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PANIC has gripped the ruling Zanu PF party after two senior party officials on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19 with confirmed cases likely to go up as results of mass tests done recently continue to pour in. BY MOSES MATENGA Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu and the party’s director for Information Tafadzwa Mugwadi are now in isolation at home together with affected members of their respective families. The Zanu PF COVID-19 scare comes as Zimbabwe has recorded 291 deaths with 10 of them having been recorded on Saturday only. Ministry of Health and Child Care COVID-19 statistics yesterday showed that there are 10 718 cases of the virus that have been recorded throughout the country. However, the country has also recorded 8 880 recoveries. The party’s secretary for Health David Parirenyatwa yesterday told NewsDay in an interview that the party was now on high alert, adding that all measures were being put in place to curb the further spread of the deadly virus at their headquarters situated in Harare, which also houses a number of party bigwigs and staff. The Zanu PF headquarters also plays host to several party meetings. “What we did last time was to screen people and the results are coming in batches and all those who have been found to be positive have been asked to go into self-isolation and to come back after the prescribed date,” Parirenyatwa said without confirming the actual number of those affected. “When we started the COVID-19 tests as a party, the first batch had five cases but that was about two months ago. So we are now going symptomatically and we check on anyone who would have developed the symptoms. The first time, we did a mass test but now we are following the national policy and that is what we are doing,” he said. Parirenyatwa said the party was putting on a lot of measures to reduce the spread of the virus that has already claimed millions of lives internationally. “We are putting a lot of measures now; we screen people at the gate, we do temperature checks and all the normal routine. We are intensifying that and even in our lifts, we have put COVID-19 measures, and as people get into other offices we make sure prevention protocols are observed,” he said. Mugwadi yesterday took to microblogging site Twitter to announce that he was self-isolating at home and is adhering to all medical tips to suppress the virus. “I will adhere to every medical tip as I battle this pandemic with my family,” Mugwadi wrote on his social media account. Acting Zanu PF spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa was not immediately available to comment on the matter. However, workers at the ruling party headquarters who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were fears that quite a number of people at the party offices could have contracted COVID-19. Most of the officials work from the building and were feared to have been in close contact with the infected. To make matters worse, they were currently reportedly deployed across the country for the party district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections, whereas a
The president also stressed the importance of keeping the economy open after months of stifling movement restrictions.
He urged citizens not to drop their guard and continue adhering to the health rules, such as wearing face masks and respecting curfew times.
South Africa has recorded just over 800,000 coronavirus infections - more than a third of the cases reported across the African continent - and over 20,000 deaths.
AFP
The minister announced Mombasa has the highest rate of Covid-19 deaths recording 27, followed by Nairobi (20) while Siaya, Bomet and Kiambu have one fatality each.
So far, the are 37 active cases of children aged between zero and nine years, 69 cases (10 to 19 years), 238 (20 to 24 years), 268 (30 to 39 years), 172 (40 to 49), 112 (50 to 59) and 76 cases of people aged 60 and above.
Out of Kenya’s 47 counties, 23 have had cases of the virus with the majority, at 83 per cent, reported in Mombasa and Nairobi.
Nairobi is leading with 470 cases followed by Mombasa at 331, whole Kajiado is third with 43 cases.
Machakos has three cases, Garissa, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Siaya two cases each while Meru, Bomet and Isiolo have single cases.
At Zanu PF headquarters on Wednesday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa had an explanation for the economic crisis; it was the detractors.
The list of Kazembe’s detractors includes everyone from diplomats, former Zanu PF officials and, bizarrely, even eccentric preachers.
“While there was consensus on the global economic recession and slowdown caused by the COVID-19 contagion, the general lockdown restrictions on certain sectors of the economy and the continued illegal economic sanctions,” Chinamasa said, “there was, however, a robust acknowledgment that there is an invisible hand at play fomenting regime change and as a revolutionary party we will jealously guard against such elements.”
“Government is aware that these escalating price increases are a political ploy engineered by our detractors to effect an illegal regime change against the ruling party and the government following the failure of illegal economic sanctions,” Mpofu said then.
That same year 2007, under pressure on the economic front, Zanu PF started hitting out at opponents.
BERLIN (AP) — Austria is seeing the start of a 'second wave' of coronavirus infections, the country's leader said Sunday, urging citizens to comply with reinforced rules to keep down new cases and suggesting that companies keep employees working from home if possible. Austria had a relatively successful first phase of the pandemic but has joined other European countries in seeing a rise in infections in recent weeks. It recorded 869 new infections on Friday, the highest daily figure since late March. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that day that the government would reimpose measures such as mandatory mask-wearing in shops. […]
The post Austria's leader: 2nd wave of virus has begun, use caution appeared first on Black News Channel.
HUMAN rights lawyers and doctors yesterday accused Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe of lying to cover up for the alleged abduction and sexual assault of three MDC Alliance activists, who included Harare West MP Joanah Mamombe, by State security agents.
Kazembe last week claimed lawyers and doctors worked with MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa, Western embassies, churches and other non-governmental organisations to stage-manage the abduction of Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova in order to pursue a regime change agenda.
