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Minister of religion, Ndlovu drops second album
The Chronicle
Joel Tsvakwi, Showbiz Correspondent
BULAWAYO-based minister of religion, gospel artist and leader of the Dumoluhle gospel ensemble, Reverend Dumoluhle Ndlovu of Methodist Church in Zimbabwe (MCZ) is impressed by the reception his recently launched album is getting.
Titled Makwenziwe Indumiso, the 11-track album which features prominent gospel artist, Bethany Pasinawako on a track titled Ngiyabonga Baba has tracks, Ligcwalise Izwi lakho, Bika Konke KuJesu, Wazithwala Izono uJesu, Wenjenje uYehovah, Ungithwale, Ngikhangele Ngobubele, Shoko Renyu, Nkosi yami ubundithanda, Uphakeme and UThixo Unathi (bonus track).
“The album was launched on Facebook last Saturday and we’re looking forward to releasing it on WhatsApp anytime soon. To expand the album’s reach, we’ve submitted it to radio stations like Skyz Metro FM, Khulumani FM, National FM and Radio Zim, Radio 54 (UK) for consideration for airplay.
“Before the album launch, I did a pre-album release with Khulumani FM and I’m grateful for the support I was given by the station as it made the actual launch a success,” Ndlovu said.
Having dropped his debut album titled Makwenziwe Indumiso in 2019, Ndlovu has not turned back since.
“I’m appealing to fans in the country and those across borders to continue supporting me, even financially, on this new album,” he said.
On how he manages his calling and the demands of his musical career, Ndlovu said it’s all about time management.
“I’m a full time minister at Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and as for balancing the two, gospel music is part of ministering to people so I can safely say it’s a tool that’s used in Ministry. So it’s not that difficult to balance,” he said.
European Parliament votes to adopt Maltese-led report on right to disconnect
The European Parliament has voted to adopt a report recommending legislative action on the right to disconnect, an effort that was spearheaded by Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba.
The majority of MEPs at the session on Wednesday voted in favour of the report, with 472 votes in favour, 126 against and 83 abstentions. The results of the vote were announced in the parliament on Thursday afternoon.
After debating the report during a plenary session in parliament on Wednesday, the parliament will now formally recommend that the European Commission propose a directive which will require member states to adopt a minimum set of standards that guarantee workers the right to disconnect.
The right to disconnect or switch off, as it is sometimes referred to, is a concept that comes from the idea that due to work-related communication being carried out on modern technology, employees feel they are always ‘on call’ and feel pressure to carry out tasks like answering texts, emails or phone calls outside their regular working hours.
Proponents of the concept say it has led to a degradation of quality of life as the consequences of constant connection lead to diminished rest time for workers.
Labour MEP Agius Saliba spearheaded a report demanding the right to digitally disconnect, which the European Parliament’s employment committee approved in a vote last December.
In a video message posted to Facebook shortly after the vote was announced, Agius Saliba expressed his satisfaction that over 70% of MEPs voted for the adoption of his report.
“Despite the obstacles we faced, we continued to work hard to find compromises to keep this vote alive and ultimately for this important right to be given to all workers throughout member states,” Agius Saliba said.
“Now it’s on the European Commission to enact this legislation that we wrote and negotiated to go into effect and be enjoyed by all citizens.”
“We cannot continue to treat workers like robots and prevent them from enjoying their fundamental rights to rest, to enjoy their loved ones without being hampered by work-related texts and emails. Today the European Parliament voted not to turn its back on the workers it represents.”
Agius Saliba called on European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit to take action quickly and start discussions with the European Commission so that workers may have access to their rights as quickly as possible.
His report recommends a directive that would introduce the minimum requirement of using digital tools outside working time and offer the right to disconnect for all workers and provide sufficient records of working time for workers to be able to impose their limits.
Employees will also be able to ask for fair compensation and be protected when looking to enforce their rights, to ensure they do not face negative repercussions as a result.
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Parliament calls for action to solve housing crisis
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Adequate housing to include high-quality drinking water and sanitation
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Call for an EU-wide goal to end homelessness by 2030
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Housing costs should be kept affordable by law
MEPs call on the EU to recognise access to decent and affordable housing as an enforceable human right and to push for measures to eradicate homelessness.
The resolution – adopted by352 votes in favour, 179 against and 152 abstentions on Thursday – states that decent housing includes access to clean and high-quality drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as connection to sewage and water networks. The right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right that should be enshrined in national and European law, say MEPs.
Minimum mandatory requirements for habitable homes should be introduced at EU level that include healthy indoor air quality and are aligned with WHO guidelines, MEPs urge. They also call on the Commission and member states to prioritise the reduction of emissions and to boost energy efficiency through housing renovation.
