An American football star who sparked a furore by kneeling during the national anthem has been unveiled as the new face of a major advertising campaign. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will front Nike’s “Just Do It” 30th anniversary campaign, reports said.
REUTERS Image caption Colin Kaepernick was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers for six years
In 2016 Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem in protest at police violence against African-Americans.
Many other players followed suit but the protest has divided the country.
President Donald Trump has called players who “disrespect” the US flag “sons of bitches” and called for them to be sacked.
The Nike adverts show Kaepernick with the slogan: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
Kaepernick is one of a number of sports stars – including National Football League (NFL) players Odell Beckham Jr and Shaquem Griffin, as well as tennis star Serena Williams – to appear in the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.
On Monday the star posted the advert and the slogan on his Twitter account.
Gino Fisanotti, Nike’s vice president of brand for North America, was quoted by cable sports network ESPN as saying: “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.”
Kaepernick, 30, signed a sponsorship deal with Nike in 2011 and has been kept on its payroll throughout the kneeling controversy, ESPN reported.
The player opted out of his contract with the 49ers in 2017 and has not played since. He is currently suing the NFL claiming he is being kept out of the league because of his part in the protests.
In May this year, the NFL announced that players who knelt for the national anthem would be fined under a new policy.
The league said players not willing to stand for The Star-Spangled Banner could stay in the changing rooms until it had been performed.
The NFL also vowed to “impose appropriate discipline on league personnel who do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem”. – BBC
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has delayed announcing his Cabinet to give talks with youthful MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa a chance, highly-placed sources told the Daily News yesterday.
Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Zimbabwe has been without a Cabinet since August 26, when Mnangagwa took oath of office after a lengthy hiatus caused by Chamisa’s Constitutional Court application, challenging his electoral victory.
The only appointments he has so far made relate to his deputies, Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, who were reappointed last week.
Highly-placed sources told this publication yesterday that the Zanu PF leader, who has “out-stretched” his arms to Chamisa, was not rushing to appoint his Cabinet in the hope that the MDC Alliance leader would agree to working with him in some form of broad-based government.
This comes as the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) are said to be nudging protagonists in the Zimbabwe crisis to smoke a peace pipe to release pent-up pressures contributing to an on-going meltdown of the country’s economy.
Reports, which have not been denied by Brussels and Number 10 Downing Street, suggest that their diplomats are proposing an arrangement that mirrors the system in Britain, where the leader of the opposition and his chief whip are paid by the State.
As if to confirm this, a shadowy columnist in one of the State newspapers believed to be Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, has hinted that there could be behind the scenes negotiations for the two leaders to work together.
He said the administration was just waiting for Chamisa to cool down after losing the elections for meaningful talks to proceed.
“Looking in the crystal ball, much really depends on how soon and well the young man (Chamisa) recovers his poise so he merits the regard and package that awaits him from his winning rival.
“Far more than all of us, he stands to gain a great deal in the impending Second Republic, until now a blank concept and cheque needing some ink, pen and a steady scrawling hand, if Zimbabwe is to enter a new and mature phase in its national politics,” the columnist wrote.
The writer said a key paradoxical assignment for Mnangagwa was going to be one of drawing in and closer what he described as an immature and disloyal opposition, while not bringing them in by way of an inclusive government which no one in Zanu PF countenances at this stage.
“This needs great creativity, even greater courage, bearing in mind it is on this question that ED either stumbles or else over-leaps, the latter allowing him to lay an enduring basis for a lasting legacy. And once this puzzle is resolved, the challenges on the economy will be an easy run down the hill,” the columnist said.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo told the Daily News that the duty to appoint ministers was that of the president, adding that no one could be privy of how Mnangagwa was going to choose his Cabinet.
“You can ask the chief secretary in the office of the president, Dr Misheck Sibanda, because Cabinet appointments are a prerogative of the president. I don’t even expect the chief secretary to know, the rules of appointment are that it is the prerogative of the president,” Khaya Moyo said.
MDC Alliance national chairperson Morgen Komichi said he was not yet aware of any overtures from Mnangagwa.
“As far as I am concerned they have not yet approached us,” Komichi said.
Despite the denials, Chamisa has been mandated by his national council to engage in dialogue with all stakeholders in the local and international community.
Chamisa, however, said the dialogue will be anchored on five key issues, chief among them, the respect of the true election outcome, return to legitimacy and democracy and institution of electoral reforms for the conducting of free, fair and credible elections in the country.
He said dialogue will be around reviving the country’s economy.
