New York, United States | AFP | With concerts on hold to halt coronavirus spread, the gaming world is increasingly catering to music lovers, with artists becoming animated performers in virtual realms to the trippy delight of millions. The trend has gained momentum in recent weeks after the ultra-popular Fortnite morphed …
Read More »‘Optimism, excitement’ – Salzburg’s US coach Marsch looks forward to football returning
Paris, France | AFP | Having become the first American to coach a team in the Champions League and overseen the remarkable rise of Erling Braut Haaland, it was already an unforgettable season for Jesse Marsch before the coronavirus pandemic came along. Now the coach of Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg is …
Read More »Nigeria oil industry scrambles as price fall slams economy
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | The collapse in oil prices linked to the coronavirus crisis has seen Nigeria’s revenues from crude dry up and left Africa’s largest economy more threatened than ever by its dependence on black gold. The crude market may have rebounded in recent days to more than $30 …
Read More »US says China trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine as markets slump
Washington, United States | AFP | Chinese hackers are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research, US authorities said Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions between the superpowers as markets slumped on warnings from the US Federal Reserve that prolonged shutdowns could cause “lasting damage.” Europe, meanwhile, pushed ahead with plans to gradually reopen …
Read More »Emorimor rallies Iteso against defilement, domestic violence
Serere, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Teso Paramount Chief Emorimor Augustine Osuban has urged his subjects to desist from acts of violence against children and women. Speaking with our reporter at his home in Serere district, the Emorimor said he was saddened by the acts of violence meted on women and …
Read More »Egypt leverages ‘soft power’ through medical aid in pandemic
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | A slickly produced video from the office of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi showed crates of medical supplies — stamped in English and Arabic with the words “from the Egyptian people to the American people” — being loaded onto a military cargo plane. The dramatically scored …
Read More »Radio stations struggling to generate revenue
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in huge financial pressures on radio stations across the country with little or no revenue from advertisers, the main source of income for the broadcasters. Several businesses have come to a standstill since the lockdown which started in March. The …
Read More »13 more truck driver’s test positive for COVID-19, cases jump to 139
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The number of Uganda’s COVID-19 cases has risen to 139 after 13 truck drivers tested positive yesterday. The new cases are seven Ugandans, five Kenyans and one Eritrean who arrived from Tanzania, South Sudan and Kenya via Mutukula, Elegu and Malaba border posts. These are …
Read More »German 3D printing buffs pitch in with virus-fighting network
Darmstadt, Germany | AFP | The high-ceilinged workshop in Darmstadt is usually open to anyone — from hobbyists trying new machinery or techniques to high-tech startup workers tinkering with prototypes. During the coronavirus pandemic, it has been turned into a hub for dropping off plastic parts made at home by volunteers …
Read More »Virus-isolated silver surfers ride a new tech wave
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Before entering coronavirus lockdown with the rest of Britain in March, 73-year-old Pamela Cox had never shopped or banked online. Zoom was something you did with a camera lens. Now the retiree is one of many in her generation finding a new IT proficiency later …
Read More »