Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed to $107.33 per barrel during trading before closing at nearly $106, up about $1.20 from Friday’s close.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US benchmark, reached $94.36 before settling at $93.16 per barrel.

The increase comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil supplies.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam over the weekend.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that the attack on King Khalid airport killed at least 13 people and injured more than 320 others. Authorities were also assessing damage and injuries from the attack on King Fahd airport.

US President Donald Trump said Washington could join Saudi Arabia in responding to the attacks, raising concerns about further escalation in the region

For Zimbabwe, sustained increases in international oil prices could put additional pressure on fuel import costs, transport operators and businesses reliant on road freight.

The country depends heavily on imported petroleum products, leaving domestic fuel prices exposed to movements in international markets, shipping costs and exchange-rate pressures.

Higher fuel costs can feed into the prices of basic commodities and other goods by increasing distribution and production expenses. Transport operators may also face pressure to adjust fares and delivery charges if operating costs continue rising.

However, changes in global crude prices do not automatically translate into immediate adjustments at Zimbabwean fuel stations. Local prices are also influenced by procurement costs, taxes, levies, distribution expenses and exchange rates.

In the United States, petrol prices averaged approximately US$4.36 per gallon on Monday, according to the American Automobile Association, about US$1.28 higher than a year earlier.

Analysts have also questioned whether a proposed Russian diesel supply arrangement announced by Trump would deliver significant relief to fuel consumers.

Continued instability in the Middle East could therefore pose wider risks to global inflation, trade and business operating costs, with fuel-importing economies such as Zimbabwe vulnerable to prolonged price volatility.

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The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), a United Nations migration agency, said the vessel was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized near Guhere, north of the coastal town of Obock, during the night of October 8 into October 9.

At least 15 children are among the dead, while 82 people survived the disaster, according to the latest figures reported by the agency.

The incident has renewed concerns over the dangers faced by migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden in search of employment, safety and better economic opportunities in Gulf countries.

IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti Alexandre Coissac described the incident as a devastating loss of life, expressing sympathy for survivors and families still waiting for information about missing relatives.

“Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance,” Coissac said.

He added that the tragedy highlighted the dangers confronting migrants along the route as they seek economic opportunities.

Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as humanitarian teams provide assistance to survivors.

The IOM said it was supporting survivors at its migrant response centre in Obock, where those affected can access healthcare and other emergency assistance.

The disaster initially left 109 people confirmed dead and 116 missing, but the death toll rose as additional bodies were recovered and the figures were updated.

The majority of survivors were Ethiopian nationals, reflecting the significant number of people from the Horn of Africa who use the route in an attempt to reach the Arabian Peninsula.

The crossing between Djibouti and Yemen forms part of the so-called Eastern Route, used by migrants from countries including Ethiopia and Somalia to reach Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia.

Despite the risks, thousands continue to make the journey, driven by poverty, insecurity, environmental pressures and the search for employment.

The route crosses the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen’s prolonged conflict and wider regional instability have added further risks for people undertaking the journey, exposing migrants to potential violence, exploitation, arbitrary detention and human trafficking.

According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the Eastern Route in 2025, as the number of people attempting the journey increased by 18 percent.

The latest disaster underscores the continuing humanitarian crisis facing migrants who undertake dangerous sea crossings in pursuit of safety and economic opportunities.

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly called for stronger support for search and rescue operations and safer, legal migration pathways to reduce deaths along dangerous migration corridors.

263Chat will continue to follow developments as authorities update the death toll and search for those still missing.

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Despite the alarming global rise in executions, particularly in Iran and other parts of the Middle East, Africa has seen a contrasting trend.

The Amnesty International report released last week, emphasizes that while death sentences have increased in Africa, the actual execution rates have remained low.

According to Anne Denis, head of the anti-death penalty commission at Amnesty International France, “the important thing is that there are few death sentences actually carried out in sub-Saharan Africa.”

She further noted, “The region is on the path to abolition,” citing legislative progress in several countries.

Zimbabwe’s pending bill to abolish the death penalty is part of this regional momentum. If passed, Zimbabwe will join the growing list of African nations moving away from capital punishment.

Currently, around 30 African countries, including Kenya, Somalia, and Niger, still have the death penalty on the books.

However, most of these nations have not enforced it for several years. In fact, 43 out of Africa’s 54 countries have not issued execution orders since 2010, with most death sentences being commuted to life imprisonment.

Amnesty International’s latest annual report provides a stark overview of the global state of the death penalty. Globally, executions soared to 1,153 in 2023, marking the highest number since 2015.

This increase was driven primarily by Iran, which accounted for 74% of all recorded executions.

However, the report also highlights a significant milestone: the number of countries carrying out executions reached a historic low, reinforcing the ongoing global shift towards abolition.

Amidst these global trends, Africa’s progress is noteworthy. According to the report, executions in sub-Saharan Africa more than tripled from 11 in 2022 to 38 in 2023. Nonetheless, these figures should be viewed in context. As Denis points out, the overall direction is towards abolition, with numerous legislative efforts underway.

