The killing of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Intersex, and other (LGBTQI+) communities, with six murders reported in the past eight months, raises questions about their basic rights.

Christof Frederick (30), Gerome Helgrain (41), Vernon Gavin (52), Queen Uwuseb (35), Gurney Uirab (35), and Stanley Cloete (36) are victims of what some label as hate crimes.

The Director of the Legal Aid Centre, Toni Hancox, provided a legal perspective on the matter, highlighting the challenge of identifying these crimes under the Constitution.

Namibia has seen an alarming increase in child abuse cases, with recent events underscoring the vulnerability of children to neglect, rape, and violence.

In the latest disturbing incident, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her two uncles.

Another alleged rape incident involves a nine-year-old girl.

An eight-year-old boy was reportedly burned by his uncle for stealing food.

Recently, a Grootfontein couple was charged with child abuse and neglect of their 17-month-old, resulting in the girl losing a foot.

The Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture is centralising school payments to expedite fund disbursement for academic activities.

Some schools have voiced concerns about the slow release of funds.

nbc Reporter Johanna !Uri≠khos interviewed the Ministry's Executive Director, Sanet Steenkamp, for clarification.

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) took a significant step in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) with the launch of a "Distress App". 

This initiative aims to provide crucial support and assistance to individuals facing GBV incidents.

The app, named the Distress Application (D-App), holds special significance as it was launched in memory of Delia Maasdorp, whose tragic death earlier this month shook the nation. 

Maasdorp, aged 40, served as the executive director of research, innovation, and partnership at the university.

Namibia has reported 17 cases of wildlife crimes and 34 arrests during Operation Saving African Wildlife through Multilateral Assistance (SAMA), which was conducted between January and February.

Hosted by the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organisation (UNODC), Operation SAMA is the first Africa-focused initiative on wildlife trafficking.

Operation SAMA united 35 nations from East, West, Central, and Southern Africa in a concerted effort to combat the illicit wildlife trade. 

The Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (NASRIA) and Bank Windhoek have joined forces to make access to funding for women, youth, and SMEs easy through a Credit Guarantee Scheme facility amounting to N$50 million.

Access to finance has always been a problem or limited to many business-aspiring youths and women, hence the agreement.

The credit scheme provides vital financial support to budding entrepreneurs, aiming to stimulate innovation and be a catalyst for job creation.

The Vice President of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Luisa Damiao, paid a courtesy visit to President Nangolo Mbumba today. 

The visit highlights the longstanding ties between the two countries, rooted in mutual respect and political comradeship.

President Mbumba welcomed Damiao and a delegation comprised of parliamentarians and other dignitaries. 

The courtesy visit holds significance not only on a diplomatic level, but also serves as an opportunity to strengthen MPLA and Swapo Party relations.

President Nangolo Mbumba has signed off on the Appropriation Bill, totalling more than N$100 billion.

This marks the start of the allocation of the 2024–2025 budget, ending March 31st, 2025.

The Appropriation Act authorises the expenditure of public funds as outlined in the budgets proposed by various government institutions. 

This ensures that essential services and projects receive the necessary financial support to function effectively and meet the needs of the Namibian people.

Breaking barriers and inspiring change was the aim behind the "Little Black Dress" event held under the theme "Silver Lining."

The initiative was dedicated to empowering women from all walks of life. 

Spearheaded by Liezel Ndjaronguru, this year's event also focused on including men and the boy child in its mission to promote empowerment.

Speakers at the event included local personalities Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, Helena Ngaifiwa, and finalists from the Miss Namibia 2024 pageant, as well as Miss Namibia CEO Umbi Karuaihe-Upi and others.

Westair Aviation has announced the names of its three employees who died on the spot when an F 406 plane belonging to WestAir Aviation crashed in Windhoek's Pioneerspark late yesterday.

The three were identified as Rozanne De Beer-Olivier (33), Ruan van Schalkwyk (24), and André-Armand Lubbe (25).

De Beer-Olivier and van Schalkwyk were both pilots who joined the company in 2017 and 2023, respectively, while Lubbe was an engineer who joined the company in 2019.

The plane went down during a maintenance test and crashed into residential premises.