#uganda news network

[mariacallous]

Enormous floods have once again engulfed much of South Sudan, as record water levels in Lake Victoria flow downstream through the Nile. More than 700,000 people have been affected. Hundreds of thousands of people there were already forced from their homes by huge floods a few years ago and were yet to return before this new threat emerged.

Now, there are concerns that these displaced communities may never be able to return to their lands. While weather extremes regularly displace whole communities in other parts of the world, this could be the first permanent mass displacement due to climate change.

In the Sudd region of South Sudan, the Nile passes through a vast network of smaller rivers, swamps, and floodplains. It’s one of the world’s largest wetlands. Flood levels vary significantly from year to year, mostly caused by fluctuations in water levels in Lake Victoria and controlled releases from the dam in Uganda where the lake empties into the Nile.

The Sudd’s unique geography means that floods there are very different than elsewhere. Most floodwater cannot freely drain back into the main channel of the White Nile, and water struggles to infiltrate the floodplain’s clay and silt soil. This means flooding persists for a long time, often only receding as the water evaporates.

People Can No Longer Cope

The communities who live in the Sudd, including the Dinka, Nuer, Anyuak, and Shilluk, are well adapted to the usual ebb and flow of seasonal flooding. Herders move their cattle to higher ground as flood waters rise, while earthen walls made of compressed mud protect houses and infrastructure. During the flooding season, fishing sustains local communities. When floods subside, crops like groundnuts, okra, pumpkins, sorghum, and other vegetables are planted.

However, the record water levels and long duration of recent flooding have stretched these indigenous coping mechanisms. The protracted state of conflict in the country has further reduced their ability to cope. Community elders who spoke to our colleagues at the medical humanitarian aid charity Médecins Sans Frontières said that fear of conflict and violence inhibited them from moving to regions of safe ground they had found during a period of major flooding in the early 1960s.

Around 2.6 million people were displaced in South Sudan between 2020 and 2022 alone, a result of both conflict and violence (1 million) and flooding (1.5 million). In practice, the two are interlinked, as flooding has caused displaced herders to come into conflict with resident farmers over land.

Stagnant floodwater also leads to a rise in water-borne infections like cholera and hepatitis E, snakebites, and vector-borne diseases like malaria. As people become malnourished, these diseases become more dangerous. Malnutrition is already a big problem, especially for the 800,000 or so people who have fled into South Sudan from Sudan following the start of a separate conflict there in April 2023.

Many people are housed in internal displacement camps like at Bentiu, where close to 100,000 people reside. Bentiu is now an island in the floodwaters, protected by embankments that require continued maintenance. As such there are concerns about the long-term future and sustainability of the camp.

The new record levels in Lake Victoria this May raised the alarm over potential unprecedented flooding in the country this year. The two and a half months it takes for floodwaters to make their way downstream to South Sudan provides an early-warning system for communities and humanitarian agencies to prepare. However, forecast models are not able to accurately predict if the embankments at camps like Bentiu will hold.

Will People Ever Return?

Evacuating the camp may be inevitable, some say, because floods seem to be getting worse, likely linked to deforestation and anthropogenic climate change. However, while there is a clear upward trend to lake levels across East Africa, including Lake Victoria, this could also be due to the way water and land is being managed, as well as changes to precipitation.

Though there have been increases in the rainfall during the region’s short rains in October, November, and December, that’s balanced out by decreases in the rainfall season between March and May.

However, climate models indicate increases in precipitation in the catchment, as well as more frequent positive phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole (a weather phenomenon similar to El Niño in the Pacific), which caused the record rainfall in 2020 and 2023. With floods taking a long time to recede, even small increases in the frequency of these positive dipole phases, and small increases in rainfall, could lead to the Sudd wetlands growing—permanently.

Decisionmakers in a country affected by conflict are used to uncertain futures, but they will also need to consider a scenario in which an irreversible expansion of the Sudd wetlands could make the displacement permanent. Where these communities could be relocated is another question entirely.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

David Zipper at Vox:

Despite a recent slowdown in US sales, global forecasts for electric vehicles remain bullish. Countries across North America, Europe, and Asia are expanding charger networks and offering EV subsidies; global EV sales are projected to nearly triple by 2030, reaching 40 million vehicles annually. The incipient wave of EV purchases raises a question: What will happen to the millions of gas-powered cars whose owners no longer want them? The likely answer: Rather than scrapping used gas vehicles or selling them domestically, rich nations will dispatch them to developing countries where limited incomes and low levels of car ownership have created eager buyers for even older, substandard models.

An influx of used gas cars would be a welcome development for those in the Global South who aspire to automobile ownership, a luxury that many in affluent countries take for granted. But it would undermine efforts to mitigate climate change, since shifting gas guzzlers from one country to another doesn’t lower global emissions. For developing countries themselves, a sharp increase in car ownership could amplify calls to build auto-reliant infrastructure, making it harder to construct the dense neighborhoods and transit networks that can foster more sustainable growth. And since these imported used cars would be fueled by gasoline, air quality would further decline in cities that are already choked with smog. The world is in an era of polycrisis, facing concurrent challenges including climate change, toxic air, and extreme inequality. Difficult trade-offs are often inevitable. Such is the case with the thorny issue of what to do with the millions of gas cars that the rich world will discard as its fleets are electrified. Electrification is a necessary goal. And it’s natural for people in the developing world to desire the same luxuries that characterize middle-class comfort in wealthier countries. The question is how to manage a transition with enormous stakes that has largely been ignored. The experts who do pay attention are growing alarmed.

[...]

How used cars move from rich nations to poor ones

Although it generates few headlines, a massive industry transports used cars across borders every day, with exporters collecting lower-quality models from dealers and wholesale auctions. Ayetor noted that colonial legacies are reflected in the trade flows: the UK, with its car cabins designed for drivers who keep to the left, tends to ship to former colonies like Kenya and Tanzania that still follow the same rules.

According to a report issued in June by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), some 3.1 million used cars were exported in 2022, up from 2.4 million in 2015. Most come from Japan, Europe, and the United States. (In the US, around 7 percent of all cars no longer in use are sent abroad. The rest end up in junkyards where their parts and materiel are sold off.) About one in three exported used vehicles is destined for Africa, followed by Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Imported models often dominate local auto sales, since international carmakers send few new vehicles to the Global South and rarely establish production facilities there. (In sub-Saharan Africa, only South Africa has local factories.) The developing world’s demand for cars is robust, in large part because comparatively few people own one. According to one 2020 estimate, the US had 860 cars for every 1,000 residents, while South Africa had 176, Morocco 112, and Nigeria just 56. Meanwhile, growing populations provide a steady supply of new potential customers. Africa is home to all of the world’s 20 fastest-growing countries, with Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, and Uganda expanding their populations by at least 3 percent per year. (For comparison, the US population is growing at a 0.67 percent rate).

[...]