The movement against capital punishment in Africa is gaining traction despite setbacks. In 2023, only Somalia enforced the death penalty, underscoring the continent’s gradual shift away from this practice.

“This rekindles hope that it’s only a matter of time before the world completely eradicates the death penalty,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for Southern Africa.

In addition to Zimbabwe, Kenya and Liberia also have pending bills aimed at abolishing the death penalty.

This legislative momentum is crucial in the broader fight against capital punishment, which Amnesty International continues to champion.

“Despite the setbacks we have seen this year, particularly in the Middle East, countries that are still carrying out executions are increasingly isolated. Our campaigning against this abhorrent punishment works,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. “We will continue until we have put an end to the death penalty.”

As the world grapples with the ethical implications of capital punishment, the progress in Zimbabwe and other African nations offers a glimmer of hope for human rights advocates and those campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.

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The Embassy accused Israel of using repressive means to silence Palestinians, including Hisham Abu Hawash, who went on a hunger strike 114 days in protest against the Apartheid style of repression

Below is the full statement from the Embassy.

The embassy of the State of Palestine condemns the abominable Israeli occupation state’s practice of administrative detention that the occupying power uses as a tool of repression against Palestinians, and we call for the immediate release of all Palestinian detainees including Hisham Abu Hawash languishing in hospital after an extensive hunger strike for 141 days which teetered him close to death this week

Hisham Abu Hawash, a father of five began refusing food in August to protest Apartheid Israel state’s holding of him without charges or trial practice of arresting suspects for renewable six-month terms without allowing them to view the charges or evidence against them.

Today, in a clear violation of international law, Israel continues to use administrative detention to imprison more than 4600 Palestinians (1595 in 2021 only)  including minors and elderly without charges, trials or convictions, all based on so-called “classified secret information” that the detainees have no access to.

They have no recourse to challenging these undisclosed allegations, and they do not know when, or if, they are going to be released. This arbitrary detention is strictly prohibited under international law, including international humanitarian law.

The occupying power persists in its pervasive violations of international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to freedom, justice, and self-determination because of the utter failure of the international community to hold Israel accountable for its egregious violations.

This collective international failure has allowed Israel to, among other crimes, shatter the lives and rights of tens of thousands of Palestinians victimized and persecuted through administrative detention.

While we welcome the statement from the European Union which expressed grave concern over the health of the detained Hawash, The State of Palestine is disappointed with the international community’s failure to act against the Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.

We, therefore, call on the progressive peoples, governments and human rights organizations to condemn and push for the immediate release of detained Palestinians and work to end this monstrous practice once and for all.

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Estonia, Singapore, Ethiopia and Finland – these are some of the 21 countries currently governed by a female president or prime minister.

Yet a woman president of the U.S. still remains only a hypothetical.

The 2020 Democratic nomination contest originally featured six women candidates, a record number. But the most prominent female candidates for the Democratic nomination – Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar – have all dropped out, and the focus of the race has narrowed to two males.

My research examines what countries where women run the government have in common – and why the U.S. still lags behind.

Where women lead

Since 2000, 89 women have newly come to power. That’s more than double the total number of women who entered office between 1960 and 1999.

Women’s greater presence in positions like senatorships creates opportunities for women to rise up the ranks and become presidents and prime ministers.

Women have led in countries that have relative gender equality like Norway as well as more patriarchal spaces such as Pakistan.
However, women have more often held the position of prime minister, typically a weaker position than the presidency.

The path to prime minister depends on appointment rather than a direct popular vote. Moreover, term length is unpredictable.

When prime ministers govern, they usually rely heavily on parliamentary collaboration. Cabinet ministers are also given more autonomy to control their respective departments, compared to their counterparts in presidential systems.

Only about one-third of all female presidents to date were elected to the position. Others were appointed through various procedures. These include female vice presidents who succeeded presidents, as well as women who were appointed to the presidency to serve on a temporary basis when sudden openings occurred. Some were indirectly elected by officeholders in other political institutions such as the parliament.

Political opportunities for women’s leadership often arise in times of crisis or change. For example, democratic transition in Asia, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe enabled women to gain a political foothold.

A common pathway to more powerful positions for women in Asia and Latin America is through being the wife or daughter of a politically prominent man.

When women lead

Having women in the highest positions can bring in more diverse viewpoints and new policy priorities.

For example, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s coalition, comprised of female-led parties, has passed a generous work leave measure that expands conceptions of gender roles and families. Prime Ministers Katrin Jakobsdottir of Iceland and Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand prioritize family and green policies over growing the economy in budget planning.

Scholars have found that women in power build feelings of trust and legitimacy in the political system.

Citizens have higher political interest and participation under female leadership. These benefits are not just enjoyed by women, but the population as a whole.

Women in high office also offer the public visible role models, inspiring other women to wage candidacies.

Barriers still remaining

The influential standing of the U.S. on the world stage magnifies the absence of an American woman president. What holds the U.S. back?

