news and current affairs.
Mutoko court orders Reajin and Zheng Zhangxian to pay back Ndemera in the gold heist
Mutoko Regional Magistrates Court convicted Chinese investor Zheng Zhangxian and his company, Reajin Enterprises, for stealing over 5,000 tonnes of gold ore from small-scale miner Emmanuel Ndemera. The court imposed a $3,000 fine and ordered $875,667.67 restitution plus return of stolen materials from the four-year operation in Makaha, Mashonaland East. Reajin operated through Takura Mining Syndicate as a local front while constructing a 75-meter underground tunnel into Ndemera's legally registered Koodoo 83 claim. The stolen ore underwent processing at Zhangveng Milling Plant, which Zheng controlled directly. Ministry officials confirmed the systematic encroachment began in 2021 despite legal boundaries requiring six-meter safety...
Chitsungo Hospital in Mbire wins an award after new machines cut surgery delays
Chitsungo Hospital in Mbire District earned national recognition as the fastest facility for moving patients from decision to operating room after receiving advanced medical equipment from the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The hospital performs twenty to thirty cesarean sections monthly, serving a predominantly low-income population while reducing maternal deaths and eliminating expensive referral costs to distant facilities. Medical officer Dr Bravery Makuvaro credits new anaesthetic machines, patient monitors, neonatal resuscitation equipment, and maternity beds for the dramatic improvement in emergency response times. Additional installations include modern X-ray machines and phototherapy devices that treat neonatal jaundice...
Apple bribes iPhone 17 Pro fans with bigger batteries to ditch SIM cards
Apple continues its pattern of eliminating traditional hardware features from iPhones. The company plans to remove physical SIM card trays from the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. Apple offers larger battery capacities to customers who select eSIM-only variants rather than models with SIM card trays. The iPhone 17 Pro delivers 4,252 mAh battery capacity without a SIM tray compared to 3,988 mAh with one. The iPhone 17 Pro Max provides 5,088 mAh for eSIM-only versions versus 4,823 mAh for SIM tray models. This battery capacity difference translates to approximately one additional hour of usage time. Apple previously eliminated SIM card trays from iPhone 14 models sold in the United States. The battery incentive strategy...
Cupertino CEO Tim Cook drops iOS 26, macOS Tahoe worldwide
Apple prepares to distribute iOS 26 globally tomorrow for compatible iPhone devices. The software update represents a major release alongside iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. Users worldwide will receive the update simultaneously at 10 AM Pacific Time with regional adjustments. The company maintains its established release schedule for this significant annual software distribution. This marks one of Apple's most substantial software launches this year. The update introduces a Liquid Glass user interface with numerous additional features. Apple advises users to ensure adequate storage space of at least 20 gigabytes before installation. Devices require a connection to secure internet networks and charging cables during the update...
Redmond leak tips Surface Laptop 7 with Intel Arc B770, x86deadandback
Intel's BMG-G31 graphics processor appeared in recent NBD shipping documents before its official announcement. Reports suggest Microsoft plans to integrate this unreleased chip into Surface Laptop models. The component represents Intel's next-generation Battlemage architecture and will likely carry the Arc B770 designation as successor to the Arc A770. Current Battlemage products employ the smaller BMG-G21 die found in Arc B580 and B570 cards. The BMG-G31 variant contains additional shader units while maintaining similar physical dimensions. Surface 7 laptops typically feature Snapdragon processors without discrete graphics options, making this configuration unusual for the product line. This development marks the first mobile...
U.S. Verizon users roast AI, Project 624 flails, T-Mobile T Life
Verizon launched Project 624 during the summer months to transform customer support operations. The telecommunications giant designed artificial intelligence systems to manage routine inquiries while directing complex problems to human representatives. Management expected that this technological shift would enhance user experiences and streamline service delivery. Customer feedback reveals widespread dissatisfaction with the automated assistance program. Reddit users report navigating between multiple chatbots that fail to address their concerns effectively. Many subscribers struggle to connect with human agents during service calls. Those who successfully reach live representatives often receive inadequate solutions to their problems...
Harare High Court yanks freeze on Tobias Zangairai, Toyota Hilux back
Justice Benjamin Chikowero granted Tobias Zangairai relief from a prolonged asset freeze that began January 27, 2023. The High Court terminated an interim order under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act after prosecutors failed to advance proceedings for over two years. Zangairai had submitted the required documentation within thirty days explaining his acquisition of twenty-four properties. The Prosecutor General pursued neither civil forfeiture nor criminal charges despite receiving this compliance. The court recognized constitutional property rights under Section 71(2) as paramount considerations. Zangairai successfully argued that the extended restrictions violated his fundamental freedoms to use and transfer assets...
Zimdancehall artists Winky D, Killer T bring the heat on ZiFM, Star FM
Zimbabwe's Zimdancehall music draws inspiration from Jamaican reggae and dancehall traditions. The genre emerged more than ten years ago, but struggled with limited radio exposure on state stations. Private broadcasters, such as ZiFM and Star FM, later provided essential airplay through specialized programs. Youth across rural and urban areas have embraced Zimdancehall as their preferred musical style. The genre has successfully displaced sungura music's previous dominance. More than 5,000 Zimdancehall performers operate throughout Zimbabwe, with many originating from Harare's densely populated neighborhoods, such as Mbare and Highfield. Artists typically record music in makeshift studios located within residential areas. Leading...
Harare court drags Tawanda Shoko over AFDIS SAP fraud, US$8,578
African Distillers Limited employee Tawanda Shoko faces fraud charges worth US$8,500 after appearing before Harare magistrate Appollonia Marutya. The 25-year-old received US$100 bail while awaiting trial proceedings. Authorities continue searching for his alleged partner, Takunda Dandara. Prosecutor Takudzwa Mutyavaviri outlined how both suspects worked at the Chitungwiza depot between July 31 and September 3, 2025. The pair allegedly altered the company's SAP sales system to steal money. Court records show that the defendants switched expensive products with cheaper alternatives on the return documents, while maintaining the price differences. Their scheme involved changing sales sheets and manipulating stock records. Company...
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