World

Authorities in Zimbabwe have launched a campaign to find and repatriate millions of dollars of cash and assets smuggled overseas during the last years of the rule of Robert Mugabe, senior officials say. 

Goodson Nguni, the commissioner of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) told the Guardian that the effort would be intensified when an amnesty allowing voluntary surrender of illegally obtained wealth expired at the end of next month.

Several high-profile politicians who were close to Grace Mugabe, the former first lady, and opponents of Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new president, have already been detained, prompting concerns that graft investigations might be used as a political tool.

“The big worry is that there is really no comprehensive anti-corruption drive but rather … some kind of witch-hunt by a victorious faction within the Zanu-PF … This is nothing to do with ending corruption, but a lot to do with vengeance,” said Dewa Mavhinga, Human Rights Watch’s southern Africa director.

Nguni denied that the campaign was only targeting enemies of Mnangagwa, the former spy chief and vice-president who took power after a military takeover in November.

“We are going to follow the evidence. This is not political,” Nguni said.

Though her husband is still respected for his role in the brutal liberations wars of the late 1960s and the 1970s, Grace Mugabe is widely reviled in Zimbabwe for her extravagant lifestyle. The 52-year-old former secretary was also routinely accused of involvement in corrupt land deals.

Mnangagwa told the BBC in Davos last week that no one had been granted immunity from prosecution, though the 94-year-old former president would be “left in peace”.

Local media reports have described a series of investigations targeting Grace Mugabe’s farm at Mazowe, on the outskirts of the capital Harare.

“These are just rumours. There may be police investigations or other inquiries but not by us,” he said.

Nguni confirmed the Zacc was investigating whether the former first lady fraudulently obtained a doctorate in 2014.

Grace Mugabe, whose apparent desire to succeed her husband prompted the army takeover that eventually saw Robert Mugabe resign, was awarded a PhD by the University of Zimbabwe after only months of supposed study.

Last month three luxury cars apparently belonging to Grace Mugabe or her children were briefly detained in Botswana as they were driven out of Zimbabwe.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost, a red Porsche and a Range Rover – worth at least $500,000 in total – were suspected of being used to smuggle cash and other valuables out of Zimbabwe.

They were released after several hours of searches and when Russell Goreraza, Grace Mugabe’s eldest son, produced documents proving that his mother had granted him permission to drive her Rolls-Royce to Botswana and on to South Africa.

Grace Mugabe has purchased significant property in South Africa, including a luxurious residence in Johannesburg.

Last year however she was controversially granted diplomatic immunity to avoid arrest after an alleged assault on a model whom she found with her sons in a luxury apartment in the city.

The former first lady would be unlikely to be granted a similar privilege on future visits to South Africa, potentially ruling out one bolthole should life in Zimbabwe become too difficult.

So far, the family appear to have escaped any direct sanction, though a security detachment provided by the government to the first lady, who has remained in the luxurious home in Harare she shares with her husband since the military takeover, has been redeployed.

Under an agreement negotiated before he stepped down, Mugabe and his wife will be entitled to diplomatic passports and four first-class air or train trips within Zimbabwe and four trips abroad on a private plane each year.

Mugabe will get a residence, a car fleet and private air travel as part of a new government-funded retirement package for former leaders, according to state media.

Mugabe will also be entitled to at least 20 staffers including six personal security guards, all paid for from state coffers, according to details of the benefits published in The Herald newspaper.

Mnangagwa is hoping that a high profile campaign against corruption will bolster the chances of Zanu-PF, the ruling party, in elections due before July.

The home affairs minister, Obert Mpofu, has suggested the government might turn to Interpol to hunt down those outside the country.

“We are doing everything possible to ensure that those that have committed crimes within Zimbabwe and are outside Zimbabwe are brought to book. If it means engaging Interpol, we will go that route,” Mpofu was quoted as saying

Police in northern India has arrested 112 people following violence after a teenage boy died in clashes between two groups, amid anniversary celebrations of the day India became a republic.

The incident occurred in the Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh state, where two religious groups hurled stones at one another during a motorcycle rally.

The violence escalated over the weekend with shops and vehicles set on fire.

Hindu and Muslim groups have blamed each other for the violence.

A police officer was quoted by the PTI news agency as saying that although the situation was now under control, there continued to be a heavy security presence in the area, with three drones also deployed for additional surveillance.

