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Morocco, Africa World Cup Hopeful

Published

2 years ago

December 14, 2022

BY BHEKIMPILO WEZA

The Atlas lions of Morocco carry the African flag In Qatar as they prepare to face world champions France in a World Cup semi final today.

Morocco, who have taken the world by storm, beating soccer powerhouse Belgium and Spain enroute to semis, will be African hopeful for a first ever World Cup trophy to be won by an African Nation and the first to be won by an African coach.

They possess a good team, well disciplined and organised such that at any given day, Morocco can beat anyone who comes on their way.

The match against World Champion France will be a stern test not for Morocco alone, but Africa as a whole.

It will prove that indeed African football has reached expected heights in competing at the topest level in the world of football.

It seemed though that the Moroccans had a limited chance, but the victory over Spain and Portugal silenced all skeptics and now it’s time for a real dream which is four days away if the Atlas lions beat France on Wednesday night .

They have a very young squad, mostly dominated by local players, most of them playing for African champions league winners Raja Cassablanca.

Hakim Ziyech will as usual lead his troops tomorrow night against big players like Kylian Mbape, Oliver Giroud and Raphael Varane.

France won’t be an easy opponent,because of what the African Nation has done up to the semis but that does not matter as Morocco has made a bold move,”clamored Moroccans coach Walid Regragui said in an interview with BBC.

“We will compete for the CUP not history for being in the World Cup finals. No one is unbeatable.”

Despite all the statistics that will favour France, some Africans will all be behind Morocco as they fight to move a step further after reaching the semis for the first time and being the only African nation to do so

Teams that have done well in the World Cup have only managed a quarter final stage,and they include Senegal, Cameroon and Ghana.

In the community

Hwange police seek public’s help in locating missing teen

Published

19 hours ago

May 15, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Hwange police are urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Latoya Lisa Munkuli, who went missing on May 7, this month.

Latoya, a dark-complexioned female juvenile, was last seen leaving her residence in Hwange around 4 pm.

She was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of green trousers and a white T-shirt, and carried a black satchel. She stands approximately 1.6 meters tall.

Inspector Glory Banda of the Hwange police is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information about Latoya’s whereabouts to come forward.

If you have any information about Latoya’s disappearance, please contact Inspector Banda on 0785961747 or 0771256607.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

4 weeks ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

In the community

Human-wildlife conflict claims 18 lives in Zimbabwe’s first quarter

Published

4 weeks ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has reported a disturbing trend of human-wildlife conflict in the country’s first quarter of 2025. According to the authority, 18 people have lost their lives, and 32 others have been injured in encounters with wildlife.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo revealed that the authority received 579 cases of human-wildlife conflict, which they managed to respond to promptly. The incidents have also resulted in significant livestock losses, with at least 53 cattle and 85 goats killed by wildlife.

The districts most affected by these incidents include Binga, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Nyaminyami, and Mbire. ZimParks has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about wildlife behaviors and effective preventive measures in these areas.

In response to the crisis, ZimParks has translocated 129 animals back into protected areas and eliminated 158 animals deemed problematic.

“We encourage communities to continue reporting incidents to ZimParks Problem Animal Control numbers and local leadership, such as Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and Rural District Council Authorities, to ensure that we preserve lives,” Farawo urged.

The significant increase in livestock losses, with cattle deaths rising from 18 to 53 and goat deaths from 21 to 85 compared to the same period in 2024, highlights the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe.

ZimParks’ efforts to mitigate the conflict include community initiatives to educate people on managing wildlife encounters effectively.