Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The 3rd edition of the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat organised Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni Festival (JAMAFEST) entered day two Sunday, with the highlight being the official opening of the culural festival by Uganda Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda. The main objective of the …
Read More »Traffic jam paralyses city as Kampala Road closed
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Motorists heading to the city Saturday have been caught up in traffic for hours as it turns out Kampala Road has been sealed off for the opening day of the Jumiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni (JAMAFEST) festival. The number of motorists stuck on roads …
Read More »Merkel says Turkey must not ‘misuse’ Interpol in writer’s case
Berlin, Germany | AFP | Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday she was glad a Spanish court had ordered the conditional release of a Turkish-German writer wanted by Ankara and warned Turkey not to “misuse” Interpol to pursue its critics. “That’s not on. We must not misuse international organisations such as Interpol” …
Read More »Netanyahu slams UNESCO Hebron vote, cuts funding
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP |Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed a UNESCO vote Friday declaring old Hebron an endangered world heritage site and announced a $1-million cut in funding to the United Nations. “It is another delusional decision by UNESCO,” Netanyahu said in Hebrew, in a video posted online. “This …
Read More »China’s dog meat festival opens despite ban rumours
Yulin, China | AFP | A notorious Chinese dog meat festival opened on Wednesday with butchers hacking slabs of canines and cooks frying the flesh despite rumours that authorities would impose a ban this year. After initial reports that authorities would prohibit the meat at the summer solstice event in …
Read More »King of the Jopadhola Moses Owor says Tororo for all, calls for unity
King of the Jopadhola Moses Owor says Tororo town for all, calls for unity Tororo, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG | The King of the Jopadhola, Kwar Adhola Moses Stephen Owor, has challenged people in eastern Uganda to realize that they live in an era where ethnicity and individualism have no place in society. …
Read More »In Africa’s fashion capital, Lagos, ‘trad is swag’
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Leggy dancers in tight shorts, bottles of Moet champagne and flashy cars feature in Nigerian pop icon Wizkid’s bling-bling music videos. But the singer himself has now swapped the Versace T-shirts and low-slung jeans that show his underwear for traditional African dress — a new …
Read More »Breakdance aces head to Jinja on June 11 for Eastern Region eliminations
The Break-Fast Jam 2017 Eastern Uganda eliminations are expected to be fiercely contested, with entries expected from dance power house Kenya. “Many participants from within the eastern region, other parts of Uganda and Kenya will be at the event. We expect tough competition among the dancers, Djs, beatboxers, vocal percussionist, …
Read More »SPECIAL FEATURE: DR Congo, home to a tenth of the world’s languages
There are 450 languages spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | “I haven’t once spoken my mother tongue Kilokele in the 62 years I’ve lived in Kinshasa. None of my nine children speak it,” says Charles Tongohala. Tongohala’s native tongue is one of 450 spoken …
Read More »German MPs approve partial burqa ban, security measures
Berlin, Germany | AFP | German lawmakers on Thursday approved a partial ban on the full-face burqa Islamic veil and a package of security measures aimed at preventing extremist attacks. The new laws follow several jihadist attacks, including a truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market that claimed 12 lives, …
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