Analysts believe it is important for the two parties to work together for the good of the country, as this creates great chances of improving the country’s economy.
Political analyst Stephen Chan said Western powers were eager to see an accommodation between Mnangagwa and Chamisa.
He said the delay in announcing Cabinet might also be linked to Mnangagwa’s need to balance the divisions within the ruling party.
Within his party, Chamisa has a number of forces to appease based on tribe, gender, other social inclusion factors, the military and war veterans.
“There are many factions in Zanu PF to be balanced, and it was never going to be just a contest between technocrats and military figures, or between some fabled new guard and the old guard. In any case, as far as I can see, there are few really able technocrats in Parliament. Bright and sensible people have all gone into business,” said Chan.
Maxwell Saungweme, another political analyst, said Mnangagwa was trying to manage people’s expectations, with high chances that he might work with Chamisa.
He said it was increasingly becoming clear to Chamisa and the alliance that Mnangagwa is the President and regardless of rigging claims Zimbabwe has to move on.
“I see Chamisa working with Mnangagwa soon under the guise of putting the country first. Otherwise politically it will be difficult for him to refuse to work with Mnangagwa given that he has MPs and local councils the alliance won,” said Saungweme.
“Whether he likes or not his party is definitely part of government. I think Mnangagwa is doing well in embracing him so that a win-win alternative is found instead of a winner take all. Chamisa has over two million votes and is difficult to ignore. But Mnangagwa is also the President and difficult to ignore for Chamisa”.
Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said working together comes with its fair share of problems which might not be good for the country.
“While it may bode well for Zimbabwe that our political leaders find each other this may not resolve the fundamental contestations on electoral results hence a lack of trust within any GNU (Government of National Unity). I think the MDC and Zanu PF must simply agree on a politics of respect and rule of law,” he said.
The debate in Zanu PF on plans by some in the ruling party to push for a constitutional amendment that will raise the minimum presidential age limit from the current 40 to between 55 and 60 years is very retrogressive.
MDC-T president Nelson Chamisa
Clearly, the suggested constitutional amendment is being mooted primarily to bar MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa who was narrowly beaten by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the recent elections from running for the same post again.
When the idea was first raised by controversial Zanu PF legislator Joseph Chinotimba, many of us thought at the time that the Buhera South legislator was just expressing an uninformed opinion not shared by many in the ruling party.
How wrong we were!
Recently, Zanu PF politburo member Lovemore Matuke shocked many when he confirmed that the ruling party would indeed use its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to revise upwards the presidential age limit.
Given the fact that, unlike Chinotimba, Matuke is a Zanu PF bigwig who was the ruling party chief whip in the last Parliament, the threat to tweak the presidential age limit should not be taken lightly.
But why should a party that claims to have won the harmonised elections fairly and squarely be this desperate to bar Chamisa from standing again come 2023? Why is Zanu PF and its underlings so determined to block another Chamisa presidential run merely because he exercised his rights by petitioning the Constitutional Court to set aside the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s declaration of Mnangagwa as the winner of the July 30 presidential election?
This clearly exposes their fear of the rising youthful politician and the rut we are stuck in as a country. The Zimbabwean economy is in the doldrums but sadly for ordinary citizens, economic revival appears not to be the priority of the ruling party.
Instead of thinking of ways of utilising their majority in Parliament to breathe life into the economy, Zanu PF is already focusing on the 2023 harmonised elections. And this is barely a month after winning another mandate to govern Zimbabwe.
A Constitution is supposed to be fundamental document underpinned by enduring principles and as such change and modification should be rare.
Given the foregoing, it would be treacherous for Zanu PF to use its majority in the National Assembly to amend willy-nilly a Constitution that was borne out of extensive nationwide consultations.
We should not allow a situation where our Constitution is amended upon a few selfish people’s wishes.
Brazil World Cup winner Ronaldo has become the majority shareholder of Real Valladolid, after purchasing a 51% controlling stake in the Spanish club.
Brazilian football legend Ronaldo (C) holds a symbolic Real Valladolid jersey as he poses with Valladolid mayor Oscar Puente (L) and Real Valladolid president Carlos Suarez during a press conference in Valladolid on September 3, 2018 after the former Brazil striker took control of Real Valladolid after buying 51 percent of the La Liga club’s shares.
The 42-year-old played for Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona in an 18-year playing career.
Valladolid are 16th in La Liga and yet to win a game this season.
“The arrival of Ronaldo puts Real Valladolid on the map and will allow the club to take a leap in quality,” said president Carlos Suarez.