The world needs a plan to adapt

The risks of aged, polluting cars sent abroad will not be borne by the Global South alone. Climate change is a planetary phenomenon; driving a gas guzzler produces the same amount of emissions in Lusaka as it would in London or Los Angeles. Reducing greenhouse gasses requires reducing total vehicle emissions, not just shifting their location. In an ideal world, electrification would enable the rich world to scrap its most decrepit gas cars. Instead, wealthy nations are likely to ship them to poorer countries, which will be left to figure out what to do when even the most MacGyver-like mechanics cannot keep them running. “All of your worst vehicles end up here,” Ayetor said. “When we want to get rid of the vehicle, what do we do?” No wealthy nations currently screen exported vehicles to weed out those that flunk basic quality tests, Kopf said. But that may soon change. The European Union is now considering new regulations that would prohibit exporting “end of life” vehicles, requiring that cars shipped abroad obtain a certificate confirming their roadworthiness. Its adoption would be a “game-changer,” according to UNEP’s Akumu. (She and Kopf said they know of no comparable proposals under consideration in North America.)

With the increase of electric vehicles in the developed countries, used gas-fueled cars are headed to a developing country (aka the Global South) at increasing rates.

[dertaglichedan]

The writer said he was an identity thief — a ring leader on the dark web, with a network of “worms” placed throughout the United States.

In an email to The New York Times, he said his ring preyed on the dead, the unsuspecting and the elderly, especially those from Florida and California, using birth certificates and other documents to discover personal information that aided in their schemes.

“We figure out how to steal,” he said. “That’s what we do.”

Recently, the writer suggested, the group had turned its attention to a major target: the estate of Lisa Marie Presley, which last week faced a threat that Graceland was about to be foreclosed on and sold by a mysterious company, Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC.

Media outlets often receive unsolicited emails from people who make outlandish claims. But this email arrived Friday in response to one sent by The Times to an email address that Naussany listed in a legal filing sent to a Tennessee court reviewing the foreclosure case.

In its email, The Times referred to the company’s claim that Ms. Presley had borrowed $3.8 million from it, using Graceland as collateral. In the responses, which came from the email address The Times had written to, the writer described the foreclosure effort not as a legitimate attempt to collect on a debt, but as a scam.

“I had fun figuring this one out and it didn’t succeed very well,” the email writer said. He said he was based in Nigeria and his email was written in Luganda, a Bantu language spoken in Uganda. But the filing with the email address was faxed from a toll-free number designed to serve North America; it was included in documents sent to the Chancery Court in Shelby County, Tenn., where the foreclosure case is still pending

[maaarine]

Bibliography: articles posted on this blog in 2023

Posted in January

To grasp how serotonin works on the brain, look to the gut (James M Shine, Psyche, Jan 03 2023)

Thousands of records shattered in historic winter warm spell in Europe (Ian Livingston, The Washington Post, Jan 02 2023)

“Il faut que tu sois belle maintenant” : en Égypte, des femmes libérées du voile restent prisonnières des diktats (Aliaa Talaat, Al-Manassa via Courrier International, 20 nov 2022)

Mystery of why Roman buildings have survived so long has been unraveled, scientists say (Katie Hunt, CNN, Jan 06 2023)

Colombia’s surrogacy market: Buying a baby for $4,000 (Lucía Franco, El País, Jan 04 2023)

How to spot an eating disorder (Phillip Aouad & Sarah Maguire, Psyche, Jan 11 2023)

UAE sparks furious backlash by appointing Abu Dhabi oil chief as president of COP28 climate summit (Sam Meredith, CNBC, Jan 12 2023)

Don’t tell me that David Carrick’s crimes were ‘unbelievable’. The problem is victims aren’t believed (Marina Hyde, The Guardian, Jan 17 2023)

Baromètre Sexisme 2023 : "La situation est alarmante", estime le Haut Conseil à l'Égalité (Juliette Geay, Radio France, 23 janvier 2023)

—

Posted in February

Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws (NPR, Feb 16 2023)

Are Men the Overlooked Reason for the Fertility Decline? (Jessica Grose, The New York Times, Feb 15 2023)

American teenage girls are experiencing high levels of emotional distress. Why? (Moira Donegan, The Guardian, Feb 16 2023)

Figures that lay bare the shocking scale of toxic influencer Andrew Tate’s reach among young men (Maya Oppenheim, The Independent, Feb 17 2023)

Why psychological research on child sex offenders is important (Meetali Devgun, Psyche, Feb 22 2023)

Derrière les chiffres des féminicides, des visages et un continuum de violences contre les femmes (Fanny Declercq, Le Soir, 27 fév 2023)

—

Posted in March

English is not normal (John McWhorter, Aeon, Nov 13 2015)

Are Iranian schoolgirls being poisoned by toxic gas? (BBC News, March 03 2023)

‘Why do we need a supermodel?’: Backlash after Fifa makes Adriana Lima Women’s World Cup ambassador (Henry Belot, The Guardian, March 02 2023)

New Human Metabolism Research Upends Conventional Wisdom about How We Burn Calories (Herman Pontzer, Scientific American, Jan 01 2023)

Polish woman found guilty of aiding an abortion in landmark trial (Harriet Barber, The Telegraph, March 14 2023)

How Diet Builds Better Bones: Surprising Findings on Vitamin D, Coffee, and More (Claudia Wallis, Scientific American, Jan 01 2023)

Met police found to be institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic (Vikram Dodd, The Guardian, March 21 2023)

Chinese Dating App Does the Swiping for Singles to Find Love (Nikki Main, Gizmodo, March 21 2023)

Aphantasia can be a gift to philosophers and critics like me (Mette Leonard Høeg, Psyche, March 20 2023)

—

Posted in April

Facts Don’t Change Minds – Social Networks, Group Dialogue, and Stories Do (Anne Toomey, The LSE Impact Blog, Jan 24 2023)

Uganda’s failure to jail child rapists as teen pregnancies soar (Tamasin Ford, BBC News, April 17 2023)

Italy risks ‘ethnic replacement’ because of low birth rate and high immigration, says minister (Nick Squires, The Telegraph, April 19 2023)

Putin, Trump, Ukraine: how Timothy Snyder became the leading interpreter of our dark times (Robert P Baird, The Guardian, March 30 2023)

India overtakes China to become world’s most populous country (Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian, April 24 2023)

—

Posted in May

Des crèches ferment toutes les semaines, « et ce n’est pas près de s’arrêter » (Le Soir, 5 mai 2023)

People in comas showed ‘conscious-like’ brain activity as they died, study says (Hannah Devlin, The Guardian, May 01 2023)

Chinese woman appeals in battle for right to freeze her eggs (The Guardian, May 09 2023)

Women CEOs: Why companies in crisis hire minorities - and then fire them (The Guardian, DG McCullough, Aug 08 2014)

Glass cliffs: firms appoint female executives in times of crisis as a signal of change to investors (Max Reinwald and Johannes Zaia and Florian Kunze, LSE Business Review, Aug 19 2022)

—

Posted in June

Afghan women in mental health crisis over bleak future (Yogita Limaye, BBC News, June 05 2023)

Support Of Amber Heard Alongside French Feminists & Cinema Figures (Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, June 05 2023)

Why is Japan redefining rape? (Tessa Wong & Sakiko Shiraishi, BBC News, June 07 2023)

Catching the men who sell subway groping videos (Zhaoyin Feng & Aliaume Leroy & Shanshan Chen, BBC News, June 08 2023)

Netherlands to provide free sun cream to tackle record skin cancer levels (Kate Connolly, The Guardian, June 12 2023)

The Cause of Depression Is Probably Not What You Think (Joanna Thompson, Quanta Magazine, Jan 26 2023)

—

Posted in July

‘Farsighted impulsivity’ and the new psychology of self-control (Adam Bulley, Psyche, Feb 03 2021)

