Login to BlackFacts.com using your favorite Social Media Login. Click the appropriate button below and you will be redirected to your Social Media Website for confirmation and then back to Blackfacts.com once successful.
Enter the email address and password you used to join BlackFacts.com. If you cannot remember your login information, click the “Forgot Password” link to reset your password.
Military sales by the arms industry’s 25 largest companies totaled US$ 361 billion in 2019, 8.5 per cent more than in 2018, according to a new study released Tuesday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The top five positions are occupied by US defence giants. Together with seven other US companies, they represent 61 per cent of global sales.
After the USA, China accounted for the second largest share of 2019 arms sales by the top 25 arms companies, at 16 percent. The six West European companies together accounted for 18 percent.
The two Russian companies in the ranking accounted for 3.9 percent.
For the first time, a Middle East company has become a top arms supplier in the world.
Edge, based in the United Arab Emirates, occupies the 22nd position, and accounts for 1.3 percent of total arms sales of the top 25 firms.
For senior SIPRI researcher Pieter Wezeman, the high demand for weapons from local governments and the will of the countries in Middle East to become independent from foreign manufacturers are favouring the growth of Middle Eastern companies.
South Africa is one of the hardest-hit countries in Africa with over 740,000 infections.
The country recorded 60 more virus-related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 20,011.
After months of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, this week a new Miss USA was crowned. And while many were pleased that she is Black, some viewers were stunned to discover that she may also be a supporter of PresidentDonald Trump. Monday, Asya Branch was crowned Miss USA 2020 in a competition that aired live […]
Every year, Veterans are recognized for their valor and dedication to the armed forces. Jacksonville’s annual Week of Valor celebrations include family festivals, tall ship tours, military appreciation luncheons and special speakers. However, due to [...]
FOLLOWING THE announcement of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, and speculation on the logistics and priority order...
The post COVID vaccine for children: To immunise or not to immunise? appeared first on Voice Online.
MORON De La FRONTERA, Spain-Police in Spain have arrested five people after discovering a state-of-the-art cannabis laboratory hidden underneath tennis courts. More than 551 pounds of marijuana were recently seized from the 2,153-square-foot, underground plantation [...]
By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The sound of heavy weapons erupted across the Ethiopian border town, and immediately Filimon, a police officer, started to run. Now, shaken and scared, he pauses when asked about his wife and two small children, ages 5 and 2. 'I don't know where my family is now,' he said, unsure if they were left behind in the fighting or are somewhere in the growing crowd of thousands of new refugees just over the border in Sudan. In an interview with The Associated Press by phone on Thursday, the 30-year-old gave one […]
The post First witness account emerges of Ethiopians fleeing conflict appeared first on Black News Channel.
The alleged financier of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Felicien Kabuga, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday as he made his first appearance at a UN court after a quarter of a century on the run.
Once one of Rwanda's richest men, Kabuga allegedly helped set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to \"kill the Tutsi cockroaches\" and funded militia groups.
Now in his 80s, he was arrested in France in May and transferred to the court in The Hague in October to face charges of a key role in the killing of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
The frail Kabuga sat in a wheelchair behind a glass screen in the courtroom, wearing a coronavirus mask. A court official helped him adjust his headphones.
His defense lawyer Emmanuel Altit said Kabuga was \"very tired\" and \"preferred not to speak\" when asked by judge Iain Bonomy if the former businessman wanted to enter a plea.
\"Given the situation, I would be grateful if you could consider this lack of response as a plea of not guilty on all the counts, under the rules and procedures,\" Altit told the court.
Kabuga, who until his arrest near Paris was one of the world's most wanted men, had already denied the charges in his court appearances in France.
The Rwandan faces seven counts including genocide, incitement to genocide, extermination, and persecution.
The UN court will later decide if he will be transferred to its branch in Tanzania for trial.
'Contributed to deaths'
The UN says 800,000 people were murdered in a 100-day rampage that began in April 1994 in Rwanda, in scenes of horror that shocked the world.
An ally of Rwanda's then-ruling party, Kabuga allegedly helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), whose broadcasts incited people to murder.
The lengthy indictment, read out by a court official, said that \"RTLM broadcasts contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of persons identified as Tutsi civilians.\"
The radio station also identified the hiding places of Tutsis where they were later killed, it said.
