A POWER cut plunged Zimbabwe’s parliament into darkness as Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was finishing his budget speech. The lights flickered and died, leaving top officials like President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and members of parliament sitting in the dark. The outage is a symptom of Zimbabwe’s ongoing crisis, with daily 12-hour blackouts driven by a prolonged drought that is crippling energy generation at the Kariba Dam, the country’s main power source. As the lights went out, opposition MPs shouted that the outage was an apt metaphor for the country’s state of affairs. George Manyaya, a spokesperson from Zimbabwe…
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LIVERPOOL finally ended their Real Madrid curse as they maintained their flawless Champions League record with a fully deserved victory in a thrilling encounter at Anfield. They had failed to beat the holders in eight previous meetings in the tournament – including two Champions League finals – but there was no denying Liverpool as head coach Arne Slot’s remarkable start in succession to Jurgen Klopp continues. Liverpool dominated Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who have now lost three of their five games and must fight for a play-off place in the tournament’s new format. In a game where the two superstars, Liverpool’s…
A CEASEFIRE between Israel and Hezbollah has appeared to hold on its first day as thousands of displaced people set out to return to their homes in southern Lebanon despite Israel’s military announcing restrictions on movement in the area. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X on Wednesday that residents would be barred from travelling south of the Litani River, about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border, from 5pm (15:00 GMT) until 7am (05:00 GMT) on Thursday. He said displaced residents would not be allowed to return to villages the army had ordered them to leave as Israeli…
SEVERAL members of Donald Trump’s incoming administration have received threats including bomb alerts, the FBI said Wednesday, with one nominee reporting a pipe-bomb scare sent with a pro-Palestinian message. “The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the agency said in a statement. Swatting refers to the practice in which police are summoned urgently to someone’s house under false pretenses. Such hoax calls are common in the United States and have seen numerous senior political figures targeted in recent years. Karoline Leavitt,…
MALAWI’s President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday announced measures to tackle a fuel crisis and hunger, while condemning political violence in the country. Earlier this year, the east African nation declared a state of disaster in 23 of its 28 districts after a drought destroyed crops, threatening 5.7 million people with hunger. In a televised address, Chakwera recognised “the need to prioritise food security,” but also asked the nation to support “measures to cut spending”. He said the government would announce austerity measures due to fiscal pressures over the country’s “debt situation.” The president thanked the international community for providing funds…
THE incoming regional director of the World Health Organization in Africa, Tanzania’s Dr Faustine Ndugulile, has died, just three months after he was elected to the position. Ndugulile, a 55-year-old lawmaker and a medical doctor, died on Wednesday morning in India while undergoing treatment, Tanzania’s speaker of parliament said. He is known for having stood up to President John Magufuli at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, when he served as deputy health minister. In August this year, he was elected as the WHO regional head, to take over from Botswana’s Dr Matshidiso Moeti, who has served two…
MANCHESTER City blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League as their wretched form continued at a stunned Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side looked to be cruising after two goals from Erling Haaland and another from Ilkay Gundogan put the hosts into a commanding lead. But the Dutch visitors staged a stunning comeback to take a point back to Rotterdam to the delight of their 5,000 travelling fans. Anis Hadj Moussa took advantage of a mistake by Josko Gvardiol to score Feyenoord’s first goal, before substitute Santiago Gimenez chested in his side’s second in the…
A CEASEFIRE between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah has come into effect hours after United States President Joe Biden said a proposal to end the “devastating” conflict had been reached, promising to halt nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that has killed thousands of people. The ceasefire began at 4am local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday amid concerns about whether the truce would hold and lead to the permanent end of fighting between Israel’s military and Hezbollah forces. “The fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end… This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said when…
THE UK Supreme Court on Tuesday began considering a lengthy dispute between campaigners and the Scottish government on the definition of “woman” in law. The case brought by the “For Women Scotland” campaign group, which believes that sex is biologically immutable, could have widespread implications on highly charged issues surrounding trans rights and how the UK defines gender and sex. It could also have consequences for the country’s gender-recognition process and access to single-sex spaces for trans people. The campaigners say the definitions of “woman” in the UK’s 2010 Equality Act and the Gender Recognition Act 2004 are incompatible. The…
EGYPTIAN rescuers found four bodies and five survivors on Tuesday during a Red Sea search operation after a tourist boat carrying 44 people sank on Monday. A total of 33 people have been rescued so far but seven were still missing as of Tuesday evening. The victims’ identities have not yet been disclosed by authorities. The BBC understands two of the missing are British nationals. The four-deck modern vessel had been carrying 31 passengers and 13 crew when it is understood to have been hit by a large wave near Marsa Alam, causing it to capsize. The boat sent distress…
