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[NEWS] Artisanal and small-scale mining is the main source of income for more than 100,000 gold and diamond miners in Liberia. Out of the 1,293 mining operations in the country, 1,142 (88.3 per cent) are artisanal and small-scale miners.
In May, Burundi held a presidential election which was won by Evariste Ndayishimiye, candidate of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party.
Ndayishimiye was hurriedly sworn in after the untimely death of president Pierre Nkurunziza in June.
Rights violations continue
The Council encouraged donor countries which had suspended aid to Burundi to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
A report by a UN watchdog in September said human rights violations were still being committed in Burundi, including sexual violence and murder.
The country was plunged into a crisis in April 2015 when Ndayishimiye’s predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term, which he ultimately won in July 2015.
His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.
Hundreds of people were killed and over 300,000 fled to neighboring countries.
[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- The Catholic Diocese of Cape Palmas, whose pastoral and administrative jurisdiction cover the five counties of the southeast of Liberia, has expressed grave concerns about the incident of intimidation and threats of violence by some residents of Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County against a political grouping of Liberians exercising its constitutional rights to free movement and peaceful assembly, which occurred on July 30, 2020.
On June 5, 2020, the Green Institute, in collaboration with Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar Foundation), will host Jeffrey Sachs (SDSN) and over 25 renowned sustainability experts from across the globe, at a virtual symposium Time #ForNature for World Environment Day, a United Nations awareness campaign for environmental protection, held annually since 1974.
This hallmark event organized by a sustainability organization is a confluence of sustainability leaders in various fields endeavored at assembling individuals and organizations towards achieving sustainable development in Africa and beyond.
As the Associate Professor at the College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar Foundation), the Assistant Dean for Innovation and Community Development and Lead Project Investigator for a Qatar National Research Priorities Program on Localizing Entrepreneurship Education in Qatar, Dr. Tok has extensive experience in building disruptive mechanisms in education and learning in post-graduate studies.
Organizations such as the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (a member of Qatar Foundation) and the Sustainable Solutions Development Network have been instrumental towards the success of The Green Institute.
The participating organizations include the UNEP, UNDP, Qatar Green Building Council, Qur'anic Botanic Garden, Farm Lab, Human Future, Springer Nature, Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, University of Basel, the Open University UK, TerraCycle, Design Future(s) Initiative of Georgetown University, United Nations Development Program, and the Green Maasai Troupe Doha Qatar.
Roslyn, Washington, was a coal mining town located at the eastern base of the Cascade Mountains.
Within two years, the town’s population grew to over 1,000 as miners from the eastern United States and Europe were attracted by the work the coal company offered.
The company recruited black miners from Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky to take the place of the striking miners.
Special trains brought in over 300 black miners and their families during 1888 and 1889.
Once tension subsided, white and black miners worked together peaceably amid the constant danger of the job.
AT nine years old, most Jamaican children would be getting ready to enter grade three or four at the primary level come September, but Andwele Haye, who only turned 10 in July, is getting ready for high school. This short and articulate individual was placed at the Herbert Morrison Technical High School after acing the 2020 sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations at age nine.