Officials have confirmed that the teenage boy died amid stone-pelting between the two groups, but it is not yet clear why the violence erupted.

A Muslim boy who was also injured in the violence is said to be in critical condition.

"A group of young people had organised a rally when they were stopped from shouting 'long live India' in a Muslim area. This led to arguments followed by firing and stone pelting. My son died in this violence and I want justice," Sushil Gupta whose son died in the violence, told BBC Hindi's Samiratmaj Mishra.

After the death of the teenager, residents told BBC Hindi that properties in Muslim areas of the district were attacked.

A law which prevents gatherings of more than four people in a single area has also been imposed in the district in a bid to prevent further violence.

Source : BBC

Nearly 63 million women are "missing" from India's population due to foeticide, disease, neglect, or inadequate nutrition, a government survey says, adding that more than two million women disappear every year.

The survey, released on Monday, pointed out the phenomenon of "son preference" among Indians that has created an estimated 21 million "unwanted" girls.

"Indian parents often continue to have children till they have the desired number of sons," it said.

"Families that have sons are more likely to stop having children than families where a girl is born. This is suggestive of parents having children until they have as many sons as they want."

Rebecca Reichmann Tavares, a former India representative at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, said: "the Indian society has been aware of this issue for some time".

"It is against the law to determine the sex of a foetus, but it is still widely practiced. And we find that even in the states where people are more educated and have higher incomes, the practice is more widespread," Tavares said.

"It really goes to show that economic development and higher level of education are not enough to promote or ensure gender equality. Even having a legal and policy system that has done everything to ensure legal rights for women and for girls, has not been enough."

The survey comes as the sex ratio in India worsened over the years despite government campaigns to bring gender parity.

Source : Al Jazeera

Militants have attacked an army base near a military academy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least five soldiers.

A defence ministry spokesman told the BBC that 10 other Afghan soldiers were injured.

Five militants were involved, said the spokesman. Four were killed in the attack, but one was arrested.

The attack has been claimed by the Islamic State (IS), according to the militant group's Amaq news agency.

It comes days after the deadliest bombing for months hit Kabul when an ambulance packed with explosives killed at least 100 people.

Islamic State and the Taliban have increased their attacks on targets in the country in recent days.

Several explosions were heard, as well as small arms fire, as the attack began at about 05:00 local time (00:30 GMT) at a military base of the Afghan National Army in the west of Kabul.

Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Dawlat Waiziri told the BBC two attackers had blown themselves up, two others were killed by security forces and another one was arrested.

Four AK-47s, one suicide vest and one rocket-launcher were seized, he said.

Source : BBC

Australia and Sri Lanka signed a Subsidiary Arrangement for grant assistance to work together on strengthening governance in Sri Lanka through a four year program valued at AUS$ 31 million or approximately LKR 3850 million, a statement from the Ministry of Finance said today.

Secretary to the Ministry of Finance , Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunga and Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson signed the Arrangement on behalf of Sri Lanka and Australia respectively.

 A senior Ministry official said that the the Governance for Growth Program aims to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to increase economic growth with a view to reducing poverty and inequality in the country. The program will support activities that improve the policy formation and delivery capabilities of government at national, provincial and local levels to bring about inclusive economic growth.

Activities under the program will include a partnership with the World Bank to support the Sri Lankan Government’s implementation of national economic reforms as well as working with The Asia Foundation to strengthen public sector service delivery at the sub-national level, including women and people with disabilities.

The program will also provide opportunities for research collaboration and building of institutional linkages to support the quality of Sri Lanka’s economic decision-making and public service delivery.

The Ministry of Finance and Mass Media will act as the Sri Lankan counterpart of the Governance for Growth program overall, with a key role in contributing to strategic management of the program.

One of the world's richest men, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has been released two months after being detained in Saudi Arabia's anti-corruption purge.

He was freed after a financial settlement was approved by the state prosecutor, an official said.

Prince Alwaleed was held in November by a new anti-corruption body headed by the Saudi crown prince.

More than 200 princes, politicians, and wealthy businessmen were detained in the crackdown.

Since then, they have been held in the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, which is due to reopen on 14 February.

Prince Alwaleed is the most high-profile detainee to have been released so far. Speaking to Reuters news agency before his release he said that no charges had been laid against him and expressed support for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The multi-billionaire has a vast array of business interests across the world, including holdings in Twitter and Apple.

