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Zimbabwe born basketball star set to play for Poland

admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 07:20:01 +0000

Zimbabwe born basketball star set to play for Poland

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admin Mon, 06/20/2022 - 07:20

Monday, June 13, 2022

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Diaspora Archives - NewZimbabwe.com

Original Article

Zimbabwe born basketball star set to play for Poland

By polsatsport.pl

Zimbabwean basketball player Stephanie Mavunga will be able to make her debut in white and red colors during the international tournament in Athens, which will start on Tuesday, although she is still waiting for Polish citizenship to be granted.

Mavunga, who has been waiting for citizenship since the autumn, was included in the 12-person squad of the Polish team led by Slovakian Maros Kovacik for matches in Athens. The Polish women will face the European champions and the fourth team of the Tokyo Olympics – Serbia and Croatia and the host team.

“Stephanie was not hired in the WNBA because of the salary cup because she is a long-serving player and is guaranteed the right contract if she signs,” said Kovacik, who added that he has known the player well for several years.

He continued; “She has been in the USA all the time since the end of the league, so I called her and asked if she could come to get to know the team and play in the tournament in Athens since there is a consent of the Polish federation and tournament organizers for her participation.”

Born in Harare, Mavunga moved with her family to the USA as a child and there she received her education, including basketball education. In 2018, she was selected in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.

The 27-year-old centre at BC Polkowice, a team coached by Karol Kowalewski, Kovacik’s assistant in the team, averaged 14.6 points and 11.3 rebounds last season, which means that she was the best player of the Energa Basket Women’s League in the latter statistic.

The post Zimbabwe born basketball star set to play for Poland appeared first on NewZimbabwe.com.

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Caribbean tourism recovery leads globe

admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 12:50:01 +0000

Caribbean tourism recovery leads globe

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admin Thu, 12/09/2021 - 12:50

Friday, December 3, 2021

Original Publisher

Jamaica Observer

Original Article

Caribbean tourism recovery leads globe

THE Caribbean's tourism sector is leading other regions in the world in recoverying from the pandemic-induced slowdown, according to a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) report.

According to data provided by the UN body, the Caribbean had the highest recovery rate of any of the regions, with arrivals up 55 per cent over 2020. International tourist arrivals rebounded during the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere thanks to increased travel confidence, rapid vaccination and the easing of entry restrictions in many nations, the UNWTO said.

The UNWTO reports that the European Union Digital COVID-19 certificate helped to facilitate free movement within the European Union and in the process, aided tourism recovery efforts in European nations. The progress is, however, threatened by the emergence of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, which has led dozens of countries to reinstate restrictions on arrivals or to delay relaxation in COVID-19 travel and testing rules, resulting in widespread uncertainty for holiday season travellers worldwide.

This will start eroding some of the gains being made in the Caribbean in its recovery efforts, as many of its source markets have started to feel the negative effects with tighter travel restrictions. At the same time, the UNWTO has estimated that the coronavirus pandemic will likely cost the global tourism sector some US$2 trillion in lost revenue in 2021, which incidentally was the same amount that was lost in 2020.

With an accumulated loss of US$4 trillion over the past two years, this makes tourism one of the sectors hardest hit by the health crisis. Despite recent improvements, the report warned that demand for travel could be further affected by "uneven vaccination rates around the world and new COVID-19 strains, which had prompted new travel restrictions in some countries".

However, UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili said, "Data for the third quarter of 2021 is encouraging. However, arrivals are still 76 per cent below pre-pandemic levels and results across the different global regions remain uneven."

In light of the rising cases and the emergence of new variants, Pololikashvili emphasised, "We cannot let our guard down and need to continue our efforts to ensure equal access to vaccinations, coordinate travel procedures, make use of digital vaccination certificates to facilitate mobility, and continue to support the sector."

The UN tourism body is calling the sector's recovery "fragile" and "slow". Despite, the improvement seen in the third quarter of the year, the pace of recovery remains slow and uneven across world regions.

In some subregions, such as Southern and Mediterranean Europe, the Caribbean, North and Central America, arrivals actually rose above 2020 levels in the first nine months of 2021.

However, arrivals in Asia and the Pacific were down by as much as 95 per cent when compared with 2019, as many destinations remained closed to non-essential travel. Africa and the Middle East recorded 74 per cent and 81 per cent drops respectively in the third quarter compared to 2019.

Among the larger destinations, Croatia, Mexico and Turkey showed the strongest recovery in the period of July to September.

Caribbean

Business

Offshore havens and hidden riches of world leaders and billionaires exposed in unprecedented leak

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 16:00:01 +0000

Offshore havens and hidden riches of world leaders and billionaires exposed in unprecedented leak

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admin Mon, 10/04/2021 - 16:00

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Original Publisher

Every corner of the world

The Pandora Papers investigation unmasks the covert owners of offshore companies, incognito bank accounts, private jets, yachts, mansions, even artworks by Picasso, Banksy and other masters – providing more information than what’s usually available to law enforcement agencies and cash-strapped governments.