guest column:Tadiwa Pasipanodya THIS article serves as a brief synopsis of the mining that was taking place in one of Zimbabwe’s protected areas namely Hwange National Park. The article will start with an in-depth analysis of the laws that regulate the mining industry in Zimbabwe and then proceed to discuss the current unenviable situation which has seen mining take place in a national park. It will then conclude on a sombre note as it discusses the conflict between environmental conservation and the need to stimulate economic growth, moreso in a situation where there is a desperate need to achieve the latter. What law regulates mining in Zimbabwe and what are the procedures contained in the law? The main piece of legislation that regulates mining in Zimbabwe is the Mines and Minerals Act (hereafter referred to as the Act). The first aspect one would note when perusing through it, would be that in section 2, the Act vests the right to mine in the President of course subject to the Act. Although this is not the main purpose of this piece, it would be worth noting how more progressive jurisdictions have handled this key introductory section. For instance, in South Africa the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) enlists the State as the custodian of mineral resources for the benefit of all South Africans. That is a notable distinction which will be explored on another day. For one to start mining in Zimbabwe, the following procedures must be satisfied. The process naturally starts with a prospecting licence. In the Hwange National Park instance, the Chinese-owned company by the name Yuxian County Zhingxin Coking Company Ltd (hereafter referred to as the Chinese company) which was working in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), was supposed to be in possession of a Zimbabwe Investment Authority certificate. Then in turn apply for a prospecting licence from the Mines ministry or any of its offices as prescribed by section 20 of the Act. Section 23 of the Act further provides that the prospecting licence will be valid for a period of two years and gives the holder the latitude of prospecting and pegging mining claims anywhere in Zimbabwe subject to certain limitations. At this point, the holder of the prospecting licence can go on to physically peg the area the prospector is interested in as prescribed by section 27 of the Act. However, this should happen after delivering prospecting notices to the land owner. There is a caveat, however, provided in section 31, namely that certain areas are not open to prospecting which, therefore, means they cannot be pegged. Such areas include dams and cultivated dip tanks. Once the requirements prescribed in the Act have been satisfied, individuals interested in mining can then move to apply for registration at the Mines and Mining Development ministry offices and the following must be attached: Prospecting licences, prospecting notice, discovery notice, notification of intention to prospect to the land owner, a map in triplicate to the
[UNEP] London -- The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (the Standard) launched today, establishes the first global standard on tailings management that can be applied to existing and future tailings facilities, wherever they are and whoever operates them.
STATE-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) has applied for exclusive diamond prospecting rights in an area covering 38 573 hectares located in Chihota, Mashonaland East province. BY FIDELITY MHLANGA In a general notice 1 093 of 2020, government said: “It is hereby notified, in terms of section 87(4) of the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 21:05 that Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company Private Limited has applied to the Mining Affairs Board for an exclusive prospecting order, over an area described in the schedule in the Mashonaland East mining district in relation to map reference Chegutu SE 36-9 second edition and of the scale 1:250 000, produced by the surveyor general.” ZCDC intends to prospect for diamonds within areas which have been reserved against prospecting pending determination of this application. An exclusive Prospecting Order gives mining companies express rights to search for minerals and peg claims in designated areas. However, concern has been raised that some companies are not scouting for minerals but are only holding EPOs for speculative purposes. “An area of approximately 38 573 hectares in extent, situate in Mashonaland East provincial mining district bounded by a line commencing at a point grid reference (36KTR 283855-8004013) which is approximately 17,2km southeast of Trig beacon 4714 Cecil,” the notice further read. As alluvial diamonds are running out in the Marange area, the company is desperately exploring other areas. ZCDC has put in place an ambitious target to produce 4,1 million carats this year. At its peak in 2012, the country produced 12 million carats, before production plummeted to 2,8 million carats in 2018. Amid fierce resistance, authorities in 2015 directed a consolidation of all diamond mining companies in Zimbabwe to form ZCDC. Private mining firms were ordered to terminate operations, leave their equipment and evacuate premises. Chinese firm, Anjin conjointly owned by Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company Ltd and Matt Bronze, an army investment vehicle has since been directed to commence operations in Chiadzwa. Government last July launched an ambitious roadmap for the achievement of a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023.
[Shabelle] Somalia's international partners* express their concern and their strong hope that recent political developments, including in the Federal Parliament, will not undermine efforts to reach political consensus on timely elections, disrupt Somalia's reform agenda, or create instability that may reverse the gains made so far on national priorities.
