Paris, France | AFP | Telecoms and internet giants unveiled Thursday a mammoth project to lay a subsea cable around Africa to boost internet access to the underserved continent. The consortium, which includes China Mobile International, Facebook, Orange and Vodafone, said a cable 37,000 kilometres (23,000 miles) long will make landfall in 16 countries in …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia has the world’s second-highest number of coronavirus cases but has registered 10 times fewer deaths than Britain, France, Italy and Spain. So many are wondering: why is the country’s mortality rate so low? Critics have accused Russian authorities of under-counting the number of deaths to …

The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | A vaccine for the novel coronavirus could be ready in a year’s time under an “optimistic” scenario, based on trials that are underway, the European Medicines Agency said Thursday. The Amsterdam-based EU agency also played down fears expressed by the WHO that the virus might …

  Libreville, Gabon | AFP | For years, African oil-exporting countries have vowed to wean themselves off crude — but for many, this uphill task may become mountainous after the coronavirus pandemic caused the energy market to collapse. Here is a snapshot of how sub-Saharan oil exporters are faring: – Who …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Wakiso has topped the districts with the highest cases of violence against children, according to reports by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. Out of the 1967 cases reported between January and April 2020, 934 cases were in Wakiso district, followed by …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | High Court has quashed an order by Uganda Police Force stopping events promoters from organising Kyarenga music concert featuring Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine. In her judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Esther Nambayo said the letter issued by police …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandans have questioned the ability of the Education Response Plan to ensure that Ugandan children can stay safe while still acquiring knowledge in the comfort of their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown. The response plan is part of a framework outed by the Education …

Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The number of mothers seeking antenatal care services and delivering in health facilities across Teso sub region has dropped since the Covid-19 lockdown was announced. At Serere health center, a proposed district hospital, only 965 mothers came for antenatal care in April compared to …

Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Authorities in Kyetume trading center in Mukono district have stopped landlords from admitting new tenants following the influx of commercial sex workers. According to the authorities, commercial sex workers have been flocking the trading centers since government designated the inland container depot and bonded warehouse …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dr Rebecca Nantanda, a pediatrician based at the Makerere University Lung Institute has advised that the best protection against coronavirus disease for children younger than three years is staying at home. While the government has issued a directive to have everybody wear face masks …