Ahead of Tunisia’s presidential election scheduled for October 6, many Tunisians are taking stock of the past five years under the presidency of Kais Saied. The country remains divided between his long-term supporters, and opponents who say the regime is repressive. Our reporters Lilia Blaise and Hamdi Tlili went to meet voters on both sides of the political divide, from Tunis to Paris.

Tunisia will hold a presidential election on Sunday against the backdrop of a crackdown on dissent and human rights violations committed against undocumented migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The incumbent, Kais Saied, whose most prominent critics are behind bars, is expected to sail to an easy win after a campaign with few rallies and public debates, marking a significant step back for a country that long prided itself as the birthplace of the Arab spring uprisings of 2011.

Only 11% of the electorate of 9 million voted in December’s local elections. Similarly low voter turnout this weekend would provide a hint of disapproval with Saied’s tenure so far.

Observers say Saied, who has been in office since 2019, has increasingly bent the country’s institutions to his will.

Last year, he ordered a crackdown on undocumented black migrants that drew criticism from around the world, but the EU nevertheless proceeded with a €105m deal with Tunisia to stem irregular migration.

The deal has helped fund security units that, according to a recent Guardian investigation, have been perpetrating widespread sexual violence against women on migration routes in its territory.

In the run-up to the election, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) whittled down an initial longlist of 17 presidential candidates to three after a raft of controversial disqualifications. Of the remaining trio, the former lawmaker Ayachi Zammel was jailed this week for reportedly falsifying documents. It is unclear if his candidature remains valid despite his detention.

Bassam Khawaja, a deputy director for Middle East and north Africa at Human Rights Watch, said: “Since the start of the electoral period on 14 July, authorities have prosecuted, convicted, or detained at least nine prospective candidates.”

Late in September, Tunisia’s parliament voted with an overwhelming majority to strip the courts of the power to reverse decisions made by its electoral body. The vote followed a row between the ISIE and a court that overturned the former’s disqualification of three presidential contenders.

The latest development has made Saied, who will lead for another five years if victorious on Sunday, near unstoppable.

Sarah Yerkes, a senior fellow in the Middle East programme at the Washington-based thinktank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the election would “almost certainly be a low point in the trajectory of what was once the sole democracy in the Arab world”.

After the Arab spring protests ousted the longstanding ruler Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia was hailed as one of the region’s brightest democratic lights, a reputation boosted by back-to-back elections.

Saied stood as an independent candidate and establishment outsider in the previous election in 2019, campaigning on a platform of strong government after nearly a decade of deadlock between Islamist and secular blocs since the 2011 revolution. The political outsider won by a landslide, with 73% of the vote in a second round runoff with turnout of 58%.

In 2021, he suspended the opposition-controlled parliament and fired the prime minister. The following year, a referendum changed the constitution and gave Saied sweeping powers in a newly introduced unitary system of government. He apportioned to himself the power to appoint magistrates and the seven ISIE members by presidential decree – and fire them at will.

More than a dozen leaders of the leading opposition party, Ennahda, including the former MP Said Ferjani, who was also imprisoned under Ali, were detained. Many remain in captivity.

Khawaja said: “Holding elections amid such repression makes a mockery of Tunisians’ right to participate in free and fair elections.”

Saied’s pursuit of an authoritarian agenda has coincided with downturn in Tunisia’s economic fortunes. Unemployment has risen and inflation is in double digits. According to the World Bank, the country’s economic recovery from years of a cost-of-living crisis and a recession in 2023 has slowed.

Throughout his tenure, Saied has accused civil society and opposition groups critical of his governance of having nefarious motives and being puppets of foreign countries. That line of thinking was echoed by the lawmakers in September, as some even outside the ruling party accused judges of acting on behalf of unnamed foreign interests.

With the coast clear for his re-election, there are fears of more democratic backsliding and populist propaganda efforts in the years to come.

Yerkes said: “By manipulating the 2024 presidential election, Saied has put one more nail in the coffin of Tunisia’s democratic transition and ensured the outcome well before the process began.”

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Debate. Arab spring dreams in ruins as Tunisia goes to polls against backdrop of repression est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Nigerians have been hit by a double whammy of chronic fuel shortages and a hike in prices by the state-owned oil company.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which imports the country’s fuel and distributes it to private sellers, blamed its debts and rising global prices for its difficulty in getting fuel.

Many people have been left stranded with long queues at petrol stations nationwide. Commuters in Lagos have been lining up at bus stations, but there very few buses operating.

Others told the BBC they have been forced to trek long distances as public transport prices have doubled along some routes.

On Tuesday, the NNPC said it was putting up the petrol price from 617 naira ($0.40, £0.30) to 897 naira a litre.

Its petrol stations have the cheapest fuel on sale in the country – but at the vast majority of other private garages the pump price is much higher.

When the NNPC puts up the price, so do private sellers and in some states, like Oyo, Kano and Kaduna, petrol is now selling for as much as 1,200 naira a litre.