Can a perfectionist personality put you at risk of migraines? (Shayla Love, Psyche, July 25 2023)

—

Posted in August

How Loneliness Reshapes the Brain (Marta Zaraska, Quanta Magazine, Feb 28 2023)

Why religious belief provides a real buffer against suicide risk (David H Rosmarin, Psyche, Aug 07 2023)

—

Posted in September

What Are Dreams For? (Amanda Gefter, The New Yorker, Aug 31 2023)

Rape Cases Seize Italy’s Attention and Expose Cultural Rifts (Gaia Pianigiani, The New York Times, Sep 03 2023)

Councils in England in crisis as Birmingham ‘declares itself bankrupt’ (Heather Stewart and Jessica Murray, The Guardian, Sep 05 2023)

Nearly one in three female NHS surgeons have been sexually assaulted, survey suggests (Jamie Grierson, The Guardian, Sep 12 2023)

Domination and Objectification: Men’s Motivation for Dominance Over Women Affects Their Tendency to Sexually Objectify Women (Orly Bareket and Nurit Shnabel, Sep 09 2019)

In Spain, dozens of girls are reporting AI-generated nude photos of them being circulated at school: ‘My heart skipped a beat’ (Manuel Viejo, El País, Sep 18 2023)

When the human tendency to detect patterns goes too far (Shayla Love, Psyche, Sep 19 2023)

—

Posted in October

My Brain Doesn’t Picture Things (Marco Giancotti, Nautilus, Oct 04 2023)

“Inverse vaccine” shows potential to treat multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases (Sarah C.P. Williams, The University of Chicago, Sep 11 2023)

Poland election: exit polls point to Law and Justice defeat as Tusk hails ‘rebirth’ (Shaun Walker, The Guardian, Oct 16 2023)

—

Posted in November

What I have learned from my suicidal patients (Gavin Francis, The Guardian, Nov 22 2019)

Did natural selection make the Dutch the tallest people on the planet? (Martin Enserink, Science, Apr 07 2015)

Tumblr Is Always Dying (Elizabeth Minkel, Wired, Nov 14 2023)

How accurate is the new Napoleon film? Sorting fact from fiction (Andrew Roberts, The Sunday Times, Nov 19 2023)

Far-right party set to win most seats in Dutch elections, exit polls show (Jon Henley and Pjotr Sauer and Senay Boztas, The Guardian, Nov 22 2023)

Climate change: Rise in Google searches around ‘anxiety’ (Lucy Gilder, BBC, Nov 22 2023)

—

Posted in December

The sexual assault of sleeping women: the hidden, horrifying rape crisis in our bedrooms (Anna Moore, The Guardian, June 15 2021)

Afghanistan: Taliban sends abused women to prison - UN (Nicholas Yong, BBC News, Dec 15 2023)

Longitudinal Associations Between Parenting and Child Big Five Personality Traits (University of California Press, Nov 18 2021)

Scientists Pinpoint Cause of Severe Morning Sickness (Azeen Ghorayshi, The New York Times, Dec 13 2023)

[notwiselybuttoowell]

“We are here to break male dominance in the field of birding,” says Judith Mirembe, the chair of the Uganda Women Birders Club, as the group reaches the botanical gardens on a day where the weather cannot decide between light rain and sunshine.

Mirembe, in the check shirt, with other female birders, using their phones to find out details about a bird they’ve spotted.

“There are very few female birders in Uganda. The tourism industry in general is yet to fully appreciate women,” she adds.

Two dozen women follow Mirembe in silence, hoping to spot a “lifer” – a bird on their wishlist. “Everyone has a different lifer,” says Linda Nakalema, one of the club’s 80 members. “We see the red-chested cuckoo all the time in Uganda but people from South Africa are very excited when they see it because it only migrates there seasonally. It is their lifer. For others it is the marabou stork that we see scavenging through our rubbish every day. It looks so elegant when it flies.”

Tour companies describe Uganda as a paradise for birdwatchers. About 50% of Africa’s bird species, and 11% of the world’s, are found here. Uganda has the highest concentration of birds in Africa. The country’s birders have an ambitious target of bringing in an annual $700m in tourist revenue by 2030. In 2019, tourism in Uganda generated about $1.37bn, about 3.6% of total GDP.

Mirembe believes that female birders are entitled to a share of these earnings. At the International Conference for Women Birders the club hosted in Uganda earlier this month, female enthusiasts from all over the world met to discuss their unique challenges and discuss how, together, they can bring more money to women in the sector.

“Birding is expensive and many Ugandan women are struggling to meet costs such as buying binoculars, telescopes and cameras to record and share the birds they sight with other people,” she says, adding that cultural expectations of women as caregivers mean their spouses may not let them go for week-long birdwatching tours. “This is our reality. Even tourist operators do not take women seriously and we know that we must work twice as hard as men to get the same respect.”

Members of Uganda’s Women Birders Club, which started in 2013, meet in Entebbe every Sunday. It is a training ground and a support network. Many of the women already have careers in tourism and wildlife. Others join to make new friends and learn.

After the satisfaction of spending hours looking for birds and the joy that reverberates through the group when someone sights, accurately names and describes a bird, the women sit down for lunch in a restaurant. Over smoked beef and matooke (mashed green bananas), they speak of a time when birding could be a hazardous pursuit for women.

People would see women with binoculars, accuse them of trying to steal land and beat them up. Others could be hostile to the women because they wore trousers – a taboo in some Ugandan cultures. They recall tour operators who would send them to the field with drivers who’d sexually harass them and tourist accommodation where the women would be put in a shared room with men.

Miremebe watches the younger enthusiasts with pride as she tells them how Uganda was the first country in Africa to start a female birders’ club, and how there are now similar associations in Rwanda and Kenya.

“We must not let fear hold us back from opportunity. We need to keep it going against all odds,” is Mirembe’s farewell cry, as the women leave the restaurant and head back into Entebbe alongside the tired beachgoers and weary market-sellers.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Tonight (May 30) at 6:30PM, I’m at the NOTTINGHAM Waterstones with my novel Red Team Blues, hosted by Christian Reilly (MMT Podcast).

Tomorrow (May 31) at 6:30PM, I’m at the MANCHESTER Waterstones, hosted by Ian Forrester.

Then it’s London, Edinburgh, and Berlin!