HUMAN rights lobby group, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum says it recorded at least 920 human rights violations involving State security agents under the guise of enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. BY Nhau Mangirazi In a report launched yesterday, the rights group said the violations included abductions and torture, extra-judicial killings, assaults on citizens by law enforcement officers, attacks on journalists, unlawful arrests and gunshots. Most of the violations were recorded ahead of the foiled July 30 protests where citizens intended to demonstrate against the deteriorating human rights situation and corruption in the country. “Other violations that could not be adequately quantified due to their high frequency include harassment, threats and intimidation,” read part of the report titled 180 Days of What?. “The lockdown was also marred by reports of violations on fundamental rights to dignity and rights not to be tortured, rights to water, food, medical services, access to information, and restrictions to freedom of expression, non-compliance with court orders and corruption.” According to the report, about 280 reports of assaults and torture, including dog bites, were recorded, while 20 cases of assault on journalists and 538 unlawful arrests and detention were recorded. The rights defenders also recorded 12 abductions, two gun shots, four extra-judicial killings, eights raids, 57 displacements and two cases of harassment, threat and intimidation across the country. In a country with a fragile economy, the pandemic further exacerbated the plight of citizens in relation to social and economic rights. Access to water, food and health was also a major challenge for communities, forcing the majority to venture out in search of the services and inadvertently violating lockdown regulations. The report also noted the failure by government to provide personal protective equipment in hospitals as the biggest cause of the spread of the COVID-19. “This report was compiled from stories recorded across the length and breadth of our country. It captures personal accounts of victims of all sorts of violations, through 180 stories. The report is also a scorecard of the performance of duty bearers in this time of crisis,” Musa Kika, the rights group executive director said. “The 180 days national lockdown period was marred by violations of civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights.” Police were urged to conduct a thorough investigation into all outstanding reported cases concerning excessive use of force and live ammunition by security forces on citizens and bring the perpetrators to book. The human rights lobby group also urged government to stop persecuting whistleblowers and establish an independent and credible department that monitors and oversees compliance to prevent human rights violations, corruption and malpractices by police officers.
If you have to pick your chin off the floor every time you see a photo of Lori Harvey's amazing figure, you're absolutely not alone. The gorgeous
In mines across the world, men dominate the labor force. It is so because mining is labor-intensive and women are often thought of as not having the physical ability to mine. In mines where women are hired, more often than not, they do minor labor activities. However, a mine in Zimbabwe is rewriting the narrative...
The post Inside Africa’s first mine where all workers are women appeared first on Face2Face Africa.
U.S. Department of State Background Note
Algeria, the second-largest state in Africa, has a Mediterranean coastline of about 998 kilometers (620 mi.). The Tellian and Saharan Atlas mountain ranges cross the country from east to west, dividing it into three zones. Between the northern zone, Tellian Atlas, and the Mediterranean is a narrow, fertile coastal plain--the Tell (Arabic for hill)--with a moderate climate year round and rainfall adequate for agriculture. A high plateau region, averaging 914 meters (3,000 ft.) above sea level, with limited rainfall, great rocky plains, and desert, lies between the two mountain ranges. It is generally barren except for scattered clumps of trees and intermittent bush and pastureland. The third and largest zone, south of the Saharan Atlas mountain range, is mostly desert. About 80% of the country is desert, steppes, wasteland, and mountains. Algerias weather varies considerably from season to season and from one geographical location to another. In the north, the summers are usually hot with little rainfall. Winter rains begin in the north in October. Frost and snow are rare, except on the highest slopes of the Tellian Atlas Mountains. Dust and sandstorms occur most frequently between February and May.
Soil erosion--from overgrazing, other poor farming practices, and desertification--and the dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents are leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters. The Mediterranean Sea, in particular, is becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff. There are inadequate supplies of potable water.
Ninety-one percent of the Algerian population lives along the Mediterranean coast on 12% of the countrys total land mass. Forty-five percent of the population is urban, and urbanization continues, despite government efforts to discourage migration to the cities. About 1.5 million nomads and semi-settled Bedouin still live in the Saharan area.
Nearly all Algerians are Muslim, of Arab,
A Brazilian miner died on Tuesday after a 200-pound-plus rock crushed him to death while he was working at Puruni Mines in Region Seven.
The article Brazilian miner dies after crushed by rock in Region 7 mine appeared first on Stabroek News.
A multistate outbreak of salmonella poisoning that has sickened almost 400 people in 31 states has been traced back to red onions, federal health officials said. And a company based in Bakersfield, California is the likely source of the potentially contaminated onions, according to the Food and Drug Administration. 'Although the investigation has determined that red onions are the likely […]
This greater need for peacekeeping efforts offers an opportunity for the UN to explore a real spectrum of peace operations beyond the large multidimensional model.
Unlike recent closures in Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire - where missions ended following successful peace processes - those in Darfur and Congo will be leaving with far greater risks of relapse into large-scale violence.
The UN should treat the current COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to transform its approach to peace operations.
