Mali's opposition leader and ex-hostage dies with COVID-19

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Mali's opposition leader and ex-hostage dies with COVID-19 - Black News Channel

By BABA AHMED Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, who was held hostage for six months earlier this year by jihadists and was considered a leading contender in 2022 elections, has died in Paris, his family said Friday. Cissé, 71, died after contracting COVID-19, his eldest son Bocar told The Associated Press. 'The doctors did everything to keep him alive, but that's the way of God's will,' he said. The news throws Malian politics into new uncertainty. Cissé was the runner-up in the past three presidential elections and many thought he had the best chances […]

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By DAVE COLLINS Associated Press HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The only surviving crew member of a World War II-era bomber that crashed in Connecticut last year, killing seven people, told investigators that 'everything was perfect' before takeoff and he doesn't understand what went wrong, according to federal documents released Wednesday. Mitchell Melton was the mechanic aboard the four-engine, propeller-driven B-17G Flying Fortress bomber that crashed at Bradley International Airport north of Hartford on Oct. 2, 2019. He is a key witness in the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which has not yet determined the cause of the accident. […]

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Former Ivorian CEO of Credit Suisse, Tidjane Thiam, has joined the Council for an Inclusive Capitalism — a US organisation which brings together some 20 world business leaders and advocates for a virtuous vision of the market economy and is officially in partnership with the Vatican as of Tuesday’s announcement. Tidjane is among a group of investors and leaders of major global corporations — often referred to by some as \"gatekeepers,\" who are supposedly committed to \"reforming capitalism for the good of humanity\" and who want to promote the private sector's drive to make capitalism operate more in line with justice, inclusion and sustainable development.

These leaders — who represent more than 10.5 trillion USD in assets under management, are scheduled to meet annually with Pope Francis and Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson.

Turkson is one of two African cardinals expected to succeed Benedict XVI in 2013 and become the first \"black pope\" in history.

\"Why is the fourth official saying 'negro'?\" demanded soccer player Demba Ba. The official, Sebastian Coltescu of Romania, faces a 10-game ban if he's found guilty of making a racist statement.

By LISA MASCARO AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans waiting for Republicans in Congress to acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect may have to keep waiting until January as GOP leaders stick with President Donald Trump's litany of legal challenges and unproven claims of fraud. Tuesday's deadline for states to certify their elections — once viewed as a pivot point for Republicans to mark Biden's win — came and went without much comment. Next week's Dec. 14 Electoral College deadline may produce just a few more congratulatory GOP calls to Biden. Increasingly, GOP lawmakers say the Jan. 6 vote […]

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In order to return to a welcome normalcy, we need to do our part—get the vaccine.

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Kenya may select the Oxford-AstraZeneca Plc Covid-19 vaccine because it doesn’t require complex cold storage, unlike those of Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., according to a health ministry official. Firm orders from the U.S. and EU for the latter two inoculations are in place until 2022, which could lead to delays, said Rashid Aman, chief administrative secretary in the health department. Kenya wants to secure quick access to a vaccine as its health system is stretched by the virus, with doctors threatening to join other medical workers in a nationwide strike over working conditions. The AstraZeneca vaccine “seems to be more appropriate for our situation in Africa because it can be stored at temperatures” of other primary vaccines, Aman told reporters. Kenya is open to “take on any vaccine that we are satisfied would be able to protect our people,” he said. Clinical testing of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is continuing, with participants from Kenya and South Africa taking part in the global trials. Nurses and clinical officers in Kenya started a strike on Monday in protest at poor working conditions such as lack of protective clothing, and non-payment of risk-allowances. The labor ministry convened a meeting to address the health workers’ demands, Peterson Wachira, chairman of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, said by phone. Doctors postponed postponed their planned industrial action by a fortnight to allow for more talks. Kenya has 89,100 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1,545 fatalities as at Dec. 8, according to the Ministry of Health. -Bloomberg

[Nairobi News] ODM party leader Raila Odinga has been receiving backlash from a section of Kenyans following his remark to doctors who have threatened to down their tools over what they termed as poor working conditions.

[Tunis Afrique Presse] Tunis/Tunisia -- The Kebili local hospital saw one more death from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing fatality numbers in the region to 88 since the outbreak of the virus.