#20yrsago Everquest social networks need the Mafia https://web.archive.org/web/20030301000000*/http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/dac/papers/Jakobsson.pdf

#20yrsago Streisand suing environmentalists over California Coastline project https://www.californiacoastline.org/streisand/lawsuit.html

#15yrsago English nurseries fingerprinting parents “for security” https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7430709.stm

#15yrsago Happy First Sale day! https://everybodyslibraries.com/2008/06/01/100-years-of-the-first-sale-doctrine/

#10yrsago Coloring the Haunted Mansion https://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blogspot.com/2013/06/stroll-around-grounds-until-you-feel-at.html

#10yrsago What is the social media style of protest? https://technosociology.org/?p=1255

#10yrsago Turkish Spring: Taksim Gezi Park protests in Istanbul https://occupygezipics.tumblr.com/post/51867772932/people-chanting-off-with-the-government-as-they

#10yrsago Mouldering city built of bread is a metaphor for Earth without humans https://web.archive.org/web/20130728143258/http://www.adesignaward.com/design.php?ID=28463

#5yrsago Leaks show that Google expected its modest AI-for-drones business to expand exponentially https://theintercept.com/2018/05/31/google-leaked-emails-drone-ai-pentagon-lucrative/

#5yrsago Vermont offers remote workers a $10,000 subsidy to relocate to the state https://qz.com/work/1289727/vermont-will-pay-you-10000-to-move-there-and-work-remotely

#5yrsago Oregon employers warn that the state has run out of workers who can pass a drug test https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/05/30/oregon-is-running-out-of-workers-who-can-pass-a-drug-test/

#5yrsago Customs stole a US citizen’s life savings when he boarded a domestic flight, now he’s suing to get it back https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/31/a-64-year-old-put-his-life-savings-in-his-carry-on-u-s-customs-took-it-without-charging-him-with-a-crime/

#5yrsago The most interesting thing about the “Thanksgiving Effect” study is what it tells us about the limits of data anonymization https://www.wired.com/story/the-thanksgiving-effect-and-the-power-of-phone-data/

#5yrsago Uganda’s unenforceable social media tax is augmented by a biometric requirement for SIM card purchases https://globalvoices.org/2018/06/01/netizen-report-ugandas-whatsapp-tax-and-sim-card-regulations-will-make-it-harder-to-stay-connected/

#5yrsago Vanuatu will use drones to deliver vaccines across its remote chain of tiny islands https://spectrum.ieee.org/drone-delivery-becomes-a-reality-in-remote-pacific-islands

#5yrsago Spain’s austerity-loving, authoritarian Prime Minister loses no-confidence vote and is replaced by a socialist https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spain-government-collapse-no-confidence-vote-mariano-rajoy-a8378586.html

#5yrsago At ex-CIA panelist’s insistence, Oxford Union reneges on promise to upload video of whistleblowing debate https://www.dailypublic.com/articles/05312018/irony-oxford-union-wont-release-video-whistleblowing-panel

#1yrago Inflation is caused by too little capacity: Not too much money https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/01/factories-to-condos-pipeline/#stuff-not-money

Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Nottingham, Manchester, London, and Berlin!

[mbijigohruthblog-blog]

Social Media’s Role in Youths Quest for Change.

The world evolves with time and many things witness a rapid or gradual swift. One of these areas that have undergone great change is that of communication. Being the vehicle of information for ages, it has undergone a lot of metamorphosis. Traditional means of communication have given birth to modern ways. In the past, communication though effective was not as smooth as it is today and this is because the world has embraced new, effective and efficient means of communication. We have examples like mails, emails, cell phones, computers, smart phones and online collaboration. All these cited means embody what is known today as the social media- the ways of interactions amongst people through the creation and sharing or exchange of information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. As examples of the social media here include Facebook, WhatsApp,  YouTube ,Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin , Tiktok, etc . It is the fastest and reliable and though an exigency for all is in the active hands of youths. Unlike in the past where youths were axed to silence through the unaccommodating means of exchange , today, the social media have come to give them the voice and they space they had been clamoring for.  It is believed that 75 percent of young people have one functional social media profile and 51 percent visit the social media daily which is partly because of their mastery of communication tool and the role the social media plays in modern day lives .This paper tries to x-ray the current place of the social media and its use as a weapon by the youths to have their voices heard and an attempt to change the narratives and perspectives. It is an opportunity to see how the social media has given to the youth, their voices to make their choices and be part of the national and international debates.

To begin with, the social media is a home for youths to share their worries which they do through advocacy and social media activism. Youths have been able to use these to raise awareness about their problems, stand as a common group to spur social change .They have succeeded to contribute their own quota to social change and a lot of issues in life. Youths have been able to be engaged in politics through the use of the social media and one can quote examples of Bobi Wine of Uganda, Kah Wallah of Cameroon and the Obedient movement in Nigeria that stood firmly behind presidential hopeful Peter Obi and are still deploring the poor conduct of the elections .Youths to denounce these ills use Hashtags  on social media handles like Instagram , Facebook ot Twitter  to express their anger and disappointment . Some examples used were that to raise awareness about the climate chahge, mental health, corruption, electoral malpractices,GBV ,  EndSARS in Nigeria etc.

In addition, the rise of the social media has given birth to new professions which are predominantly manned by youths and they have used it to jealously project their issues and even propose solutions. An example is the case of the recent FIFA world cup in Qatar where social media influencers were used to market and showcase the potentials of the host nations. This is the reason why some influencers like Cabrel Nanjip, Hoga le Pichchi, Tenor and Queen Eteme were selected from Cameroon to visit the host country, and sell the potentials of the country and of Cameroon. Their mission was to take the competition to their generation and talking about influencers, we can note that it is a newfound job handled by youths. It talks about current issues and brings general issues to the table for discussion.  like their names stipulates, they are a reference and models to youths and that explains why they can be able to rally youths and try to  brief them on the societal anomalies that they witness. Their ways of handling information are gradually replacing mainstream journalism , their closeness to the masses makes them their choice as they in most cases are agents of change . Examples of such influencers include Boitumelo Thulo,Khaby Lame,

When the Anglophone crises in Cameroon got the point that the government was arresting members of the Consortium that was manning the grievances of Anglophones, power was quickly transferred abroad. It was handled by two youths, Tapang Ivo and Mark Baretta who continued to share the aspirations of the people by directing the Anglophone crises popularly known as the struggle through the use of the social media especially Facebook and Twitter to expose the grievances of the people of the English part of Cameroon.  Given that they were far away from home, their power was only exercised through the social media. They directed and animated the struggle from a distance through daily updates on the issues on the ground and through circulars that they released online. We can conclude that they succeeded to mobilize their audience.

Still about the Anglophone crises, unlike in the past where some hideous crimes went unnoticed, the social media became the police of the people. A typical example is that killing of school children of the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy in Kumba by unidentified gun men . The drastic reaction from youths especially using  the #EndAnglopheCrisis- Cameroon hashtag  brought to the knowledge of many about the existence of the current crisis in that nation. The Norwegian Refugee Council saw it as the most ignored crisis in the world but the mobilization of the youths gave it the desired attention.

In 2020, protesters in the streets of Liberia forced their president – George Weah to succumb to their demands and put in place measures that can curb violence against women. This was triggered by a boy of 19 who is said to have mutilated the genitals of a three year old and was planning to rape her and the waves of rape cases recorded by the country since 2015.Given the power of the social media, the president can be held responsible if he fails to implement the promised measures and in that case, only an online hashtag can bring him to order.

Young women in South Africa protested in2019 against gender based violence by marching in the streets and later storming social media with a call for an end to their woes ad later marched in front of parliament urging the president to put in place a budget and a team to handle the crises, the same case occurred in Namibia when young women shared pictures  of  their October demonstration against  GBV and femicide .  Youths rose in joy when president Mugabe of Zimbabwe resigned and prayed for a new nation with the new president but three years later, were compelled to protest against the violation of human rights and the press censorship. Most of the protests were done on social media for fear of being tracked down by the regime. Thus, we can see that the social media being a tool for change is an escape road for the youths who may not use the streets but the tweets that can save many lives.

