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Ethiopia Joins BRICS Bloc in Major Diplomatic Victory
Ethiopia is celebrating its invitation to join the BRICS club of nations, calling it a “major diplomatic victory.” The country is one of two African nations (the other is Egypt) that will be admitted to the bloc in January. The other four new members are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, and Iran.
It is not clear what conditions, if any, were required for Ethiopia to join BRICS. The bloc is currently made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and it aims to challenge the perceived dominance of the West in world affairs.
Some analysts believe that Ethiopia’s membership in BRICS could improve investor perceptions about the country. Ethiopia’s image has been tarnished by the brutal two-year civil war in its northern Tigray region, which ended last November. The country’s relations with the West have also deteriorated in recent years, as accusations of grave human rights abuses have emerged.
Ethiopia’s membership in BRICS could give the country a stronger negotiating position when it comes to loans and financial aid from the West. The West may be more reluctant to criticize Ethiopia if it is seen as aligning itself with China, which is one of the largest economies in the world.
Addis Ababa has been one of the largest recipients of economic support from China in recent years. The civil war has slowed the country’s economic growth, but it remains one of Africa’s fastest growing economies.
The invitation to join BRICS is a significant boost for Ethiopia’s economy and its global standing.
Spanish football chief under fire for kissing player on lips after World Cup win
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday criticized the apology given by Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Federation, for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup.
Rubiales, 45, kissed Hermoso as he handed the Spanish team their gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday in Sydney. He also kissed other players on the cheek or embraced them.
Sanchez called the kiss “unacceptable” and said Rubiales’ apology was “insufficient.” He added that Rubiales should “go further” in his apology.
Rubiales apologized for the kiss on Monday in a video posted on social media. He said he did not mean any harm and that the kiss was a spontaneous gesture of joy.
Hermoso, 33, said in a statement that she did not like the kiss, but that she did not want to make a big deal out of it. She said she had a good relationship with Rubiales and that he was a good person.
Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz called for Rubiales to resign, saying his apology was not enough. Equality Minister Irene Montero said the kiss was a form of sexual violence.
“Only yes is yes,” Montero said.
The controversy has sparked a debate in Spain about consent and sexual harassment.
Zimbabweans vote in a first election since Mugabe’s death
Zimbabweans voted on Wednesday in presidential and parliamentary elections, amid some delays. The election is the first since the death of Robert Mugabe, the former president who ruled the country for nearly four decades.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is seeking a second term in office, but he faces a challenge from Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Voting began at 7:00 a.m. local time and is scheduled to end at 7:00 p.m. The results are expected to be announced within five days.
There were some delays at polling stations in Harare, the capital, due to the late delivery of ballot papers. However, election officials said that most polling stations were open by 8:00 a.m.
After voting, some voters expressed their hope that the election would bring about change.
“I want my life to improve, for the economy to be fixed, for my children to be able to go to school, healthcare to work,” said one voter in Harare.
Another voter said he wanted “improvement in this country in terms of infrastructure… we are just expecting something better than what we are now.”
President Mnangagwa, who is the candidate of the ruling Zanu-PF party, cast his vote in Kwekwe, a city in the south-west of the country. He said he was confident of winning the election.
“If I think I’m not going to take it then I’d be foolish,” he said. “Everyone who contests, if you are going to race, you are going to race to win and it’s precisely what I’m doing.”
Mr. Chamisa, the candidate of the CCC, also cast his vote in Harare. He said that he was confident of victory and that the delays at polling stations were a sign that the authorities were “panicking.”
“There is going to be a new government in this country… We are winning this election,” he said.
The election is being closely watched by the international community, which is hoping that it will be free and fair.
The European Union has sent a team of observers to monitor the election, and the United States has said that it will only recognize the results if they are credible.
Rwandan President Condemns Use of Witchcraft in Sports
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has condemned the alleged use of witchcraft in sports, saying it is a regressive practice that has no place in football.
Speaking Wednesday at the 10th anniversary of Youth Connekt, a platform that unites youth with their role models, Kagame said that witchcraft is a primitive and foolish practice that has no basis in reality. He urged Rwandan football officials to stop wasting money on occultism and focus on improving their teams through training and discipline.
“Witchcraft is primitive. You should not accept it. If they go in competitions with only this in mind, that’s why they always come back with failure. You must only be absolutely foolish because if you tried something so many times and it doesn’t work, why do you keep repeating it and make it a habit?” Kagame posed.
Kagame’s comments follow a July order in which he directed Rwandan football officials to address issues such as witchcraft and unprofessionalism. He warned that he would intervene personally if the problems persist.
Kagame’s intervention comes as Rwanda’s national sports teams have struggled to perform on the global stage. The country’s football team has only qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations once, in 2004.
Kagame has made sports a priority for his administration, and has invested heavily in the sector. However, he has expressed frustration with the lack of progress made by Rwandan sports teams.
In his speech, Kagame said that Rwanda’s sports teams need to focus on “hard work, discipline, and dedication.” He said that there is no shortcut to success, and that Rwandan athletes need to be willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve their goals.
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