Thursday 27 February 2025 *MORNING NEWS UPDATES* _• USD: ZiG Official Exchange – Z$25.69_ • _Black Market Rate - Zig 30:USD1_ • _Innscor in-store – Z$35_ • _KFC, Slice, Eat'n'Lick – Z$35_ New members who wish to receive detailed local, regional and international news from Ignite Media Zimbabwe should "follow" our channel on the link below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaASRLX6mYPM2XphWy2n *For advertising inquiries call, text or Whatsapp us on +263 778 242 692* *THE HEADLINES* *Arrest Blessed Geza not Blessed Mhlanga* *Geza loses case* *Mnangagwa To Meet War Vets After Dramatic Fallout* *’We can come after you’: Roman Catholic-run St. Peter’s Kubatana Industrial Training College principal threatens anyone who continues to write articles about a messy sexual harassment scandal, allegedly involving learners and teachers: ZANU PF sets bad precedent threatening and intimidating journalists* *Such policies turned Zimbabwe into a basket case – Free Market Foundation slams DA over ‘liberal betrayal’ on Expropriation Act* *ZWG month-on-month inflation rate recedes to 0,5% – ZimStat* *Govt exchange rate distortions cost market US$4,5bn* *United Nations Human Rights Council: Zimbabwe hailed for abolishing death penalty* *MH370: search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight resumes after 11 years* *Four cops convicted for taking US$60 weekly bribe from motorist for two years* *Zimbabwe could clear arrears with bold reforms, World Bank says* *All broadcasting licence holders must be citizens: Minister Muswere* *Zim’s brick manufacturing industry in crisis as Chinese dominance grows* *Siri’s Got Jokes: Apple’s Dictation Thinks “Racist” Means “Trump”* *Jose Mourinho racism probe: Didier Drogba defends ex-manager* *IGNITE SPORT* *Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: League leaders breeze to win to extend lead to 13 points* *Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal: Gunners' title push fizzles out thanks to same old mistakes* *Tottenham 0-1 Manchester City: Haaland back on the scoresheet* *Manchester United 3-2 Ipswich Town: Pressure growing to drop Onana after another chaotic game* *Nunez among Atletico targets* *Liverpool will only sell Nunez in the summer if they bring in a replacement, with Brighton's Brazil striker Joao Pedro, 23, one name on their radar* *Brazil forward Vinicius Jr will have the chance to make a £200m move to the Saudi Pro League in the summer when the 24-year-old will have two years left on his Real Madrid contract* *Tottenham could make a move for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze in the summer after becoming a "concrete option" for the England winger, 26* *Manchester United will have to pay a total of £20m to head coach Ruben Amorim and his backroom staff if the club chooses to sack them* *THE DETAILS WITH IGNITE MEDIA ZIMBABWE* _*Arrest Blessed Geza not Blessed Mhlanga*_ Blessed Mhlanga, a prominent journalist in Zimbabwe, is unlawful and amounts to state-facilitated abduction. The crux of the issue lies in the nature of his arrest and the context surrounding it. Mhlanga was taken into custody under what critics describe as dubious charges related to an interview he conducted with Blessed Geza, a controversial figure. The fundamental argument against his arrest is that it violates the principles of journalistic freedom. Mhlanga, as a journalist, was simply performing his duties by interviewing someone of public interest, which should not expose him to criminal liability for the statements made by his interviewee, Blessed Geza and his war vets. It is a well-established legal principle that journalists are not responsible for the opinions expressed by their sources. By arresting Mhlanga, the state appears to be sending a chilling message to other journalists, discouraging them from pursuing stories that may be politically sensitive. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Moreover, the legitimacy of the charges against Mhlanga is called into question. Mhlanga is an employee of Alpha Media Holding (AMH) and critics point out that if those responsible for the production and broadcasting of the interview are not being prosecuted, the charges against Mhlanga seem to lack a solid legal foundation. This raises concerns about selective prosecution and the misuse of state power to target individuals for their professional activities. Mhlanga’s arrest has been described as a breach of the rule of law, particularly in a context where the presumption of innocence is a fundamental right. The state claims that Mhlanga amplified potentially criminal remarks made by his guest, yet this assertion hinges on the determination that the interviewee’s statements were indeed criminal, a determination that has not yet been made by a competent court. Until such a ruling occurs, any action against Mhlanga can be seen as premature and lacking legal basis. Furthermore, the state’s argument against granting him bail highlights the intent to intimidate rather than pursue justice. The equipment involved in the alleged offenses belongs to his employer, AMH, not to Mhlanga personally, suggesting that any liability should lie with the media organisation rather than the journalist. Blessed Mhlanga’s only “wrongdoing” appears to be exercising his rights as a journalist in a politically charged environment. His arrest is symptomatic of broader issues regarding press freedom and the rule of law in Zimbabwe, raising urgent questions about the safety and autonomy of journalists in the country. Are we going back to the Robert Mugabe era or was ED running the show all along. Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi _*Geza loses case*_ The State yesterday withdrew charges before a plea against former Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) chairman Basil Nyabadza, who is facing allegations of defrauding Mr Blessed Geza of US$1 362 000 in a land deal. Prosecutor Mr Anesu Chirenje told the court that he would summon back Nyabadza to court when Geza avails himself. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Nyabadza opposed the withdrawal, saying charges should be read to him and the trial should open. However, the new magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei, who took over from Ms Tilda Mazhande after she recused herself in the morning concurred with the State and withdrew the charges before the plea. The difference is that a withdrawal before plea allows the evidence available to be reused in a subsequent trial, while a withdrawal after plea means an automatic acquittal and the evidence that was to be presented cannot be used again. Last week, Ms Mazhande put the State on notice that she would remove Nyabadza from remand yesterday if the complainant, Mr Geza, failed to appear in court. However, Ms Mazhande went on to recuse herself from the matter, citing personal reasons. It is the State’s case that Mr Geza bought 42,3504 hectares from Nyabadza for US$1 362 000 on October 29, 2020. The court heard that Mr Geza was granted sole authority to subdivide, develop, and sell the land. When the agreement of sale was done, Nyabadza allegedly misrepresented to Mr Geza that the land had title deeds which he would hand over in a month. However, he failed to deliver. It is alleged that while Mr Geza was in the process of obtaining subdivision permits for the land from the Department of Physical Planning in Mashonaland West, he discovered that Nyabadza had allegedly sold the same land to Velda Estates. The court heard that Mr Geza engaged Nyabadza hoping for an amicable solution, only to discover that his agreement of sale had been cancelled without his knowledge. The matter was reported to the police, leading to Nyabadza being summoned to the courts. Mr Geza was prejudiced of US$1 362 000 and nothing was recovered. Herald _*Mnangagwa To Meet War Vets After Dramatic Fallout*_ Details to follow… _*’We can come after you’: Roman Catholic-run St. Peter’s Kubatana Industrial Training College principal threatens anyone who continues to write articles about a messy sexual harassment scandal, allegedly involving learners and teachers*_ AN official at Roman Catholic-run St. Peter’s Kubatana Industrial Training College has threatened to come after anyone who continues to write articles about a messy sexual harassment scandal, alleged to involve learners and teachers. About three cases of sexual harassment are said to have been swept under the carpet in the past year, with the latest raising a storm for a lecturer identified as Kudakwashe Jongwe. A parent who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com narrated saddening exchanges between themselves and the institution’s Principal, a Mr Gatsi, whose institution they allege to be shielding teachers accused of sexually exploiting students. One Mlambo, who is the institution’s Acting Principal told this publication to drop the story as the Roman Catholic Church was too big and could come after the writer. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. “We can come for you, this is a big institution, this is the Roman Catholic,” said Mlambo in a conversation with this publication. “We don’t want to comment on this issue. Why do you want to write an article that is done? “If you were the police we would consider your questions but we do not want to speak about it, this matter is dead.” Jongwe, who politely told this publication that he had been barred from commenting on the issue by the institution, is said to have been sending sleazy messages to students and inviting them home for what he told a local daily were ‘extra lessons.’ The parent said he got wind of the act, confiscated their daughter’s phone and discovered the comments she said bordered on sexual harassment. “Jongwe has been harassing my daughter considering his love comments to her,” said the parent. “After taking our matter to the principal, he defended him and that angered me.” Jongwe is also accused of having taken the daughter for a questionable shopping spree against her parents’ will after they got wind of it. St. Peter’s Kubatana Industrial Training College is run by Roman Catholic Jesuits, a religious order of priests and brothers in the church. _*Such policies turned Zimbabwe into a basket case – Free Market Foundation slams DA over ‘liberal betrayal’ on Expropriation Act*_ South Africa – The Free Market Foundation (FMF) has said that the Democratic Alliance (DA) had only one role to play regarding the new Expropriation Act, which is “unconditional and unrelenting opposition”, but with the formation of the GNU, FMF said the party has allowed itself to be ideologically co-opted and has betrayed liberals. Martin van Staden, Head of Policy at the FMF, said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the DA has charted a different course, skirting around the act’s fundamental constitutional, economic, and moral deficiencies and focusing instead on some peripheral formalities. “This is a weak — and failed — attempt to show its constituency that it is still “against” the Expropriation Act while protecting its position in the government of national unity (GNU). “Liberalism’s value proposition is simple: individuals and communities — society — must chart their course. The state must secure society against coercion directed at people or their property. Beyond this, the state must be severely limited by constitutional law so it cannot utilise its incredible power to deprive society of civil liberty or property. “Since the establishment of the Progressive Party in 1959, followed by the Progressive Reform Party, Progressive Federal Party, the Democratic Party, and finally the DA, the DA has been the foremost representative of this political ideology in SA. However, with the formation of the GNU, the party has allowed itself to be ideologically co-opted.” Van Staden added that co-option does not always mean sharing the precise philosophical imperatives of the co-opted, arguing that the DA is not yet a Marxist-Leninist party such as the ANC. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. “US President Donald Trump, in his usual unrefined fashion, did SA an excellent service by speaking out in favour of property ownership. He pointed out that property confiscation is now law in SA, that a class of people in SA — property owners — is being badly mistreated, and that this amounts to a human rights violation. On all counts, like him or not, Trump is right. “And yet the DA, among the regime’s usual cheerleaders in the media and academia, felt compelled to condemn Trump for speaking the truth rather than condemn Parliament and President Cyril Ramaphosa for adopting the kinds of policies that have turned relatively prosperous societies such as Zimbabwe and Venezuela into humanitarian disasters and basket cases,” he said. The FMF said the DA has been advised repeatedly and in excruciating detail about the constitutional and constitutionalist errors in the Expropriation Act. “Truthfully, this should have been the final “red line” for the GNU… “It is a betrayal that liberals and those who understand the key role property rights play in safeguarding freedom and democracy and creating the conditions for prosperity should not soon forgive the party for. The DA was supposed to be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” read the FMF statement. Approached for comment, the DA dismissed the FMF statement alleging the party has been co-opted by the ANC and betrayed its supporters on the Expropriation Act. The party’s national spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, said she is unsure what informed the FMF statement before dismissing it as “baseless”. “Anyone with their finger on the pulse of South African politics would know that the DA has submitted court papers challenging the Act. “We are fundamentally opposed to the Act, in principle, because it opens the door to potential abuse through expropriation without compensation, which threatens property rights. Section 12 of the Act is particularly problematic. “Our legal advice is that the best chance of getting a straightforward victory is to tackle the patently unconstitutional process by which it was passed. Khakhau mentioned that even if the FMF had fundamental constitutional objections to a piece of legislation, the best court strategy would provide the best chance of victory. _*ZWG month-on-month inflation rate recedes to 0,5% – ZimStat*_ The month-on-month inflation rate has tumbled to 0,5%, giving strong signals of a positive inflationary outlook in the year ahead, Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) reported Wednesday. The stats agency said the inflation rate for the local unit tumbled to 0.5% in February 2025, shedding 10.0% on the January 2025 rate of 10,5% implying that prices as measured by the all items ZWG CPI, increased by an average of 0.5% from January 2025 to February 2025. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. “The ZWG month-on-month Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages inflation rate was 0.8 percent in February 2025, shedding 6.0 percentage points on the January 2025 rate of 6.8 percent while the month-on-month non-food inflation rate was 0.3 % shedding 4,3% on the January 2025 rate of 4,6%,” said Zimsat. Market watchers have credited the latest recovery to the tight Monetary Policy stance pursued by monetary authorities but warned that such economic trends could be signals of deeper problems in the economy such as reduced productive borrowing, and disposable incomes prompting very slow economic growth. The policy measures, if not well managed, can also choke companies’ capability to invest in new projects. Zimstat said the US$ month-on-month inflation rate for the period stood at 0,2% in February 2025, shedding 11.3% on the January 2025 rate of 11,5% implying that prices as measured by the all items index increased by an average of 0,2% from January 2025 to February 2025. The USD month-on-month Food and NonAlcoholic Beverages inflation rate was 0,2% in February 2025, shedding 16.6% on the January 2025 rate of 16,8%. The February 2025 USD month-on-month non-food inflation rate was 0.2 % shedding 8,9% on the January 2025 rate of 9,1%. The USD year-on-year inflation rate (annual percentage change) for the month of February 2025 as measured by the all-items USD Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 15.1%. _*Govt exchange rate distortions cost market US$4,5bn*_ THE World Bank has revealed that Zimbabwe’s Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion ministry and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) exchange rate policy distortions cost the market US$4,5 billion between 2020 and 2023. During the period, both Treasury and the RBZ implemented policies that controlled the exchange rate, creating a premium that averaged over 50% between itself and the parallel market. These distortions ultimately led to the demise of the Zimbabwe dollar, for the adoption of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency in April 2024. However, the same hawkish policies from the RBZ and Treasury that caused massive losses from the market are mostly still in place, with some new stringent measures added. Consequently, an exchange rate premium of over 30% has emerged between the official and parallel foreign currency exchange rates. “Policies that stabilise prices and remove exchange rate distortions will significantly and quickly strengthen government revenue. World Bank analysis suggests that between 2020 and 2023, Zimbabwe’s Treasury lost over US$4,5 billion, or 2,5% of GDP [gross domestic product], due to its monetary and exchange rate policy distortions,” the World Bank said in a statement attached to its new Zimbabwe Public Finance Review report. “The biggest loss comes from inflation-related tax losses (US$1,4 billion), informalisation (US$1,2 billion) and customs duty foregone (US$580 million). In absence of such distortions, tax revenue in 2023 could have been as high as 18,9% of GDP, compared to 14,6% of GDP observed.” The global bank said its new report comes at a critical time, as it was seeking to support the government’s task of fiscal consolidation by identifying policy options to help expenditure rationalisation and revenue mobilisation. “This can help to create fiscal space and move Zimbabwe onto a more sustainable fiscal pathway,” the World Bank said. “In turn, prudent fiscal policy will help to stabilise the macroeconomic environment by providing an anchor for price and exchange rate stability, bolstering economic growth and job creation.” The bank commended the government for recently embarking upon an important set of reforms aimed at moving beyond Zimbabwe’s history of macroeconomic instability. _*United Nations Human Rights Council: Zimbabwe hailed for abolishing death penalty*_ COUNTRIES attending the ongoing 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council have saluted Zimbabwe for successfully abolishing the death penalty. Speaking at the high-level convention, Zimbabwe’s Attorney General Virginia Mabiza chronicled the country’s journey in ending the death penalty which was introduced by British colonial powers and remained in place even beyond the attainment of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980. She said at independence, Zimbabwe inherited a wide array of offences that attracted the death penalty and since then, various legislative and policy interventions have been implemented to gradually reduce the number of crimes attracting the death penalty. In 2013, the number of offences attracting the death penalty had been reduced from nine to only murder committed in aggravating circumstances in sync with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 52 on reducing the number of offences that attract the death penalty. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. “Ultimately, in 2024, the Government enacted the Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter 9:26], a significant milestone in the country’s human rights journey. The Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter 9:26] outlawed the imposition of the Death Penalty. “It further placed a positive legal obligation on the Minister responsible for Justice, the Prosecutor General and the Commissioner General of Prisons to do everything within their respective competencies to ensure every prisoner under the sentence of death is brought before the High Court for resentencing,” Mabiza told the gathering. Maxime Prevot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, speaking on behalf of the core group on the question of the death penalty (Belgium, Benin, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Mongolia, Republic of Moldova, and Switzerland), hailed the recent decision of Zimbabwe to abolish the death penalty and encouraged other states to follow suit, or, pending its abolition, to impose a moratorium on its use. Switzerland welcomed Mabiza’s presence at the Human Rights Council and congratulated Zimbabwe for the major step in the protection of human rights. The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk observed that 113 countries have abolished the death penalty completely. He commended the Zimbabwean government for joining 26 other countries in Africa that have abolished the death penalty. _*MH370: search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight resumes after 11 years*_ A new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing in one of aviation’s greatest enduring mysteries. Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity has resumed the hunt for the missing plane, Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday. Loke told reporters the contract details between Malaysia and the firm were still being finalised but welcomed “the proactiveness of Ocean Infinity to deploy their ships” to begin the search for the plane, which went missing in March 2014. Details about how long the search would last had not been negotiated yet, he said. He also did not provide details about when exactly the British firm had restarted its hunt. MH370’s disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur airport in March 2014. It was bound for Beijing, with 12 crew and 227 passengers on board. The plane has never been found, and the reason for its disappearance is unknown. “We’re very relieved and pleased that the search is resuming once again after such a long hiatus,” Malaysian Grace Nathan, 36, who lost her mother on the doomed jet, told AFP. Jaquita Gonzales, 62, wife of MH370 flight supervisor Patrick Gomes, said she hoped the resumption of the search would bring her family much-needed closure. “We just want to know where it is and what happened,” she said. “Memories come back like yesterday, it’s fresh in our heads.” Marine tracking website Marinetraffic.com showed that the Ocean Infinity vessel was in the south Indian ocean as of 23 February. Malaysia agreed to resume the search in December 2024, with Ocean Infinity conducting the search on a “no-find-no-fee” basis. Loke said the government would sign a contract for 18 months, in return for which Ocean Infinity would receive $70m if the wreckage was located and verified. The search would cover 15,000 sq km, Loke said. On 8 March 2024, on the tenth anniversary of the disappearance, Australia offered the Malaysian government support for a renewed search. Eight Australians were on board the flight. But on Tuesday a spokesperson for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said that Australian authorities were not involved in the renewed search. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am local time on 8 March 2-14, bound for Beijing. The plane was last seen on military radar at 2.14am, heading west over the strait of Malacca. Half an hour later, the airline announced it had lost contact with the plane, which was due to land at its destination about 6.30am. The families of those on board are still waiting for answers about what happened to their loved ones. Some travelled to Madagascar in 2016 to comb the beaches there for debris: pieces of the plane had been found off the Tanzanian and Mozambican coasts. In January 2017, after nearly three years of searching 120,000 sq km in the southern Indian Ocean, Australian authorities ended the underwater hunt for the wreckage. On 3 October that year, Australian investigators delivered their final report on the disappearance, saying the inability to bring closure for victims’ families was a “great tragedy” and “almost inconceivable” in the modern age. Among the questions that remain is why the plane made a seemingly controlled turn off course towards the Indian ocean and, critically, why two pieces of key communication and tracking equipment on the plane went silent. Theories of what happened have ranged from a pilot “gone rogue” to sabotage and conspiracies that the flight was shot down or “disappeared” by a nefarious government agency and landed at a dark site, either because of sensitive cargo or a politically significant passenger. Data recovered from a home-built flight simulator owned by the pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, showed that someone had plotted a course to the southern Indian Ocean. Ocean Infinity, based in Britain and the United States, carried out an unsuccessful hunt in 2018. _*Four cops convicted for taking US$60 weekly bribe from motorist for two years*_ Two Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) cops stationed at Chinhoyi Traffic have been found guilty of soliciting a weekly US$60 bribe from a transport operator in exchange for free passage. The two are Desire Mangombe (30) and Macdonald Tapesa (32). They however escaped a custodial sentence after they were ordered to perform 490 hours each of community service. “From January 2022, the officers allegedly extorted bribes from Tafadzwa Bvunzawabaya, a manager at Wolfspack Transport Services. On September 15, 2022, a team from Police General Headquarters Harare set up a trap operation using marked US dollar notes. “The officers accepted the bribe at their station, leading to their immediate arrest and recovery of the trap money,” the State proved. Both officers were convicted of contravening Section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. In a different matter two Mbare police officers Naume Dube (31) and Victoria Shonhiwa (36), both constables, were convicted of criminal abuse of duty after soliciting US$1 from every motorist passing through the police station’s main gate on March 11, 2024. Following a tip-off, officers from the Internal Investigations Department conducted surveillance and observed the two officers accepting bribes. “Dube was found with US$80 in her shirt pockets, and Shonhiwa had US$40. “They also recovered a list of motor vehicle registration numbers. The officers were arrested and handed over to the Police Anti-Corruption Unit. _*Zimbabwe could clear arrears with bold reforms, World Bank says*_ Zimbabwe could clear its arrears and rework $21 billion in debt that’s kept it locked out of international capital markets for more than a quarter of a century if it implements fiscal reforms, the World Bank said. “By adopting a bold set of fiscal reforms, it can turn the page on a prolonged history of macroeconomic instability, and set the foundations for a credible national budget that is efficient, able to manage unforeseen fiscal risks, and can ensure a stable and competitive currency,” the World Bank said in its review of Zimbabwe’s public finances on Wednesday. “In turn, this would open up the historic possibility of arrears’ clearance and debt resolution, which would release major additional resources in concessional multilateral financing for public and private investments.” It would also put Zimbabwe on a high-growth path and a more stable macroeconomic trajectory, the Washington-based lender said. The southern African nation defaulted on debt from lenders such as the World Bank, the Paris Club and the African Development Bank in 1999. In the past three years, it’s made concerted efforts to exit default. It’s enlisted AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina and former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano to negotiate with creditors, hired Global Sovereign Advisory, a Paris-based consultancy, and started paying reparations to farmers and nations whose land it seized in the 2000s. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Changes the World Bank recommends include removing monetary and exchange-rate distortions to enable low and stable inflation, reducing the public-service wage bill by eliminating duplicate and redundant roles and doing away with value-added tax exemptions and zero-rating to increase revenues. The nation introduced the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold, in April last year to eventually replace the dollar in local transactions. Multiple previous attempts at creating a local unit have failed and led to spiralling inflation. The central bank has introduced a plethora of steps to support the ZiG including curbing the money supply and forcing companies to price their products in the local currency, favouring the informal sector that sells goods at the higher unofficial exchange rate. The World Bank also urged Zimbabwe to reverse the trend toward informalization by removing macroeconomic obstacles, high compliance burden for small businesses and taxing formal transactions. _*All broadcasting licence holders must be citizens: Minister Muswere*_ Directors of broadcasting entities in Zimbabwe and all broadcasting licence holders will all have to be citizens as under the present law, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere told the National Assembly yesterday. He said this while responding to issues raised by parliamentarians during the Second Reading debate of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill. “I will move to the second issue that allows up to 40 percent in terms of foreign ownership in broadcasting licences, which has a lot of impact in terms of local media control. “We have taken note of this, and as I’ve already indicated, that there will not be any changes to the particular section. It will remain as it is to the effect that no person, rather than the citizen of Zimbabwe, shall be director of a licensee. This relates to the territorial integrity in the governance of the nation, in that media sovereignty is very key. What we broadcast relates to what we have. The media sector is a very sensitive security issue, which can create a lot of instability in any nation. So, by virtue of that, there won’t be any amendments to this particular section.” State Media _*Zim’s brick manufacturing industry in crisis as Chinese dominance grows*_ This stark reality was laid bare by Kipson Gundani, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Roundtable, during the National Competitiveness Commission’s Inaugural Competitive Summit held last week in Bulawayo. Gundani lamented the decline of local brick manufacturers, attributing their struggles to outdated technology, lack of investment, and an uncompetitive macroeconomic environment. Zimbabwe was once home to three major local brick manufacturers but the industry has seen one company fold, leaving only two struggling players. These remaining manufacturers are further hamstrung by their inability to operate during the rainy season due to outdated equipment and technologies. In contrast, over ten Chinese-owned brick manufacturers have entered the market, leveraging advanced technology and efficient production methods to dominate the sector. While Chinese companies can produce bricks on demand, local manufacturers often require customers to wait up to three months for their orders to be fulfilled. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. “Competitiveness presupposes that there is efficiency,” Gundani said during his address on industry and business perspectives on competitiveness. “For you to be competitive, you have to be efficient. You have to be producing the right product at the least possible price.” Gundani said local manufacturers are unable to compete due to a lack of investment in retooling and modernisation. Many are still using equipment from the 1970s and 1980s, a legacy of Zimbabwe’s prolonged economic decline and the absence of productive financing in the market. Gundani highlighted the financial challenges facing local manufacturers, noting that some require US$5 million to retool and modernise their operations. However, accessing credit at reasonable interest rates is nearly impossible in Zimbabwe’s current economic climate. With interest rates exceeding 20 percent, borrowing for retooling purposes is simply not viable for most businesses. “You cannot even get margins in terms of profits that can beat that,” Gundani said. “So it defeats the whole purpose of borrowing in the first place.” Gundani explained how the technological gap between Chinese and local manufacturers is another critical factor where Chinese companies have invested heavily in advanced manufacturing techniques, allowing them to produce bricks quickly and efficiently. In contrast, local manufacturers rely on labour-intensive methods that are both slower and more costly,which slow down competitiveness. “It helps significantly leapfrog and be competitive if we use the right technologies,” Gundani said. “No local manufacturer at the moment, brick manufacturers, can compete with the Chinese because they are using top-notch technologies. They can produce whilst you are waiting for your bricks. But if you look at the other brick manufacturers, probably, you pay now and wait for three months for those bricks to be delivered.” According to Gundani, the pricing problem extends beyond the cost of credit while other chief economists like Christopher Mugaga from the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and Cornelius Dube from the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries said Zimbabwe’s macroeconomic environment is characterised by high inflation, currency instability, and a lack of confidence in the financial system. These factors have created a vicious cycle that undermines competitiveness, with Gundani citing how the high cost of transporting goods due to the dilapidated state of the country’s rail network adds another layer of inefficiency. “It actually costs seven times cheaper to transport goods by rail compared to roads. If you look at the capacity of our NRZ and the lack of investment in that crucial national asset, you discover we are actually incurring more costs in moving goods across the country than we ought to be,” he said. “This