Many garages around the country have shut because they have run out of fuel, others have closed to adjust their prices.

In the capital, Abuja, most are open but all have long queues as desperate drivers wait their turn – some slept in their cars overnight.

Fuel stations are not rationing supply, so there is a danger their wait will be futile.

A motorcycle rider in Kano, the main trading hub of northern Nigeria, said it was frustrating: “Most of the fuel stations here in Kano are closed because they want to adjust their pumps to the new price.

“I was able to get fuel at 950 naira at a particular station, but other places have already started selling at 1,200 per litre,” Aminu Danyaro told the BBC.

Black-market traders, who buy fuel from petrol stations and sell it by the roadside from jerrycans at inflated prices, are doing a brisk trade in Kano, where there is significantly less traffic than usual.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) – the country’s main trade union body – says it feels “betrayed”, explaining that the reason it accepted the new minimum monthly wage of 70,000 naira ($44, £34) in July was because there was an agreement with the government that petrol price would not be increased.

When President Bola Tinubu came to power last year, he shocked Nigerians on his first day by removing a subsidy that kept the price of fuel low.

This – amongst other policies – has led to the worst economic crisis in a generation and cost-of-living protests, dubbed “10 days of rage”, were held countrywide last month.

Nigerians are now pinning their hopes on the new privately owned Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has been built by one of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

On Monday, it was announced with great fanfare that the refinery had just started producing petrol – a milestone in Nigeria which despite being Africa’s largest producer of crude oil imports all its refined fuel.

But it is not clear how long Nigerians will have to wait to see ready availability of petrol or a drop in prices.

World Opinions – BBC News

L’article Gridlock in Nigeria amid fuel shortages and price hikes est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Elected, accused of corruption – fired, accused of rape – acquitted, elected president, accused of corruption again – denied again, ousted, imprisoned for contempt of court – freed, barred from becoming an MP.

For most politicians almost any of these punches would have proved fatal to their career, but not for South Africa’s Jacob Zuma.

Like a resolute prize-fighter, the 82-year-old former president may have been knocked down on occasions, but he has never been knocked out.

During the recent election campaign he has been doing his familiar dance and the results of last week’s vote show he still wields huge influence.

He is at the helm of a new party that took on the African National Congress (ANC), gaining 15% of the vote.

The results have been humiliating for the ANC, the liberation movement Mr Zuma once led, as it has lost its outright parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years – and the “Zuma tsunami”, as it has been dubbed, is partly responsible.

In the centre of the coastal city of Durban, the main city in KwaZulu-Natal province, Mr Zuma’s smiling face beams down from virtually every street lamp on green-and-black election posters of his recently formed party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) or Spear of the Nation.

There is no doubting the octogenarian’s exalted status here in his heartland, where he is respected for upholding his cultural and traditional Zulu beliefs.

He is also lauded for his role as a peace broker during political violence in the early 1990s, which almost derailed the country’s transition to democracy.

And more than 20 years ago, he was credited with bringing voters in KwaZulu-Natal from the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party to the ANC.

This year he was able to take his loyal supporters with him to MK, which is named after the ANC’s former armed wing and holds huge political symbolism because of its role in fighting for the end of white-minority rule.

The launch of MK’s manifesto, a week before the 29 May election at a packed 40,000-seater stadium, was a clear signal that “uBaba” (father), as Mr Zuma is known, was back.

The sea of his supporters braving the scorching heat chanted: “Zuma! Zuma!”

One shouted: “Uyinsizwa nxamala”, which loosely translates from Zulu as “a fearless warrior who never backs down”.

On election day, arriving at his polling station, a modestly built primary school without flushing toilets, the MK party leader was greeted by hundreds of people who called out his clan names: “Msholozi, Nxamalala, Maphum’ephethe”.

The former president waved and smiled at them before entering a classroom to vote.

As he left the polling station, his supporters sang a pro-Zuma song in Zulu made popular several years ago when the former president was accused of corruption.

One refrain they belted out translates as: “What has Zuma done? You’re influenced by propaganda from so-called white monopoly capital.”

Many politicians can rely on a loyal core of backers, but Mr Zuma’s ability to genuinely connect with the poor and marginalised is what sets him apart.

And this may explain his enduring popularity despite facing numerous scandals and damning accusations.

Six years ago, it seemed that his luck had finally run out when he was forced from the presidency, following a litany of corruption allegations, which he denied.

Cyril Ramaphosa replaced him as president and Mr Zuma became a political pariah and a damaged brand.

Then three years ago, things got worse: he was sent to jail after being found in contempt of court for failing to give evidence and testify at a judicial investigation into corruption during his nine-year term as president.

His arrest in July 2021 sparked the deadliest riots since the end of white-minority rule in 1994 and led to the deaths of more than 300 people.

He had been sentenced to 15 months, but President Ramaphosa released him after he had served only three, in an attempt to placate him and his angry supporters.

Just a few weeks ago, it seemed Mr Zuma was dealt another blow after being legally barred from standing as a member of parliament because of his conviction.