Kabuga controlled and encouraged the station's content, failed to stop the broadcasts, and defended it when the minister of information criticized the broadcasts, the indictment said.
He is also accused of helping to buy machetes that were distributed to militias and ordering them to kill Tutsis.
Kabuga spent years on the run using a succession of false passports, with investigators saying that he had been helped by a network of former Rwandan allies to evade justice.
Following his arrest in a small apartment near Paris, his lawyers argued that Kabuga -- who says he is aged 87 but according to the arrest warrant is 84 - should face trial in France for health reasons.
But France's top court ruled he should be moved to UN custody on a warrant issued in 1997 by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
Kabuga was initially to be transferred to the UN court's facility in Arusha, Tanzania, which took over the ICTR's duties when it formally closed in 2015.
But a UN
A MUTARE man lost his vehicle and some belongings to two machete-wielding robbers who pounced on him last Friday. BY KENNETH NYANGANI Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa yesterday confirmed the incident to NewsDay. He said on November 6 at around 4pm, the complainant, Marshal Jujuwa, was at Dangamvura bus terminus in Mutare when he was approached by two unknown persons who requested to hire his vehicle. The two said they wanted him to take them to Zimunya township claiming they wanted to consult a prophet there. At around 6pm when they were in Zimunya at a secluded place, the two produced a machete and threatened to kill Jujuwa. They tied his legs with electric cables and gagged him with insulation tape. The robbers then took his money and other belongings and drove off. The complainant untied himself before making a police report. The assailants are still on the run. Follow Kenneth on Twitter @KennethNyangan1
Tiger Woods opened his heart to fellow green jacket winners while serving sushi and fajitas at the Masters Champions Dinner.
Hundreds of Ethiopians gathered Thursday to donate blood for troops fighting in the northern Tigray region, as officials tried to rally support for a week-old conflict Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said was going his way.
The government also announced that police had arrested 150 people in the capital suspected of trying to carry out \"terror attacks\" on the orders of Tigray's ruling party.
Prime Minister Abiy blames the Tigray ruling party for a conflict that analysts fear could spiral into a protracted civil war.
Hundreds have died and thousands have fled the country since Abiy, last year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, sent troops and warplanes into Tigray last week after a months-long feud with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Abiy said the TPLF -- which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before he took office in 2018 -- had crossed a \"red line\" and attacked two federal military bases, which the party denies.
Thursday's blood drive was organised by the office of Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abebe, who claimed the population was unified against the TPLF while donating blood herself.
\"The aim of this blood donation is to express our respect for our army,\" she told journalists as a nurse drew blood from her left arm.
\"The attack done by TPLF to our army is shameful for Ethiopia. Never happened in our history. We want to condemn this.\"
Tigray has been under a communications blackout since the military operation was launched on November 4, making it difficult to verify the situation on the ground as both sides make conflicting claims.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Abiy said government forces had \"liberated\" the western zone of Tigray -- made up of six zones, plus the capital and surrounds.
Abiy also accused TPLF-aligned fighters of \"cruelty\", saying that when the army took control of the town of Sheraro they \"found bodies of executed defence force personnel whose hands and feet were tied\". There was no immediate reaction from the TPLF.
Under Abiy, Tigray's leaders have complained of being unfairly targeted in corruption prosecutions and removed from top positions.
Tensions soared as Tigray defiantly held its own elections in September, insisting Abiy was an illegitimate leader after national polls were postponed due to the coronavirus.
-'Rule of law'-
The conflict has seen multiple rounds of airstrikes targeting arms and fuel depots along with heavy fighting in western Tigray.
The UN said Wednesday some 11,000 Ethiopians had sought refuge in neighbouring Sudan, and Ethiopia has acknowledged some of its troops at one point retreated into neighbouring Eritrea, highlighting the conflict's potential to draw in the wider Horn of Africa region.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, quoted by state news agency SUNA as he hosted Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, on Wednesday called for a \"stop to the fighting as soon as possible\" and a return to the negotiating table.
The African Union has also called for an immediate stop to fighting and for dialogue, as internationa
In the midst of flu season, Shelby County’s COVID-19 infections remain steady, according to the director of the Shelby County Health Department. “We are fairly stable with a slight increase in the last week. We are running about 220 to 230 cases per day,” said Dr. Lisa Haushalter, who said numbers of cases may fluctuate […]
[Nation] When a former Eastern Provincial Commissioner, Mr Eliud Mahihu, and a Provincial Education Officer, Mr Rees, visited the then Marsabit Primary School in 1964, they requested that the piece of land the school was sitting on be set aside for a secondary school.