can be resolved by simply having a functional rail system in this country.” The decline of local brick manufacturers has broader implications for Zimbabwe’s economy. With local manufacturers struggling to compete, this has led to job losses and a decline in the formal sector, worsening Zimbabwe’s already high levels of unemployment and informalisation. Gundani warned the growth of the informal sector is a symptom of deeper structural issues in the economy. “Informalisation is on the growth, and there’s no debate about that,” he said. “What we are also seeing is a tacit agreement by the Treasury to say the informal sector is growing as evidenced by following them through and trying to extract a few dollars through some taxes that the Treasury is introducing.” However, Gundani argued taxing the informal sector is not a sustainable solution. Instead, he called for a reduction in taxes and a focus on creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. “Cut the cloth, reduce the taxes, allow the private informal sector to grow, and also incentivise those who have the capacity in the informal to form,” he said. By lowering the tax burden and providing access to formal value chains, the government could encourage informal businesses to formalise and contribute to the economy in a meaningful way. Gundani’s address at the summit served as a wake-up call for policymakers and industry stakeholders. “We need to allow the laws of economics to take place,” he said. “That is, allow the market to function. And you can only intervene when there is failure.” This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. _*Siri’s Got Jokes: Apple’s Dictation Thinks “Racist” Means “Trump”*_ You cannot make this up. Apple has acknowledged a bug in its iPhone dictation feature that caused the word “racist” to be transcribed as “Trump.” However, “Trump” did not appear every time you said “racist.” The voice-to-text feature also wrote words like “Reinhold” and “you” when a user said “racist,” as per Fox’s testing. Most of the time, the feature accurately wrote “racist.” Apple’s iPhone dictation bug that transcribed “racist” as “Trump” quickly went viral, and you can’t help but think about AI bias, software glitches, and political symbolism. What’s crazy is that some users on social media found it hilarious, with some jokingly praising Apple for making Siri “smarter.” I’d only add that making Siri smarter is child’s play—that thing is ridiculously dumb. Some people celebrated the glitch as an “accidental truth,” while others wrote things like, “Apple Intelligence is real! No mistakes found here.” I found this one particularly interesting: “‘Bug’… some programmer out there is doing God’s work. This was intentional, and it’s a delight.” Yeah, we can all agree that it’s highly unlikely this is a bug. This has rogue (or maybe not rogue) programmer prank written all over it. Hence, others criticized Apple for what they saw as an example of AI bias, either intentional or unintentional. Apple responded by saying: We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers dictation, and we are rolling out a fix as soon as possible. Fox adds, “Apple says that the speech recognition models that power dictation may temporarily display words with some phonetic overlap before landing on the correct word. The bug affects other words with an ‘r’ consonant when dictated, Apple says.” I’m not sure I buy the phonetic overlap theory. An expert, John Burkey, the founder of Wonderrush.ai and a former member of Apple’s Siri team, explains what’s likely going on. The New York Times wrote: But he said that it was unlikely that the data Apple has collected for its artificial intelligence offerings was causing the problem, and the word correcting itself was likely an indication that the issue was not just technical. Instead, he said, there was probably software code somewhere on Apple’s systems that caused iPhones to write the word ‘Trump’ when someone said ‘racist.’ This smells like a serious prank,” Mr. Burkey said. “The only question is: Did someone slip this into the data or slip it into the code?This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Why This Is Bigger Than ‘Just a Prank’ This case highlights concerns about AI neutrality. If a dictation model makes politically charged substitutions like the one above—whether accidental or systemic—it can fuel distrust in tech companies, which is already low, if I may add. It also raises a more important question: What other biases might be present in AI systems that aren’t as immediately noticeable? I think this whole debacle mainly affects trust in AI. Users might question whether tech companies are embedding political biases into their products. To be frank, we have seen too many examples of this kind of bias, and it always swings one way—which is understandable because most Big Tech employees have the same political beliefs and live in areas with the same. It is only natural that some of their biases will make it into the AI products they produce. Apple’s quick response to fix the bug is a positive step, but this incident reveals a larger issue: the responsibility of tech companies to ensure AI remains fair and unbiased. As artificial intelligence becomes part and parcel of our daily lives, ensuring transparency in how these systems are trained and monitored becomes paramount. On the surface, Apple’s dictation bug is an amusing, shareable glitch. But beneath the surface, it’s a reminder that AI—whether through accidental errors or deeper biases—has real-world consequences. The reactions to this incident reveal how people interpret AI mistakes through their own ideological lenses. If it supports my beliefs, whatever the glitch or bias, it’s funny. If it spews what I consider harmful to my way of thinking, then it’s no laughing matter. The ball is in Big Tech’s court to make sure AI is neutral and reliable. It’s going to be a tougher test than we would have imagined. _*Jose Mourinho racism probe: Didier Drogba defends ex-manager*_ Former Chelsea and Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba weighed in on the racism row involving his old coach Jose Mourinho on Wednesday, saying the Portuguese coach "is not a racist and history is there to prove it." Mourinho, who coaches Fenerbahce in Turkey, was accused by Galatasaray of making racist comments after a 0-0 draw between the rivals teams that was refereed by a Slovenian official on Monday. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Mourinho was asked about a challenge early in the match and said a Turkish referee would have reacted with a yellow card "after the big dive and their [Galatasaray's] bench jumping around like monkeys." Galatasaray said they planned to start criminal proceedings against Mourinho, citing "racist statements," and filed complaints with football's governing bodies. A day later, Fenerbahce rejected the accusation, saying the remarks had nothing to do with racism and were "deliberately taken entirely out of context and distorted in a misleading manner." The club said it was planning to take a legal action "against this baseless accusation." In a post on social media platform X, Drogba -- who played under Mourinho at Chelsea in two separate spells -- said he had seen the comments about his former coach. "Trust me when I tell you I have known Jose for 25 years and he is not a racist and history [past and recent] is there to prove it," Drogba, who is Black, wrote. "Let's focus on our games, support our brilliant lions and let's win the league." Drogba added: "How can my 'Dad' be a racist. Come on guys." The Turkish football federation's disciplinary board is expected to make an announcement on the incident in the coming days. *IGNITE SPORT* _*Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: League leaders breeze to win to extend lead to 13 points*_ As news of Arsenal's goalless draw with Nottingham Forest filtered through to Anfield, the Kop launched into a rousing rendition of "We're Gonna Win The League." With Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Newcastle United moving the Reds 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Wednesday night, it now seems as if it's a matter of when, rather than if, that prophecy is fulfilled. There may still be more than a quarter of the season left to play, but there was already a celebratory atmosphere on Merseyside as goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister helped Arne Slot's side brush aside Eddie Howe's men with all the style and swagger of champions-elect. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Slot watched the contest from the director's box, having been served with a two-match touchline ban by the Football Association after his red card in the Merseyside derby on Feb. 12. But while there was a change of personnel in the dugout -- assistant coach and former Everton defender John Heitinga deputised in Slot's absence -- there was no drop-off in performance on the pitch. From the first whistle, Liverpool looked in control, with their opponent blunted by the absence of in-form striker Alexander Isak. The hosts took the lead inside 11 minutes when Szoboszlai's tame finish wriggled under Nick Pope after a fine run down the left from the lively Luis Díaz. Callum Wilson, making his first Premier League start of the season for Newcastle, spurned a glorious chance to restore parity after being played through on goal later in the first half, but his effort curled agonisingly wide of the post. It only helped to reinforce the notion that this was Liverpool's night, and so it proved when Mac Allister made sure of the victory after the break. The Argentina international curled brilliantly past Pope after some nifty footwork from Mohamed Salah who, even without scoring, caused plenty of problems for the Newcastle defence. Ahead of the match, Slot had urged supporters to keep their expectations high. "We do not just want you to dream, we need you to dream," the Dutchman wrote in his programme notes. "This is a big part of what makes this club so special because it challenges the players and the staff to do everything that we possibly can to be the best that we can be." Certainly, there could be no denying supporters were in dreamland on Wednesday night as they rattled through the Liverpool songbook, delivering lung-busting choruses of "And Now You're Gonna Believe Us" and "Hand It Over, Manchester." Newcastle's visit to Anfield marked the end of a gruelling run of five games in 15 days for Liverpool. For weeks, this spell has been billed as the stretch in which the title would be won or lost, and, having picked up 11 points from a possible 15, the prospect of Slot's side delivering a record-equaling 20th league title this term now seems likelier than ever. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. And now you're gonna believe us? Surely now, there can be no doubting that this is Liverpool's year. -- Beth Lindop _*Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal: Gunners' title push fizzles out thanks to same old mistakes*_ Arsenal have turned into one of those Christmas toys when the batteries start to run out. They go round and round in circles, doing the same thing over again until they hit the wall and fizzle out completely. That's where Mikel Arteta's Gunners are in this season's Premier League title race. Saturday's 1-0 home defeat against West Ham United was a huge blow to their hopes of catching leaders Liverpool, but after failing to score again in a 0-0 draw against third-place Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Arsenal can forget about the title for another year -- just as they have had to do every year for the past two decades. Nobody can deny that injuries have bitten hard into Arteta's squad and left them with almost nothing in the attacking department. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are both out until next season with long-term injuries and Bukayo Saka is unlikely to return from his three-month layoff until after the March international break. But after enjoying 65% possession against Forest, Arsenal managed only one effort on target and it was painful to watch Arteta's side perform like a blunt object as they attempted to keep their faint title hopes alive by winning the game. In the absence of Havertz, Jesus and Saka, Arteta is deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a false nine, but the Spain international spent enough of the game far enough forward to be classed as a centre-forward. But Arsenal's tactics remained the same: pass, pass, pass, usually sideways, and then hope for a corner from which to exploit their apparent expertise in the set-piece department. Merino's aerial ability is no secret, but Arsenal continued to play the ball on the ground and refused to go direct to find the breakthrough. Their passing wasn't working and Forest comfortably dealt with every one of Arsenal's 11 corners, so where was the variety? This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. Arteta has done an incredible job reviving Arsenal during his five years in charge -- the Gunners were drifting into obscurity when he arrived -- but they seem to have hit an impasse. The Spaniard needs to find a way to make things happen as the top coaches do. He needs to be more pragmatic and more willing to abandon his principles when the circumstances dictate. But there is no sign of that happening and Arsenal are drifting out of the title race and could even be in danger of being dragged into a fight for a UEFA Champions League spot if they are unable to escape their malaise. With the fifth position likely to be enough for a Champions League spot in the Premier League to secure a UCL berth, Arsenal's 10-point cushion should be enough to keep sixth-place Newcastle at bay. But it's the 13-point gap between themselves and leaders Liverpool that