Africa's week in pictures: 4 - 10 December 2020
A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent:
All pictures subject to copyright.
Former Housing Secretary and Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro has issued a stern warning to Georgians while on the campaign trail for Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock.
While supplies of an experimental drug cocktail given emergency use authorization to treat the coronavirus remain in short supply in the United States, three associates of President Trump apparently jumped to the front of the line to receive it.
A study that analyzed school reopenings across the United Kingdom last spring and early summer found “very low” rates of infection, as well as a lack of major outbreaks, at all education levels.
Nearly 2,000 containers aboard the ship managed by NYK Ship management of Japan were lost or damaged when it was hit by stormy weather in the Pacific Ocean, according the company's statement earlier this week. Dramatic footage shot by a YouTuber and obtained by Reuters showed ONE Apus carrying collapsed containers and docking at Kobe, one of the world's busies port cities. ONE Apus, owned by Chidori Ship Holdings, was travelling from Yantian in China to Long Beach, California, when it hit a violent storm about 1,600 nautical miles (2,960 kilometres) northwest of Hawaii, a statement issued on behalf of the companies said. Such a large amount of container losses is rare in the international shipping industry, according to industry experts.
"Keep your judgment someplace where you know you can fact check it, because you can't see my heart," Fox News host Harris Faulkner told Marie Harf.
The wife of former Rep. Duncan Hunter has filed for divorce after both were convicted of corruption and prosecutors alleged the lawmaker had used campaign funds on extramarital affairs. Margaret Hunter filed for divorce on Nov. 20 in San Diego Superior Court, according to online records.
Pete Buttigieg is reportedly ready to make his political return — if President-elect Joe Biden can find a suitable place for him.The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor proved a strong contender in the crowded 2020 Democratic primaries before dropping out and endorsing Biden. He's now seeking a spot in the Biden administration, and is a little picky about where he ends up, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.Buttigieg's top choice in a Biden administration was reportedly ambassador to the United Nations — a Cabinet-level post in Buttigieg's preferred arena of foreign policy. But Biden passed Buttigieg over for that role, giving it to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who has worked in Foreign Service almost as long as Buttigieg has been alive.It's not that Biden isn't fond of Buttigieg; He has gone so far as to compare the former mayor to his late son Beau. Instead, Biden has been focused on picking women and people of color for his top spots — something that has frustrated those looking for LGBTQ leaders in the Democratic administration, Washington Blade reports. And Buttigieg hasn't made it easy for Biden to include him either. Buttigieg shook off talks of being Biden's Office of Management and Budget director because he wanted a "real Cabinet" position and not a "staff-level" job, a Democratic insider tells Washington Blade. He also reportedly squashed talks of leading the Department of Veterans Affairs.Now, Biden is considering giving Buttigieg a high-profile ambassadorship, potentially even sending him to China, Axios reports. Buttigieg is also reportedly being considered for some remaining domestic roles — something his supporters see as a way to build his profile before another presidential run.More stories from theweek.com 7 criminally funny cartoons about Trump's potential pardon spree Why Trump supporters won't accept election results The GOP is driving itself mad
More than 1,000 current and former attorneys, retired judges and justices, law professors, former bar association presidents and concerned citizens have signed an open letter calling on bar associations to disavow the Trump campaign attorneys’ conduct.
China's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that two Canadians held for two years in a case linked to a Huawei executive have been indicted and put on trial, but gave no details. Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been confined since December 10, 2018, just days after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the founder of the Chinese global communications equipment giant. China has said Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor were indicted June 19 by the Beijing prosecutor's office on "suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence." Neither China or Canada has released specifics about their cases. At a daily briefing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the two had been "arrested, indicted and tried," in what appeared to be the first public mention that they had been brought to court. She reiterated that their cases and Ms Meng's were "different in nature," with Ms Meng's being a "purely political incident." Despite that, China has consistently linked the fate of the two Canadians to its demands that Ms Meng be released immediately. Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne issued a statement Wednesday marking their two years of captivity, saying; "These two Canadians are an absolute priority for our government, and we will continue to work tirelessly to secure their immediate release and to stand up for them as a government and as Canadians." "I am struck by the integrity and strength of character the two have shown as they endure immense hardship that would shake anyone's faith in humanity," Mr Champagne said. The US is seeking Ms Meng's extradition from Canada on fraud charges. Her arrest severely damaged relations between Canada and China, which has also sentenced two other Canadians to death and suspended imports of canola from Canada. Ms Meng, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, is living in a luxury Vancouver home while her extradition case continues in a British Columbia court. The US accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to deceive banks and do business with Iran in violation of US sanctions. It's not publicly known where Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor are being held or under what conditions, although Canada's ambassador to China testified to a House of Commons committee this week that they were "robust." Canadian diplomats had been denied all access to the two men from January to October because of coronavirus precautions cited by the Chinese side. On-site visits were banned and not even virtual visits were permitted. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has described China's approach as coercive diplomacy, spoke last month with US president-elect Joe Biden about the case of the two men and said he expects Mr Biden to be a good partner in persuading Beijing to release them. Canada's Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment on Ms Hua's remarks.