The church has not been left out of this situation because many youths now use the social media as a tool to share the gospel .The gospel through preaching is used online and messages shared through platforms by youths to other youths. The case in point is that of the passion of Christ that was celebrated last week where youths used videos from the theatric representation of the suffering of Christ to share on social media. We also have the case of young Pastor Korede Komaiya who makes a lot of money from YouTube and that is been done through preaching and evangelism. This is a clear indication that the youths use the social media for very divergent reasons and that it is an effective tool for exchanges and contact.

The social media appears to be a sharp blade in the hands of youths ready to fall any tree standing on their way. As it is now possible to use a phone to effect change, one is certain that as technology is evolving, youths being the core of it will be at the centre of any decision made to affect their destiny. The social media far from being a good tool has also been wrongly used by many youths. This has resulted in many negative acts like cyber criminality, sexual harassment and scamming. Therefore a better use of the social media by all youths can be the beginning of a new dawn especially in Africa .

[beardedmrbean]

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) — Authorities in Vermont say Ugandan activist who fled his home country after he says he was repeatedly tortured for his human rights work and would fear for his life if he was deported can stay another year.

Steven Tendo, a 37-year-old pastor, was granted a one-year stay on deportation or removal on Tuesday. After a meeting at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office in northern Vermont, he thanked the two dozen advocates and friends who gathered outside the building to show their support. The newspaper VTDigger first reported on his case from Vermont.

“You mobilized, you spoke on my behalf, you poured out your hearts,” Tendo said to the small crowd. “I mean, I can't express how I feel but I am so happy and I promise I am going to be a very successful Vermonter."

In Uganda, Tendo started the nonprofit Eternal Life Organization International Ministries, that he says, among other things, helped youths to vote, incarcerated youths and those calling for reforms to express themselves in a legal and organized manner. The Ugandan government eventually saw the organization as a threat and targeted him, he said. Starting in 2012 he says he was repeatedly tortured and that government operatives severed the tips of two of his finger. He was arrested multiple times on trumped up charges but never convicted, he said.

Emails were sent to the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Washington, D.C., seeking comment.

Uganda's human rights environment has declined markedly over the past year, according to the 2022 World Report from Human Rights Watch. In the spring of 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the election in which longtime President Yoweri Museveni won a sixth term “was neither free nor fair." In announcing some visa restrictions, Blinken said “opposition candidates were routinely harassed, arrested, and held illegally without charge. Ugandan security forces were responsible for the deaths and injuries of dozens of innocent bystanders and opposition supporters.”

Tendo fled Uganda and in late 2018 sought asylum in the United States and protection under the Convention Against Torture. For a little over two years, he was detained at the Port Isabel Service Processing Center in Texas where a judge did not find him credible and denied him asylum. During his detention — which Tendo said was worse than the torture he endured in Uganda — his health declined. He said he was denied a diet to manage his diabetes, was not allowed to check his sugar levels and he became blind because of his uncontrolled sugar levels.

In August of 2020, 44 members of Congress wrote a letter to the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security urgently requesting that Tendo's deportation be halted and that he be released for “life-threatening medical reasons.” Amnesty International and other organizations also called for his release, which happened in February of 2021. An email was sent to ICE seeking comment.

After his release, Tendo was invited by the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network to live in Vermont, where he now works at the DREAM Program Inc., a nonprofit that helps youth, and he has a separate night job. He had an operation to correct the vision in one eye.

DREAM Program founder Michael Foote described Tendo as “fantastic," as he stood with others outside the immigration office on Tuesday to support him.

“He exudes charisma, and leadership and so he’s been a real asset on the fundraising side, which is where he is focused, but also an important bridge to the new American community in the Chittenden County area,” he said.

Dian Kahn, a member of the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network, who helped Tendo for about nine months when he first arrived in Vermont, also stood outside the building.

“Steven is a brilliant, caring, very special person that really wants to bring community good and in Vermont those are our values here for a lot of us,” she said.

State officials have also taken on his cause. In November, Vermont's congressional delegation and Lieutenant Gov. Molly Walsh wrote letters to acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking her to “exercise prosecutorial discretion in Mr. Tendo’s case." Amnesty International also sent a letter saying his “removal would constitute a grave injustice and a clear breach of U.S. obligations not to return a person to possible persecution or torture.”

Tendo appealed the judge’s decision denying his asylum to the Board of Immigration Appeals and was denied, then lost his appeal for a review of that decision in federal court. He says he plans to talk with lawyers about what to do next. He is intensively grateful for all the support and says he loves Vermont and being a Vermonter.

“I have a passion to help people in need and become a solution,” he said.

[sa7abnews]

WHO declares new public health emergency

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/who-declares-new-public-health-emergency/

WHO declares new public health emergency

A surge in monkeypox infections in Africa has triggered vaccine efforts

The World Health Organization has designated the surge in monkeypox virus infections in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and urged a vaccination campaign. The virus has long been endemic in central Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When it first began spreading in late 2022, the WHO declared an emergency – and renamed the disease mpox, to avoid “stigma.” “On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. Tedros made the announcement after the WHO emergency committee decided the surge in infections had the potential to spread across Africa and possibly outside the continent. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already declared a health emergency, citing the spread of the virus to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Read more

Africa declares public health emergency

According to the WHO, more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported so far this year, more than the total for the whole of last year. The virus “appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks,” Dr. Tedros said, describing the development as “especially concerning.” The WHO has long designated gay men as a key demographic affected by the virus. “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency not only for Africa, but for the entire globe,” WHO Emergency Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said on Wednesday. “Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself,” Ogoina added. The WHO has recommended using two of the vaccines approved by national regulators and initiated emergency use procedures allowing countries that have yet to approve the shots to use them.

Read more

WHO to rename monkeypox – media

Dr. Tedros has estimated the initial cost of the regional response plan to stop the spread of the virus at $15 million. The WHO has already released $1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, with plans to disburse more in the coming days. The disease is primarily transmitted through skin and mucosal contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Symptoms include an acute rash, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and body aches, high fever, and headaches. The virus was first detected in macaque monkeys in the late 1950s, leading to its original designation. The WHO registered the first human case in 1970 in Zaire, now known as DR Congo.

[mariacallous]

Uganda’s parliament is set to debate a new anti-gay bill next week, as the country’s president called for a “medical opinion” on the deviancy of homosexuals. The bill, besides criminalizing homosexuality, also criminalizes the “promotion” and “abetting” of homosexuality and follows a January parliamentary investigation into an alleged promotion of homosexuality in schools. It’s no surprise, given how rampant anti-gay sentiment is in the country.

In September, I came across a video that was going viral on Twitter in Uganda. In the video, 26-year-old Elisha Mukisa, who is reported to have been previously imprisoned on defilement charges, speaks for a little over eight minutes detailing how he was lured as a minor into acting in gay porn by Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)—a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in Kampala working to support and defend LGBTQ+ persons in the country.

The video caught my attention for several reasons. The first was the anti-gay rhetoric it catalyzed in the following days and the corresponding moral panic. In the ensuing conversation on social media, SMUG was defined as a threat to children that parents had to watch out for. One Twitter user, @Ashernamanya, wrote: “Uganda must be for God Almighty not for Bum lickers the Gays. SMUG an NGO is recruiting young children into Homosexuality and acting the gay. They need to be arrested.”

The previous month, the Ugandan government had shut down the organization. The country’s NGO board released a statement after the announcement, claiming that SMUG’s registration was rejected for being “undesirable.” Mukisa alleged in this video that the shutdown was because of evidence he had provided to the NGO board.

