Posts in category: Uncategorized

Sociocultural factors may play a role, such as gender inequality, social media usage and whether the culture in a certain place is more individualistic or collectivist.

The research found those who had persistent bad dreams had 85% increased risks of developing cognitive impairment or Parkinson’s disease by age 50 compared to those who didn’t.

By NATION REPORTER
TWENTY-TWO Afghanistan citizens on a Taliban wanted list have sought sanctuary in Zambia after being denied entry into South African where they were originally destined to seek asylum, Parliament heard on Tuesday.

Shiwang’andu Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament raised the alarm on the presence of the Afghanistans on the floor of Parliament and told the house the presence of Taliban wanted persons was causing serious threat to the security of the country.
Mr Kampyongo, the former Home Affairs Minister raised the security concerns after his predecessor Jack Mwiimbu confirmed that 22 Afghanistan officials wanted by the Taliban were in Zambia.
The Shiwang’andu lawmaker revealed that the 22 Afghanistans were in Zambia having arrived in the country aboard the Emirates on February 19 hours on Monday evening.
Mr Kampyongo, rising on a point of order on a matter of serious urgency told Parliament that Zambians were uncertain what visa the government had awarded the Taliban wanted Afghanistans.
He told the House that South African Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi rejected the entry of the Afghananistans into that country on grounds that a United States Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) was attempting to undermine and attack South Africa’s sovereignty using the judicial system.
“Madam Speaker, I rise on a very serious point of order on a matter of serious urgency, is the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security in order to remain quiet when there are 22 Afghans on a Taliban wanted list are in Zambia? The 22 Afghans were on transit to South Africa but the Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has denied them entry into that country. We are uncertain of what Visa the government of Zambia has granted them for their stay. These individuals were pursued from Pakistan and even casualties were recorded before they fled to Zimbabwe,” Mr Kampyongo told Parliament. Mr Kampyongo wondered how the 22 Afghans who were on the Taliban wanted list and were rejected in South Africa could be allowed to enter Zambia with ease.
He said the group arrived in Zambia on February 19 2023 aboard an Emirates plane and have been in the country ever since.
Mr Kampyongo said Zambia was taking serious risks because South Africa was scared to allow the 22 Afghans in that country because the government had assessed its security situation.
Mr Kampyongo said that the 22 started their journey in Pakistan were some casualties were even recorded before coming to Zimbabwe where they tried to enter South Africa however their request was denied.
He said Zambia which would be taking over the chairmanship of the SADC Troika on Defence and Security needed to be security conscious and avoid admitting foreign nationals who were a security risk to the country.
But Mr Mwiimbu said the 22 Afghans did not pose any risk to Zambians because government had undertaken a background check and had assessed that they were not a security risk to the country.
Mr Mwiimbu told Parliament that the only reason they were allowed to enter Zambia and seek sanctuary was that they were waiting for their paper work to be completed for asylum in South Africa.
Mr Mwiimbu claimed the lives of the 22 Afghans were in danger and Zambia being a member of the United Nations (UN) had to offer sanctuary
Mr Mwiimbu said the 22 were seeking asylum in South Africa and their stay in Zambia was on temporal basis as they would leave once their paperwork for asylum seeking in South Africa were completed.
“I can confirm that as government, we are considering those applications for those individuals believed that they are being sort after by the Taliban. Those individuals are in transit as they wait for their applications in South Africa to be concluded,” Mr Mwiimbu said.
And when quizzed by Kamfinsa MP Christopher Kang’ombe on the details of the asylum seekers Mr Mwiimbu said he would not be an irresponsible minister to give out their details when their lives were in danger.