The chamber reported the numbers a week after Rudy Giuliani testified in Lansing and just days after he tested positive for Covid-19.
Ahead of Time's 2020 Person of the Year announcement, the final four contenders have been revealed.The magazine on Thursday announced the finalists for Person of the Year, which highlights "the person who affected the news or our lives the most, for better or worse." The first two finalists were President-elect Joe Biden and President Trump. Time previously named Trump the 2016 Person of the Year, while former President Barack Obama earned the title both in 2008 and again in 2012.The other two finalists, though, are not just one person. Also in the mix is "frontline health care workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci," while the fourth and final contender is the "movement for racial justice" sparked by the killing of George Floyd in police custody.Last year, Time selected Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg as Person of the Year, while in 2018, the Person of the Year was "The Guardians," a group of journalists including Jamal Khashoggi. Time also went with more than one person for Person of the Year in 2017 by amid the MeToo movement selecting "The Silence Breakers," those who spoke up about sexual harassment and assault.Time is set to reveal its Person of the Year pick on Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC. More stories from theweek.com 7 criminally funny cartoons about Trump's potential pardon spree Why Trump supporters won't accept election results The GOP is driving itself mad
Amid continuing Republican attacks on the legitimacy of Joe Biden's presidential victory in Georgia, the state House speaker is proposing to take the selection of the state's chief election official from the voters and put it in the hands of legislators. Republican House Speaker David Ralston said Thursday that he will seek a state constitutional amendment to change how Georgia's secretary of state is chosen. With two-thirds approval needed by both the House and Senate, such a move is unlikely, particularly with Democrats signaling immediate opposition.
A former lawyer detained for more than six months due to reporting on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has been fitted with a tube so she can be force-fed after she went on hunger strike, her lawyer said. Zhang Zhan, 37, was apparently unable to pull the tube out as her arms were restrained. She was arrested in May and accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble,” a charge often used against government critics and activists in China. Zhang attempted to report the virus outbreak on social media and streaming account, and is now being held at a detention centre near Shanghai. She was formally charged with spreading false information in November. Her lawyer, Zhang Keke detailed her deteriorating condition in a blog post after visiting her. “She was wearing thick pyjamas with a girdle around the waist, her left hand pinned in front and right hand pinned behind,” he wrote. “She said she had a stomach tube inserted recently and because she wanted to pull it out, she was restrained.” “In addition to headache, dizziness and stomach pain, there was also pain in her mouth and throat. She said this may be inflammation due to the insertion of a gastric tube.” He added that she said she had expected to go to court in December, but that the appearance had been cancelled and she didn't know how she was going to survive. Zhang refused to stop the hunger strike even after her lawyer told her that her family and loved ones urged her to put an end to it. It’s not the first time that Zhang has been arrested on such charges. She was detained once in 2018 by Chinese authorities and again in 2019 for voicing support for Hong Kong activists. Zhang has denied the allegation of falsifying information, and told her lawyer that she gathered the information on the ground through interviews with Wuhan residents. Several Chinese citizen journalists were arrested and silenced after travelling to Wuhan to report on the virus outbreak and response. Chen Qiushui was among the first to be detained in January and disappeared after he broadcasted live on social media showing scenes of crowded hospitals. Li Zehua, who travelled to Wuhan, went missing in early February and was released in April. Zhang posted videos on Youtube - which is banned in China - consistently from February until her arrest in May. In one video posted in February, she explained her experience of visiting hospitals in Wuhan, and said that the number of infected patients was higher than the government figures. She also questioned the effectiveness of containing the virus at the hospitals. In another video posted in May, she recorded herself outside a major train station in Wuhan where she tried to interview travellers but hardly found any. She said the city of Wuhan was ruled by fear.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused the European Union on Wednesday of never acting honestly towards his country and said Ankara was not concerned by any economic sanctions the bloc might impose on it. EU foreign ministers said on Monday Turkey had failed to help end a row with Greece and Cyprus over potential gas resources in the eastern Mediterranean, but they left a decision on sanctions for a summit of EU leaders that starts on Thursday. NATO ally Turkey has been at odds with EU members Greece and Cyprus over the extent of their continental shelves in the east Mediterranean.
