*Morning News: Sunday 19 January 2025* *Headlines* *Zimbabwe Records Over 600,000 Festive Season Travellers* *Zimbabwe’s Ambassador Defends Influx Of Zimbabweans Into South Africa* *Former Harare City Official Receives Over $350,000 Compensation Amid Corruption Probe* *Heavy Rains Damage Railway Line; NRZ Forced To Suspend Operations Along South-East Route* *DNA Solves Mystery After Negligent UBH Nurse Swaps Newborns* *TikTok Stops Working For US Users, Disappears From Apple, Google Stores* *Trump Admin To Launch Immigration Raids On Day One Amid Deportations Push* *Arsenal's Title Hopes Dent As Villa Fight Back In Thrilling Draw* Join our *Ad-free* News Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VacXkvFJJhzd2UoZYF1F *Stories in Detail:* *Zimbabwe Records Over 600,000 Festive Season Travellers* More than 300,000 Zimbabweans returned home for the festive season holidays, accounting for nearly half of all inbound visitors during this period, according to data from the Department of Immigration. In total, 607,334 travellers were cleared to enter Zimbabwe during the holiday season, a significant rise compared to the 445,538 recorded in the same period in 2023. Additionally, over 434,000 travellers exited the country to celebrate the holidays abroad. Chief Immigration Officer Ms. Respect Gono confirmed the increase in traffic, with an average of 33,582 travellers processed daily at the country’s borders. She noted that the majority of inbound travellers were returning residents. “Over 340,000 returning residents were recorded. The department was clearing an average of 33,582 travellers a day during the festive season,” Ms. Gono said. However, more than 600 travellers were denied entry due to various issues, including fake visas, lack of proper documentation, unclear destinations, or being classified as prohibited immigrants. The introduction of the Online Border Management System (OBMS) at major ports of entry played a crucial role in managing the increased traffic efficiently. The OBMS integrates traveller data and biometrics, expediting clearance procedures and minimising human interaction. “The rolling out of the Online Border Management System increased efficiency and a seamless flow of travellers,” Ms. Gono explained. “This module features e-gates, which use biometric data and e-passports for automated clearance, drastically reducing processing times and addressing congestion issues.” Previously, clearing a passenger could take up to three minutes, but the OBMS now processes travellers in mere seconds. This advancement aligns with the department’s goal of providing world-class services while enhancing border security. Ms. Gono highlighted that the system also bolstered security measures by enabling better monitoring and quicker responses to potential threats. The digitised procedures reduced human error and minimised opportunities for tampering. “The e-gates addressed the problem of long queues, improving the travel experience for our clients,” she added. *Zimbabwe’s Ambassador Defends Influx Of Zimbabweans Into South Africa* Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, has said there is nothing unusual about Zimbabweans migrating to South Africa. Hamadziripi insisted that migration is a global phenomenon, with people leaving even developed countries for better opportunities elsewhere. Since the early 2000s, millions of Zimbabweans have left their country, with a significant number seeking refuge in South Africa, where many live and work, often illegally. Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic crisis under the ZANU PF-led government has driven citizens to seek better prospects in neighbouring countries and beyond, with South Africa hosting the largest proportion of these migrants. In an interview with SABC reporter Clement Manyathela on the programme “Face The Nation”, Hamadziripi asserted that the movement of Zimbabweans to South Africa is not a new trend. When asked about the Zimbabwean government’s responsibility regarding the influx of citizens seeking jobs, healthcare, and improved living conditions in South Africa and other countries, Hamadziripi responded: Migration from Zimbabwe to South Africa is not a recent phenomenon. It is historical and we can go way back many years and we can see that there has been migration from Zimbabwe into South Africa. Zimbabwe is not the only country with nationals who come to South Africa. The reasons why they come to South Africa are varied because migration intrinsically is an individual decision. We know even those countries considered the best countries to live in, you have people migrating from those countries. When asked what the Zimbabwean government was doing to improve the situation and prevent citizens from leaving the country in large numbers, Hamadziripi responded: I can tell you that the government of Zimbabwe is taking all measures it can to improve the economic situation in Zimbabwe. In August 2022, the then Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba (pictured above) made controversial comments about Zimbabwean