Over 4,000 people catch red eye disease in Tanzania’s Zanzibar: official
ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — At least 4,579 people have contracted the red eye disease in Tanzania’s Zanzibar since the outbreak of the ailment two weeks ago, an official said on Tuesday.
Zanzibari Deputy Minister of Health Hassan Khamis Hafidh said the cases of the red eye disease were collected from health centers and government and private hospitals on Unguja and Pemba Islands. Hafidh told a news conference at his office that the disease, which causes eye redness most often due to swollen or dilated blood vessels, was spread in Zanzibar by travelers from mainland Tanzania. He urged people suffering from the disease to stop treating themselves with traditional medicines, saying there was no proven cure for the illness. On Jan. 16, Tanzanian health authorities issued a high alert over the outbreak of the disease, noting preliminary investigations have shown that many people have contracted the disease in the country. Pascal Ruggajo, director of Curative Services in the Ministry of Health, said remedies for red eye are wide-ranging, including gently washing eyelids and lightly massaging them, adding that eye care specialists may recommend and prescribe medicines.
Western Australia signs landmark deal to fully fund public schools
SYDNEY, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — The state government of Western Australia (WA) has announced that it would become the first state in Australia where all public schools are fully and fairly funded, following a statement of intent signed on Wednesday.
According to a joint release by the Australian and WA governments, the funding for all public schools across the state is slated to rise from 95 percent of the School Resourcing Standard to 100 percent by 2026.No public school in Australia, except those in the Australian Capital Territory, is at the full and fair funding level. Under the new agreement, an additional investment of 777.4 million Australian dollars (about 510.5 million U.S. dollars) would be provided by the federal government into Western Australian public schools from 2025 to 2029.Meanwhile, the WA state pledged to invest at least an equivalent amount over the same period, bringing total additional investment in public schools to 1.6 billion Australian dollars (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars). Tony Buti, WA minister for education, underlined that the agreement would create a “stronger public education system” in the state.”The increase in funding will drive real improvements in outcomes for all students, especially for students from low socio-economic backgrounds, regional, rural, and remote Australia, students with disability, First Nations students, and students from a language background other than English,” said the minister.
Economic Watch: Europe’s economic recovery momentum remains dented
BRUSSELS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Both the EU and the eurozone narrowly avoided a technical recession in the last quarter of 2023 as Q4 GDP stagnated, the statistical office of the EU announced on Tuesday.
GDP readings were better than what market observers had expected but provided little relief as Europe’s economic recovery momentum remains dented.After shrinking by 0.1 percent in the third quarter of 2023, the GDP in the EU and the 20-member eurozone was flat in the last quarter, figures from the Eurostat showed.The stable GDP figures in Q4 enabled the European economy to escape a technical recession, which is defined as two consecutive quarters of economic downturn.Compared with 2022, the eurozone economy grew by 0.5 percent in 2023. The rate is markedly lower than estimations from market observers at the beginning of 2023.On a quarter-to-quarter basis, eurozone GDP grew by 0.1 percent in the first two quarters before it declined by 0.1 percent in the third quarter.Data released by the Eurostat also showed a widening divergence among economies in the eurozone. Growth in the last quarter was mainly supported by southern European countries such as Spain and Portugal, which posted growth rates of 0.6 percent and 0.8 percent respectively.In contrast, the economy of Germany, the largest economy in the eurozone, contracted by 0.3 percent. For France, the GDP remained flat in the last quarter.
Multiple factors are believed to have led to a stagnant economy in the eurozone economy last year. While the most aggressive rate hike cycle by the European Central Bank (ECB) was launched to tame inflation, eurozone economies still have to cope with high energy costs and weak demand.”After the buoyant post-pandemic reopening phase, the economy has now entered a phase of prolonged weakness,” said Bert Colijn, a senior economist at ING, in a note.Given that wage growth in the eurozone has been slow, price hikes in the area have eaten into the buying power of consumers and thus hurt consumption on the whole.Meanwhile, energy costs have been hovering at levels so high that companies in the eurozone are forced to grapple with slimmer margins as a result of climbing production costs.An increasing number of companies in Germany, especially those in the energy-intensive industries, have opted either to suspend part of their production or simply move to other countries with lower energy costs.Interest rates, which have been lifted by the ECB to historically high levels, also militate against the economy by pushing up borrowing costs, dampening demand and investment.