In a pre-suit notice letter dated June 4 and addressed to Kazembe, the lawyers from Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni Legal Practitioners accused Kazembe of pursuing a Zanu PF agenda in the matter together with other senior party officials.
“It is now more apparent from your statement that no investigations are actually being carried out except an active exercise by the State (led by yourself) to seek to discredit the accounts of the victims of the enforced disappearance on behalf of the political party you represent in government,” part of the letter read.
The lawyers said it was worrying that several Zanu PF officials such as Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo and politburo member Patrick Chinamasa, among others, had repeatedly made disparaging statements about the enforced disappearance.
Sharp-tongued legislator, Temba Mliswa has urged parliament to speedily resolve the boycott stance taken by MDC Alliance MPs, telling Speaker Jacob Mudenda Zanu PF MPs were too weak to pose serious policy-related questions to ministers.
Speaking in parliament Tuesday, the independent lawmaker for Norton said in the absence of MDC MPs, he was now the only remaining legislator who could raise serious matters in the house.
MDC Alliance MPs recently took a stand to indefinitely 'disengage' from all parliamentary business in protest over the expulsion of four senior party officials who were serving legislators.
In a damning dismissal of former Zanu PF colleagues, Mliswa pleaded with Mudenda to resolve the MDC absenteeism issue to restore vibrant debate in the house.
On Mliswa's concerns he was now left alone to keep the executive on its toes, Mudenda urged the one time Zanu PF legislator to wait for this Wednesday to see if ruling party MPs had the spine to confront party bosses who now occupy ministerial jobs.
Vice President-0elect Kamala Harris has selected Tina Flournoy as her chief of staff joining two other women of color in senior roles.
[Thomson Reuters Foundation] Somali women are exhausted of not being heard and side-lined at every opportunity, especially when they know that they can pivotal players in the political arena
The major thrust of new coronavirus cases in the United States is in the South and West, where officials say more young people are ignoring social distancing measures and testing positive.
In Mississippi, where one health officer called adherence to social distancing over the past weeks “overwhelmingly disappointing,” officials attributed clusters of new cases to fraternity rush parties.
In Texas, the governor said last week people under 30 made up a majority of new coronavirus cases in several counties.
There are 23 states seeing a rise in new reported cases compared to the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
The state also reported the most new cases in a single day — 4,515 — since the pandemic’s start, according to data from the state’s health department.
BY MOSES MATENGA THE ruling Zanu PF party is vetting curriculum vitaes for district co-ordinating committee aspirants in a process believed to be a witch-hunt against perceived G40 members. Zanu PF said its internal security was on high alert to ward off possible infiltration by members of the G40 cabal, most of whom are exiled in South Africa but are accused of funding their candidates to destabilise the party. The party national commissar Victor Matemadanda confirmed that the vetting exercise was in progress. “Nothing much has happened as we have only received CVs and they have been taken for vetting, they are yet to be returned,” Matemadanda said. Obert Mpofu, the party’s secretary for administration on Monday alleged that the exiled G40 leaders among them Saviour Kasukuwere, Walter Mzembi and Patrick Zhuwao were sponsoring their own candidates for the party’s DCC elections as part of their comeback bid. “We take note of the hyper campaign activities taking root with regards the canvassing for positions in the DCCs and applaud enthusiasm as it reflects the popularity of the party,” Mpofu said. “We, however, note subtle disturbing intentions by the G40 elements to manipulate and thwart the DCC elections. We, therefore, urge the security department to be on high alert and vigilant in thwarting any ulterior motives and actions directed at the scampering of the DCC elections. We are also very much aware that these machinations are a long-drawn strategy towards making a G40 comeback in the 2023 elections.”
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Youths belonging to Thokozani Khupe's MDC-T have fingered the ruling Zanu PF party as behind the highly condemned abduction and torture of an MDC Alliance MP and two female activists last Wednesday.
MDC Alliance MP, Joanna Mamombe, activists Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were allegedly abducted by suspected state security agents after they participated in flash anti-government protests in Harare's Warren Park suburb.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, the party's national youth assembly chair, Alfred Dzirutwe said the activists' attacks were state sponsored.
\"We might have our political differences (with MDC Alliance) but it must be noted that an injury to any activist during the course of exercising one's right to freedom of expression and political association is an injury to all of us,\" said Dzirutwe.
To the three MDC Alliance foot soldiers, we wish you speedy recovery,\" he said of the activists who have been hospitalised for injuries sustained from the torture ordeal.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has announced that leaked matric papers will be rewritten later this month.
[Nation] The government borrowed an average of Sh2.62 billion daily within four months this year as its appetite for loans to finance ambitious capital projects amid the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
After the second wave of the the Saharan dust blanketed Jamaica over the weekend, sections of the island experienced heavy rain yesterday, the last day of June, which is part of the secondary rainy season.