Ethiopia's Minister of Defence Kenea Yadeta on Wednesday denied allegations that Eritrea is assisting Ethiopia in the fight against Tigray People's Liberation Front or TPLF in the Tigray region.
The statement comes after the Tigray president on Tuesday accused Eritrea of attacking his region at the request of Ethiopia, saying that \"the war has now progressed to a different stage.\"
Up to 200,000 refugees could pour into Sudan while fleeing the deadly conflict, officials said Wednesday, while the first details are emerging of largely cut-off civilians under growing strain.
Communications remain almost completely severed with the Tigray region a week after Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced a military offensive in response to an alleged attack by regional forces.
He insists there will be no negotiations with a regional government he considers illegal until its ruling “clique” is arrested and its well-stocked arsenal is destroyed.
Reports grew of the targeting of ethnic Tigrayans across Ethiopia, the Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau said in a Facebook post.
The administration of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, announced rallies in support of the federal government's measures there and in other cities in the Oromia and Amhara regions Thursday, along with a blood drive for the Ethiopian army.
The European Union, the African Union and others have urged Abiy for an immediate de-escalation as the conflict threatens to destabilize the strategic but vulnerable Horn of Africa region.
Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray’s regional government, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, blame each other for starting the conflict. Each regards the other as illegal.
The TPLF dominated Ethiopia's ruling coalition for years before Abiy came to office in 2018 but has since broken away while accusing the prime minister's administration of targeting and marginalizing its officials.
Experts have compared the fighting to an inter-state conflict, with each side heavily armed. The Tigray region has an estimated quarter-million fighters, along with four of the Ethiopian military's six mechanized divisions.
That's a legacy of Ethiopia's long border war with Eritrea, which made peace after Abiy came to power but remains at bitter odds with the TPLF.
By The Associated Press undefined Is it safe yet to fly during the pandemic? Public health experts say staying home is best to keep yourself and others safe from infection. But if you're thinking about flying for the holidays, you should know what to expect. Flights are getting more crowded and more airlines plan to stop blocking seats to accommodate the growing number of people taking to the skies again. Starting Dec. 1, Southwest will join United and American in allowing every seat on planes to be sold. JetBlue will scale back the number of blocked seats, and — along […]
The post Is it safe yet to fly during the pandemic? appeared first on Black News Channel.
On the wall of a residential street in Charlton, south London, Louis Masai puts the finishing touches to a striking large-scale mural of an Orangutan.
Following in the footsteps of a Banksy, the British artist chooses to express himself directly on the walls, here to denounce endangered species and participate in public debate.
\"I think it’s imperative that artists are a bit more diligent about the fact that they have a position in society where we can impose new thought processes. At the moment we’re preoccupied with one factor, one story (ed: the coronavirus pandemic) but there’s so many other things going on.\" Masai says.
The British artist, known for his signature patchwork style, travels around the United Kingdom to paint colourful murals of animal species in decline or on the brink of extinction, to issue a warning about the devastating effects of climate change and biodiversity collapse.
This is an opportunity for a much wider sort of conversation to be had that people need to live more in harmony with nature and allow nature to thrive Masai explains.
\"And anybody who’s lived in London or visited London and seen the rivers (ed: the Thames) knows that there’s quite a lot of pollution happening. So it’s really important that these rivers are kept clean and maintained.\" he adds.
According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) there are currently 23,250 species listed as threatened. This means: critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable.
This means: critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. Adding extinct and extinct in the wild species the figure is 24,153.
It’s widely predicted that as many as two-thirds of all species could be near extinction by the end of this century. But, some are now rising in population due to increasing concern about the extinction crisis.