The restrictive monetary policy adopted by the ECB would remain intact for some time, ECB president Christine Lagarde indicated at a press conference last week.The threat of recession did not seem to bother the ECB chief, who argued that the economy should be gauged across a broader range of indicators such as employment and PMI.The composite PMI in the eurozone in January ticked up to 47.9 points from 47.6 points in December.In the ECB’s view, the eurozone economy will continue to be weak in the near term but is expected to pick up momentum later this year.Meanwhile, the ifo Institute, an economic think tank in Germany, has depicted a bleaker picture. It expects output of the eurozone’s largest economy Germany to shrink in the first quarter of 2024, signaling a recession.ING economist Colijn noted there are some signs of bottoming out, citing real wage growth and easing financial conditions. However, he insisted that there were no signs of any imminent recovery.”We don’t expect a material pickup in GDP growth in the first quarter though. In fact, we only expect a material improvement in the eurozone economy much later in the year,” he said.
Economic Watch: Zimbabwe’s capital to build up in height as housing demand rises
HARARE, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — As the population in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare grows, the city strives to meet the soaring housing demand.
With a population of over 2.4 million, about 16 percent of Zimbabwe’s population, the Harare metropolitan area is sprawling outwards, of which authorities say that the growth model is not sustainable since land is a finite resource. Urban land is a key economic resource and an important investment asset given Zimbabwe’s decade-long currency volatility and lack of alternative investment options. Housing in the capital is dominated by single-family one-storey houses, but the city has not been able to keep up with rapid urbanization, and demand for land keeps soaring.The demand has resulted in burgeoning informal settlements in and around Harare, some in unsuitable areas such as river banks and wetlands. It has also created land barons who illegally parcel out land to home-seekers. This has necessitated the need to build multi-story public housing and cluster housing units to alleviate the shortage.
Compact living is becoming more popular today, contrary to earlier times when there was a preference for larger land areas, according to Ken Sharpe, CEO of West Properties, a Harare-based property development company, which is constructing a thousand multi-story apartments in Harare’s upmarket Borrowdale suburb. “For a long time in the past, we have not densified the city, so the time has come to build up,” Sharpe told Xinhua. Younger home-seekers now prefer modern facilities including security, convenience and home automation, he noted. “we have a young population – almost 70 percent of Zimbabwe is youth under 30 – and these young people want to see modern features, modern designs,” he added. The government is encouraging people to build upwards, land use should be optimized, and agricultural land should be preserved, said Daniel Garwe, Zimbabwe’s Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities. “We are vertically building better,” Garwe told Xinhua, “We are promoting densification in terms of the construction of clusters in the low-density areas throughout the country.”
City of Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said the urban sprawl of single-family households no longer matches modern trends and family sizes. “We live in a short city which must go vertical,” Mafume, told Xinhua. “We have to densify because the population in Zimbabwe and in Harare has increased.” While densification through building cluster houses is gaining traction in Harare, some property owners in colonial suburbs with bigger land pieces have resisted the move, saying it alters the original characteristics of neighborhoods. Real Estate expert Renounce Regards Chokuda said while densification is a positive development, it is crucial to strike a balance between densification and preserving the quality of life in neighbourhoods. “It is essential to approach these projects with careful planning and design to ensure they are environmentally friendly, visually appealing, and cater to the needs of the local population,” Chokuda told Xinhua. Economist Prosper Chitambara said the government can play a major role in the provision of affordable housing. “The major challenge is the lack of access to affordable finance, or mortgage financing, that’s a major challenge, and the government can now play a role in terms of ensuring that financing is met,” Chitambara told Xinhua. The government has set a target to deliver 220,000 housing units by 2025 cooperating with the private sector.UN launches 1.6 bln USD humanitarian plan for Somalia amid multiple crises
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — The United Nations has launched the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, seeking 1.6 billion U.S. dollars to aid 5.2 million Somalians in need, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
The world body made the effort together with its partners and the Federal and State Governments of Somalia, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at the regular noon briefing.”Last year, Somalia was hit by multiple shocks, including devastating drought, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding, and new displacement. Millions of people also continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition in Somalia,” the spokesman said.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a stark warning, revealing that over 4 million people, constituting nearly a quarter of the country’s population, are currently experiencing “acute” food insecurity, according to the spokesman.Alarming statistics further indicate that two out of every five children under the age of 5 are afflicted by “acute malnutrition,” said Dujarric. Additionally, the nation is grappling with a dire situation of internal displacement, with approximately 3.8 million individuals being “internally displaced” due to various crises.Adding to the already dire humanitarian landscape, Somalia is now confronted with a cholera outbreak, which is “rapidly spreading” across multiple areas within the country, he said.