But none of that seemed to matter to voters, and his propensity to outsmart his political opponents was evident, which the ANC acknowledged.

“Jacob Zuma is a force to be reckoned with in South African politics… we never underestimated him,” admitted ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, as he reflected on his party’s dismal performance.

Despite his suspension from the ANC, Mr Zuma remains a member of the party that brought an end to apartheid.

With no formal schooling and a modest upbringing, his anti-apartheid activism eventually saw him jailed for 10 years at the notorious Robben Island prison along with Nelson Mandela.

After the ban against the ANC was lifted by the white government in 1990, Mr Zuma returned from exile and rose through the party’s ranks. In 1999 he was appointed deputy president of the country.

He was then implicated in corruption allegations in 2005, which he denied, involving a 1999 arms deal and was fired by then-President Thabo Mbeki. This case continues to drag on – and he still faces charges over the multi-billion dollar scandal.

In December of that year, he was accused of raping the daughter of a party comrade. He admitted to having sex with the woman, who was HIV positive, but said the encounter was consensual.

Mr Zuma invited ridicule when he said he had had a shower after sex to prevent HIV transmission and believed that a healthy man was unlikely to catch HIV from a woman.

The following year, he was acquitted of rape.

He then fought his way back to the top of the ANC and became president in 2009.

Mr Zuma remained in the role until he was forced to resign in 2018 after intense pressure from his own party.

This came after he was accused of being involved in a process known as “state capture”, where he allowed a family of wealthy businessmen – the Guptas – to wield massive political influence.

Mr Zuma and the Gupta brothers have dismissed the allegations of corruption as a fabrication.

The former president and his supporters blame his successor, Mr Ramaphosa, for his downfall.

And now he might want to settle a score with his rival.

With coalition talks under way, the MK party has made it clear that it will only form a partnership with the ANC if the president resigns.

Freshly emboldened by his party’s performance, Mr Zuma threw the first punch on Saturday, alleging irregularities.

“Nobody must declare results, don’t provoke us, don’t start trouble,” he said on the eve of the announcement of the final election results.

The electoral commission has strongly denied these allegations.

Police are now on alert because of the risk of potential unrest following Mr Zuma’s comments.

Yet despite this acrimonious situation and relationship, the ANC has not ruled out a coalition with the MK party.

“We are talking to everybody who is prepared to form a government with us,” Mr Mbalula said.

It all shows Mr Zuma’s remarkable ability to remain in the ring.

By Nomsa Maseko – BBC News

L’article Analysis. Behind the ‘Zuma tsunami’ in South Africa est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

The conflict in Sudan has displaced more than two million people, triggering one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. The international community has a responsibility to do more.

At Renk in South Sudan, 40km (25 miles) south of the border with Sudan, I met a young boy – Miyok, orphaned by the brutality of the Sudan conflict. Miyok is one of at least 600,000 refugees who have fled to South Sudan since the start of the conflict a year ago. He now lives with his aunt in one of the two transit centres.

Despite facing myriad challenges, Miyok’s wish is simple yet profound – to be educated and have the opportunity to fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor.

As international donors met earlier this week in Paris, Miyok’s story resonated deeply. His dream represents not only his personal aspirations but also embodies the collective hope of a nation striving for a better future.

A future that continues to remain uncertain, however. In Paris, donors pledged $2bn to support millions of people in Sudan and in host countries. Although this is most welcome, it is only half of the $4.1bn needed to give people their next meal and what they need to survive and rebuild their lives.

To date, the conflict in Sudan has displaced at least two million people, triggering one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Neighbouring countries – South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Libya – are feeling the impact whether through strained resources, economic disruptions or risk of the conflict spilling over.

We have seen up to 1,500 people arriving every day in Renk, some on donkey carts, others crammed into overcrowded minivans, and those who can’t afford transport walk for miles under the scorching sun to reach the border.

Many of those who have fled are women carrying nothing but a small bundle of clothes on their backs and their children. Their eyes are filled with exhaustion, fear, and uncertainty about what the future holds.

Time and time again, when I met with officials and Oxfam’s partners in South Sudan, the phrase “perfect storm” was mentioned, summarising the prevailing challenges which have plunged the nation further into destitution.

Even before the war in Sudan erupted, South Sudan was already suffering from intercommunal conflict over resources and a climate crisis, which have created a dire humanitarian crisis. Two-thirds of the population urgently needs food, including 35,000 people facing starvation. Nearly nine million people currently depend on aid for survival.

Despite contributing little to global carbon emissions, South Sudan has been hit hard in recent years by climate change-induced erratic weather patterns – harsh droughts and boiling temperatures followed by heavy rains leading to severe flooding which have continued to wreck property, infrastructure and crops. This situation, compounded by an economic crisis, has had devastating effects on an already vulnerable population.

To make matters worse, the country’s key oil pipeline, which passes through neighbouring Sudan, was damaged in February. With oil responsible for 90 percent of South Sudan’s revenue and the pipeline accounting for two-thirds of oil revenues, the loss of the pipeline puts the already fragile economy on the brink.