The second reason the video kindled my interest was that it added to the growing list of instances of mass media being weaponized in Uganda to propagate the “ex-gay” narrative, in which a person claims to have been “lured” and “recruited” into homosexuality. It was also organized by the Family Life Network’s Stephen Langa, who in March 2009 put together a similar seminar called “Exposing the Homosexuals’ Agenda.” The language and presentation of luring and recruitment (as though it were a job listing) were not, in fact, novel to my ears, and it is a phenomenon I have seen across African news media.

It has deep links to white evangelical Christianity and is an export of a made-in-the-USA movement and ideology that is polarizing African countries and harming and endangering LGBTQ+ people.

While it looked innovative, it was not the first time such a press conference was creatively planned to spark panic and parade out a person claiming to be ex-gay. It was also not peculiar to Uganda; it is a method that was and continues to be used in both puritanical and evangelical Christianity in countries from Ghana to Kenya and Nigeria.

From the days of European colonialism, when sodomy warranted the death penalty, the church has been the face of the anti-LGBTQ+ movement and has deployed language and framing consistent with present-day ex-gay movements.

The rhetoric relies on a “prodigal son” framing that checks out with the Bible, in which gay people are only valid as long as they turn away from their sexuality. (In the Bible story, the prodigal son’s welcome was contingent on his return in the same way the evangelical church would only welcome gay people on account of their conversion.)

When the pro-conversion therapy Christian group Exodus International put Yvette Cantu Schneider and other ex-gay spokespeople on TV in the 2000s to talk about being formerly gay, it was because of such beliefs. Schneider herself wrote on Instagram that a straight white male leadership team handpicked her. (Exodus International ceased operating in 2013.)

The post reads in part: “They were looking for a spokesperson who had been gay. And I was told, ‘you’re gonna be great because you’re young, you have the Hispanic last name, and you don’t look gay.’”

This same belief seemed to spawn the Mukisa video, the homosexual recruitment press conference, and other such events. The prodigal son parable has propped up the ex-gay movement in Uganda, ensuring there are open arms to gay people who can speak about previously being in that life of “sin” and denounce their gayness publicly. It seems that as the ex-gay movement lost its grip in the United States, it started to reach for relevance elsewhere.

In 2009, George Oundo, whom news reports described as a former trans woman and LGBT activist, went on a media tirade in Uganda on how they got initiated into homosexuality at 12 years old. Oundo said in a TV interview that they “recruited many, many boys in Jinja”—a town in southeast Uganda. They also published a book titled My Long Journey to Victory: Bound by the Chains of Homosexuality.

In 2018, Val Kalende, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who even went on a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour in 2010 for her activism, went on TV during a church service to renounce lesbianism. Kalende in 2022 wrote an op-ed titled “Unchanged: A lesbian Christian’s journey through ‘ex-gay’ life,” in which she apologized to Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community for her renunciation.

The church has been involved in manufacturing and sustaining the ex-gay framework in more than subtle and metaphorical ways. Evangelical preachers have traveled across Africa, verbalizing this harmful language.

In the early 2000s, American evangelical Scott Lively was part of a series of anti-gay events that culminated in Uganda’s 2009 “Kill the gays” bill, which called for the death penalty for what it described as “aggravated homosexuality.” Lively had written books such as The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party and Seven Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child against what he described as “pro-homosexual indoctrination.” The bill—which Lively opposed as too harsh—was introduced after Lively spoke at the March 2009 conference organized by Langa that hosted U.S. representatives of the ex-gay movement.

On that same trip and speaking at the same conference as Lively were evangelicals Caleb Lee Brundidge, who said he was formerly gay, and Exodus International board member Don Schmierer. Schmierer spoke on a lack of good upbringing as a cause of homosexuality and was quoted as saying that 56 percent of homosexuals experienced abuse as children, which turned them into homosexuals.

Following that conference, Lively also spoke to the Ugandan Parliament, where he framed homosexuality as a Western import intending to spread “the disease” to children.

This recasting of homosexuality as akin to pedophilia, alongside the widespread use of similar language, is meant to legitimize the response and crackdown by governments and institutions. If gay people are not successfully framed as predators, then extreme measures against them could be questioned. However, the violence that LGBTQ+ people experience in Africa has been justified by these anti-gay groups through the construction of a narrative of intent by “them” to target children.

That same rhetoric drawing connections between homosexuality and pedophilia has remained largely unchanged from how evangelicals created panic around gay people in the early days of the anti-gay movement. In a 1981 letter, U.S. preacher Jerry Falwell described gay people as out to “recruit,” saying “many of them are out after my children and your children” and that they “must not be recruited to a profane lifestyle.” Falwell also added that gay people threatened families because they didn’t reproduce.

It is similar to the rhetoric of individuals such as Peter LaBarbera, who in 2007 falsely claimed that there was “a disproportionate incidence of pedophilia” among gay men.

These comments on recruitment, destruction, and being a threat to families now cloud much of the discourse around homosexuality in several African countries. They were present in the Mukisa press conference, are currently in use as Ghana’s Parliament debates a draconian anti-gay bill, and continue to swirl across the anti-LGBTQ+ movement on the continent. In an African context, visits and speeches from prominent Americans such as Lively and Falwell have the effect of legitimizing homophobia; their straight white male identities crown it with credibility.

I do not mean to exonerate Uganda, Ghana, or other African countries of homophobia or suggest that they are incapable of it without external backing. They are.

Even though LGBTQ+ identities had existed in Africa since before colonialism, their existence was not always welcomed and tolerated. For instance, while homosexuality to the Zande people in South Sudan was indigenous and commonplace, they were harsher on women; lesbianism was considered witchcraft and could even warrant execution.

Abrahamic religions have exacerbated homophobia, and it might have become prevalent on the continent without U.S. evangelical backing. This trend is clearest in Senegal, a majority-Muslim country, where the capital, Dakar, used to be considered Africa’s “gay capital” but is now experiencing rising homophobia. Just last year, protesters lined the streets of Dakar demanding stricter laws and longer prison sentences for gay people in the country.

However, claiming that homosexuality is uniquely Western offers the United States’ ex-gay movement the opportunity to present itself as being on the right side of history, as being close to the sources of “moral decadence” but still resisting it. For Ugandan and African homophobes, the reverse is the case. It gives them a premise for absolution—an anticolonial veneer that allows them to say, “This was brought here from abroad, and we need to eradicate it.”

Proponents of ex-gay and anti-gay philosophies depend on the permanence of gay people for their message to be relevant. They require an enemy for their fight to be valid, and they go to great lengths to construct this enemy as a well-funded and all-powerful foreign movement while falsely presenting the local anti-gay movement as a grassroots underdog, despite its heavy reliance on U.S. evangelicals for publicity.

[macromoulokabir]

The Impact of Cryptocurrency on Remittance Services

Remittances are a $540 billion industry that is a vital lifeline for people living abroad, especially in low- and middle-income countries. But the process is fraught with painful pain points like high fees, sluggish transactions, and lack of transparency. This is particularly true for those with limited access to banking services, which can make international transfers costly and time-consuming. Luckily, blockchain-backed cryptocurrencies are emerging as the technology that could reform money transfers and reduce these barriers to financial inclusion.