2.5 mln USD allocated for fighting Zambia’s cholera outbreak with 574 deaths: UN
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — UN humanitarians said on Tuesday that they released 2.5 million U.S. dollars for Zambia to battle a cholera outbreak claiming 574 lives and infecting 400 to 500 people daily.
Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths allocated the money from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on Monday to support the country’s response to the cholera outbreak, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).The office said that as of Sunday, Zambia’s National Public Health Institute reported more than 15,000 cholera cases and 574 deaths.”The transmission of cholera has been aggravated by challenges in water supply and sanitation, including flooding, shallow wells, and difficulties in accessing clean water,” OCHA said. “The new CERF allocation will support the emergency response, including support in the areas of health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.”Several eastern and southeastern African countries have had cholera outbreaks following this season’s longer and heavier seasonal flooding.
Sudanese army continues battle to defeat paramilitary forces: commander
KHARTOUM, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Tuesday said that the army is continuing its battle to defeat the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“We do not want to waste time in talking. We want to move forward,” Al-Burhan, also chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, made the remarks while addressing soldiers at a military base in the New Halfa area in eastern Sudan. Al-Burhan commended the Sudanese people’s support for the army, saying “the Sudanese people and the army are together in one trench until this rebellion is defeated.” He added that “the army is advancing in its battle to defeat the rebellion of the RSF backed by unprecedented popular support.” Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023. More than 13,000 people have been killed and over 9 million displaced since the fighting broke out, according to estimates released last week by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israeli military confirms flooding Gaza underground tunnels with seawater
JERUSALEM, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Israel’s military declared on Tuesday that it has pumped seawater to flood the Hamas underground tunnel network in the Gaza Strip.
It was the first time that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officially acknowledged using the controversial strategy, which some United Nations hydrologists and environmental experts warned could destroy the majority of Gaza’s drinkable water and harm agriculture. “During the war, the IDF has implemented new capabilities to neutralize underground terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip by channeling large volumes of water into the tunnels,” the IDF said in a statement. The measure is part of “a range of tools deployed by the IDF” to neutralize the subterranean network of tunnels, it said. “The capability was developed in a professional capacity, including analysis of the soil characteristics and the water systems in the area to ensure that damage is not done to the area’s groundwater. The pumping of water was only carried out in tunnel routes and locations that were suitable, matching the method of operation to each case,” it said.
According to Israeli figures, Hamas’s tunnels stretch over about 560-725 km beneath the coastal Palestinian enclave. On Sunday, the U.S. paper The Wall Street Journal quoted Israeli and U.S. officials as reporting that some 80 percent of the Hamas tunnel system remains intact.At least 26,751 Palestinians have been killed and 65,636 others injured in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its massive offensive on Oct. 7, 2023, according to an update issued on Tuesday by the Gaza-based Palestinian Health Ministry.The Israeli military operation followed a Hamas-led cross-border surprise attack on southern Israeli communities, which killed about 1,200 people.
Controversial auction of Nelson Mandela’s personal Items suspended amid outcry in South Africa
CAPE TOWN, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — A controversial auction of 70 personal items belonging to former South African President Nelson Mandela has been suspended, local media reported on Tuesday.
The online auction, scheduled for Feb. 22 and to be conducted by New York-based Guernsey’s auction house on behalf of Mandela’s eldest daughter Makaziwe, was intended to include the sale of Mandela’s ID document and several other significant personal items.Guernsey’s announced on its website Tuesday that “this auction has been suspended,” without providing an explanation. However, local media in South Africa indicated that the decision came in response to outcry in the country, particularly from the government and heritage protection agency. Media reports quoted the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) as saying that the auction was suspended after it made a request to Guernsey’s to wait until all court cases regarding this matter had been concluded. SAHRA had previously sought an interdict in court to prevent Makaziwe from auctioning the items, but lost the case late last year. In a statement issued on Jan. 19, SAHRA said it had lodged an application to appeal the ruling. Also on Tuesday, South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa said that “Nelson Mandela is integral to South Africa’s heritage … It is thus important that we preserve the legacy of former president Mandela and ensure his life’s work and experiences remain in the country for generations to come.” Mandela died in 2013 at the age of 95. He had been imprisoned for nearly 30 years for fighting against apartheid and became South Africa’s first black president in 1994.