Co-ordinated conservation efforts include the protection of natural habitats and prevention of destructive practices such as illegal hunting.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU A JOSHUA Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic (JMNP) lecturer recently tested positive for COVID-19 while over 50 learners and educators at the institution were put on isolation after they were identified as primary contacts. By NQOBANI NDLOVU There are fears a second wave of COVID-19 will hit the country as cases begin to rise globally with many countries in Europe reverting to lockdowns to deal with new strains of the virus . In Zimbabwe, while the number of recorded cases has been modest, health experts warn that the country is headed for a new deadly wave of COVID-19 as people throw caution to the wind and ignore measures to tame the spread of the virus. NewsDay heard that the government provincial COVID-19 committee is “managing the situation” after a lecturer at the JMNP tested positive for the coronavirus. “The committee will continue to guide and advise us on how to operate after this unfortunate development. For now, they have advised us to continue with our scheduled lectures and examinations while ensuring strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols,” a leaked memo addressed to lecturers at the institution read. The memo said 28 lecturers and 25 students were identified as primary contacts who should be tested. JMNP principal Ngoni Moyo could not be reached for comment. Matabeleland South provincial medical director Ruth Chikorodze said: “I cannot confirm that (statistics from JMNP). We only collect samples and give the statistics to the national level. We don’t look where the person comes from.” Matabeleland South province has recorded 868 out of 8 667 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, the Health and Child Care ministry said in its most recent update. The ministry said Zimbabwe yesterday recorded 57 new cases and no deaths. Of these, 20 were local transmissions and the remainder from returnees from neighbouring South Africa. Follow Nqobani on Twitter @NqobaniNdlovu
1. Georgia Secretary of State: Official Recount of 5 Million Votes What You Need To Know: One week after elections, the state of Georgia has not been called for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Wednesday Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the official recount of five million ballots cast in that state during the presidential contest. […]
By Sister Tarpley NDG Religion Editor “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12-13). Have you ever heard these statements: “Money talks?” Or how about this: “He who has the gold, rules?” Both of these statements have truth in them. […]
The post The Power of Influence appeared first on North Dallas Gazette.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Vowing “to get right to work,” President-elect Joe Biden shrugged off President Donald Trump's fierce refusal to accept the election outcome as “inconsequential,” even as Democrats elsewhere warned that the Republican president's actions were dangerous. Raising unsupported claims of voter fraud, Trump has blocked the incoming president from receiving intelligence briefings and withheld federal […]
A study found that at least 350 transgender people were killed in 2020.
The city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces growing insecurity.
Day and night, the killings of civilians have multiplied under the helpless watch of Congolese authorities.
Today, Sharifa Kamana is a widow. Her husband was shot a few meters from home at night.
10 days later, no investigation has been opened yet.
\"We don't know the killers, they go after money changers like my husband. We are currently living in fear. The authorities need to take this situation seriously and know where these weapons come from? How can a civilian live with a weapon illegally without the State knowing about it,\"? Kamana asked.
To battle against the insecurity, a provincial deputy has initiated an operation to collect weapons.
These firearms, ammunition and military effects were handed over to the authorities for a sum up to US$100.
\"I had been keeping this weapon since the M23 took control of the city and I took the opportunity to get it back. I kept it at home waitin g for the right time to avenge my father who was murdered a few years ago here in Goma\", Didier Mwamba told our Congolese Correspondent, Gael Mpoyo.
Patrick Munyomo is the National Deputy and Initiator of the project.
\"What is certain is that now is the time for anyone who has a weapon illegally to hand it over because we are in the process of educating them. After this campaign is over, if a gun is found in someone's home, that person will be brought to justice,'' he said.
During his last visit to Goma, President Felix Tshisekedi promised to defeat the scourge of insecurity once and for all.
Since October, about ten murders have already been recorded in the region.
Virginia reported more than 1,500 new coronavirus cases again Thursday, continuing a recent surge in cases after months of relative steadiness.
Gaming Giant NetEase Benefits From Pandemic-Stoked Demand - Correct Success Visible China Group/Getty Photos This story is a part of Forbes’ protection of Chinas Richest 2020. See the total checklistright…
COVID-19 was the cause of canceling a slew of events this year but not the Super Bowl halftime show. The... View Article
The post The Weeknd to perform 2021 Super Bowl halftime show: 'I'm humbled' appeared first on TheGrio.
The number of coronavirus patients in Texas hospitals has nearly doubled since October, and average infections are at their highest point in almost three months — leaving health officials bracing for a potential crush of hospitalizations going into the holidays. In El Paso, hospitals are so overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients that in early November the […]
The post Funeral homes, hospitals across Texas brace for new wave of COVID infections, deaths appeared first on DefenderNetwork.com.