Despite South Sudan’s humanitarian and economic crisis, and the increasing influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan, aid has dwindled to an extreme low. In 2023, the United Nations appeal for South Sudan was slashed by half to $1.79bn, but less than four percent of the target was met.

The resilience of the South Sudanese people has been repeatedly tested, yet the difficulty in fully implementing the 2020 peace agreement risks jeopardising the legitimacy of the government. This situation, coupled with an economic crisis, could intensify further the ongoing violence.

To overcome this deep crisis, South Sudan needs three key things. First, an immediate injection of aid funding that not only focuses on short-term emergency support but also prioritises development that empowers South Sudanese people to break free from the vicious cycle of shocks and be able to rebuild their lives.

Second, while external support is crucial, the South Sudan government should intensify efforts to lead, build basic infrastructure and provide essential public services so the economy works for the South Sudanese people.

Third, and most importantly, as the country heads towards elections later this year, many in South Sudan see this as a crucial step in addressing the governance, economic and humanitarian challenges. A lasting peace will help avert the perfect storm and ensure a stronger South Sudan.

Amid the chaos, those who love this country, from government officials to grassroots activists and partners, share a determination to rebuild a nation torn apart by conflict and climatic shocks.

Despite the numerous crises the world is currently experiencing, we should not turn our backs on the South Sudanese people and the refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. We urge donors who met in Paris this week to keep the momentum and immediately scale up the humanitarian response and renew their call for an immediate ceasefire and an inclusive peace process.

I left South Sudan with my heart aching for Miyok and countless others, whose futures hang in the balance. But I refuse to lose hope.  We should all rally together as partners in progress, empowering South Sudanese communities to chart their path towards a brighter future.

By Amitabh Behar – Interim Executive Director of Oxfam international – Al Jazeera

L’article The world cannot turn its back on Sudan and its neighbours any longer est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Des rues animées de New York aux collines paisibles d’Éthiopie, le café est un élément essentiel de la vie quotidienne de millions de personnes.

Le café est au cœur de la culture humaine depuis plus de 15 siècles. Certains lui attribuent le mérite d’avoir alimenté le mouvement des Lumières des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, qui a jeté les bases du monde moderne.

La caféine est le principal ingrédient stimulant du café et est aujourd’hui le stimulant de la mémoire le plus consommé au monde, influençant notre façon de penser et de nous sentir.

D’où vient le café ?

Le café provient des fruits du caféier Arabica, dont l’origine se situe en Éthiopie. Plus de 90 % du café est produit dans les pays en développement, principalement en Amérique du Sud, mais aussi au Viêt Nam et en Indonésie, tandis que la majeure partie est consommée dans les pays industrialisés.

La légende raconte qu’au IXe siècle après J.-C., un berger nommé Khalidi remarqua que ses chèvres étaient plus énergiques après avoir mangé du café, et il décida donc de l’essayer lui-même.

Depuis lors, les gens consomment des grains de café infusés ou préparent du thé à partir des feuilles de la plante.

Des sources historiques affirment que les soufis du Yémen ont été les premiers à torréfier les grains de café, au XIVe siècle après J.-C., créant ainsi la boisson que nous connaissons aujourd’hui.

Au XVe siècle, les cafés ont commencé à apparaître dans l’Empire ottoman, puis ils se sont répandus en Europe où ils sont devenus des centres de conversation sur le commerce, la politique et les nouvelles idées en général.

Certains chercheurs, dont le célèbre philosophe et sociologue allemand Jürgen Habermas, affirment qu’il n’y aurait pas eu de Lumières sans café.

Selon Habermas, les cafés sont devenus des “centres de critique” aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, lorsque l’opinion publique a commencé à se former.

Le philosophe français Voltaire buvait plus de 72 tasses de café par jour et le philosophe français Denis Diderot se serait appuyé sur le café pour rédiger son encyclopédie en 28 volumes, fondement du siècle des Lumières, selon l’écrivain américain Michael Pollan.

Ted Fisher, professeur d’anthropologie et directeur de l’Institute for Coffee Studies à l’université Vanderbilt, estime que le café a également joué un rôle clé dans l’essor du capitalisme.

M. Fisher a déclaré à la BBC : “Le café a changé le cours de l’histoire et a encouragé le développement des idées qui ont conduit aux Lumières et au capitalisme”.

M. Fischer a ajouté : “Il me semble que ce n’est pas une coïncidence si les idées sur la démocratie, la rationalité, l’empirisme, la science et le capitalisme sont devenues si populaires en même temps que le café”.

M. Fischer poursuit : “Cette boisson, qui stimule la compréhension et la concentration, a dû faire partie du contexte qui a conduit au capitalisme”.

Les hommes d’affaires ont compris que le café pouvait être utilisé pour augmenter la productivité et ont autorisé les travailleurs à faire des pauses pour boire cette boisson revigorante.