People linked by the secret documents to offshore assets include India’s cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, pop music diva Shakira, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and an Italian mobster known as “Lell the Fat One.”

The mobster, Raffaele Amato, has been tied to at least a dozen killings. The documents provide details about a shell company, registered in the United Kingdom, that Amato used to buy land in Spain, shortly before fleeing there from Italy to set up his own crime gang. Amato, whose history helped inspire the highly praised movie “Gomorrah,” is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Amato’s attorney did not respond to ICIJ’s request for comment.

Tendulkar’s attorney said the cricket player’s investment is legitimate and has been declared to tax authorities. Shakira’s attorney said the singer declared her companies, which the attorney said do not provide tax advantages. Schiffer’s representatives said the supermodel correctly pays her taxes in the U.K., where she lives.

In most countries, it’s not illegal to have assets offshore or to use shell companies to do business across national borders. Businesspeople who operate internationally say they need offshore companies to conduct their financial affairs.

Africa

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Sylvanus Nimley Marks HNK Gorcia Debut With Goal In Friendly

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 04:30:01 +0000

Sylvanus Nimley Marks HNK Gorcia Debut With Goal In Friendly

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admin Thu, 02/25/2021 - 04:30

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Original Publisher

The News Newspaper

Original Article

Sylvanus Nimley Marks HNK Gorcia Debut With Goal In Friendly

Liberian attacker, Sylvanus Nimley marked his HNK Gorcia debut with a goal in his side friendly draw against Croatian second division side Kustošija on Tuesday February 23,2021.

Nimley enjoyed a good debut as he scored HNK Gorcia equalizer in the 39 minutes of the match after Kustošija took the lead in the 29 minutes through Croatian striker, Brodic.

The former Spartak Moscow II attacker who joined the club on a two year deal was influential throughout the game for his new employer.

Nimely made an instant impact for HNK Gorcia FC as he scored his side equalizer in the first half which was the final score of the day after full 90 minutes of play.

The post Sylvanus Nimley Marks HNK Gorcia Debut With Goal In Friendly appeared first on The News Newspaper.

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TikTok unveiled as EURO 2020 sponsor

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 08:20:01 +0000

TikTok unveiled as EURO 2020 sponsor

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admin Sat, 02/13/2021 - 08:20

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Original Publisher

Nairobi News

Original Article

TikTok unveiled as EURO 2020 sponsor

Short-form mobile video app TikTok has agreed to be the Global Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2020. It is the first time a digital entertainment platform has sponsored a major football tournament in Europe and both parties have announced the partnership represents an exciting step for both TikTok and UEFA. Through its partnership with UEFA, TikTok is looking to cement its reputation as the home for football fans to share their passion for the game. As an official partner, TikTok will provide a place where fans can follow their favourite football content creators, share the best TikTok football content, and create their own special moments, reactions, and celebrations around the tournament. "TikTok is fast becoming a place where people can enjoy a new type of experience for the beautiful game, as more and more football organisations, teams and players jump on our platform to engage directly with fans. We're delighted to be partnering with UEFA EURO 2020 and bring the spirit and passion of this tournament to its fans on TikTok," said Rich Waterworth, General Manager UK & EU at TikTok said As a Global Sponsor, TikTok will work with UEFA to launch a range of exciting features including AR effects, Hashtag Challenges, TikTok LIVEs and Sounds, in order to bring surprise and joy to its community. UEFA will also give TikTok access to its huge library of historic assets to develop highly engaging and innovative content. Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of UEFA said: "Over the coming months, we are really looking forward to working closely with TikTok in order to provide fans globally, with a unique and innovative UEFA EURO experience, which will give them the opportunity to connect and share their passion around one of the world’s premier sporting events.” The UEFA European Football Championship will be held in 12 cities in 12 UEFA countries, was originally scheduled to take place from 12 June to 12 July 2020. On 17 March 2020, UEFA announced that the tournament would be postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, and proposed it take place from 11 June to 11 July 2021, which was confirmed on 17 June 2020. Portugal are the defending champions of this event that has attracted nineteen other teams namely Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia, England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic, England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, France, and Germany.

Africa

News

Gor’s Silva: I will punish AFC Leopards

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 05:00:01 +0000

Gor’s Silva: I will punish AFC Leopards admin Thu, 02/04/2021 - 05:00

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Original Publisher

Nairobi News

Original Article

Gor’s Silva: I will punish AFC Leopards

He may not be able to communicate effectively in English but Gor Mahia’s Brazilian striker Wilson Silva has promised to bang in the goals at his new workstation, starting with Sunday’s Mashemeji derby against AFC Leopards.

Silva who joined the Kenyan champions a few ago following a recommendation from the club’s Portuguese coach Vaz Pinto has also talked up the quality within the Kenyan champions’ rank.