Ronaldo scored 62 times for Brazil, including both goals when they beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, he said: “I have gone through many stages in my training in football to prepare. Football is a passion.
“This new management will be defined by four words: competitiveness, transparency, revolution and social.”
Ronaldo won two La Liga titles with Real Madrid and the Uefa Cup with Inter. He was part of the Brazil squad who won the 1994 World Cup – although he did not play – and helped them reach the 1998 final.
He picked up the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world in 1997 and 2002.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah are the finalists for Best Fifa Men’s Player award for 2018.
ristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah are up for Best Fifa Men’s Player award
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, missed out on a place in the top three.
There was also no place for any member of France’s World Cup winning squad.
Lyon’s Champions League winning duo Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Germay’s Dzsenifer Marozsan are the finalists for Best Fifa Women’s Player, alongside Brazil forward Marta.
Portugal winger Ronaldo, the 2016 and 2017 winner, won a fifth Champions League title with Real Madrid in May before joining Juventus for £99.2m.
Real midfielder Luka Modric was named the World Cup 2018’s player of the tournament as Croatia reached the final against France.
Egypt forward Salah scored 44 goals as Liverpool reached the Champions League final, losing to Real.
Modric beat Ronaldo and Salah to win the Uefa Men’s Player of the Year last week
Ada Hegerberg of Norway, Germay’s Dzsenifer Marozsan and Brazil forward Marta are the finalists for Best Fifa Women’s Player
England striker Harry Kane, who won the World Cup Golden Boot and was on the original 10-man shortlist, has also missed out.
Didier Deschamps, who led France to the World Cup, is nominated for coach of the year, alongside Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
The awards are separate to the Ballon d’Or, after world football’s governing body ended its association with that honour in 2016.
A panel of Fifa legends and experts drew up 10-man shortlists for each award and a jury consisting of national team captains, coaches, selected journalists and fans choose the winner, each group accounting for 25% of the vote.
Ronaldo’s overhead kick against Juventus and Gareth Bale’s overhead kick against Liverpool in the Champions League final are among the 10 nominees for the Puskas award for best goal, which is voted for by the fans.
The winners will be announced on 24 September at Royal Festival Hall in London.
Valencia defender Geoffrey Kondogbia will have to wait to make his debut for Central African Republic due to injury.
Valencia’s Geoffrey Kondogbia was an unused substitute for France in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Belarus
The 25-year-old had to withdraw from coach Raoul Savoy’s 23-man squad for the game in Guinea on 9 September.
Kondogbia chose to switch allegiances from to CAR after playing five times for the French senior team and helping them win the 2013 Under-20 World Cup.
As all those appearances have been in friendlies meaning he can still swap to CAR with Fifa permission.
He holds dual nationality and has not played for France in a competitive fixture, making him eligible for the Wild Beasts – once his application has been approved by Fifa.
CAR will count themselves lucky as Kondogbia was an unused substitute when France played a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Belarus in September 2013.
If he had come onto the pitch at all he would have been ineligible to play for CAR.
Kondgobia, whose older brother Evans has five caps for CAR, had been expected to join up with his prospective teammates this week in the Senegalese seaside resort of Saly.
Savoy has called up unattached France-born striker Quentin Ngakoutou as a late replacement for Kondogbia, who has swiftly reassured the Swiss coach of his availability for the double-header against Ivory Coast in October.
Kondogbia began his professional career at Lens, before switching to Spanish club Sevilla in July 2012, stints at Monaco and Inter Milan followed ahead of a move to Valencia in August 2017.
Meanwhile, another former France youth international Frederic Nimani, who plays for Swiss club Xamax, has been cleared by Fifa and is expected to make his debut against the Group H leaders on Sunday.
CAR are second in the group after they beat visiting Rwanda 2-1 in the opening group fixture in June 2017. Guinea remain top on goal difference after a 3-2 away win in Ivory Coast. BBC.
Baby elephants, orphaned by poachers, are now being cared for at a new sanctuary in Botswana
By Alastair Leithead
Carcases of nearly 90 elephants have been found near a famous wildlife sanctuary in Botswana, conservationists say.
Baby elephants, orphaned by poachers, are now being cared for at a new sanctuary in Botswana
Elephants Without Borders, which is conducting an aerial survey, said the scale of poaching deaths is the largest seen in Africa.
The spike coincides with Botswana’s anti-poaching unit being disarmed.
Botswana has the world’s largest elephant population, but poachers have been breaching its border.