So, on Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) issued a threat against purported and alleged cyber-bullying of government officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa. editorial comment Interestingly, ZRP issued its statement after Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said colonial masters had turned to social media to “discredit icons like Mnangagwa” who were “working for economic emancipation.” Well, the President is not God, he is very human. If we voted him into office, please allow us to hold him to account. Checks and balances must apply to him too. Didn’t he say he was “a listening president?” If he cannot stand criticism then he should stay out of public office or politics altogether. Perhaps the ZRP needs to furnish us with their definition of cyber-bullying. We may also need to know why we should be limited or be told what to and not to say. Why does the ZRP keep quiet when ordinary Zimbabweans are subjected to cyber-bullying only to grow teeth after politicians give them instructions? But things have changed from the old days of German philosopher Jürgen Habermas’ public sphere. It's high time government accepted that people think, they have hopes and hunger for engagement. It should be easy especially in the internet age where social media has prompted the return of the public sphere. Social media platforms attract millions of users who connect digitally. Looking closely at all alleged cases of cyber-bullying, the people are simply calling on the government to act on corruption, poor governance and lack of accountability. It’s only particular individuals who carry the burden of excessive bootlicking who try to gag people. There should be no intimidatory tactics on social media platforms. Citizens must express their opinions freely. Some issues are tip offs on corrupt activities which the ZRP ignore and focus on threatening people. A government that does not allow for checks and balances is likely to be involved in unconstitutional acts which it fears could be exposed. The arrests of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume, a politician, and the hounding of another scribe, Mduduzi Mathuthu, are exactly what is wrong with a regime that fears being made to look into the mirror. The media or social media users did not create the animal you see in that mirror. Mnangagwa and his administration should respect freedom of expression and engagement as prescribed by the Constitution. It should sink into politicians' heads that a healthy functioning democracy is premised on the electorate making informed choices based on engagement. Clearly, the government of Zimbabwe wants people to live in fear and not to openly express their wishes and hopes, it’s not new. We saw it even during the Mugabe era. A process where citizens are empowered to participate in public decision-making is an effective means to tackle “democracy deficits” and improve public accountability.

Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Sign up here. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing four battleground states — Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — whose election results handed the White House to President-elect Joe Biden. In the suit, he claims that […]

The Allegheny County Health Department reported 34 new deaths and 727 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. To date, ACHD has reported 35,541 cases, 619 deaths and 2,361 past and present hospitalizations. The newly-reported deaths occurred from Nov. 20 to Dec. 8. The deaths included one individual in their 40s, one in their 50s, four in their … Continued

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Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said they had recorded a high number of COVID-19 infections amongst people aged between 15-19, in the previous two days

Police yesterday nabbed five men suspected of being part of a vehicle theft and smuggling syndicate. BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE The thieves were caught after they allegedly smuggled a stolen white Toyota Hilux single cab vehicle from South Africa and drove it to Zimbabwe, but they ran out of fuel along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the arrest. “A white Toyota Hilux single cab was stolen in South Africa on December 3 and it was driven to Zimbabwe. Police managed to arrest five suspects in Mazunga area,” Nyathi said without naming them. “The area where they were arrested is 255km along Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, after the vehicle had run out of fuel. Investigations are still in progress.” Nyathi said they had received a report from the South African side that a hired car had gone missing. “We received a report that a white Hilux which belonged to a car rental company had been hired on December 3 and was supposed to be returned on December 4. The car was not returned and on December 5 a report was made to the Beitbridge Police that a vehicle was missing. “The five were caught when they tried to refuel the car after they had run out of fuel. Investigations are still ongoing.” In 2018, a 63-year-old South African national Willem Schalk Janzen-Root was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe over vehicle smuggling charges. Janzen-Root was believed to be part of a vehicle trafficking syndicate which uses Zimbabwe as a transit route for luxury cars from South Africa for resale in other countries. Follow Praisemore on Twitter @TPraisemore

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to Brussels yesterday for a dinner with the head of the European Union executive that could pave the way to a post-Brexit trade deal - or tip the two sides toward a chaotic economic rupture at the end of the month.

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) - Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for seven of the top 10 causes of death before the novel coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said yesterday, with heart disease killing more people than ever before.

By Alabama Newscenter Staff The Alabama Innovation Commission on Wednesday announced a partnership with one of the nation’s leading think tanks – the Hoover Institution at Stanford University – to promote innovation and economic growth in Alabama. “The Hoover Institution is proud to partner with the Alabama Innovation Commission to help develop strategies that will […]

Ohio congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D) has been tapped to become the next Housing and Urban Development Secretary by the Biden-Harris administration. Following the current HUD Secretary, Ben Carson's' horrendous gutting of the department, Fudge is faced with a daunting job of repairing the damage done and restoring HUD's mission to provide affordable housing opportunities for … Continued