By NATION REPORTER
LOCAL entrepreneurs must avoid attempts of reinventing the wheel but be willing to collaborate and partner with well-established foreign pharmaceutical companies in order build capacity and experience, President Hakainde Hichilema has said.
Speaking during the European Union Pharmaceutical Forum at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre whose theme was “Strengthening Healthcare through Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing” President Hichilema said government would deploy a deliberate policy of ‘positive discrimination’ by promoting local entrepreneurship in order to bring economic growth and capacity.
He said government was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by the local pharmaceutical companies to migrate from the disposition and dependency of imported products, to the great initiative of partnering with the European Union, in manufacturing of pharmaceuticals locally in order to leverage on value addition and creation of jobs among many benefits.
“The theme, “Strengthening Healthcare through Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing” is in tune with our collective effort to finding a resolution in the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry in our country. In this We advised colleagues in the Health sector against engaging in the scourge of corruption that always disrupted the supply chain and warned that they would be on their own once found wanting,” President Hichilema said.
President Hichilema thanked the European Union for partnering with Government in finding lasting solutions to the challenges in the pharmaceutical industry.
ACC lifts Faith Musonda’s immunity from prosecution
By PRINCE MKABUMBA
THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has lifted Faith Musonda’s immunity on grounds that she did not make a full disclosure of the properties she had acquired.
Tom Shamakamba, the ACC director general said investigations had revealed that Ms. Musonda did not disclose her properties in full at the time she forfeited some of the properties in new Kasama and the unexplained cash.
Mr Shamakamba said the there was agreement that Ms. Musonda would be protected after she surrendered the properties and the cash to the state but that it had been established that there were other properties that she never disclosed and therefore, her immunity could not sustained.
“At the time she was surrendering her properties to the State, Ms Musonda was not being honest and the immunity agreement cannot stand. She is still under investigation. I am telling you these guys have properties,” Mr Shamakamba claimed.
Mr Shamakamba said that there was dishonesty on the part of Ms Musonda and that initially, the ACC granted her immunity based on the disclosure she had made.
He said that Ms Musonda hide some property which made the deal null and void.
“Wthat property in New Kasama was seized together with the cash, she did not disclose that she had other properties. This means she did not open up in full and that the immunity did not hold water,” Mr Shamakamba said.
And Mr Shamakamba has said that the issue of the Honeybee involving Dr Chitalu Chilufya had been withdrawn but that the ACC was considering to revisit if need arose.
He said that the withdrawal was not guarantee that the matter was closed but that if anything came up, then the ACC would act on the individuals involved in the Honeybee saga.
Mr Shamakamba said this at a Media briefing in Lusaka yesterday.

Proteins, long polymers comprised of smaller constituents known as amino acids, play a crucial role in the functioning of the human body. Over the course of a human’s life, these “strings” of proteins fold into unique 3D structures or conformations, and this folding process affects how different channels and receptors in the brain interact with other proteins.

By NATION REPORTER
ZAMBIANS voted for change in the August 2021 general elections but they should not be expecting that the change should be instant, the UPND has said.
And the UPND blame crusade against the Patriotic Front (PF) has continued with Mr Cornelius Mweetwa claiming that the governing party did not create the current economic malaise the country is going through.
Meanwhile, Mr Mweetwa has claimed that Zambians are not suffering and that citizens were much better than they were during the PF reign.
Mr Mwetwa, the UPND spokesperson says Zambians should sacrifice for just a little longer as President Hakainde Hichilema was working at addressing and correcting the economic chaos left by the PF.
Mr Mweetwa, who is also Southern Province Minister said the UPND had inherited a huge crippling debt which President Hichilema’s administration was determined to dismantle and begin to improve the lives of the people.
He said while it was true that the cost of living had astronomically increased in the last 18 months of the UPND in power, Zambians were in fact much better than they were under the PF administration.
Speaking on Radio Phoenix Let the People Talk Programme on Tuesday, Mr Mweetwa said the UPND government was fully aware of the suffering of the majority Zambians, claiming that President Hichilema’s government had inherited an economy that was flat (down) on its knees.
He said Zambians were much better without subsidies because money saved from the removal of subsidies was being channeled to offering free education as well as the recruityment of teachers and health workers.
He advised Zambians to emulate President Hichilema who for the last 18 months of the UPND in government had never received a salary from government because according to him, the head of State was sacrificing to serve citizens.
“The politics of appeasing people is what has brought us to where we are now. We inherited a crippling debt which President Hichilema’s administration is working hard to dismantle.
The UPND did not create the economic malaise the country is going through. Our colleagues in the previous government were just borrowing for infrastructure without any obligation of paying back.”
So the UPND government is fully aware of the suffering of the people…but they are much better off than they were even without subsidies under the previous government. We are not going to reverse the economic damage within a short time and so let Zambians sacrifice for just a little longer. President Hichilema is sacrificing and has gone for one and half years without a salary,” Mr Mweetwa said.
Mr Mweetwa said the promises of cheaper mealie meal and fuel were being implemented but that the high cost of living was being influenced by external factor which could not be blamed on the UPND.
Mr Mweetwa explained that the perception created by the opposition that Zambians were starving was not correct because many vulnerable Zambians had been put on the Social Cash Transfer and were receiving their K400 stipend without delays.