should concern them most as Arsenal should never have been so far behind the pacesetters this season. -- Mark Ogden _*Tottenham 0-1 Manchester City: Haaland back on the scoresheet*_ Where there's Haaland, there's hope. It took Erling Haaland just 12 minutes to score on his return to the starting lineup as Manchester City edged past Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to move back into the top four. The Norway international's 28th goal of the season in all competitions was a typically clinical finish, dispatching Jérémy Doku's cross inside Guglielmo Vicario's near post. It was, in truth, the only sign of clinical finishing on show all evening as City spurned a raft of chances to put this game to bed before half-time with Savinho the biggest culprit -- and Haaland himself could not beat Vicario from six yards with the goal at his mercy at the half-hour mark. Ultimately -- after another nervy second-half showing from City -- it did not matter. Haaland's 20th Premier League goal of the season made him the second player to surpass that figure in his first three seasons. Ruud Van Nistelrooy did so for Manchester United from 2001 to 2004. He also equalled Harry Kane's record of scoring 10 or more goals at home and 10 or more away across three consecutive seasons. Haaland obviously gives City greater potency in their attack but his contribution was still not enough to mask the fragility that has become a feature of their football in recent months. Spurs were dreadful in the first half but gradually roused themselves as the second period wore on with Pep Guardiola reduced to crouching on one knee in the technical area in hope rather than expectation that his team would repel the home side. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. There might come a point when manager Ange Postecoglou -- as much as he would probably not admit it -- will prioritise the Europa League over the Premier League given they are languishing in 13th place -- and perhaps in hindsight, this was it. Starting without Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Djed Spence -- their three best players against Ipswich Town last weekend -- was to manage their load for the weeks ahead rather than in a sincere belief the starting lineup he selected was the strongest available. That rotation no doubt contributed to the slow start and, as has often been the case this season, they left it too late to rally. Haaland almost had the final word, scoring in stoppage time with a powerful run and finish only for the officials to rule he had handled in the build-up. There was still time for City to implode. Spurs raced up the field and substitute Pape Matar Sarr headed over from close range with Guardiola almost in disbelief on the sidelines. Instead, Haaland was the match-winner and City were able to solidify their position in the Champions League spots ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round game against Plymouth Argyle. -- James Olley _*Manchester United 3-2 Ipswich Town: Pressure growing to drop Onana after another chaotic game*_ It was a big win for Manchester United against Ipswich Town, particularly after conceding an early goal and playing for more than 45 minutes with 10 men. But if the pressure on Ruben Amorim has eased ever so slightly, it's ramping up on André Onana. The goalkeeper played his part in Jaden Philogene's opener after only four minutes when his miscommunication with Patrick Dorgu led to the simplest of chances. Ipswich's second goal wasn't much better. Philogene whipped in a hopeful cross from the right and Onana was left stationary as it drifted into the far corner without a touch from anyone. It's a familiar story. Abdoulaye Doucouré was able to score for Everton on Saturday after Onana could only parry a shot into the air. A similar situation led to Everton's penalty -- eventually overturned -- in stoppage time and Tottenham's winner a week earlier. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. With United holding on against Ipswich, Onana punted a goal kick straight down the middle of the pitch. As it landed at the feet of an Ipswich defender, inviting another attack, both Amorim and Bruno Fernandes threw their hands into the air. It was another poor decision on a night of poor decisions. There's growing clamour to drop Onana. It will increase further after his performance against Ipswich, but it's unlikely Amorim will act. Second choice Altay Bayindir is injured and hasn't featured in the matchday squad since a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at the beginning of February. Amorim named two young goalkeepers on the bench against Ipswich -- Elyh Harrison and Hubert Graczyk -- but neither of them are ready for first-team football. It's possible Bayindir could be in goal for the FA Cup tie against Fulham on Saturday after being promised he would play in the cup games at the start of the season by former boss Erik ten Hag, but it will depend on the Turkey international proving his fitness in the next three days. The more likely scenario is that Onana continues, and United fans continue to feel nerves anytime the ball goes near him. At least the mood around the club will brighten after just their second home league win of 2025. Fernandes impressed again in midfield and all three United goals came from his set pieces. Two from corners and one from a free kick. United's past six goals have all come from Fernandes set pieces. It's a vital tool, especially when they're struggling to create clear-cut chances from open play. It was another frustrating night for Rasmus Højlund and Dorgu is facing a suspension following his red card. Along with Onana's form, there are still plenty of problems for Amorim to solve. But he will enjoy his drive in Carrington a little more Thursday morning after watching his team come up with a battling performance in a game they had to win. Moving up to 14th in the table isn't much to celebrate, but it's at least a step in the right direction. -- Rob Dawson _*Nunez among Atletico targets*_ Atletico Madrid are on the hunt for a new striker in the summer and one of their transfer targets is Liverpool's Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez, 25 Ignite Media Zimbabwe sports tit bits: *Liverpool will only sell Nunez in the summer if they bring in a replacement, with Brighton's Brazil striker Joao Pedro, 23, one name on their radar* *Brazil forward Vinicius Jr will have the chance to make a £200m move to the Saudi Pro League in the summer when the 24-year-old will have two years left on his Real Madrid contract* *Tottenham could make a move for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze in the summer after becoming a "concrete option" for the England winger, 26* *Manchester United will have to pay a total of £20m to head coach Ruben Amorim and his backroom staff if the club chooses to sack them* This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production.