In November, Forbes estimated his net worth at about $17bn (£13bn), making him the 45th richest man in the world.

Officials say he will remain as head of his company, Kingdom Holding.

Other high-profile figures that have been set free include Waleed al-Ibrahim, the head of MBC television network, and Khalid al-Tuwaijiri, a former chief of the royal court.

They have paid substantial financial settlements, reports say - though the amounts have not been made public.

Source : BBC News

The United States will resume admissions for refugees from 11 countries identified as presenting a high-security risk, but with extra vetting for these mostly Middle Eastern and African nations, senior U.S. officials said on Monday.

 The changes came after a 90-day review of refugee admissions from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen by the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies.

The new rules are the latest changes to the U.S. refugee program made by the administration of President Donald Trump to address what it sees as national security issues.

Some of the administration’s actions, including an executive order to temporarily ban all refugees, have sparked lengthy court battles. Refugee advocates have said they see the administration’s actions as intended to reduce the number of refugees, particularly those from Muslim countries.

During the review period, which lasted from late October to last week, admissions of refugees from those countries dropped sharply, according to a Reuters analysis of State Department data.

The changes announced on Monday include additional screening for certain people from the 11 countries, and a periodic review of a list of countries identified as presenting higher security risks.

The new guidelines were announced at a press briefing by senior administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. They offered no details about which people from the 11 countries will be subject to the extra screening, citing security concerns.

The list of “high-risk” countries was last updated by the Obama administration in 2015, the senior administration officials said.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would like officials to factor in risks to the United States other than terrorism, such as transnational organized crime, a senior administration official said.

During the briefing, officials said refugees will not be barred from admission to the United States solely on the basis of nationality.

“The big picture is that there is no longer a refugee pause on countries, including the 11 high-risk countries, with these measures taking effect,” one senior administration official said in a briefing with reporters. “We’ll be resuming admissions with the new security measures in place.”

In an address at the Wilson Center on Monday morning, Nielsen spoke about the new security measures, saying they “seek to prevent the program from being exploited by terrorists, criminals and fraudsters.”

“These changes will not only improve security but importantly they will help us better assess legitimate refugees fleeing persecution,” she said.

Refugee advocates said they worry the new security measures will block refugees from the 11 countries from admission to the United States.

“Adding yet more hurdles to an already overly bureaucratic process will burden those seeking safety for themselves and their families,” Amnesty International USA said in a statement.

Since becoming U.S. president, Trump has imposed numerous limits on the refugee program, including capping the number of refugees allowed into the country in the 2018 fiscal year at less than half the number set by former President Barack Obama for 2017. He also issued an executive order pausing the refugee program pending a thorough review, instituted stricter vetting requirements and quit negotiations on a voluntary pact to deal with global migration.

For each of the last three years, refugees from the 11 countries made up more than 40 percent of U.S. admissions. But a Reuters review of State Department data shows that as the 90-day review went into effect, refugee admissions from the 11 countries plummeted.

Since Oct. 25, the day the 90-day review went into effect, 46 refugees from the 11 countries have been allowed into the United States, according to State Department data.

Source : Reuters

Riverside homes and businesses in Paris are on high alert as the swollen River Seine threatens to overflow its banks.

Some basements in the city have already sprung leaks after the river surged following heavy rainfall, reports said.

The Seine is forecast to swell even further this weekend, adding several metres of water above its normal level.

Many roads in the region are already waterlogged. Boat traffic - including the capital's famous tourist cruises - has also been interrupted.

The water level in the river is expected to peak at around 6m (19ft 6in), which is at least 4m above its normal level.

The statue of a Crimean soldier - known as the Zouave - on the Pont de l'Alma has long been used as a marker for water levels in the city.

On Friday, the water was at its mid-thigh - not as high as the 1910 floods, which reached his neck and submerged the city for two months.

A busy commuter train service, the RER C, has been suspended until next week.

Meanwhile, the Louvre museum has closed a lower level housing the Islamic Arts.

In the suburb of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, flooding forced some residents into boats to move along the roads.

The flooding is also forcing movement of another city resident - the rat population.

Rodents are being flushed out of the Parisian sewers, media outlet France 24 reports - making the city's rat infestation much more visible than usual.

The recent December-January period is now the third-wettest on record, according to France's national weather service.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said the city was coping - but said that the flooding, coupled with recent summer heatwaves, was "clearly a question of the town adapting to climate change".