migrants, saying they were straining the provincial healthcare system. In a widely circulated video, she told a Zimbabwean patient at a Bela Bela hospital that South Africa was not running a charity and that migrants were not budgeted for in the healthcare system. Ramathuba said the healthcare system was meant for the people of Limpopo and that foreign nationals were not part of the budget. Her comments sparked backlash, with the Zimbabwean embassy expressing shock and disbelief, and calling for diplomatic engagement to address the issue. Recent reports suggest that some Zimbabwean women are crossing into South Africa illegally to give birth, to register their children as South African citizens to access social grants. This has led to increased border patrols by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to curb illegal immigration. *Pindula* *Former Harare City Official Receives Over $350,000 Compensation Amid Corruption Probe* Former Harare City Council (HCC) acting human capital director Matthew Marara reportedly received over US$350,000 in compensation for the period he was suspended without pay on corruption charges. This revelation emerged today during his appearance before the retired Justice Maphios Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry into the council’s affairs. The controversy centres around Marara’s alleged resignation in 2020, following his suspension. Evidence presented to the Commission suggests he later rescinded his resignation and returned to the council in 2023, claiming he had never officially stepped down. It is alleged that Marara exploited the absence of a resignation letter in the council’s records to justify his reinstatement. Thabani Mpofu, the lead investigator presenting evidence before the Commission, disclosed that Marara had been compensated over US$350,000 for the 30 months he was not actively employed by the council. Marara, however, denied the figure, asserting that he had never resigned and had reached an agreement with the council to be paid US$131,000, of which US$116,000 had already been disbursed. “I never resigned from the council,” Marara insisted during his testimony, disputing the allegations. The inquiry, which is investigating alleged corruption and maladministration within the Harare City Council, has placed a spotlight on irregularities surrounding Marara’s case, including the missing resignation letter and the substantial compensation payout. The Commission of Inquiry continues to examine the circumstances surrounding Marara’s return to the council and the financial settlements involved, as public scrutiny grows over the governance and accountability of Harare’s municipal administration. *thezimbabwemail* *Heavy Rains Damage Railway Line; NRZ Forced To Suspend Operations Along South-East Route* THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has temporarily suspended operations on the South-East railway line due to the track damage caused by incessant rainfall. The railway wash away by the rains was witnessed particularly along the Rutenga-Mbizi and Rutenga-Beitbridge sections. poster In a statement, NRZ said its realigning the damaged area, which covers 480 metres combined and is now at 90% complete. “We are experiencing wash aways on some parts of our lines, particularly on the South-East line. The heavy rainfall has resulted in the water flow overloading existing drainage structures. “Areas that have been adversely affected include the Rutenga-Mbizi section where 360 metres of tracks were washed away and also a section along the Rutenga-Beitbridge line where 120 metres of tracks were washed away, with gullies reaching two metres in some areas,” NRZ said. It noted that the area experienced wash aways but due to climate change, high rainfall has since made the unexpected severe damage to the rails. “The area is susceptible to such incidents because of its natural topographic formation. Although we have previously had similar experiences in the same corridor over the past few years, including on the Mozambican side, this has been worse than any wash away we have seen before.” The NRZ confirmed that there were dispatched wagons carrying ballast and quarry fines from the Nalatale Quarry Mine in Shangani en route to the affected areas. Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported among staff or damage to rolling stock due to the washouts. *NewZW* *DNA Solves Mystery After Negligent UBH Nurse Swaps Newborns* Two new mums had their babies swapped at the United Bulawayo Hospitals due to negligence by hospital staff. A mother from Cowdray Park who delivered a baby boy by Caesarean-section had her son swapped for a girl after the two babies were taken for cleaning shortly after birth. The baby girl’s mum is from Esigodini. The persistence of the mother who gave birth to a boy unravelled the swap after she paid for a DNA test at a Bulawayo private lab which proved her instincts right, enabling her to confront hospital authorities. Zephaniah Dlamini, head of the applied genetics testing centre at the National University of