Le côté obscur du café

Un aspect plus sombre de l’histoire du café est son rôle dans l’exploitation des esclaves ; les Français ont exploité les esclaves amenés d’Afrique pour la culture du café en Haïti.

Au XIXe siècle, le Brésil produisait un tiers du café mondial en utilisant des esclaves africains.

Aujourd’hui, le café est une pierre angulaire de la culture mondiale, avec une consommation quotidienne de plus de deux millions de tasses, pour une valeur de 90 milliards de dollars par an.

Près de 600 ans plus tard, la situation n’est guère différente, selon Heifer International, une organisation non gouvernementale qui cherche à éradiquer la pauvreté et la faim dans le monde.

L’organisation affirme que les personnes de couleur constituent toujours l’épine dorsale de l’industrie du café et qu’elles travaillent pour des salaires peu élevés.

Dans une cinquantaine de pays, environ 125 millions de personnes dépendent de l’industrie du café pour leur subsistance, et plus de la moitié d’entre elles vivent dans la pauvreté.

Quels sont les effets du café sur l’organisme ?

Une fois ingérée, la caféine traverse le système digestif et passe dans la circulation sanguine. Cependant, dès qu’elle atteint le système nerveux, ses effets commencent. La caféine est similaire à l’adénosine, qui est produite naturellement par l’organisme.

L’adénosine calme le système nerveux sympathique, ce qui entraîne une diminution du rythme cardiaque et, par conséquent, une sensation de détente et de somnolence.

La caféine se lie aux récepteurs de l’adénosine à la surface des cellules nerveuses, comme une clé dans une serrure. Le blocage de ces récepteurs produit l’effet inverse.

Cela peut entraîner une légère augmentation de la pression artérielle, stimuler l’activité cérébrale, réduire la faim et favoriser un sentiment de vigilance et d’attention, favorisant ainsi une concentration plus durable.

La caféine stimule l’humeur, réduit la fatigue, améliore les performances physiques et est parfois utilisée comme supplément par les athlètes.

Ces effets peuvent durer entre 15 minutes et deux heures. L’organisme met cinq à dix heures pour éliminer la caféine après son ingestion, mais ses effets peuvent durer plus longtemps.

Pour maximiser les bienfaits de la caféine, les experts conseillent la modération et d’éviter d’en consommer après-midi afin d’en garantir l’effet dès la première tasse de café du lendemain matin.

Pour être en bonne santé, les experts recommandent aux adultes de ne pas consommer plus de 400 milligrammes de caféine par jour, soit l’équivalent de quatre à cinq tasses de café.

Certaines personnes dépassent parfois cette limite de tasses de café par jour, ce qui peut entraîner des effets secondaires tels que l’insomnie, l’anxiété, l’accélération du rythme cardiaque, des maux d’estomac, des nausées et des maux de tête.

Les experts de la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) américaine mettent en garde contre les effets graves d’une consommation excessive de caféine dépassant 1 200 milligrammes par jour, soit l’équivalent de 12 tasses de café.

Selon le Dr Matthias Hein, chercheur à l’université de Harvard, de nombreuses personnes pensent que la consommation modérée de café est bénéfique pour la santé et réduit le risque de nombreuses maladies.

Matthias a déclaré à la BBC : “Deux à trois verres par jour réduisent le risque de décès, de diabète, de maladies cardiovasculaires et même de certains cancers.”

Après tout, avant de prendre votre première nouvelle tasse de café, vous devriez peut-être réfléchir à cette longue histoire.

World Opinions – BBC News

L’article D’où vient le café, quelle est son histoire et quels sont ses effets sur l’organisme ? est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

La Côte d’Ivoire a remporté dimanche la Coupe d’Afrique des nations CAF TotalEnergies 2023 en s’imposant devant le Nigeria 2-1 au stade Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpe à Abidjan.

La Côte d’Ivoire soulève son trophée à domicile, avec un public incroyable ici à Ebimpe 1-2 ! #NGRCIV #CAN2023 pic.twitter.com/CLT5DHIL0Z

— Dounia Mesli (@Mesli_Dounia) February 11, 2024

Watch out for Simon Adingra, Africa! 💎

Côte d'Ivoire's sensational talent is the Best Young Player of #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023! 👏🇨🇮 pic.twitter.com/nh8FqPuSvX

— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 11, 2024

Passée à plusieurs reprises proche de l’élimination durant le tournoi, la Côte d’Ivoire a finalement remporté la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations à domicile. A Abidjan, les Elephants ont battu le Nigeria 2-1 en finale après avoir été menés à la pause.

