December, 2020 - The African Mirror

Dec

2020

Pakistan’s first transgender lawyer goes from begging to fighting in court

SYED RAZA HASSAN LAWYER Nisha Rao maneuvers among the throng of black-coated attorneys clustered near Karachi's city courts searching for her client. But Rao, 28, is not just another lawyer running for a meeting. As Pakistan's first transgender lawyer, she has carved a path from the streets to the courtroom and her example is inspiring other transgender people in the conservative Islamic Republic. "I am proud to have become Pakistan first transgender lawyer", Rao told Reuters. Life is hard for transgender persons in Pakistan, where the Supreme Court only allowed them to claim a third gender on their national identity…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

UK court rules against trans clinic over treatment for children

LGBT+

RACHEL SAVAGE and HUGO GREENHALGH A British court ruled on Tuesday that under-16s are unlikely to be able to give informed consent to take puberty-blocking drugs in a landmark trial that has fueled global debate about the age at which a child can choose to transition gender. The London-based NHS trust which runs England's only youth gender identity clinic halted new patient referrals for the drugs after the High Court judgment and vowed to appeal - setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown. Presiding judge Dame Victoria Sharp said it was "highly unlikely" that a child of 13 or…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

‘Juno’ actor Page comes out as transgender, changes name to Elliot

LGBT+

THE Oscar-nominated star of "Juno" and "The Umbrella Academy," formerly known as Ellen Page, has revealed that he was a transgender person and had changed his first name to Elliot. "I can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self," Page wrote on Instagram. "I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer." Page, 33, was nominated for an Academy Award for playing a pregnant teenager in 2007 film "Juno" and starred in other movies including 2010 sci-fi thriller "Inception." The actor currently appears in…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Dorah Sitole: 1953 to 2021

LITERATURE

IT has been 40 years since Dorah Sitole walked into Canned Food Advisory Service, the marketing division of a container and packaging company called Metal Box, to interview for the position of cooking demonstrator. Her husband told her about the job opening, saying, “I don’t know anyone who cooks better than you.” That moment would launch her groundbreaking career in food and Sitole’s new book is a reflection on this long career that has shaped the path of South African food culture. “It’s 40 years of my professional career,” says Mam’ D, as Dorah Sitole is affectionately known, a week…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Why good relations between the African Union and the United Nations Security Council are important

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA OVER the last decade, the UN and the AU have deepened their relationship with partnership agreements on peace and security, development and capacity building. The most advanced cooperation between the two organisations is on peace and security as provided for in Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, and reaffirmed in many outcomes of the Security Council on cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements. We are witnessing in Africa a continent that is taking responsibility for the complex challenges to its peace, security and development. It is working with the United Nations and other international partners in…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Africa’s bright basketball showcase

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO BASKETBALL’S eyes shifted to Africa as national teams gathered in Kigali, Rwanda for the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers. The first phase of continental competition between Africa’s hopefuls gave a sneak peek to which teams have distinguished themselves as frontrunners for the title. Nigeria’s head coach, Mike Brown is of the opinion that if the right things are put in place by African basketball federations, many teams can compete favourably with the best in the world. Teams have commenced preparations for the third window of the qualifiers between February 19 - 21, 2021. Brown, who is on his maiden…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Glencore boss Glasenberg to step down, Gary Nagle named new CEO

BUSINESS

ZANDI SHABALALA and HELEN REID Glencore boss Ivan Glasenberg is to step down next year and Gary Nagle, head of coal assets at the mining and trading group, will become the new CEO. Ivan Glasenberg Glasenberg's departure will mark a shift to a new, younger leadership for the business, which, along with other mining companies, has faced increasing pressure from investors to cut carbon emissions. Glasenberg, 63, has been chief executive since 2002 and investors have been expecting a succession plan after several senior members of management retired in the last few years. He said his goal during his 18-year…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

“No presents:” Mexicans asked to curb Christmas plans to control pandemic

WORLD

PRESIDENT Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has asked Mexicans to cancel year-end travel plans, curb their movement and even stop giving Christmas presents amid rising coronavirus case numbers in the country. Lopez Obrador also announced more hospital beds as well as extra medical equipment and staff to help in the fight to curb the pandemic. Case numbers have been rising noticeably over the past two weeks in Mexico, with some of the highest figures so far for new daily cases. The Latin American nation has recorded 1,144,643 Covid-19 cases and 108,173 confirmed deaths, the fourth biggest coronavirus toll in the world.…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

“20-million Americans could be vaccinated this year”

WORLD

THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects to move quickly after a December 10 review of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and 20 million Americans could be vaccinated this year, its commissioner has revealed. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn declined to give a specific timeline of how long approval of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech would take but said that he hoped there would be a decision by the regulator in December. As soon as the FDA approves a vaccine, "I will be first in line and I will encourage my family to take this vaccine," Hahn…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

India’s multi-billion-dollar food programme is at the heart of farmers’ protests

WORLD

MAYANK BHARDWAJ THOUSANDS of Indian farmers angered by farm laws that they say threaten their livelihoods have intensified their protests by blocking highways and camping out on the outskirts of the capital Delhi. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of protesting farmers' unions have held several rounds of talks but have not made any progress in breaking the deadlock over the set of laws passed by parliament in September. Although various farmer unions have supported the protest, the agitation is largely led by the growers of relatively well-off states of Punjab and Haryana in India's north. Every…