There’s plenty of noise but no cause for confusion as President Donald Trump vents about how the election turned out and vows to subvert it even still. This truth is self-evident: Joe Biden is on track to become president Jan. 20.
A four-year-old Italian boy contracted Covid-19 as far back as November last year, Italian scientists believe, in a discovery that could dramatically rewrite the timeline of the spread of the illness. The finding would suggest that the coronavirus was circulating in Italy much earlier than expected – the pandemic was not officially detected until late February. It could fundamentally alter the understanding of when the virus entered Europe from China, where it is thought to have originated. Until now, it was thought that Europe's earliest detected case was a 43-year-old Frenchman from Paris who fell ill in late December. “This finding is of importance because it expands our knowledge on timing and mapping of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission pathways,” the researchers said. “Long-term, unrecognized spread of SARS-CoV-2 in northern Italy would help explain, at least in part, the devastating impact and rapid course of the first wave of COVID-19 in Lombardy.” The little boy, from a town near Milan in the Lombardy region, began to feel ill on November 21, suffering from flu-like symptoms and a rash, and it was initially thought that he was suffering from measles.
Tasked with a California family’s historic getaway on Patmos, John Stefanidis gives the once-neutral house a vibrant polychrome presenceOriginally Appeared on Architectural Digest
The shuttered Killen Generating Station had been slated for demolition before it gave way on Wednesday.
As Democratic Senate Candidate Raphael Warnock tries to assure Jews that he is a friend, new video has surfaced of the Georgia Baptist preacher again linking Israel to apartheid.In the video, purportedly from a Palm Sunday sermon in 2015, Warnock also likened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to former segregationist Alabama governor George Wallace.Warnock made the statements shortly after the 2015 Israeli elections, won by Netanyahu’s Likud Party. On the final day of the campaign, Netanyahu announced his opposition to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, walking back previous support.In his sermon, Warnock described the Israeli and Palestinian region as “a land of violence and bloodshed and occupation,” and said he heard a “very clever politician running for re-election as prime minister suddenly announce ‘No two-state solution,’” he said.“That’s tantamount to saying, ‘occupation today, occupation tomorrow, occupation forever,’” Warnock said, using phrasing mirroring Wallace’s racist call in 1963 for “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”> During his 2015 Palm Sunday Sermon, Dem. Raphael Warnock explicitly called Israel an “Apartheid” State, describing it as “a land of violence and bloodshed and occupation” and he referred to Israeli leaders as “clever politicians,” and accusing them of being “racist and vicious.” pic.twitter.com/jfdkOUzung> > -- Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) December 10, 2020Warnock urges his parishioners to consider the Middle East demographics. There are more Arabs in the region than Jews, he said. Without a two-state solution, the Jews in the region would need undemocratic apartheid-like policies, or risk being overwhelmed at the polls.“The state will either be Jewish, or it will be a democracy,” he said. “It can’t be both if you don’t have a Palestinian state. You would have to have apartheid in Israel that denies other citizens, sisters and brothers, citizenship.”Warnock also took aim at a statement Netanyahu made in the lead-up to voting when he warned that his right-wing government was in danger, and urged his supporters to vote because “Arab voters are heading to polling stations in droves.” Warnock described Netanyahu’s statement as “kind of racist and vicious language.”Warnock is one of two Democrats in Georgia trying to defeat Republican incumbents in a January runoff election. If both win, Democrats will take over the Senate.This wasn’t the first time Warnock’s past statements about Israel have come back to haunt him. Last year, Warnock was part of a group of African American church leaders who toured the Middle East and released a statement accusing Israel of engaging in tactics similar to those previously used by apartheid South Africa and communist East Germany – “patterns that seem to have been borrowed and perfected from other previous repressive regimes.”In a 2018 sermon, after a Hamas terrorists stormed the Israeli border, Warnock accused the Israeli government of shooting down “unarmed Palestinian sisters and brothers like birds of prey … like they don’t matter at all.”As a Senate candidate, Warnock has attempted to walk back his apartheid allegations, and released a position paper asserting that he is a “friend of Israel.”“I will stand with Israel and the Jewish people to protect their interests, advocate for the human dignity of the Palestinian people and their position in the world, promote peace, and ensure the U.S. remains economically strong, safe, and secure.”
The European Union and the United States should work together to stand up to coercive Chinese diplomacy and coordinate with other countries in the region on the disputed South China Sea, the EU ambassador to China said on Thursday. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, due to take office on Jan. 20, has spoken of the need to revitalise alliances with like-minded democracies as a core source of strength in dealing with China. EU Ambassador Nicolas Chapuis, speaking at an energy forum in the Chinese capital, said the EU hoped to reach agreement with the new U.S. administration on policy towards China.