It is not the lack of qualified women. Record numbers of women currently serve in the House and Senate. Today, there are nine female governors in the U.S., matching previous highs in 2003 and 2007. These positions are usually important springboards to presidential office.

Are Americans unwilling to vote for women candidates? Warren challenged this notion at a January Democratic debate: “The only people on this stage who have won every single election that they’ve been in are women: Amy [Klobuchar] and me.”

Evidence from U.S. congressional elections show similar rates of victory for women and men.

But women continue to encounter more negative perceptions from the public, political elites and the mass media regarding their leadership capabilities and competence, compared to their male counterparts. Stereotypically masculine traits, such as strength of leadership and quick decision-making, are often prized over stereotypically feminine traits like deliberation and compromise.

Women candidates are aware of this and often spend a significant amount of time implementing strategies to offset potential gender stereotypes. These include emphasizing their strength and capacity to lead or images that balance masculine and feminine traits, in an effort to convince the public of their viability.

Women are also less likely than men to run for office, due to perceptions of sexism, limited political recruitment and underestimation of their qualifications.

That Hillary Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Donald Trump in 2016 confirms that a woman can wage a competitive presidential bid in the U.S. Research using two national surveys, however, found that sexist attitudes contributed, in part, to some voters’ decisions to vote for Trump instead of Clinton.

A woman will not be elected president of the U.S. in 2020. But the presence and actions of female candidates has sparked critical conversations among the public, politicians and pundits about women’s political status.

In my view, it is critical that public discourse about sexism does not lead to women opting out of future candidacies or further erode perceptions of women’s electability.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Jacinda Ardern.

[Insight, in your inbox each day. You can get it with The Conversation’s email newsletter.]

Farida Jalalzai, Professor and Hannah Atkins Endowed Chair of Political Science, Oklahoma State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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China has confirmed nearly 72,000 infections, with most of the cases in Hubei province. Almost 1,800 people have died. Beijing has introduced a stimulus package that includes a key interest rate cut as it attempts to bolster the economy. US markets are closed for Presidents’ day holiday

SOURCE:Financial Times

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Mtukudzi rose to become an international music icon after launching his music at the age of 23 in 1975. He leaves a legacy of 66 albums to his name and also made his mark in the film industry after staring as a lead actor in Zimbabwe’s top films, Neria and Jiti produced in the 90s.

Rest in eternal and perfect peace son of the soil. pic.twitter.com/Yj3WeCYtom

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) January 23, 2019

Remembering a musical legend #RIPTuku

Your music will continue to touch the generations to come

We were blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with you throughout the years. #legend pic.twitter.com/SnOnO89khm

— Econet Wireless (@econetzimbabwe) January 24, 2019

From Zimbabwe to the world! Although the legendary Jazz musician – Oliver Mtukudzi has passed, his music will live on forever. #RIPTuku pic.twitter.com/CxuD7UHsLp

— DStv (@DStv) January 23, 2019

#JoburgCares Rest in peace to the Legendary Oliver Mtukudzi who has been a prominent act at many of our City of Joburg events. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Your music will live on… #RIPTuku #RIPOliverMtukudzi #OliverMtukudzi ^GZ pic.twitter.com/bJ6wJVcu3o

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) January 23, 2019

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF A GREAT ICON @TukuOfficial
Your life was a testament of doing great things every day.
Go well Samanyanga. #RIPTuku #Samanyanga pic.twitter.com/1e5xm2UgC1

— Old Mutual Zimbabwe (@OldMutualZW) January 24, 2019

In 2011 the Forbes magazine included Oliver Mtukudzi in the Top 40 Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa in a list that included Akon, Chinua Achebe and Didier Drogba.#RIPTuku#RipOliverMtukudzi pic.twitter.com/KjqU8lrod3

— African Curators (@AfricanCurators) January 24, 2019

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#Dagga JUST IN: ConCourt decriminalize use and possession of dagga in private use by adult. It also gives Parliament 24 months to change a section of the medicine controls act.

It gives parliament just two years to change the laws regarding home use of marijuana. The ruling hasn’t however, said how much a person can legally have, and that will be up to parliament.

“The right to privacy is not confined to a home or private dwelling. It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private space,” deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said in the ruling.

“This Court must invoke its powers under s 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution to order a suspension of the declaration of invalidity for a realistic period to ensure Parliament may correct the defect. In my view, a period of 24 months from the date of this judgment would be appropriate.

“The order also makes clear that the relevant provisions are only unconstitutional to the extent that they trench upon the private use and consumption of a quantity of cannabis for personal purposes, which the legislative considers does not constitute undue harm.”

The initial ruling by the Western Cape High court still left the legality of it in question, but this ruling now by the constitutional court makes it very clear that it’ll soon be perfectly legal to use marijuana at home.

And honestly? That’s a good thing. By decriminalising weed, it becomes possible for it to become completely legal – which could see job creation, taxation, regulation and other benefits.

criticalhit.net

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