk Cancer Zim, are tirelessly pushing the agenda to save the nation through imparting the necessary information to the general populace. It is very crucial that this agenda be driven especially at this point and time where focus has been shifted towards the COVID-19 pandemic. The public must as well be watchful and alert not only for the symptoms of the COVID-19, but also of this complex disease. Early treatment The secret behind one’s survival after cancer diagnosis is seeking the treatment earlier. Though some cancers can be so complex even at their early stages, at least they will be easier to manage. The common treatment modalities in cancer management in Zimbabwe are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All of these modalities can be used to complement one another for an effective treatment outcome. Each step of treatment can be so traumatising since these treatments can be so radical and burdensome to an already stressed cancer patient. Apart from the stress of being diagnosed with cancer, failure to get treatment in time for a number of reasons can destroy a patient’s spirit and reduce their chances of survival. For example, many people in the country cannot afford the high fees required for surgery and the disease progresses or forces individuals to try alternative medicine. Though radiotherapy can be affordable at government-run radiotherapy centres, 80% of pati
Friday (Oct.23), Sony confirmed its new strategic creative partnership with the Houston rapper and his popular Cactus Jack brand.
Marc Lamont Hill says he will vote as a Democrat for the first time in this year's presidential election. The... View Article
The post Marc Lamont Hill to vote Democrat for first time in 24 years appeared first on TheGrio.
P.J. Patterson, Former PM Jamaica Dear Mr. Dinkins, I am truly saddened by the news of the passing of your dear wife, Joyce Dinkins. Joyce Burrows Dinkins, the younger daughter of Daniel and Elaine Burrows, was an outstanding figure at the Howard University and First Lady of New York, among the many other services to which she contributed towards increasing […]
By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer U.S. stock indexes are modestly lower in midday trading Friday as Wall Street weighs another batch of corporate results from the summer earnings period. The S&P 500 was down 0.2%, after shedding a slight early gain. The benchmark index is on track for its first weekly loss in four weeks. Losses in technology stocks outweighed small gains in health care and other sectors. Treasury yields remained near their highest levels since June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 111 points, or 0.4%, to 28,254 as of 11:54 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite, […]
The post Stocks are down on Wall Street as more earnings come in appeared first on Black News Channel.
Australia Put up company bank cards paid for hair salon therapies, make up appointments and luxurious abroad accommodations for executives, in response to explosive claims from firm insiders. Besieged CEOChristine…
The City of Milwaukee has canceled trick-or-treating this year as Wisconsin's surge in coronavirus cases shows no sign of improving. Milwaukee will not have designated trick-or-treat times like it has had in the past and the activity will not be sanctioned by the city’s Health Department since it is deemed high-risk during the coronavirus pandemic,... [Read More]
Today Representatives sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging them to immediately reverse the recent interim policy decision “COVID-19 Pandemic: Work Eligible for Public Assistance.”
A Philadelphia businesswoman says it took looters about a minute to snatch up everything inside her boutique Tuesday during the... View Article
The post Philadelphia boutique owner speaks out after store looted during protests appeared first on TheGrio.
Jamaicans are being urged to get vaccinated for the influenza virus as a combination of the flu, dengue, and COVID-19 could be dire for those who are most vulnerable and strain the public health system.Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the call Thursday evening at the ministry's weekly virtual 'COVID Conversations' forum. He said last year less than half of the 25,000 vaccines which were made available were taken up.
… had done more for black Americans than any of his … .’
‘Eight in ten black Americans believe that Trump is … saw Donald Trump have African American people, formerly incarcerated, … for criminal justice reform, African Americans overwhelmingly favor his opponent, …
He shared the news to his fans on Twitter yesterday.
As Donald Trump – encouraged by a mute button – did his best impression of an adult, he produced so much mis- and disinformation in the final presidential debate that it was hard not to share the dread so many Americans feel about the forthcoming elections.
The article Trump’s last stand appeared first on Stabroek News.
Comedian Kim Wayans revived one of her most beloved In Living Color characters for a new video to encourage the... View Article
The post Kim Wayans revives 'In Living Color' character Miss Benita in voter PSA appeared first on TheGrio.
By The Associated Press undefined WASHINGTON (AP) — HOW SOON WILL WE KNOW THE RESULTS OF THE U.S. ELECTION? A shift to mail voting is increasing the chances that Americans will not know the winner of the 2020 presidential race on election night, Nov. 3. But that doesn't mean the results will be flawed or fraudulent. President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised unsubstantiated fears of fraud involving mail-in voting, which is expected to be more widely used in the November election out of concern for safety given the coronavirus pandemic. Election officials in some key battleground states have warned that […]
The post How soon will we know the US election outcome? appeared first on Black News Channel.
THE Zimbabwe national cricket team is seeking inspiration from past failure as it embarks on a tour of Pakistan where it will play three important one-day internationals (ODIs) against the hosts as well as the same number of T-20 Internationals. BY KEVIN MAPASURE Zimbabwe missed out on the 2019 International Cricket Council World Cup in England following a heartbreak that saw the team unexpectedly losing to minnows United Arab Emirates in a match the country needed to win to clinch one of two play-off tickets to the global party. The then Heath Streak-coached side found itself having to go through the rigours of the play-offs after failing to make it among the top seven sides in the ODI rankings. Having learnt from past experience, this time the team is aiming to make it among the automatic qualifiers on Pakistani soil. Ahead of the series, Zimbabwe Cricket’s mantra has centred on earning an automatic World Cup spot and captain Chamu Chibhabha has stressed the point at every opportunity. “Its very crucial for us to play really well. Super League games are very important when you consider the fact that we have to qualify for the World Cup,” Chibhabha said after the team’s training session on Wednesday. “We would rather qualify directly as opposed to having to play in the qualifiers because that’s a lot of pressure.” For him, the qualifiers are a dangerous route to try and qualify from where they have to face lesser sides that will be playing with freedom, while a full-member side will be carrying the weight of expectation, which can be destructive as Zimbabwe discovered at Harare Sports Club in 2018. Zimbabwean cricketers acknowledge that they launch their campaign in the tough conditions of the Asian flat wickets, but they retain the confidence that they can upset the odds and pull off some important wins. “We would love to get a couple of wins under our belts which makes life easier for us to qualify for the World Cup,” Chibhabha said. Chibhabha is one of six players that toured Pakistan in 2015 and he was the highest run scorer for Zimbabwe in the ODIs despite him experiencing the heartbreak of falling for 99 in one of the matches. “From our experience in 2015, we know we are going to play on a flat wicket — some might have spin on them, slow and turning, but we are expecting a lot of runs on the board in the series,” he said. “Obviously, it’s going to be hot, but it’s not as bad as we expected. We will be playing day-night matches, so dew is going to be a huge factor.” The first ODI will be played on October 30 and the last two will be contested on November 1 and 3. Zimbabwe has got a lot of experience among its ranks, with Brendan Taylor coming in as one of the players that were not part of the 2015 tour. In 2015, Taylor had just started on a Kolpak contract in England, while Test skipper Sean Williams was part of the previous trip. It seems former skipper Elton Chigumbura is in a last chance saloon, having struggled with injuries in the last couple of years. He was one of the stand-out performers in the last ser
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) - Their final debate behind them, President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are packaging their divergent personal styles and policy prescriptions into closing messages for the final sprint to election day.The novel coronavirus was a central topic for both candidates yesterday as Trump headed to Florida and Biden prepared to address the topic in Delaware.
SOME of the country's major private sector groups yesterday jointly urged the Government to remove 'all duties and taxes' on digital devices for at least two years.