The rain caused flooding in sections of the Corporate Area and Jamaica Observer photographer Naphtali Junior captured some of the scenes in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent For NBA Legend Isiah Thomas, there’s only one thing better than talking basketball: It’s discussing his beloved sport over a glass of his award-winning Cheurlin Champagne. Thomas, who led the Indiana Hoosiers to an NCAA title and twice guided the Detroit Pistons to an NBA championship, discussed basketball and Cheurlin Champagne with the Black Press during a recent livestream broadcast. “Earlier, I co-founded a popcorn company called Popcorn Indiana, and when I sold that company, I was looking for my next venture to go into,” Thomas remarked. “I looked at the […]
The post Isiah Thomas Talks Basketball and Champagne with the Black Press appeared first on Black News Channel.
By JILL LAWLESS and RAF CASERT Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain's business minister said Friday that U.K.-EU trade talks are at a 'difficult' point, as British officials poured cold water on hopes of an imminent breakthrough — and France said it could veto any agreement it didn't like. U.K. Business Secretary Alok Sharma said Britain was 'committed to reaching an agreement.' 'But, of course, time is short and we are in a difficult phase. There's no denying that,' he told the BBC. 'There are a number of tricky issues that still have to be resolved.' EU chief negotiator Michel […]
The post UK says EU trade talks at tricky point as hopes of deal dim appeared first on Black News Channel.
The United States recorded a further 1,260 deaths from Covid-19 on Friday, bringing its total to 95,921 since the global pandemic began, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The tolls climbed ever higher even as US President Donald Trump, facing an uphill battle to be re-elected in November, continued to pressure state and local governments to reopen the American economy.
On Friday he demanded state governors classify churches, synagogues and mosques as \"essential services\" on the same level as food and drug stores, and immediately allow them to hold services despite Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings.
\"The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend,\" said the president -- who counts religious conservatives as a core of his electoral base.
As governors generally have the power to order openings and closings, it was not clear whether Trump had any authority to force them to remove restrictions on worship services.
Ghana, reputed to be a democratic example in West Africa, is preparing to elect its president on Monday in what promises to be a particularly close election between two long-time political adversaries.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, 76, a candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is seeking a second term against his predecessor John Mahama, 62, leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In 2012 and 2016, they had already competed for the highest office. Each narrowly won one of the two ballots.
So Monday's election looks like déjà vu, even though 11 other candidates, including three women, are in the running.
The contenders will have to convince Ghana's 17 million voters, more than half of whom are under 35, who will also elect their 275 deputies.
Unemployment, infrastructure and roads, education, and health are the main issues, according to pre-election surveys.
Since the early 2000s, this country, rich in gold, cocoa, and more recently oil, has experienced strong growth. And the rate of extreme poverty has been halved in less than 25 years.
But some regions, particularly in the North, continue to live in extreme poverty, without drinking water or electricity.
Above all, the crisis caused by the coronavirus has hit the country hard, with growth this year expected to fall to 0.9 percent, according to the IMF, the lowest rate in more than 30 years, compared to 6.5 percent in 2019.
The outgoing president was praised for his management of this crisis, and he kept some of his campaign promises for 2016, including on education and access to electricity, but he disappointed on his main commitment: to actively fight corruption, after the mandate of John Mahama, tainted by scandals.
According to an Afrobarometer survey conducted in 2019, 53% of Ghanaians believe that the level of corruption has increased in the country. In addition, the special anti-corruption prosecutor, appointed after Akufo-Addo's election, resigned in November, accusing the president of obstructing his work.
No election fever
For his part, Mr. Mahama will have to make people forget the accusations of economic mismanagement that prevented his re-election in 2016.
This year, however, he can count on his running mate, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, a former Minister of Education with a reputation for integrity and from the Centre, one of the key regions to win the election.
In the polls, Mr. Akufo-Addo is ahead of Mr. Mahama, but many analysts predict that his party's majority in Parliament could erode.
With the coronavirus - which has officially affected more than 50,000 people and killed 300 since March - election fever has not taken hold of the country.
\"There are indeed some parties and activities organized by the militants and political slogans that are played over and over again on the radio, but there is no big meeting,\" Kojo Asante, of the Ghanaian Center for Democratic Development, told AFP.
So far, Ghana has always escaped post-election violence and political transitions have been largely peaceful, unlike m
Some US $8.2 million is being used to procure one million COVID-19 vaccine vials.\tIt’s a big discount on the otherwise US$37 million Jamaica would have had to fork out at $37 per dose.\tEach individual is expected to receive two doses of...
Africa's COVID-19 death rate and positive cases have surprised many experts because the region has far lesser cases than any region.
France 29,142 death, Italy 33,846 death, Germany 8,767 death, England 36, 127, China 4634 death, USA 111,064 death, India 6,946 death, Brazil 35,211 death while Africa combined COVID-19 4,344 is lesser than many great nations like the United states and Italy etc.
For these reasons, 31 Heads of State met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 25,1963 founded a regional body \"to promote solidarity between African nations and eliminate colonialism in Africa\" through the Organization of African unity (OAU).
For example, the establishment of COVID-19 Africa Fund, Quick Lockdown, Local Personal Protective Equipment production
As COVID-19 sweeps across nations and been declared Public Health Emergency on 30 January 2020 by the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO).
After 15 day of declaration, a respond fund was established Covid-19 Africa Fund by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat on 26 March 2020.