La Costa d'Avorio ha vinto la Coppa d'Africa di calcio! ⚽ In una accesa finale a Abidjan ha battuto la Nigeria per 2-1.#CAN2023 #AFCON2023 #CoppadAfrica #IvoryCoast #Nigeriahttps://t.co/cyWDEvkTqQ

— Focus on Africa Magazine (@FocusOnAfricaIt) February 11, 2024

We can say now the trophy isn’t going anywhere. It's staying in 🇨🇮! 🥳🥇#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023Final pic.twitter.com/2Lh1q5BbNI

— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 11, 2024

Malgré une nette domination ivoirienne, les Super Eagles ont frappé les premiers sur une tête de William Troost-Ekong (38e) consécutive à un corner. Mais la Côte d’Ivoire a su réagir grâce à des buts de Franck Kessié (62e) de la tête et Sebastian Haller (81e) de la semelle pour décrocher la troisième CAN de son histoire après 1992 et 2015.

Heads up Victor, you made your country proud. 🤍🇳🇬#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023Final pic.twitter.com/1MhLdWECjF

— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 11, 2024

La victoire du pays organisateur dans ce match est méritée. Le Nigeria a évolué de manière trop timide et défensive. L’essentiel du jeu a été fait par les Ivoiriens, qui auraient pu l’emporter plus nettement avec davantage de précision dans le dernier geste.

🌟 William Ekong 🌟

Ladies & gentlemen, we present you the TotalEnergies 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻! 🇳🇬

Incredible run with his nation concludes with the silver medal! 🥈 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/c6qyxP6Em1

— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 11, 2024

Cette finale a aussi pris un petit côté historique. C’est en effet la première avec les Ivoiriens dans laquelle des buts sont inscrits. Les quatre précédentes s’étaient en effet décidé aux tirs au but après un 0-0.

Maybe it's the end of the competition, but not the end of the story! 🧤

Heads up, Nwabali. 👏#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023Final pic.twitter.com/lNA1NfYeQe

— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 11, 2024

World Opinions – Agences

L’article La Côte d’Ivoire domine le Nigeria et remporte la Coupe d’Afrique des nations.. Vidéo est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

A strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Morocco overnight, the death toll is now at 1,037, with more than 1,200 people injured.

The quake’s epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh, and many of the victims are thought to be in remote villages nearby.

Many people are still on the streets, too afraid to go back into their homes for fear of more tremors.

Authorities have called on residents to donate blood as the hospitals have seen an influx of injured people.

Let’s pray for #Morocco #IREvROM #UKRENG #ESTSWE #IVOLESO #USOpen #CocoGauff pic.twitter.com/Y5TjYexwSG

— Dr. Sam (@echo_pee21) September 9, 2023

In Marrakesh some buildings have collapsed and the damage is severe in parts of the Medina, a Unesco World Heritage site.

World leaders including Britain’s Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden offered help to Morocco.

My Heart is with Morocco 😭

england Bellingham Paris fc Nebraska Jeff sims New mexico Morocco #Caturday Boulder #Huskers mekhi mews Cam martinez Mike bobo sam Hartman chase young Southgate Colorado -2.5 #Sidemencharity #Morocco #GotchaPopConcertpic.twitter.com/rJXFE5X9Fg

— Kijana ya 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒐𝒕 (@mulot_boy) September 9, 2023

MSF says it’s prepared to respond to Morocco earthquake

Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) says it is prepared to respond to the earthquake in Morocco that killed more than 1,000 people and left many more injured.

Avril Benoît, executive director of MSF-USA, said in a statement on Saturday that people who live in the affected region are “key to the initial response” when searching for survivors.

“Earthquake survivors often require medical care such as surgery or dialysis, which can be a challenge when local health systems are affected by a disaster. Restoring health services and providing essential supplies also can be a priority at this stage. Our response will depend on the needs that are assessed on site,”..

Un pueblo entero arrasado por el #Terremoto que ha sacudido #Marruecos.#Marrakech #Morocco pic.twitter.com/oYArdP9OY3

— Ciudadano del mundo 🌍 (@ouassifziani) September 9, 2023

Historic Marrakesh buildings damaged in quake

The historic Moroccan city of Marrakesh suffered extensive damage in the powerful earthquake.

Marrakesh’s famous Koutoubia Mosque, built in the 12th century, was damaged as well, but the extent was not immediately clear, officials have said. Its 69-metre (226-foot) minaret is known as the “roof of Marrakesh”.

Moroccans also posted videos showing damage to parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Pray for #Morocco #moroccoearthquake 😢💔 pic.twitter.com/n6G20YQC4i

— coi (@KhanShahan14) September 9, 2023

Next 48-72 hours critical for search and rescue: Red Cross

Caroline Holt, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, said a massive aid effort will be needed following the “complicated” efforts to search and rescue survivors.

“Efforts will be complicated but these are the initial hours. This happened at night time when people were maybe sleeping in bed so only this morning did we start to see the impact of the earthquake unfold,” she told Al Jazeera.

“Right now and the next 48-72 hours will be critical in terms of life-saving search and rescue efforts in parallel with making sure that those that did survive are taken care of.”

World opinions + Agencies

L’article Morocco earthquake: At least 1,037 killed in quake near Marrakesh.. Videos est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

L’écrivaine zimbabwéenne NoViolet Bulawayo revient avec une satire politique féroce, une fable animalière qui ne va pas sans rappeler “La ferme des animaux” de George Orwell. Chef-d’œuvre. Sortie : le 23 août.