Eradicating homelessness by 2030
In many EU countries, rates of homelessness have increased over the last decade due to rising housing costs and social programmes and benefits being cut and suspended. The resolution reiterates Parliament’s earlier call for an EU-wide goal to end homelessness by 2030. In addition, exceptional measures to prevent homelessness and protect homeless people in the COVID-19 crisis should be maintained – particularly moratoria on evictions and on disconnection from energy supplies as well as the provision of temporary housing.
Keeping housing affordable
MEPs also call on member states and regional and local authorities to put in place legal provisions to protect the rights of tenants and owner-occupiers. Housing is considered affordable if the occupant’s remaining budget is at least sufficient to cover other essential expenditure. While this threshold is currently set at 40%, more than a quarter of European tenants in commercial housing spend a higher percentage of their income on rent, with average rents constantly increasing.
Finally, MEPs point out that the expansive growth of short-term holiday rental is removing housing from the market and driving prices up, which can make living in urban and tourist centres significantly more difficult.
Quote
Rapporteur Kim VAN SPARRENTAK said: “European rules are often better at protecting profit generated by the housing market than protecting people who need a roof over their heads. We need the EU to step up its game and use all the tools available to do its part, together with the member states. The report offers concrete solutions for all levels to take action. We can solve the housing crisis if we want to, and we can end homelessness by 2030.”
Background
According to research by Eurofound, inadequate housing costs EU economies 195 billion EUR every year. A growing number of people living in the EU find housing difficult to afford and spend a disproportionate amount on housing. In particular, single parents, large families and young people entering the labour market find that their income is insufficient to afford market rents but too high for them to be eligible for social housing.
Human rights breaches in Hong Kong, Turkey and Vietnam
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The Hong Kong authorities must release those detained on politically motivated charges
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Call for Turkey to release Selahattin Demirtaş and other unlawfully imprisoned opposition representatives
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Vietnamese authorities must end their crackdown on dissent
On Thursday, Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Hong Kong, Turkey and Vietnam.
The crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong
Parliament calls for the immediate and unconditional release of representatives of the democratic opposition and activists arrested in Hong Kong in the first two weeks of 2021, as well as all those previously detained on charges of subversion under the National Security Law for Hong Kong.
The same goes for all peaceful Hong Kong protesters, activists and members of the political opposition arrested on politically motivated charges. These include the prominent opposition figures Joshua Wong, Ivan Lam, and Agnes Chow, whose charges should all be dropped, says Parliament.
MEPs regret that the recent decision to reach a political conclusion of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment did not reflect Parliament’s requests to use investment negotiations as a leverage tool to preserve Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy. By rushing to reach this agreement and not taking concrete action against the serious and ongoing human rights violations, the EU risks undermining its credibility as a global human rights actor, they say.
Parliament also urges EU countries to consider introducing targeted sanctions against individuals in Hong Kong and China, including Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, under the EU Human Rights Global Sanction Regime.
The text was approved by 597 votes in favour, 17 against and 61 abstentions. See the full resolution here. (21.01.2021)
The human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtaş and other prisoners of conscience
MEPs call for the immediate and unconditional release of Turkish opposition politician, former MP and former presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been detained for more than four years by Turkish authorities on unsubstantiated charges and in spite of two European Court of Human Rights rulings in favour of his release.
They also demand that all politically motivated charges against him and fellow members of the opposition HDP party be dropped.
Turkey’s sustained backsliding on the independence of the judiciary and the disregard shown by the Turkish judiciary and authorities for rulings by the European Court of Human Rights are of great concern, the resolution states. It calls on the Turkish authorities to put an end to its judicial harassment of human rights defenders, academics, journalists, spiritual leaders, lawyers and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities.
MEPs highlight that respecting and applying the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights would go some way to confirming that the desire to turn a new page in EU-Turkey relations, expressed by President Erdoğan and other top government officials on 9 January of this year, is sincere. Improved EU-Turkey relations are fully dependent on, among other things, tangible improvements in respect for democratic principles, the rule of law and fundamental rights within Turkey, they say.
The text was approved by 590 votes in favour, 16 against and 75 abstentions. It will be available in full here. (21.01.2021)
The human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular the case of human rights journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan
Parliament calls on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defenders and journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan, as well as all others detained and sentenced in the country for merely exercising their right to freedom of expression, and to drop all charges against them.
MEPs are appalled by and condemn the intensifying crackdown on dissent and the increasing violations of human rights in Vietnam.
They reiterate that respect for human rights constitutes a key foundation of the bilateral relations between Vietnam and the EU and is an essential element of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Parliament calls on all involved parties to make use of the existing EU-Vietnam agreements to improve the human rights situation in the country. It asks the European Commission and the European External Action Service to carry out an assessment of how the current free trade agreement could affect human rights in Vietnam.
The text was approved by 592 votes in favour, 32 against and 58 abstentions. For additional information on the content, it will be available in full here. (21.01.2021)
