United Nations, United States | AFP | Five peacekeepers from South Africa face allegations of sexually exploiting women in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are now seeking child support, a UN spokesman said Tuesday. One of cases involves a minor who was allegedly sexually abused when the incidents took place …
Read More »‘Investments in distribution will cut electricity tariffs’
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Ziria Tibalwa Waako is the Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). The Independent’s Julius Businge attended a media training workshop on March 6 where she responded to a number of questions. How would you describe Uganda’s electricity sector at the moment? Uganda’s …
Read More »Netanyahu says African migrants worse threat than jihadists
Dimona, Israel | AFP | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that an electronic fence along the Israel-Egypt border has saved the Jewish state from jihadist attacks or what he believes would be worse — a tide of African migrants. “Were it not for the fence, we would be faced …
Read More »Twitter shares plunge on Israel warning; Facebook dives
New York, United States | AFP | Twitter shares were hammered Tuesday at midday following reports that Israel was weighing action against the company, adding to the growing woes of social media stocks. Near 1800 GMT, Twitter shares were down 12.0 percent at $30.79 following comments by Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet …
Read More »Gambia arrests Jammeh’s ex-spies over detention death
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Ten members of Gambia’s former spy agency have been detained on suspicion of murdering a political activist who led a protest during ousted strongman Yahya Jammeh’s rule, police said Tuesday. Solo Sandeng, organising secretary of the United Democratic Party, was arrested in April 2016 for fronting …
Read More »Chad public sector back to work after seven-week strike
N’Djamena, Chad | AFP | Civil servants in Chad returned to work on Tuesday after a strike over austerity measures paralysed the impoverished country’s public sector for seven weeks. Trade unions had called the strike in late January after the government slashed civil servants’ pay, and the whole public sector …
Read More »Putin, Trump want better ties, planning summit
Moscow, Russia | AFP | US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed holding a possible summit as the American leader congratulated the Russian President on his re-election. “I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory,” Trump said, two days after Putin’s re-election. …
Read More »EU Parliament invites Facebook boss to speak on data breach
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The European Parliament on Tuesday invited Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg to speak following revelations that a firm working for Donald Trump’s US presidential campaign harvested data on 50 million users. The parliament and the European Commission, the 28-nation EU executive, have already called for an urgent …
Read More »ARTS: Adventures in media, styles
The open expressions of young artists Kampala, Uganda | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | An exhibition of student’s art is bound to be interesting. Occasionally, some students defy their inexperience and produce great art. Usually, however, gaps in art creation and presentation become perfect talking points for gallery visitors and possible dampeners for …
Read More »Two blood pressure drugs that could kill you
Kampala, Uganda | HONOR WHITEMAN | High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease, a leading cause of death. A new study has found that two classes of medication that are commonly used to lower blood pressure could present a death risk all on their …
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