K’Ogalo and Silva will play host to Leopards at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, for the first time this season, in a fixture that will be played behind closed in line with the government regulations aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.

Nairobi News caught up with the burly striker on Wednesday at the Camp Toyoyo grounds in Nairobi during the team’s training session. He asserts that he is a complete footballer who always yearns to win every game.

He joined the record champion last week from Fortaleza FC which plays in the Categoria Primera B in Brazil where he scored five goals last season.

Even though Silva understands only Portuguese, this scribe was forced to use the services of Andrew Juma and Michael Apudo to communicate with him through sign language.

“I have heard about the derby and they have informed me this is the most important game in this country. My target is to score goals and for the shortest time I have been in this team, everyone talks of wining in the derby,” said Silva, sometimes asserting his points in his Portuguese.

During the session, Silva who is naturally a central striker but can also play on the flanks made complete passes, won the ball, and made runs for his colleagues across the attack.

The 20-year-old forward who sat out of his team’s 3-1 win against Bandari last weekend, asserts that he is ready to hit the ground running in the big game.

A number of Green Army fans also turned up to watch Silva just to be sure of his football prowess.

“Gor has optimistic fans who have welcomed me well since my arrival. My work is to score goals in the club matches and win titles. I have to begin with the derby,” he added.

Vaz Pinto was occasionally forced to stop training in a bid to interpret instructions to the new signing.

The signing of Silva drew mixed reactions from Gor Mahia fans who questioned how the financially crippled giants will cater for his salaries.

Some fans are also wary he could flop like compatriot Giovanni Rodriguez who signed for the club in 2013 but left without playing a single game.

In the 2013 season, as K’Ogalo were racing to bag their first Kenyan Premier League title after 18 years drought, Gor swooped in Rodriguez who became the first-ever player from outside Africa to ply his trade on Kenyan soil.

However the hype, excitement and bragging of K’Ogalo fans turned into agony, shame, ridicule and nightmare, when Rodriguez who was hyped as a deadly finisher struggled to even juggle a football.

Giovanni was released by the then Croatian coach Zdravko Logarusic and the technical bench without playing even a single match.

To sum it all it later emerged that Gor was duped by agents who convinced them to sign the player.

Africa

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Nigeria-focused energy firm closes $8.5 million investment round

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 08:20:01 +0000

Nigeria-focused energy firm closes $8.5 million investment round admin Wed, 12/16/2020 - 08:20

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Original Publisher

Business – Premium Times Nigeria

Original Article

Nigeria-focused energy firm closes $8.5 million investment round

A leading solar distributor in West Africa, Oolu, has closed a $8.5 million Series B investment round led by independent renewable energy developer, RP Global.

A statement by the company Tuesday said additional participating investors included Persistent Energy Capital, Shell-seeded impact investor All On, Gaia Impact Fund, and DPI Energy Ventures.

Oolu’s mission is to provide affordable energy access to rural and peri-urban customers in West Africa.

Since its inception in 2015, the company said it has sold over 60,000 solar home systems to customers in the region.

In addition to a large distribution and service network, Oolu employs over 250 full-time employees and is run by a Dakar-based management team of whom 50 per cent are women.

With this investment, Oolu says it will expand its core product offering to meet the needs of its current and future customers and further develop its operations in West Africa.

In his remarks, Dan Rosa, CEO and co-founder of Oolu, said: “The strength of our business and industry during a challenging global pandemic has demonstrated the value that customers see in our products and service. RP Global’s financial expertise and experience in managing renewable energy businesses will enable us to accelerate our growth. All On’s unparalleled knowledge of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria will help us to further adapt our business to meet customers’ needs. In addition, we are excited to continue our successful collaboration with current investors especially Persistent Energy Capital.”

Leo Schiefermueller, Director of RP Global Africa, noted: “We are looking forward to working with the most promising solar home systems provider in West Africa. Having found a partner with such an efficient structure and excellent management, makes us optimistic that this will be our greatest venture in Africa to date. The fantastic team at Oolu is prepared to lead the company towards a whole new level of success and growth in all areas of one of Africa’s most important challenges – ‘access to energy’.”

All On Investment Manager, Afolabi Akinrogunde, added: “Oolu Solar’s operational expertise, geographical spread in West Africa, flexibility and efficiency has earned the company a leadership position in solar home systems distribution. Their success across the region and Nigeria gives All On the confidence that this investment will further enhance our commitment to enabling the deployment of affordable off- grid power solutions in the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.”

Oolu is a for-profit, social impact company operating in five West African countries: Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

On its part, RP Global is a developer and independent power producer that draws its expertise from over 30 years of experience in the renewable energy sector. RP Global’s international team is active in Europe, South America, and Africa: Austria, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, France, Poland, Peru, Argentina, Tanzania and Nigeria.

Africa

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