Some readers may find the image below distressing
The scientist carrying out the extensive wildlife survey said many of the 87 dead elephants were killed for their tusks just weeks ago – and that five white rhinos have been poached in three months.
“I’m shocked, I’m completely astounded. The scale of elephant poaching is by far the largest I’ve seen or read about anywhere in Africa to date,” said Dr Mike Chase from Elephants Without Borders.
“When I compare this to figures and data from the Great Elephant Census, which I conducted in 2015, we are recording double the number of fresh poached elephants than anywhere else in Africa.”
That census estimated a third of Africa’s elephants had been killed in the last decade and 60% of Tanzania’s elephants had been killed in the last decade and 60% of Tanzania’s elephants had been lost in five years.
Most of the dead elephants seen in Botswana had their tusks removed
Botswana has had a reputation for an unforgiving approach to poachers and had largely escaped the elephant losses seen elsewhere.
Despite a lack of fences on the international border, data from tracking collars showed elephants retreating from Angola, Namibia and Zambia and deciding to stay within the boundaries of Botswana where it was thought to be safe.
Incidents of poaching in the country were rare because of armed and well-managed anti-poaching units.
With 130,000 elephants, Botswana has been described as their last sanctuary in Africa as poaching for ivory continues to wipe out herds across the rest of the continent.
The first sign that was changing came two years ago when the BBC flew with Mr Chase close to the Namibian border and he discovered a string of elephant carcasses with their tusks removed for the first time.
But these latest killings have been found deep into Botswana – close to the protected Okavango Delta wildlife sanctuary, which attracts tourists from around the world.
“People did warn us of an impending poaching problem and we thought we were prepared for it,” said Mr Chase, who pointed to the disarmament of the country’s anti-poaching unit as a cause.
“The poachers are now turning their guns to Botswana. We have the world’s largest elephant population and it’s open season for poachers.
“Clearly we need to be doing more to stop the scale of what we are recording on our survey.”
Elephants Without Borders conducts regular aerial surveys
Botswana’s 2018 Wildlife Aerial Survey is only half-way through and conservationists fear the final figure of poached elephants will be a lot higher.
The survey area is split into sections, or transepts, and the plane flies back and forth like a lawnmower cutting the grass – turning at each end to ensure nothing is missed.
“Fresh carcasses” are those lost within the last three months, but many of those recorded had been killed within the last few weeks.
Conservationists fear the scale of this new poaching problem is being ignored as it is bad for the country’s reputation.
“This requires urgent and immediate action by the Botswana government,” said Mr Chase.
“Botswana has always been at the forefront of conservation and it will require political will.
“Our new president must uphold Botswana’s legacy and tackle this problem quickly. Tourism is vitally important for our economy, jobs, as well as our international reputation which is at stake here as being a safe stronghold for elephants.” BBC.
China does not invest in “vanity projects” in Africa and is helping the continent build its infrastructure, President Xi Jinping has said.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they pose for the media after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 3, 2018. Mnangagwa is on a visit to China to seek economic support from a major partner that previously backed his ousted predecessor Robert Mugabe. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Parker Song
He pledged an extra $60bn (£42bn) for the continent’s development, as he opened a summit with African leaders in Beijing to boost relations.
China is the single largest bilateral financier of infrastructure in Africa.
But critics warn that African nations have been going into unsustainable levels of debt with the Asian giant.
Mr Xi admitted there was a need to look at the commercial viability of some projects and make co-operation more viable.
“China’s cooperation with Africa is clearly targeted at the major bottlenecks to development,” he told business leaders ahead of the opening of the two-day summit.
“Resources for our cooperation are not to be spent on any vanity projects but in places where they count the most.”
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed China’s growing involvement on the continent, saying he did not agree that a “new colonialism is taking hold in Africa as our detractors would have us believe”.
All African nations are represented at the summit, except for the tiny kingdom of eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland.
It is the only African state to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
China’s government does not allow countries to have official ties with both itself and Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory.
Addressing leaders in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Mr Xi said the $60bn would be made up of both aid and loans.
It would be spent on eight initiatives over the next three years, including building more infrastructure and giving scholarships to young Africans, he said.
“China’s investment in Africa comes with no political strings attached,” Mr Xi added.
The $60bn pledge is over and above the $60bn China offered to Africa at a similar summit in 2015 in South Africa’s main city, Johannesburg.
Debt from China’s interest-free loans, due by the end of 2018, would be written off for some poor African states, Mr Xi said.
China would also set up a peace and security fund and would continue to provide free military assistance to the African Union, he added.