C’est le roman de tous les superlatifs. La Zimbabwéenne NoViolet Bulawayo – Elizabeth Zandile Tshele pour l’état civil – revient avec un livre qui fera date. Glory (éditions Autrement) est une fable animalière, à la hauteur de La Ferme des animaux d’Orwell (1945), sur les indépendances africaines mais le propos est universel. L’écrivaine, née en 1981, situe son récit dans son pays d’origine, le Zimbabwe, même si le nom n’est jamais cité. Elle sème des indices tout au long du roman, certains plus directs que d’autres. Ironique, bienveillante, empathique, l’écriture de NoViolet Bulawayo est éblouissante, un vrai feu d’artifice. Une fois le livre entamé, il est difficile de s’arrêter.

Que sont nos indépendances devenues ?

Il était une fois, peut-être pas… Sous nos yeux se déroule l’Histoire du Zimbabwe, un pays béni des dieux et violenté par ses dirigeants. Pourtant, tout a commencé d’une façon idéale. Les “animals” étaient contents de s’être débarrassés des colonisateurs. La libération promettait des lendemains qui chantent pour tous les “animals”. Enfin, certains plus que d’autres. Le nouveau dirigeant, le guide suprême, le grand libérateur est un cheval tyrannique, la Vieille Carne. Son règne a duré si longtemps que les mémoires défaillent quand il faut se souvenir. La Vieille Carne aime son peuple, elle aime aussi discourir. La Vieille carne s’en prend à l’ennemi extérieur (l’Occident) et intérieur (opposition), tous jaloux de sa réussite. Le peuple, ventre vide, se tait. Il n’a pas intérêt à râler. Les Défenseurs sont là pour faire des exemples des récalcitrants.

La Vieille Carne n’a pas vu venir son naufrage, la vieillesse. Sa jeune épouse, l’ambitieuse ânesse Merveilleuse, si. Toute ressemblance avec l’ancien autocrate Robert Mugabe n’est pas fortuite. Et surgit le nouveau libérateur. Et l’histoire bégaie de nouveau. Encore et encore. Un éternel recommencement qu’un imprévu, une jeune fille, fera démentir. Une autre vie est possible. Là réside la force de NoViolet Bulawayo qui démonte tout ce système prédateur avec une langue riche, imagée et originale. Dans son premier livre paru en 2014, Il nous faut des nouveaux noms (Gallimard), elle avait déjà marqué les esprits par son écriture et sa liberté de ton. Glory, satire politique ironique et féroce. NoViolet Bulawago, une écrivaine de grand talent.

Glory, NoViolet Bulawayo, traduit de l’anglais par Claro, éditions Autrement, 23,90 euros. Parution : 23 août 2023.

World Opinions + France Culture

L’article Livres. “Glory”, ou la ferme des “animals” de NoViolet Bulawayo est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Scientists have found a naturally occurring strain of bacteria which can help stop the transmission of malaria from mosquitoes to humans.

They found it by chance, after a colony of mosquitoes in one experiment did not develop the malaria parasite.

The researchers say the bacteria could be a new tool for fighting one of the world’s oldest diseases, which kills 600,000 people every year.

Trials assessing its safety in the real world are now taking place.

Scientists at a research facility in Spain, run by the GSK pharmaceutical company, made the discovery after noticing that a colony of mosquitoes being used for drug development had stopped carrying malaria.

“The infection rate in the mosquitoes started dwindling and so by the end of the year the mosquitoes just would not be infected with the malaria parasite,” says Dr Janneth Rodrigues, who led the programme.

The team froze the samples from their 2014 experiment and went back to them two years later to explore what had happened.

Further studies revealed that a specific strain of bacteria – TC1 – which is naturally present in the environment, had stopped the development of the malaria parasites in the gut of the mosquitoes.

“Once it colonises the mosquito, it lasts for the entire lifespan,” says Dr Rodrigues.

“And we found out that, yes, it is the bacteria which was responsible for reducing transmission in those mosquitoes.”

New data published in Science magazine suggests the bacteria can reduce a mosquito’s parasite load by up to 73%.

The bacteria works by secreting a small molecule, known as harmane, which inhibits the early stages of the malaria parasite growing in the mosquito’s gut.

In conjunction with Johns Hopkins University, the GSK scientists discovered that harmane can either be ingested orally by the mosquito, if mixed with sugar, or absorbed through its cuticle on contact.

This lays open the possibility of treating surfaces in areas where the insects rest with the active compound.

End the threat

More trials are now taking place at a contained field research facility called MosquitoSphere in Burkina Faso to assess how effective and safe it would be to use harmane at scale in the real world.

The hope is that by developing this bacteria-based intervention into a product, scientists may soon have another tool in the box against one of the world’s oldest diseases.

Malaria kills about 620,000 people a year – often children under the age of five. Vaccines have now been developed, but they are still in the early stages of being rolled out in Africa.