Models without a military component exist, including the peacebuilding mission in Guinea-Bissau, the new political mission in Haiti, the regional prevention work of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, and a range of successful conflict prevention initiatives by the UN in non-mission settings.
As the UN reflects on 72 years of peacekeeping, it should not be consumed with how to draw down its big operations or how to survive with its current models.
I was 9 years old when I told my Burundian parents that my dream was to dance for Beyoncé, and you should have seen their shocked faces. I didn’t speak […]
The post Why We Must Be Careful When Watching Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’ appeared first on Essence.
BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA/STEPHEN CHADENGA FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube has been urged to include policy reforms in the 2021 national budget which will decriminalise artisanal mining activities, given the reports that small-scale miners were actually remitting more gold than big mines to Fidelity Printers and Refiners. This was said by the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (Zela) in its 2021 budget proposal paper presented in Parliament early this week. The organisation has also petitioned Parliament to investigate machete gangs that are terrorising artisanal miners. Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda has since referred the petition to the Edmond Mkaratigwa-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines. “Formalisation of the sector will help to reduce revenue illicit flows from the artisanal and small scale miners. There are low levels of tax compliance in the ASM players, largely because they are treated as illegal and there is inadequate financial support to the sector,” the Zela statement on the 2021 budget read. “The informality of the ASM activities has jeopardised the capacity of the sector to contribute towards domestic resource mobilisation of the country.” In 2019, artisanal miners accounted for 63% (17 478,74kgs) of total gold deliveries (27 650,26 kgs) to the government’s sole buyer. Zela noted that the artisanal miners sector had also been associated with a number of disputes arising from multiple claim ownership. “There is no transparency in the awarding of claims, and this has fuelled corruption, leading to loss of claims by women and men in the sector. Ultimately, this has affected livelihoods for a number of women.” Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT) director Wonder Phiri yesterday said women should play an active role in the mining sector to promote economic recovery. Phiri said this during the launch of a collaborative research done by CCMT and the Midlands State University Gender Institute which looked at challenges and opportunities for women in Zvishavane district. “This research paper is being launched at a time the country’s economic recovery is being anchored on the mining sector. It cannot be business as usual without women involvement in mining. Women’s involvement should go beyond selling trinkets at mining spots,” he said. Phiri added that there was need to solve all gender disparities in the mining sector, as well as to address mining conflicts that deter women from participating in mining activities.
[WHO] One of the challenges being faced worldwide is the rate of infection of health professionals while treating COVID-19 patients. 2016 statistics show the following picture of Rwanda's health sector: 1/50,505 ground ambulance / population Ratio; 1/10,055 Doctor/population ratio; 1/1,094 Nurse/population ratio; 1/10,500 Laboratory technicians /population ratio.
June 2020: African nations drag US to UN human rights council
\tAfrican nations have prepared a draft resolution at the U.N.’s top human rights body that singles out the United States and would launch intense international scrutiny of systemic racism against people of African descent in the wake of recent high-profile killings of blacks by American police.
It calls for a Commission of Inquiry — the rights body’s most powerful tool to inspect human rights violations — to look into “systemic racism” and alleged violations of international human rights law and abuses against “Africans and of people of African descent in the United States of America and other parts of the world recently affected by law enforcement agencies” especially encounters that resulted in deaths.
On Monday, the council agreed unanimously to hold the urgent debate on “racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police brutality and the violence against peaceful protests” in the wake of the George Floyd killing in the United States.
AP report
May 2020: US must sit up, eliminate racial discrimination: AU on George Floyd ‘murder’
\tThe Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat has waded into the death of a black American man, George Floyd at the hands of police in the United States.
Over in South Africa, the Economic Freedom Fighter, EFF, also lambasted the US in a statement calling on African countries to call the US government to exercise restraint and to “call on Trump to seize from his genocidal deployment of the military against protesters.”
RuneScape is an online multimedia game that is known for its role-playing feature. This online role-playing saga was developed and later published by the company Jagex. Sometime back in January 2001, it came into being, and since then, people have been hooked to it. It seems like people are waiting Read More
The post Why Are People Still Playing RuneScape in 2020? appeared first on PensacolaVoice.com.