Cryptocurrency-powered remittance platforms like Leaf Global Fintech and Ripple offer low-cost, instantaneous international transfers with minimal friction. In addition, their crypto-enabled mobile wallets tech ogle allow them to reach a large segment of the population that has no access to traditional banking. This segment is often referred to as the “unbanked,” and is mostly comprised of women, the poorer demographic, and those in rural areas.

The technology behind cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum allows them to facilitate cross-border payments without the need for an intermediary. This is a major win for the unbanked and underbanked who have historically faced high costs, long wait times, and opaqueness when it comes to their international transfers. But, even with its benefits, crypto remittances face obstacles like market volatility, regulatory pressures, and lack of public familiarity.

In a typical remittance payment, the sender in the origin country pays local currency to a money transfer operator (MTO) in the destination country, which then delivers the funds to the recipient, who can cash them out in the local currency. This is a lengthy and expensive process for both the MTO and the recipient, with most MTOs charging exorbitant rates for their service.

With a crypto-enabled mobile technology news wallet, however, all that is needed for a user to conduct an international transfer is a smartphone or feature phone and internet connectivity. This significantly cuts down on transaction costs and delivery times, making the service more affordable for consumers and boosting financial inclusion.

Furthermore, crypto-enabled remittance services can integrate with existing mobile phone networks in the destinations where they operate, allowing users to cash out their funds using their existing mobile money app. For example, Leaf Global Fintech partners with all the leading mobile money providers in the markets it serves, meaning that a person who is sending to their family in Kenya or Uganda can do so using their existing account on any one of the network’s apps.

Finally, the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies ensures that the transaction is fair and transparent for all parties involved. This is in stark contrast to the centralized model of traditional MTOs, which can lead to issues with pricing and transparency.

As the crypto-enabled remittance industry continues to grow, it is important that consumer protections are in place. Regulators should establish baseline consumer protections that cover all forms of remittance, including those facilitated through digital currencies. This will help to foster innovation in the remittance space and provide consumers with more options that better meet their needs.

[kabirhabib]

The Impact of Cryptocurrency on Global Remittances

Remittances -- or money sent home by individuals working and living abroad -- are a lifeline for millions around the world. They account for roughly a quarter of GDP in countries like El Salvador and bring financial inclusion to underserved communities. But remittance fees and processing times are often unnecessarily high and cumbersome. The emergence of cryptocurrency as an alternative to traditional money transfers is radically changing this landscape.

Cryptocurrency uses blockchain technology to streamline money transfers. This decentralized and digital system provides transparency by providing an immutable record of every transaction, and eliminates the need for tech ogle intermediaries. It also offers a much lower cost for cross-border payments and reduces exchange rate volatility. The remittance industry is one of the most significant applications for cryptocurrency and has already seen remarkable growth.

However, a number of barriers remain for widespread adoption of cryptocurrency for remittances. First, there are regulatory hurdles. Different countries have varying regulations on cryptocurrencies, with some imposing strict restrictions and bans. Additionally, price volatility is a major concern for people who rely on remittances to meet their daily needs. Stablecoins, which are backed by fiat assets, can mitigate this issue.

Additionally, many people who send remittances have limited access to banking services. According to a World Bank report, nearly 1.4 billion adults worldwide are still bereft of this basic service. This is a large percentage of the population, including those who live in rural areas and are female.

Luckily, new entrants to the technology fact cryptocurrency market are tackling these obstacles by providing low-cost and efficient cryptocurrency remittance solutions. They are focusing on the most underserved markets and using innovative technology to reduce costs and increase accessibility for these populations. One example is Leaf Global Fintech, which enables people to transfer money home using only their mobile phone. Its services are available in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, and the company partners with all of the major mobile money providers, enabling users to cash out their funds into any phone number, even on networks that don’t normally support remittances.

The remittance market is an important area for cryptocurrency because it demonstrates the potential for blockchain to dramatically improve efficiency, reduce costs, and broaden access. This paper identifies opportunities for further research into the transformative impact of cryptocurrency on remittances, which is an urgent need in the face of rising financial inclusion challenges. As cryptocurrency technology continues to evolve, it has the potential to revolutionize remittance services by offering improved efficiency, reduced costs, and broadened access for millions of people around the world. More importantly, it has the potential to transform people’s lives by connecting them across borders and bringing financial freedom and inclusion to underserved populations. For this to happen, there is an urgent need for broader adoption and regulatory support.

[houseofgeeks]

How to watch the Olympics

Behind the cut is a list of all the countries with their rights holders (in case you don't want to go to the PDF file). I would google that company and you should be able to find how to watch through them. Some countries are better than others at promoting their broadcasts. Here is the link to the Olympics page where I got this info from:

Broadcaster Territories Albavision-Televideo Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Republica Dominicana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay

AMX CONTENIDO Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

beIN Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Republic of the Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Caracol Colombia

CBC Canada

Chilevisión Chile

CMG China

Dentsu Afghanistan, Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan

Grupo Globo Brazil

IMC Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos

IMG Inflight & Inship (ex USA)

Infront Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa Republic , Chad (non- exclusive), Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic), Congo (Republic), Djibouti (non-exclusive basis by satellite TV and solely in French), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Japan Consortium Japan

LiveMode Brazil

NBC United States and its territories and possessions, Puerto Rico

Nine Australia, Christmas Islands, Cocos Islands

Prodena Panama

SABC South Africa

SBS South Korea, North Korea

Sky Network Cook Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Supersport Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St Helena and Ascension, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

TelevisaUnivision Mexico

TSG Russia Viacom 18 Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Warner Bros. Discovery Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine and Vatican City

[sawaproexperts]

Best Artisan Skills in Kampala

Discover the best artisan skills in Kampala! Our talented artisans create stunning handmade products that showcase the rich culture and vibrant creativity of Uganda. From intricate jewelry and beautiful pottery to exquisite textiles and unique home decor, each piece is crafted with care and passion. We have Skilled Artisans in Kampala, Traditional Crafts, Artisan Communities, and Handcrafted Goods. Whether you're looking for a special gift or a beautiful addition to your home, you'll find something truly unique and high-quality in our collection. Come explore and support the amazing artisans of Kampala!

Why are artisan skills important in Kampala?

Artisan skills are important in Kampala because they create jobs for many people. By making and selling handcrafted goods, artisans earn a living and support their families. This boosts the local economy and reduces unemployment, helping more people improve their lives and communities.

These skills also help preserve cultural heritage. Artisans in Kampala create beautiful crafts that reflect traditional Ugandan art and culture. By teaching these skills to younger generations, they keep important traditions alive. This cultural preservation attracts tourists, bringing more business to the city.

Artisan skills promote creativity and innovation. Skilled artisans often create unique and high-quality products that stand out in the market. This creativity encourages a vibrant local business scene, where small businesses thrive. As a result, Kampala has become known for its distinctive and high-quality handmade goods, attracting customers from near and far.

How can I learn artisan skills in Kampala?

Learning artisan skills in Kampala is easy and accessible for everyone. You can start by joining one of the many local workshops that offer hands-on training in various crafts. Whether you're interested in pottery, woodworking, or textile design, these workshops provide expert guidance and all the tools you need to create beautiful, handmade items. By participating, you'll gain valuable skills and meet like-minded people who share your passion for craftsmanship.

