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Ford Unveils Its First All-Electric Pickup Truck

By
Angel Gimalo
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DEARBORN, MI - MAY 19: The new all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning performance pickup truck is revealed at a livestream event at Ford World Headquarters on May 19, 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan. The truck will be built at the all-new Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn starting in the Spring of 2022. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Ford officially unveiled the all-electric version of its bestselling F-150 truck on Wednesday, in an eco-friendly reinvention of a flagship American car brand.

The battery-powered Ford F-150 “Lightning” is part of a $22 billion campaign by the US auto giant to ramp up its electric vehicle offerings by 2025.

Ford is already selling an all-electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E sport utility vehicle, but the Lightning will be the first battery-powered incarnation of the F-150.

The F-150, first launched by Ford in 1948, has long been the top-selling US vehicle and a showcase brand for the 118-year-old firm.

Bill Ford, the great-grandson of the car giant’s founder and current chairman of its board of directors, hailed a “pivotal moment” in the company’s history.

The F-150 Lightning is the “smartest, cleanest” model in the lineup, he said. “And it’s pretty powerful.”

In the event of a power cut, the vehicle will be able to supply electricity to a house for about three days, Ford has said.

And for professionals using the truck on construction sites for example, the vehicle’s electrical outlets can serve as a source of energy for the tools.

Ford avoided releasing details about the car ahead of the official launch at 9:30 pm Wednesday local time.

But President Biden revealed Tuesday that the Lightning can hit 0-60 mph in about 4.4 seconds, during a visit to Ford’s Michigan operation to build support for a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, which includes $174 billion for electric vehicle development.

“This sucker’s quick,” Biden said Tuesday afternoon following a spin in the pickup at the Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan, describing the new technology as critical in the fight to save the planet from global warming.

Production of the new F-150 electric model will begin in Dearborn by spring 2022.

It will face stiff competition: start-up Rivian plans to start selling its R1T electric pickup this summer, while General Motors aims to sell its own version, the GMC Hummer EV, from this fall.

“The future of the auto industry is electric,” said Biden on Tuesday from the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center.

“The question is whether we’ll lead or we’ll fall behind in the race to the future.”

ByteDance Founder Hands Over To His Roommate, Steps Down As CEO

By
faith Jegede
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Zhang Yiming owner of TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, is stepping down as chief executive officer and leaving the task of navigating existing and upcoming Big Tech regulations worldwide to college roommate and current human resources head Liang Rubo.

In an employee memo circulated on Thursday, Mr Zhang said the change would “enable me to have greater impact on longer-term initiatives”.

Mr Zhang, who did not address his role as chairman, in the memo called Liang “an invaluable partner” with “strengths in management, organisation, and social engagement”.

ByteDance has had its share of management issues, But its change in leadership also comes as Chinese regulators increase scrutiny of the country’s biggest technology firms. In April, they slapped e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd with a $2.8 billion fine for anti-competitive practices, and last year suspended fintech affiliate Ant Group’s initial public offering.

Mr Zhang, who turned ByteDance into a social media force, described himself as more given to research and innovation saying that he was not a social person and lacked the skills of an ideal manager.

Mr Zhang owns 20 per cent to 30 per cent of ByteDance and holds over 50 per cent of voting rights. Mr Zhang explained that he will work with Mr Liang over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition. Whether he would give up his voting rights is still unknown.

Covid-19: EU To Reopen Borders To Fully Vaccinated

By
Zoe Maven
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EU member states agreed Wednesday to reopen the bloc’s borders to travellers who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and increase the level of new cases a country can hit before being declared unsafe.

Meeting in Brussels, diplomats say the recommendations will be adopted by EU ministers on Friday, while an EU Commission spokesman confirmed that the envoys had endorsed the update to travel rules.

Diplomats said that, under the new rules, travellers who could demonstrate that they had received the required number of doses of an EU-approved vaccine could enter the bloc.

In addition, the number of cases per 100,000 people that a country could register over two weeks and still be considered for the green list will rise from 25 to 75.

This would still exclude non-vaccinated travellers from much of the world, but could allow travel from, for example, Britain, which is well-advanced in its vaccination campaign.

Since March 2020, non-essential travel into the 27-member European Union has been banned, apart from a small number of countries deemed safe because of their low Covid case rate.

But businesses on the continent are reopening as virus restrictions are phased out and bars, hotels and restaurants are worried about the summer tourist trade.

Colombia Protests Stretch Into Fourth Week

By
Zoe Maven
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Colombia’s wave of anti-government protests entered their fourth week on Wednesday, as unions, student groups and others turned out at marches to demand social change amid intermittent talks between the government and strike organizers.

The protests have been marked by violence by both police and civilians with the attorney general’s office confirming 15 deaths connected to protests, while one human rights group tallies more than 40.

President Ivan Duque earlier this week ordered the clearance of road blockades around the country, which have caused shortages of food and gasoline.

The demonstrations, originally called in late April against a now-canceled tax plan, have expanded to include demands like a basic income, an end to police violence and opportunities for young people.

A health reform also opposed by many protesters, which they had criticized as too vague to make real change to Colombia’s fragile healthcare system, was shelved by a joint congressional committee on Wednesday.

Hundreds gathered in Bogota’s Bolivar Plaza at lunchtime.

A national strike committee formed by major unions, student groups and others, has held several discussions with government representatives about protesters’ demands, but the two sides are not yet holding formal talks.

Organizers have vowed protests will continue in the meantime.

EU Envoy Upbeat On Iran Nuclear Talks

By
Zoe Maven
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The EU official leading talks to revive Iran’s nuclear deal expressed confidence that a deal would be reached as the negotiations adjourned, although European diplomats said success was not guaranteed with very difficult issues remaining.