China lent around $125bn to Africa between 2000 and 2016, according to data compiled by the China-Africa Research Initiative at Washington’s Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
It has spent heavily on roads, railways, ports and other major infrastructure projects.
This includes a $3.2bn railway line between Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and the port city of Mombasa.
It is supposed to eventually connect landlocked South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean.
But the project has been marred by corruption allegations, and claims by economists that the cost was too high.
It ran up a loss of about $100m in its first year of operation, official figures show. BBC.
Fresh from her United States of America tour, South African songbird Zahara left throngs at Pakare Paye eating out from the palm of her hand as she shone at this year’s edition of Solo Festival.
Zahara
The festival held at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton on Saturday saw the diva sharing the stage with 19 local artistes.
Zahara performed for just 30 minutes but that was enough to prove beyond any doubt why she is the most sought after diva in the region.
Spotting her trademark afro, the South Africa singing sensation who once staged a private performance for the late South African president Nelson Mandela in 2011, gave a flawless solo act with fans singing along her hits such as Ndiza, Incwadencane and Loliwe among others.
Zahara, a village girl, rose to stardom in 2011 thanks to debut studio album Loliwe which went platinum in 13 days and double platinum after 17 days, selling over 100 000 copies in South Africa.
Real name Bulelwa Mkutukana, Zahara went on to perform a rendition of the late South African songstress Brenda Fassie’s all-time hit Vulindlela much to the appreciation of her fans at Pakare Paye.
After her act, Zahara told the Daily News she was excited to headline the Oliver Mtukudzi organised Solo Fest.
“Mtukudzi became my father before he even knew it. I have just arrived from my tour of USA but I said I have to be part of this event; it was not possible for me to miss such an opportunity and honour,” Zahara, who is turning 30 in November, said.
Before Zahara brought the curtain down at the seventh edition of Solo Fest, superstar Mtukudzi performed a flurry of his songs including Saraoga, Ngoromera, Neria and Ndima Ndapedza among others on his 15 minutes slot.
Other artistes who showcased at the event which started at 12 noon and ended just after 2000 hours include Hope Masike, Nigel Matope, Fiona Gwena, Silent Nqo, Donald Kanyuchi and Berita among others.
It was a typical family day as children were treated to various entertainment including jumping castles among others throughout the day.
During the performances, this year’s edition of Solo Fest saw three “Legends behind legends” — sungura kingpin Alick Macheso’s wife Nyadzisai, guitarist David Ndoro and South Africa’s finest guitarist Themba Mokoena honoured with awards courtesy of Pakare Paye Arts Centre.
“We have chosen to honour the three ‘legends’ because they have contributed much to the careers of our legends but they are not known.
“They are stars behind stars,” Mtukudzi’s Black Spirits band manager Walter Wanyanya said. Daily News.
A Blue Circle Bus Company employee reportedly manufactured fake EcoCash payment messages and used them to swindle a tyre trade of $58 000 worth of goods, a court heard.
File picture of Harare Magistrates Court
Modern Nyika, 47, was charged with fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate, Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa.
The State had opposed bail arguing that Nyika would flee jurisdiction since he was caught with some of the stolen property.
However, Mugwagwa released him on $500 bail and ordered him not to interfere with witnesses, reside at the given address and report every Friday at Glen Norah Police Station.
The case was remanded to October 2.
Between August 16 and 23 this year Nyika connived with one Mike and hatched a plan to steal from Tineo Enterprises, trading as Infinity Tyres at 34 Kelvin Road, Graniteside, Harare.
The court heard that Nyika and his accomplice then created fake EcoCash transactions messages, which they forwarded to the company’s merchant code purporting that it had been created from Econet.
It was alleged that using the manufactured EcoCash messages, Nyika would approach Infinity Tyres and purchase tyres using cellphone communication.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Nyika’s order would be processed by Infinity on the pretext that the EcoCash messages resembled genuine payments.
Nyika would allegedly hire motor vehicles to collect the tyres from Infinity Tyres once the fraudulent payments would have been processed.
The tyres were sent to Nyika and his accomplice’s residents.
The court head that when the matter came to light Nyika led police to recovery of 13 of the tyres which he hid at Blue Circle garage.
As a result of the manipulated EcoCash message Infinity lost $58 000 and property worth $7 000 was recovered.
Drivers of the cars that were hired to transport the stolen goods are willing to testify against Nyika during the trial.
The recovered tyres were positively identified by the owners through matching serial numbers.Daily News.
