Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon’s official media watchdog on Friday said it had suspended a newspaper for three months for an article saying the country was on “autopilot” after the hospitalisation of President Ali Bongo in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. Lack of official news — along with memories …
Read More »Trump to snub Macron’s ‘Peace Forum’ on Armistice weekend
Paris, France | AFP | US President Donald Trump is set to snub a peace conference organised by French President Emmanuel Macron this weekend as part of World War I commemorations in Paris, organisers said Thursday. Trump is due in the French capital along with around 70 other leaders for …
Read More »Judge denies El Chapo-wife embrace, deems too risky
New York, United States | AFP | The US judge overseeing the New York trial of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman ruled Thursday that the notorious drug baron could not hug his beauty queen wife, as requested, just before opening statements are to begin. Guzman has been held in solitary confinement …
Read More »DR Congo troops kill 17 militia in troubled Kasai
Kananga, DR Congo | AFP | Seventeen members of an insurgent group in the central DR Congo region of Kasai were killed Wednesday and others captured in an army ambush, police said. Local police captain Desire Bidwaya said Thursday the prisoners were being held at army headquarters pending their transfer …
Read More »Google outlines steps to tackle workplace harassment
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week. “We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry …
Read More »Interpol says must accept Chinese boss resignation
Lyon, France | AFP | Interpol must accept the resignation of its Chinese boss, who is currently detained in China on charges of accepting bribes, the organisation’s number two said here Thursday. Interpol, which coordinates police work across the world, has been “strongly encouraging China to provide us with more …
Read More »JINJA ROAD: Excavation, traffic diversion Friday November 9
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of Jinja road in Kampala will be closed to motorists and traffic will be diverted to alternative routes in the next three weeks as National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) excavates and lays new pipelines. Government of Uganda is building new sewer …
Read More »Verification finds over 350,000 ghost refugees in Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government of Uganda with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has concluded a comprehensive exercise to verify the identities of all refugees and asylum-seekers in the country, using enhanced biometric tools. According to the verification figures released Thursday, the number of refugees …
Read More »Parliament starts probe into exorbitant fees in Gov’t schools
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Education and Sports committee of Parliament has started hearing a petition challenging the exorbitant fees charged in government schools. In February 2017, the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), a Civil Society Organisation – CSO petitioned Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga protesting …
Read More »Parents fear reporting school problems says Twaweza report
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Would you report problems you encounter at your child’s school? Unfortunately, many parents in Uganda would remain silent about it according to the latest finding by Twaweza. Twaweza in a research titled “Preparing the Next Generation: Ugandans’ opinions and experiences on education” says almost half …
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