The talks resumed in Vienna on May 7 with the remaining parties to the deal – Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany – meeting in the basement of a luxury hotel, and the United States based in another hotel across the street.

Meanwhile, Iran has refused to hold direct talks with the United States on how to resume compliance with the 2015 deal, which former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Tehran to begin violating its terms about a year later.

Russia’s envoy, Mikhail Ulyanov, echoed those comments, saying on Twitter he hoped a final round expected to begin next week would be the last one.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said the talks had “really helped to crystallize towards the steps that need to be made by Iran as well as by the United States.”

The crux of the original agreement was that Iran committed to rein in its nuclear programme to make it harder to obtain the fissile material for a nuclear weapon in return for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions.

Commission, in Vienna© Reuters/LEONHARD FOEGER Meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, in Vienna

Senior diplomats from Britain, France and Germany (a grouping known as the E3) offered a note of caution, saying that while there was some tangible progress with the contours of a final deal emerging, success was not guaranteed.

Trial Of Ex Ivory Coast Rebel Leader And PM Guillaume Soro Begins

By
Zoe Maven
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A trial against Guillaume Soro and 19 of his relatives, accused of “plotting against state security”, opened on Wednesday at the criminal court of Abidjan-Plateau.

The prosecution is also charging them with “participation in an armed gang without exercising any command, unauthorised possession of firearms of the first category and acts of manoeuvre likely to compromise public security”.

But defence lawyers in the case are absent in the trial having announced their refusal to participate saying they will not lend their support to a “sham trial”.

Soro and some of his accused relatives are currently outside the country and they are accused of having fomented a “plot against state security”.

The accused include former president of the Ivorian National Assembly, Alain Lobognon, Affoussiata Bamba Lamine, Koné Kamaraté Souleymane, Kassi Kouamé Jean-Baptiste, Zebret Souleymane, Kamagaté Adama, Silué Neguerdjomon Emmanuel. Guiilaume Soro, was once an ally of President Allassane Ouattara. He commanded a rebel force which backed the current president in his fight against President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to accept he had lost the 2010 elections

Angola backs COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver

By
Zoe Maven
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Angola has welcomed a call by Tuesday’s Paris summit to lift patent protections on Covid-19 vaccines for developing countries to produce life-saving jabs.

Angola’s finance minister said her country fully supports the summit’s call and the African Union’s vision to boost vaccine production on the continent.

She said there has to be a self-assessment of Africa’s capacity to receive and of the teams to receive this transfer of knowledge, adding that they do not rule out this possibility.

In April, the AU announced the launch of a partnership to manufacture vaccines at five research centres to be built on the continent within the next 15 years.

The five centres will be located in the north, south, east, west and centre of Africa over the next 10-15 years, according to John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an AU agency.

Currently, only one percent of all vaccines used in Africa are made on the continent. The AU aims to increase that share to 60 percent in 20 years.The proposal to waive patents has been supported by the United States, the European Union and the World Trade Organisation.

The Paris Summit called for a re-allocation of the IMF Special Drawing Rights to increase Africa’s share from 30 billion to 100 billion dollars.

Zambia Opposition Leader Hichilema Cleared To Run For President

By
Zoe Maven
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Zambia’s main opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, has been officially nominated for the presidential election scheduled for August in Lusaka.

This comes as dozens of Zambians demanded change and food for thought.

Behind Hichilema, who had narrowly lost in 2016 and spent four months in prison for treason after contesting the result, opposition parties and activists have formed an alliance called the UPND Alliance for the Zambia We Want.

Zambia, which has enjoyed relative stability since its first multiparty election in 1991, will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections on August 12.

The southern African country of 17 million people is officially in default with its external debt is estimated at nearly 10 billion euros, half of which is held by private creditors.

This debt issue and the economic difficulties plaguing the country are expected to dominate the election, in which “HH”, as he is nicknamed by his supporters, at the head of the United Party for National Development (UPND), is expected to face the incumbent President Edgar Lungu.

Nigeria Labour Congress Suspends Strike In Kaduna

By
Zoe Maven
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The Nigeria Labour Congress has suspended its five days warning strike in Kaduna State.

Announcing the suspension, the NLC President,  Ayuba Wabba said the decision is to honour the invitation of the Federal Government on Thursday to mediate in the dispute between labour and the Kaduna State Government.

Earlier today, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige waded into the ongoing face-off between the Kaduna State government and labour unions by inviting both parties to a reconciliation meeting.

The meeting which was scheduled to hold at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja is to be attended by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai and top officials of the State; s well as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba and top NLC leaders.

Ngige had directed the two parties to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the issues in contention.

Ngige’s intervention comes three days after the NLC started a protest following the disengagement of over seven thousand civil servants at the state and local governments by the Kaduna State government.

The strike had paralysed critical sectors of the economy in the state and the state governor Nasir El-Rufai in reaction declared the NLC Chairman and other leaders wanted for economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure in Kaduna State under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

Kenya Introduces Biometric System to Weed Out Ghost Teachers

By
Precious Obazee
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The Teachers Service Commission in Kenya has launched the biometric enrolment and validation of Teachers that will give real-time data of all teachers employed by the commission.

The database is intended to help the TSC to address staff shortages as well as lock out those with questionable integrity from administering national exams.

Data on teachers in special programmes and curriculum support officers in all zones will be taken as well as teacher interns and those on contract.

In November 2020, Kenyan media reported on how taxpayers  were losing billions of shillings every year funding the ‘education’ of more than half a million ghost learners as headteachers and corrupt education ministry officials inflated enrolment numbers used by the government to disburse funds for Free Primary Education programme.

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