Gareth Jenkins, from the charity Malaria No More, said the new discovery was promising.

“Malaria kills a child every minute. Significant progress has been made in reducing the global burden of malaria, but to get us back on track we need new and innovative tools in the arsenal.

“With a strong innovation pipeline, it is possible to end the threat of malaria in our lifetimes.”

By Naomi Grimley – BBC News

L’article Chance discovery helps fight against malaria est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Rather than investing in predatory for-profit healthcare companies, development finance institutions should use their funds to help improve universal public services across the continent.

Recently, a good friend of mine took his perfectly healthy daughter to a private hospital in West Africa for a routine check-up. The paediatrician thought she was a bit thin for her age and advised that she undergo a surgical procedure, which is known to trigger weight gain in children. Despite the family’s misgivings, the operation went ahead.

She died on the operating table. It was a terrible loss. So many people I know in Africa have stories like this.

Public investment in essential public services has been in decline, creating a vacuum in healthcare provision that those seeking to make a profit are increasingly exploiting. But mixing profit maximisation with healthcare too often comes at an unacceptable cost.

Today, many private hospitals are abusing and violating the rights of patients and their relatives and impoverishing them. I see the devastating results every day in Africa – people faced with no choice but to watch their loved ones die, or forced to sell everything or take loans to pay the exorbitant medical bills.

However, the private sector continues to gain huge support as “the solution” to Africa’s development challenges.

Last month, I attended the Summit on the New Global Financial Pact in Paris on behalf of Oxfam. African leaders spoke passionately there about the issues affecting their citizens and, in particular, the need for public finance and public solutions. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted the profiteering by Big Pharma during the pandemic, and we kept saying, “What is more important, life or profits by your big pharmaceutical companies?”

But the World Bank and the rich countries instead again offered the private sector as the answer.

The new World Bank president, Ajay Banga, talked about how “for years, the World Bank Group, governments, and other multilateral institutions have tried – and fallen short – to mobilise meaningful private investment in emerging markets” and that “we must try a new approach … to catalyse private capital more effectively”.

In my view, the private sector knows quite well how to look after itself. It does not require taxpayers’ funding.

Sadly, and without asking us, governments in rich countries have contributed to this misery by underwriting and investing in these predatory private healthcare companies, feeding them to grow in our countries and become ever more powerful.

Oxfam recently released two shocking reports, based on complex and detailed investigative research in a number of countries.

We show how development institutions belonging to the governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union and the World Bank, are investing billions of dollars in Majority World countries into for-profit private hospital chains that block or bankrupt patients, deny them emergency medical care, with some even imprisoning patients and retaining corpses for non-payment of fees.

They are making huge profits for their already rich owners. All this, in the name of advancing universal health coverage and fighting poverty.

Ironically, the same rich countries provide healthcare and education funded by taxation and free of charge to their own citizens.

In Kenya, Oxfam unearthed dozens of cases of alleged or confirmed human rights violations by the Nairobi Women’s Hospital since 2017, including a newborn baby detained for three months, a schoolboy for 11 months, and a single mother of two for 226 days during which time her bill escalated by more than 2,000 percent.

The body of Francisca’s mother was locked in the hospital’s morgue for two years, she said. “I feel very sad seeing her … It is not easy for me because her body has changed … It does not look like a body any more, it’s more like a stone … We pleaded with the hospital to give us the body. We will never be able to pay the money, no matter how long they keep it.”

What upsets me most is that this hospital’s policy of detaining patients was already public knowledge before the rich countries chose to invest.

In Nigeria, nine out of 10 of the poorest women give birth with no medical care, yet childbirth at Development Finance Institution (DFI)-funded Evercare Hospital would cost those women their 12 years’ income.

Across all the hospitals getting these development funds, the average starting price for a childbirth procedure is more than a year’s income for an average earner in the poorest 40 percent.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when people in my region of the world searched in desperation for scarce oxygen and life-saving care, exploitation escalated within some of these DFI-funded hospitals.

In Uganda, one of Africa’s poorest countries and hardest hit by the virus, private hospitals funded by European governments and the World Bank charged patient “clients” up to $2,300 per day for treatment and care. The Maputo Private Hospital reportedly charged COVID-19 patients an upfront deposit of more than $6,000 for oxygen and more than $10,000 for a ventilator.

In my view, the evidence is clear that the private sector is not the answer for the delivery of the public good. We know what the solution entails.

Instead of promoting the growth of expensive, out-of-reach hospitals for the elite, countries should support quality universal public services – funded by taxes and aid – and delivered free of charge at the point of use.

For example, look at the incredible improvements in healthcare delivered by thousands of new health workers in Ethiopia, pioneered by then minister of health, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, before his time leading the World Health Organization.

European governments and the World Bank should stop funding for-profit private hospitals and evaluate the effect that their decades of investment in them have had on healthcare in Africa.

Fati N’zi Hassane – Oxfam in Africa Director – Aljazeera

L’article Investments in private healthcare are not helping Africans est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.