Science and Technology, said they were approached by the hospital to clear up the mystery and they were able to establish conclusively that the two babies were swapped. The news was so devastating to the Esigodini couple that had been given the baby boy that police had to be brought in to compel them to submit to DNA testing. Dlamini told The Chronicle: “The two women were in the same ward at UBH and delivered around the same time. “One woman asserted that her child was a boy after she was given a girl after cleaning, but the other mother also adamant that the boy was hers.” A source close to the Cowdray Park mum told The Chronicle that a day before delivery, a scan had confirmed that she was expecting a boy. When she brought this up with the nurse who cleaned up the babies, the nurse “dismissed her concerns, suggesting that the effects of the anaesthesia from the Caesarean section was clouding her memory.” The two mothers have been reunited with their children. UBH CEO William Busumani declined to comment, stating that he does not discuss “patient information.” *ZimLive* *TikTok Stops Working For US Users, Disappears From Apple, Google Stores* TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect Sunday requiring the shutdown of the app used by 170 million Americans. President-elect Donald Trump said earlier in the day he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app. TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, told users attempting to use the app around 10:45 p.m. ET (0345 GMT): "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned." Other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app Capcut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday. "The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate," Trump told NBC. "If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday." TikTok users logging on late on Saturday were met with a message that said the law would "force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. We're working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible." It was not clear if any U.S. users could still access the app, but it was no longer working for many users and people seeking to access it through a web application were met with the same message that TikTok was no longer working. The Chinese-owned app, which has captivated nearly half of all Americans, powered small businesses and shaped online culture, said on Friday it will go dark in the U.S. on Sunday unless President Joe Biden's administration provides assurances to companies such as Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect. Under a law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent ByteDance or shut down its U.S. operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security. The White House reiterated on Saturday that it was up to the incoming administration to take action, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown on Sunday. "We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement. The Chinese embassy in Washington on Friday accused the U.S. of using unfair state power to suppress TikTok. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," a spokesperson said. *Reuters* *Trump Admin To Launch Immigration Raids On Day One Amid Deportations Push* Donald Trump’s top border official has said the new Republican administration will launch large operations to detain and deport undocumented immigrants beginning on the day of the United States President-elect’s inauguration on Tuesday. The incoming administration’s so-called “border czar”, Tom Homan, told Fox News on Saturday that he would not categorise the expected actions as “raids”. “There are going to be targeted enforcement operations,” he said, adding that Chicago would be among cities that will see raids shortly after Trump takes office for a second four-year term. Homan also suggested the Trump administration would target city jails in so-called sanctuary cities that house a large number of migrants. He said the government wants to “arrest a bad guy in the safety and security of a county jail”. Homan, a former acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said the agency was planning operations carefully and would know which homes to hit. Amid reports by US media that Chicago could be hit as early as Tuesday by hundreds of border agents and that New York and Miami could also be targets, he did not comment on the exact timing of the operation or elaborate further. Homan’s latest comments come a day after he said, “We’re gonna take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens.” He had also said there would be a “big raid across the country”. US politics, Canada’s multiculturalism, South America’s geopolitical rise—we bring you the stories that matter. Just like during his first presidential campaign, Trump has pledged to crack down on undocumented immigrants in his second run. But there have been disagreements on some aspects among Republicans, including surrounding the issue of the H-1B visas. Trump has pledged he would launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” to quickly remove people without saying exactly how many will be affected. The president-elect has said he would reinstate a programme to make tens of thousands of migrants seeking asylum to await their hearings in Mexico, reinstate a controversial travel ban on Muslim-majority countries from his first term, and end birthright citizenship for US-born children of some noncitizens. Trump’s officials have been considering how to withhold funds from sanctuary cities that refuse to participate in deportations, even for local authorities who have maintained that they do not have the resources to implement his plan, or are concerned about adverse effects on their communities. Immigrant rights groups have been bracing for the crackdowns promised by the incoming administration, with some US media reporting “self-deportations” by people who have chosen not to wait for Trump to forcibly remove them. Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in Washington, DC on Saturday to protest Trump’s inauguration, as activists for women’s rights, racial justice and other causes rallied against incoming policies they say will threaten their constitutional rights during the Republican’s second term. Some in the crowd wore the pink hats that marked the much larger protest against Trump’s first inauguration in 2017. They wound through downtown amid a light rain, past the White House and towards the Lincoln Memorial along the National Mall for the “People’s March.” Protests against Trump’s inauguration are smaller this time, in part because the US women’s rights movement seems more fractured, according to many activists, after Trump defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in November. *Aljazeera* *Arsenal's Title Hopes Dent As Villa Fight Back In Thrilling Draw* Arsenal had a late goal disallowed as they dropped two points in the Premier League title race after throwing away a two-goal lead at home to Aston Villa. Kai Havertz thought he had found the winner with a minute left in normal time but the goal was disallowed after replays showed he handled Mikel Merino's shot. The hosts had claimed a two-goal lead, with Gabriel Martinelli opening the scoring after taking advantage of some slack defending from Villa left-back Ian Maatsen to bundle home Leandro Trossard's cross. The Belgian turned provider again for Arsenal's second, as Havertz netted his 13th goal of the season from the former Brighton winger's cross ten minutes after half-time. But Villa staged a stunning comeback, halving the deficit through Youri Tielemans' header from Matty Cash's cross on the hour mark, and equalising eight minutes later with a volley by striker Ollie Watkins. The result leaves Arsenal six points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League, having played a game more than Arne Slot's side. Villa move into seventh, two points shy of fourth-placed Newcastle in the final Champions League slot. William Saliba missed the draw in north London through injury and manager Mikel Arteta said he fears Arsenal could be without the France defender in the coming weeks. "Tomorrow we will have more information, but am I worried? Yes, for sure," said Arteta. "Especially with the numbers that we have in the squad and looking at our bench." It is the sort of day that will have Liverpool fans convinced this is their title to lose. For an hour at Emirates Stadium it looked like Arsenal would produce a spirited response to Liverpool's last -gasp victory at Brentford earlier in the day. Darwin Nunez scored two stoppage-time goals in west London to put the Reds seven points clear at the top of the Premier League. Liverpool's late win could have been enough to burst Arsenal's bubble before kick-off, but they were deserving of their two-goal lead after an hour. What happened next - and the nature of it - was so unexpected it could have lasting implications on Arsenal's title bid. Villa had barely laid a glove on their hosts until Tielemans fired his header past David Raya with 60 minutes played. The Belgian nearly equalised moments later, only to see his effort from the edge of the box cannon against the post. If that was a warning for the Gunners, they did not heed it. Thomas Partey, playing at right-back as Jurrien Timber covered for the injured Saliba in central defence, left Watkins unmarked at the back post - and the England striker made no mistake by volleying home an equaliser. It was an eight-minute period that turned the game on its head, and left Arsenal stunned. The Gunners looked short on ideas in search of a winner but thought they had found it when Merino's effort deflected past Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the 89th minute. But replays showed Havertz handled the ball, and it was chalked off following a video assistant referee (VAR) review. The sense of agony around the Emirates at full-time was palpable. At one stage this afternoon it looked like Arsenal would have the chance to reduce Liverpool's lead at the top. By the end of the day they were even further behind. *BBC*