Ethiopia launches construction of local vaccine manufacturing company
ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — The Ethiopian government has launched the construction of a vaccine manufacturing company, ShieldVax Enterprise, to stimulate local vaccine production for domestic consumption and export, local media reported.
The vaccine manufacturing company, with an investment of over 70 million U.S. dollars, will be built inside the premises of Ethiopia’s Chinese-built Kilinto Industrial Park on the outskirts of the capital, Addis Ababa, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported. During the cornerstone-laying ceremony on Monday, Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse said the construction of the vaccine manufacturing enterprise is a tangible manifestation of the Ethiopian government’s ongoing efforts to ensure health for all. Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strong healthcare infrastructure and vaccine manufacturing capacity, Tadesse underscored that the project is anticipated to bring significant improvement in the supply of vaccines for domestic use and export to neighboring countries.
The Ethiopian government has long expressed concern over the minimal share of local pharmaceutical production in Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation. Official figures show that local production could only satisfy no more than 15 percent of the national demand, notably from a limited portfolio of medicines in conventional dosage forms. Speaking to Xinhua recently, Habtamu Beyene, medicine registration and licensing director at the Ethiopian Food Medicine and Healthcare Administration and Control Authority, said the Ethiopian government, aware of the pressing challenge, has identified local pharmaceutical production as a key industrial sector and has been implementing a 10-year strategic plan to improve capabilities and attract investment in the sector. “As a country, we need to do more to bring balance between the demand and supply sides in the pharmaceutical sector. We have to exert concerted efforts to promote local manufacturing of medicines and pharmaceutical products,” Beyene said.Ethiopia’s Chinese-built Kilinto Industrial Park, constructed by Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd. at a cost of 204 million dollars and specializing in the pharmaceutical sector, is one of the 12 industrial parks and one free trade zone across the country.
U.S. rolls back sanctions on Venezuela following ban on opposition candidate from running for president
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — The Joe Biden administration reimposed sanctions on Venezuela targeting its oil and gas sector on Tuesday, saying the move was in response to the decision by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government to ban a leading opposition candidate from running for president.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that since the Maduro government failed to honor an agreement it reached in October with the opposition Unitary Platform to allow all opposition candidates to compete in the presidential election later this year, the United States will not renew a relief to Venezuela’s oil and gas sector beyond its expiration date of April 18. The relief, known as General License 44, was issued in October to encourage the Maduro government to fully implement the agreement reached in Barbados. Additionally, the United States is revoking General License 43, which authorizes transactions between U.S. persons and Minerven, the Venezuelan state-owned gold mining company. Venezuela’s Supreme Justice Tribunal on Friday upheld a ban prohibiting the country’s opposition presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado from holding public office. Asked about the possible reinstatement of the sanctions on Monday, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, told a White House press briefing that Maduro and his allies “haven’t taken those actions” they committed themselves to in the Barbados Agreement. “Now, accordingly, they got until April to do so, so we have options available to us. I’m not going to preview any of those at this time. But we certainly have options, with respect to sanctions and that kind of thing that we could take,” Kirby said.
Tanzanian president urges authorities to step up fight against illegal fishing
MWANZA, Tanzania, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday urged the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to step up the fight against illegal fishing.
“The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, in collaboration with district authorities across the country, should control and eliminate illegal fishing,” said Hassan. A statement by the Directorate of Presidential Communications said the president made the remarks when she handed over 160 state-of-the-art fishing boats to 989 fishermen in Lake Victoria regions of Mwanza, Mara, Kagera, Simiyu and Geita. The statement noted that Hassan also launched 222 fishing cages for 1,213 fish farmers. She said the government was transforming the fisheries sector to enable it to contribute to economic growth and improve the welfare of the people.