She also warned that the high water levels would remain into next week, as water levels "subside slowly" due to the waterlogged soil in the region.

Source : BBC

An eight-month-old baby girl has been raped allegedly by her cousin in the Indian capital, Delhi.

The girl is reportedly in a critical condition at a local hospital where she was brought in on Sunday. Police told the media that they had arrested the 28-year-old accused, described as a daily wage worker.

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, who visited the infant in hospital on Monday night, described her injuries as "horrific". The incident happened on Sunday but came to light on Monday after local media reported it. Maliwal tweeted that the girl had to undergo a three-hour operation.

Meanwhile in December Maliwal made the appeal in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the brutal gang rape and murder of student Jyoti Singh, 23, whose death sparked national protests.

"Nothing has changed in the past five years," Maliwal, chief of the Delhi Commission for Women, told the BBC. "Delhi is still the rape capital. Last month, there was a brutal gang-rape of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, and the gang-rape of a seven-year-old, and another one-and-a-half-year-old girl was raped."

On average, she said, three girls and six women were raped in the capital every day.

Source : BBC

At least 37 people have been killed and more than 70 injured in a fire at a hospital in South Korea.

The blaze is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital in the south-eastern city of Miryang.

About 200 patients were inside the building and an adjoining nursing home at the time.

It is South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade and the death toll is expected to rise with several of the injured in critical condition.

Firefighters said the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation. Three hospital medical staff - a doctor, nurse and nursing assistant - are among the victims.

Authorities have given varying death tolls, with police earlier saying 41 had died, but fire officials and hospital sources now say at least 37 are dead.

Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) south-east of the capital, Seoul.

Source : BBC News

The Irish government has agreed to hold a referendum at the end of May on whether to reform the country's near-total ban on abortion. The vote will decide whether to repeal a constitutional amendment that effectively bans terminations.

Currently, abortion is only allowed when a woman's life is at risk, but not in cases of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said that he will campaign for reform.

The ballot will not be on specific terms of any new law, but on whether to retain or repeal article 40.3.3 of the constitution, known as the Eighth Amendment. The amendment, which was approved by a 1983 referendum, "acknowledges the right to life of the unborn" - meaning the life of the woman and her unborn child are seen as equal.

Before the vote, the country's health minister will draft legislation proposing unrestricted abortion access be made available to women up to 12 weeks, and in exceptional circumstances after. An exact date for the referendum will be decided after it is debated in the Irish parliament.

 Campaigners have long called for the laws to be changed, and last year a special cross-party parliamentary committee and citizens assembly both recommended repealing the amendment. Leo Varadkar, the country's former health minister, acknowledged that thousands of women in the country travelled every year for terminations or took pills ordered online at home. He said the current law meant that abortions in Ireland were "unsafe, unregulated and illegal"

 Source : BBC

Men will face fines of up to £80 if they comment on a woman's body or appearance in public.

The new proposals put forward to the French government are aimed at combatting the levels of harassment rife on the streets of the country's cities.

The new bill is the brainchild of France's Secretary of State for Equality Marlene Schiappa.

An £80 fine will be issued to anyone who behaves in a manner which 'infringes the freedom of movement of women in public spaces and undermines self-esteem and the right to security'.

Politicians have been putting their heads together for a report on how to tackle the issue and define what constitutes 'sexual outrage', according to The Local.

This has been the foundation of the plans drawn up to eradicate what is described as everyday sexism in France.

It had been suggested wolf-whistling would be punishable with on-the-spot fines, but the new report makes no reference to it.

However the planned measures want to give authorities the power to dish out penalties to those who follow women down the street, block their paths or make lout and lewd comments regarding their physique or the way they look.

The issue is heightened on public transport in major cities, with women opting to wear trousers instead of skirts for fear of being groped.

Since the new law has been discussed, a stream of women have come forward to say how they have been sexually assaulted in shops, on the metro and on the streets of Paris.

The £80 (€90) fine is said to increase to £120 if it is not paid within two weeks and could increase further to £325 if payment is late.

It is the brainchild of France's Secretary of State for Equality Marlene Schiappa, who lobbied for what she described as the everyday sexism in France to be addressed.

The bill is expected to be presented to parliament next week after she and two other ministers - Minister of Justice, Nicole Belloubet, and Minister of the Interior, Gerard Collomb - cast their eyes over the final draft.

(Daily Mail)