Bujumbura, Burundi | AFP | Burundians will vote Wednesday in a tense general election, despite a largely-ignored outbreak of coronavirus which is set to be the first major challenge for the new president. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who has been in power since 2005, shocked observers by deciding to step aside, five …
Read More »Timeline of WHO’s role in the coronavirus pandemic
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization has been at the heart of the battle against the new coronavirus since the first reported outbreak in China. As the WHO’s World Health Assembly gathers on Monday to plot the path ahead, here is a timeline covering the key moments in …
Read More »Two children die at Kapchorwa General Hospital weekly due to lack of blood
Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least two children die at Kapchorwa General Hospital in Kapchorwa district every week due to lack of blood- Uganda Radio Network has learnt. The Hospital medical superintendent, Dr. Ayubu Wangubo says the absence of blood has hit hard the health facility which is …
Read More »Burundi: poor country wracked by ethnic conflict
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The small, central African country of Burundi is one of the poorest in the world, with a history of political crises and ethnic massacres and a long civil war. Here are some key facts about the nation of 11 million people ahead of its May 20 …
Read More »China tells US to stop ‘unreasonable suppression’ of Huawei
Beijing, China | AFP | Beijing has urged the United States to stop the “unreasonable suppression of Huawei and Chinese enterprises” after Washington announced new export controls to restrict the tech giant’s access to semiconductor technology. The latest restrictions on the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer, which is at the centre of US spying allegations, are …
Read More »Klopp confident Liverpool can win title without being at their best
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool have no need to be at their “all-time best” in order to clinch a first English league title in 30 years. Premier League officials are now aiming to restart the season in mid-June, with Liverpool just two wins away from the title when the …
Read More »S.Africa’s mass testing hits limits as virus spreads
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | With an expert flick of the wrist, South African nurse Bhelekazi Mdlalose collected throat swabs from young men lining up for coronavirus testing at a run-down hostel in downtown Johannesburg. Health workers were sent to the overcrowded block of single-room flats — mainly occupied by men from rural areas …
Read More »Sudan inflation soars to 99% as food prices rise
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Inflation in Sudan jumped to 99 percent because of rising food prices, official figures showed Saturday, more than a year after the country was rocked by protests sparked by bread price hikes. The inflation rate in April shot up from 82 percent the previous month due to increased prices of …
Read More »Five Tanzanians arrested for violating COVID-19 guidelines in Rakai
Rakai, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five Tanzanian nationals have been arrested in Rakai district for sneaking into Uganda despite the closure of borders to human traffic. The borders were closed as one of the measures to control the spread of coronavirus disease. Only long distance trucks are allowed to cross, …
Read More »Gov’t ordered to pay UPDF officer UGX 46m for untaken leave
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | High Court has ordered the government to pay retired Captain Samuel Ogwal Onapa 46 million shillings for his untaken leave. In his Judgement delivered on Friday, Justice Musa Ssekaana agreed with Onapa that since joining the army in October 2001, up to his retirement in …
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