Washington, United States | AFP |  US lawmakers urgently negotiating a $1 trillion emergency package to salvage an economy ravaged by the coronavirus missed a Republican-imposed deadline to reach an agreement by the end of Friday. Senate Republicans were seeking a rapid deal in order to hold a final vote Monday …

New York, United States | AFP |  New York and Illinois followed California Friday in locking down to stem the coronavirus pandemic as President Donald Trump declared the United States was already “winning” the war despite a rapid rise in confirmed cases and deaths. The move effectively seals off America’s largest …

Kabarole, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese, Reuben Kisembo, has asked the government to buy airtime and space in the different media houses across the country to enable religious leaders to share spiritual messages. In his statement about the outbreak dated March 20th, Bishop Kisembo notes that …

Rome, Italy | AFP |  Hundreds of millions of people worldwide kicked off the weekend under a coronavirus lockdown, as the global death toll accelerated sharply and the World Health Organization warned young people they were “not invincible”. The pandemic has completely upended lives across the planet, sharply restricting the movement …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP |  In Egypt’s overcrowded and putrid jails, families of prisoners fear a potentially catastrophic coronavirus outbreak and are calling for their imminent release as the rest of the country hunkers down. Egypt has halted family visits to inmates at least until the end of this month citing …

Moscow, Russia | AFP |  Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted the economy can weather the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, but the two-pronged crisis is a huge challenge to his promises to reduce poverty and boost growth. Since 2016, Russia has cooperated closely with the Organization of the Petroleum …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |  African countries led by Nigeria and South Africa have ramped up action against the coronavirus after the continent recorded its first fatality. Nigeria said Thursday it would shut schools and limit religious meetings in its economic hub Lagos and capital Abuja, while South Africa, the continent’s …

Lucena del Puerto, Spain | AFP |  Inside her greenhouse, Emilia Gomez bends down to see how her strawberries are faring following a difficult season with barely any water after her farm’s illegal well was shut down. Digging an illegal well to irrigate crops is a widespread practice in Spain as …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Government has tabled a supplementary budget request of Shillings 201 billion in parliamentary approval. The money is meant to fund wage shortfalls under various central and local government votes.       David Bahati, the Minister of State for Planning tabled the request before parliament. A huge …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Government has been asked to waive off the “over-the-top” (OTT) tax, commonly known as the social media tax to ease communication and access to information during the Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak. On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, President Yoweri Museveni ordered for the closure of universities, …