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FORMER Warriors and Chicken Inn midfielder Clement Matawu is disappointed that his career ended in anti-climax fashion. BY FORTUNE MBELE The 38-year-old announced his retirement from football early this week, to end a glittering two-decade career for one of the best midfielders to ever emerge from the country. Starting at the now-defunct Motor Action, Matawu also played in Poland before returning to Zimbabwe to join Chicken Inn in 2016 where he has been playing ever since. He had hoped to make this season his swan-song year, but the plans were disrupted after the league failed to take off in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This was going to be my last year of playing football,” Matawu told NewsDay Sport in an interview yesterday. “At the beginning of the season, I sat down with my father, mentor, coach and brother Joey Antipas and discussed my future in the team and we agreed that I would run my last lap this year,” he said. Antipas, who is the Chicken Inn coach, worked with the attacking player at Motor Action. Matawu, who won the league title with Chicken Inn in 2016, had hoped to sign out in style. He had prepared for the season and was hoping to help his team win silverware. “I really wanted to give it a good push this year, starting with the off-season which I really pushed myself.” Chicken Inn travelled to Malawi early this year as part of their pre-season preparations, but their efforts were in vain as the season failed to take off. “My performances in the four-team tournament in Malawi gave me the zeal and optimism that this was going to be a great season for me as an individual and as a team. But because there has been no football, everyone is disappointed.” Sources said Matawu was currently doing administrative work at Chicken Inn and the club was contemplating including him in Antipas’ technical team. He seems to have prepared for life after playing as he is a holder of a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sport Science and Coaching which he got last year from the University of Science and Technology. “My degree has opened my eyes to endless opportunities in football. For now, I won’t divulge much, but you will be seeing me around in football circles,” he said. Matawu is arguably one of the rare talents to ever grace the local football scene. He was so good that he was voted the Soccer Star of the Year in 2006 and was a best player finalist a record six times. l Follow Fortune on Twitter @fmbele

TWO prisoners at Mutare Remand Prison are in trouble after they were arrested on Tuesday for sodomy. BY KENNETH NYANGANI The pair, Moses Mabhure from Mutare and Carlos Mafuke from Machipanda in Mozambique appeared before regional magistrate Lucie Mungwari facing aggravated indecent assault charges (sodomy). They were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to December 18. It is the State’s case that sometime in November, Mafuke was bathing at Mutare Remand Prison when he was approached by Mabhure. Mabhure demanded to have sexual intercourse with Mafuke, who refused. Mabhure, however, “forcibly” had sexual intercourse with Mafuke. The matter came to light on November 29 when Mafuke was found caressing Mabhure’s private parts by fellow prisoners who reported the matter to jail guards. Follow Kenneth on Twitter @KennethNyangan1

The coronavirus pandemic coupled with the imminent winter season means an increasing number of homeowners will be spending more time indoors. So, why not take advantage of this opportunity to give your kitchen the love it deserves. “Although some homeowners may be skeptical about scheduling a kitchen remodel during the wintertime, in actuality, it’s a highly […]

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Milwaukee, WI — Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and Homeland Security, chaired by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), held a hearing featuring the testimony of Dr. Jane M. Orient. She is the executive director of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, a small fringe group of doctors that has expressed numerous controversial […]

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IMPLYING that the masses of South Africans are stupid for repeatedly voting for the African National Congress (ANC) is a denial of the enormous sacrifices they made during the struggle against apartheid — and of the huge gains we have made since the advent of democracy. guest column:Oscar Van Heerden Justice Malala implied during a panel discussion on eNCA recently that our people are stupid for electing the ANC over and over again, regardless of how much the party messes up. He stated, and I am not quoting verbatim, they mess up the economy, the people vote for them; they allow State capture, they vote for them; there is blatant corruption with respect to COVID-19 protective gear, the people vote for the ANC. He concluded that there is a problem with our people. On the one hand, he might imply they, therefore, deserve what they get, which would be callous, or on the other hand, they are stupid. I decided to take serious issue with his sentiments because I have often also heard it being expressed by my white compatriots: the ANC can do whatever it wants and the stupid masses will keep on voting for them and they know it, so don’t expect any change from the ANC any time soon. I presume these are the same people who fought for centuries to rid themselves of slavery, colonial occupation and apartheid? These stupid people are the same ones who have bled and died in pursuit of their freedoms, justice? Many of them chose to languish in our prisons, jail cells and indeed on the gallows, stupid fools. These are the stupid people you are referring to, right? A people who saw the fruits of their labour come to fruition in 1990 and as a result could savour that sweet taste of freedom on that fateful day, April 27 1994. After so many of them died between the period of 1989-1994, right until the eve of the election day. Are these the stupid people you are referring to? They, who experienced first-hand in many communities how their ordinary poor and destitute lives were improving and taking shape in the right direction post-1994. Perhaps you are not used to not having piped water, but they saw this ANC government give them access, similarly with electricity, a most basic commodity. It was slow on the job front, yes; the global economy can be a very complex and lonely place, but these are the people who saw their government making the effort and at least giving them a child grant, equalising old-age pensions across the colour line and restoring the dignity of our aged and most vulnerable. Even at a time of a desperate shortage of extra cash, it is this ANC government that went an extra mile and provided an additional seven million of these stupid people with some relief to assist in a desperate situation with the COVID-19 special grant. You might have the luxury of debating dependency syndromes etc, but the stupid people can feel the difference in their tummies. With literally thousands of service delivery protests all over the country for a number of years already now, with civil society taking good shape in holding government at