KENYA has plunged in the latest rankings of how open it is to visitors from other African countries despite introducing a “visa-free policy” earlier this year. It dropped 17 places to 46th out of 54 nations, according the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI). Last year, President William Ruto was highly praised after announcing that Kenya would drop visa requirements for all visitors from the continent. But in their place most travellers now have to apply online for authorisation before leaving their country, which some have criticised as “a visa under another name”. The system, known as the Electronic Travel…
THE Republic of Panama decided on Sunday to suspend its diplomatic relations with the so-called ‘Sadr’. “In accordance with the rules of international law, the government of Panama has decided to suspend, as of Thursday, diplomatic relations” with the so-called ‘sadr’, the Panamanian ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “The Republic of Panama, giving priority to the national interest and in accordance with the fundamental principles of its foreign policy, reaffirms its conviction in the objectives and values that guide multilateralism and reiterates its willingness to continue supporting the efforts of the Secretary-General and the international community, within…
FOOTBALL enthusiasts have expressed dissatisfaction over the omission of key players Asisat Oshoala and Deborah Abiodun from the Super Falcons’ squad announced for the international friendly against France on November 30. The 20-woman list, unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation on Sunday, includes five home-based players and 15 foreign-based professionals. While Saudi Arabia-based Ashleigh Plumptre returns after a six-month injury layoff, the absence of some notable names has sparked debate among supporters. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), fans were vocal about their concerns. Augustine @AustinL71449 lamented, “Now I see the reason why the squad list was delayed. Seems…
CRISTIANO Ronaldo struck twice for Al Nassr as they continued to thrive in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the Saudi champions defeating Al Gharafa 3-1 in Qatar on Monday. The 39-year-old’s contributions moved Al Nassr nearer to the last eight, needing just two points from their final three group games. Only Al Shorta on two points, with four games to play, can deny Ronaldo’s side a place in the next round, after Persepolis drew 1-1 at Al Rayyan. Al Nassr captain Ronaldo had looked destined to endure a hugely frustrating game following a series of missed opportunities in the…
ISRAEL’s military launched air attacks across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least a dozen people, even as officials claimed they were nearing an agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli attacks hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut on Monday as well as in the port city of Tyre, where 12 people were killed – adding to the more than 3,700 people in Lebanon who have been killed by Israeli attacks in this two-month war. Israeli officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut’s southern…
UNITED States special counsel Jack Smith has moved to dismiss two criminal cases accusing President-elect Donald Trump of seeking to overturn his 2020 election defeat and mishandling secret government documents. In a court filing in the election interference case, prosecutors on Monday cited Trump’s return to the White House after his successful 2024 re-election campaign and a longstanding Department of Justice policy not to prosecute sitting presidents. They said the department had reasoned that Trump’s “prosecution must be dismissed” before his inauguration on January 20 of next year. “It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that…
EGYPTIAN authorities said 17 people including foreigners were missing after a tourist yacht capsized off the country’s Red Sea coast on Monday, with 28 others rescued. The vessel, which was carrying 31 tourists of various nationalities and a 14-member crew, sent out a distress signal at 5:30 am (0330 GMT), said a statement from Egypt’s Red Sea governorate. The Sea Story embarked on Sunday on a multi-day diving trip from Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam in Egypt’s southeast, and was due to dock on Friday in the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometres (124 miles) north. Governor Amr Hanafi said that…
ON a sunny afternoon in Cape Town’s seaside village of Simon’s Town, three young chacma baboons cause a commotion, clambering on roofs, jumping between buildings, and swinging on the gutters. Enchanted tourists stop to photograph the troop crossing the road. Locals are less impressed: it’s a daily scene in the charming village nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain National Park. About 500 chacma baboons — among the largest monkey species and weighing up to 40 kilos (88 pounds) — roam the peninsula south of Cape Town, says the South African National Biodiversity Institute. And as human development pushes…
SIX men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba face trial from Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint. The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world — all the more so because the perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother Mathias. The development comes as Pogba battles professional woes, as Juventus this month cancelled his contract following his suspension until March 2025 for doping. In total, the group are accused of attempting to squeeze 13 million euros ($13.5 million) out of the…
HEZBOLLAH says it targeted the Ashdod naval base in southern Israel “for the first time”, adding that it conducted an operation against a “military target” in Tel Aviv using advanced missiles and strike drones. The Israeli military reported air raid sirens in central and northern areas, including the Tel Aviv suburbs. The military said it intercepted a number of the projectiles fired at northern Israel, and added that 250 projectiles had been fired from Lebanon. Later on, Israeli army radio reported that ‘340 missiles’ had launched from Lebanon. The attacks wounded at least 11 people, including a man in a…