UN says climate-induced crises to drive humanitarian needs in Somalia in 2024
MOGADISHU, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Climate-induced crises will continue to drive humanitarian needs in Somalia in 2024, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
George Conway, deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general, resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, said humanitarian partners would implement a more rigorously targeted response, with a focus on assisting populations in most severe need. “In addition to climatic shocks, conflict, and insecurity, widespread poverty and disease outbreaks will continue to drive humanitarian needs this year,” Conway said in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, during the release of the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Somalia. The HNRP seeks 1.6 billion U.S. dollars to assist 5.2 million people out of 6.9 million who need lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance in Somalia. Conway said humanitarian and development partners will strengthen complementarity and work toward collective outcomes that will help reduce needs, risks and vulnerabilities, increase resilience, and ensure that future shocks do not lead to catastrophe.
Somalia was hit by shocks including devastating drought, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding, and new displacement in 2023, leaving millions who continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the UN said. While the situation has improved since 2023, 4.3 million people, almost one-fourth of the population, remain acutely food insecure, and two in five children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition, the UN said. An estimated 3.8 million people are internally displaced, and a cholera outbreak is spreading in several districts, according to the UN. Mohamud Moalim, commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), said more than 80 percent of the displaced are women and children and face serious protection risks. Moalim said the government is concerned about the humanitarian situation that is worsened by climate-induced crises. According to the UN, the response is tailored to ensure realistic planning and strict response boundaries. The funding requirements reflect a 37 percent reduction from the 2.6 billion dollars that was required to meet the needs of 7.6 million people in 2023.
Ghana cuts benchmark rate by 100 basis points as inflation eases
ACCRA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — Ghana’s monetary authorities have announced a 100 basis-point cut in the benchmark policy rate to 29 percent down from 30 percent as the inflation eases.
The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Ghana, the central bank, was made due to subdued inflationary pressures and the need to induce economic growth, said Ernest Addison, governor of the Bank of Ghana, at a news conference Monday. “Headline inflation declined sharply by more than 30 percentage points in 2023. Several factors have supported the disinflation process, including the tightening monetary policy stance throughout 2023,” Addison told the news conference. He said favorable international crude oil prices, which led to stable ex-pump prices and transportation costs, and relative stability in the exchange rate, also contributed to the fall in inflation. “The latest forecast suggests that the disinflation process will continue, and headline inflation is expected to ease to around 13 percent and 17 percent by the end of 2024 before gradually trending back to within the medium-term target range of 6.0 percent and 10 percent by 2025,” the governor added. In that case, the governor called for strict implementation of the 2024 budget and a tight monetary policy stance to sustain the disinflation process.The West African exporter of cocoa, gold, and crude oil has been implementing an economic reform program, with support from the International Monetary Fund, to revitalize its economy which has been in crisis since 2021.
WHO launches project to reduce child mortality in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has launched a project to reduce the alarmingly high number of child deaths related to pneumonia and diarrhea in Somalia.
The project, launched in collaboration with King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), is set to equip 28 health facilities across 10 select drought- and pneumonia-affected districts with solar-powered oxygen concentrators. “The Every Breath Counts project aims to increase access to medical oxygen, set up mother and child health care, establish oral rehydration centers, and provide integrated health facilities in the fragile humanitarian setting of Somalia,” the WHO said in a joint statement issued Monday evening in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Child mortality from all causes in Somalia is among the highest in the world, according to the WHO, noting that a child born in Somalia today is about 16.5 times more likely to die before the age of five years than a child elsewhere. The UN health agency said Every Breath Counts aims to reduce pneumonia and diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality among children under five years of age in the project’s target districts.It said the project will also provide 90 oxygen cylinders, 15 baby incubators, and four ambulances in total to the selected health facilities. The project will also help set up 15 triage centers and oral rehydration centers.
According to the WHO, an estimated 230,127 children under five years of age and more than 3.3 million community members will benefit from the project interventions. Over 700 health workers will be trained on screening, outreach, and treatment procedures in the course of the project. “KSrelief is investing in the future of Somalia by providing self-sustainable and environment-friendly solutions and ensuring that selected health facilities can run various medical procedures, especially for children and women without power interruptions,” said Supervisor General of KSrelief Abdullah Al Rabeeah. The under-five mortality rate in Somalia currently is 117 per 1,000 live births, which is higher than the sub-Saharan African average of 76 deaths per 1,000 live births, the WHO said.Approximately 21 percent of these deaths among children under five years of age in Somalia are attributed to pneumonia, while 18 percent to 20 percent of the deaths are attributed to diarrhoeal diseases.