COVID-19’s origins remain hazy. Three years after the start of the pandemic, it’s still unclear whether the coronavirus that causes the disease leaked from a lab or spread to humans from an animal.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who follow a Mediterranean diet may have a lower risk for problems with memory and thinking skills than those who do not follow the diet, according to a preliminary study released today, March 1, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023.

Bernadette Deka-Zulu (PhD Researcher- Public Enterprise)

ZAMBIA, like many other countries, is experiencing grave impacts of climate change, which is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today.

In the recent years, the country has experienced severe flooding that have caused significant economic damage, affecting agriculture, infrastructure, and other sectors of the economy.

This article examines the economic impacts of climate change in Zambia, with a particular focus on the flooding incidents, and discusses opportunities for building resilience and adaptation.

Long-term economic impact of flooding incidents

The flooding incidents have had a significant impact on the country’s economy.  According to a report by the World Bank, the 2019 floods caused an estimated $3.3 billion in damage, equivalent to around 3.4 booting of the country’s GDP. The floods affected several sectors of the economy, including agriculture, transportation, and energy.

In addition to the immediate impacts, the flooding incidents also have the potential to cause long-term economic damage.

The destruction of infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, can make it difficult for businesses to transport goods and services, leading to reduced productivity and economic growth.

The floods also have the potential to affect the country’s ability to generate revenue and attract investment, which could further impede economic development in the long run.

Furthermore, if agriculture is affected by flooding, this can have a ripple effect on other sectors of the economy, leading to reduced economic activity and growth.

The country has experienced several flooding incidents in recent years that have caused significant economic damage. While the immediate impact of flooding incidents is often felt in terms of infrastructure damage and loss of income for farmers, the long-term economic impact of these events can be even more substantial.

Flooding incidents can have a significant impact on a country’s economy, both in the short and long term. As such, it is important for policymakers, businesses, and individuals to recognise the potential long-term impact of flooding incidents and take action to mitigate their effects.

By investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and promoting sustainable economic development, countries can build a more resilient future in the face of climate change.

Opportunities for building resilience and adaptation

Despite the challenges posed by climate change and flooding incidents, there are opportunities for building resilience and adaptation. One such opportunity is the expansion of irrigation systems to mitigate the effects of droughts and floods on agriculture.

By investing in irrigation systems, farmers can grow crops even in times of low rainfall, reducing their reliance on rain-fed agriculture and increasing their resilience to climate change.

Investing in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power is another opportunity for building resilience and adaptation. By investing in renewable energy, Zambia can reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and increase its resilience to climate change.

Finally, the country can invest in climate-resilient infrastructure to mitigate the effects of future flooding incidents.

This could include building bridges and roads that are designed to withstand flooding, as well as improving drainage systems in urban areas.

Conclusion

The economic impacts of climate change in Zambia, particularly flooding incidents, have been significant.

However, there are opportunities for building resilience and adaptation that can help mitigate the effects of climate change and promote sustainable economic development.

By investing in irrigation systems, renewable energy, and climate-resilient infrastructure, Zambia can build a more resilient and sustainable economy that is better equipped to face the challenges posed by climate change.

It is important for policymakers, businesses, and individuals to recognise the importance of innovative and adaptive strategies for promoting sustainable economic development in the face of climate change, and to take action to build a more resilient future for Zambia.

This article only scratches the surface of this complex and multifaceted problem. I look forward to sharing more insights on the effects of climate change.

For questions or comments, contact the author at bernadettedekazulu@gmail.com

 A government official who was appointed into Foreign Service by the previous regime has been implicated in the alleged corrupt purchase of the controversial Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) wants the named male suspect to return to Zambia so that he can appear in court in connection with corruption allegations. Last December, […]