Another great way to learn artisan skills in Kampala is by enrolling in vocational schools and training centers. These institutions offer structured courses that cover both the basics and advanced techniques in different crafts. You will get personalized instruction from experienced artisans who are eager to share their knowledge. Many of these schools also provide opportunities for internships and apprenticeships, allowing you to gain real-world experience while honing your skills.

You can also learn artisan skills by attending community events and markets around Kampala. These events often feature live demonstrations and workshops where you can see artisans at work and ask questions. Participating in these activities not only helps you learn new techniques but also allows you to network with local craftsmen and craftswomen. By engaging with the artisan community, you’ll find inspiration and support as you develop your skills and start creating your unique pieces.

FAQs - Best Artisan Skills in Kampala

What are artisan skills? Artisan skills are practical abilities that involve creating or fixing things by hand. In Kampala, these skills can range from carpentry and tailoring to metalwork and pottery.

Why are artisan skills important in Kampala? Artisan skills are vital in Kampala because they contribute to economic growth, provide employment opportunities, and preserve cultural traditions. They also play a crucial role in meeting the community's needs for various goods and services.

How can I learn artisan skills in Kampala? There are several ways to learn artisan skills in Kampala. You can enroll in vocational training programs offered by technical schools or community organizations. Additionally, you can seek apprenticeship opportunities with experienced artisans to gain hands-on experience and mentorship.

What are some popular artisan skills in Kampala? Popular artisan skills in Kampala include woodworking, embroidery, jewelry making, leather crafting, and basket weaving. These skills reflect both the local culture and the demand for handmade goods in the community.

In addition,

Are there any specific qualifications required to become an artisan in Kampala? While formal qualifications are not always necessary, having basic literacy and numeracy skills can be beneficial for understanding instructions and measurements. Additionally, a passion for learning and a willingness to work diligently are essential qualities for success as an artisan in Kampala.

How can I start a career as an artisan in Kampala? To start a career as an artisan in Kampala, begin by identifying your interests and strengths. Then, seek opportunities to develop your skills through training, practice, and hands-on experience. Networking with other artisans and entrepreneurs can also help you establish yourself in the local market.

What are the prospects for artisans in Kampala? The prospects for artisans in Kampala are promising, given the growing demand for handmade and locally crafted products both within Uganda and internationally. As consumers increasingly value authenticity and sustainability, artisans who produce high-quality goods with unique designs can thrive in this market.

How can I market my artisan products in Kampala? To market your artisan products in Kampala, utilize a variety of channels, including social media, craft fairs, markets, and online platforms. Building a strong brand identity, showcasing your craftsmanship. And then, engaging with customers can help attract attention and generate sales for your products.

Lastly,

Choosing Paulette Décor Arts means choosing the best artisan skills in Kampala. Our skilled artisans bring unique, high-quality craftsmanship to every project. We have Skilled Artisans in Kampala, Traditional Crafts, Artisan Communities, and Handcrafted Goods. Whether you need custom furniture, intricate carvings, or beautiful handmade decor, we deliver exceptional results that stand out. Trust Paulette Décor Arts for top-notch artisan work that enhances your home or business with a touch of elegance and originality. Contact us today to see how we can bring your vision to life.

[artsburopassports]

KIU UG: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

Kampala International University (KIU) in Uganda is committed to providing its students with a holistic education that goes beyond theoretical learning to practical application. Through innovative teaching methods, experiential learning opportunities, and industry partnerships, KIU UG bridges the gap between theory and practice, preparing students for success in the real world. This article explores how KIU achieves this integration and the impact it has on its students' academic and professional development.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Hands-On Training and Practical Experience

At KIU, students have access to hands-on training and practical experience in their chosen fields. Whether it's through internships, fieldwork, laboratory sessions, or simulation exercises, students engage directly with real-world problems and scenarios, applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations.

Industry-Relevant Projects and Assignments

The university designs its curriculum to include industry-relevant projects and assignments that challenge students to think critically, problem-solve, and innovate. These projects often involve collaboration with industry partners, allowing students to gain insight into current industry practices and trends.

Industry Partnerships and Collaborations

Internship and Co-op Programs

KIU has established internship and co-op programs with leading companies and organizations in various industries. These programs provide students with valuable work experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities, bridging the gap between academia and the professional world.

Guest Lectures and Industry Experts

The university regularly invites guest lecturers and industry experts to share their insights and experiences with students. These interactions expose students to real-world perspectives and challenges, helping them understand how theoretical concepts are applied in practice.

Innovative Teaching Methods

Project-Based Learning

KIU employs project-based learning approaches that encourage students to work on interdisciplinary projects, solve complex problems, and collaborate with peers. This method fosters creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking skills, preparing students for the dynamic nature of modern workplaces.

Case Studies and Simulations

The university uses case studies and simulations to immerse students in realistic scenarios and decision-making processes. By analyzing case studies and participating in simulations, students gain practical insights into industry dynamics, organizational behavior, and strategic management.

Research and Innovation

Applied Research Projects

KIU encourages students to engage in applied research projects that address real-world challenges and contribute to knowledge advancement. Through research, students develop analytical skills, explore new ideas, and make meaningful contributions to their fields of study.

Innovation Labs and Centers

The university has established innovation labs and centers where students can explore entrepreneurship, technology development, and social innovation. These spaces provide resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities for students to turn their ideas into tangible solutions.

Practical Skills Development

Technical Skills Training

KIU offers technical skills training programs that equip students with the practical skills and competencies required by employers. These programs cover a wide range of areas, including computer programming, laboratory techniques, clinical skills, and vocational trades.

Soft Skills Workshops

In addition to technical skills, KIU emphasizes the importance of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. The university offers workshops, seminars, and coaching sessions to help students develop these essential skills, enhancing their employability and career prospects.

Conclusion

Kampala International University (KIU) is at the forefront of bridging the gap between theory and practice in higher education. Through experiential learning opportunities, industry partnerships, innovative teaching methods, research and innovation initiatives, and practical skills development programs, KIU prepares students to excel in their chosen careers and make meaningful contributions to society. By integrating theory with practice, KIU ensures that its graduates are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern world and thrive in diverse professional environments.

[yourusatoday]

Cipla Ltd: Comprehensive Overview of Global Locations

Cipla Ltd is a renowned global pharmaceutical company, committed to ensuring accessibility to high-quality medicines. With a significant presence in over 80 countries, Cipla’s global footprint is a testament to its commitment to enhancing healthcare worldwide. This article offers an exhaustive overview of Cipla Ltd’s global locations, highlighting the strategic importance of each region and its contribution to the company’s growth.

Global Headquarters

Mumbai, India

Cipla Ltd's global headquarters is located in Mumbai, India. This central hub coordinates the company's international operations, strategic planning, and corporate governance. Being based in Mumbai, Cipla benefits from proximity to key financial and regulatory institutions, enabling efficient management and expansion of its global activities.

Regional Offices in Asia

Bangalore, India

The Bangalore office is a crucial research and development center. Known for its vibrant tech and innovation ecosystem, Bangalore supports Cipla's efforts in developing cutting-edge pharmaceutical products and solutions. This facility is integral to advancing Cipla’s product pipeline and maintaining its competitive edge in the market.

Shanghai, China

Cipla’s Shanghai office manages operations in China and the broader East Asian market. This strategic location enables Cipla to cater to one of the world's largest healthcare markets, ensuring that its products reach a wide demographic efficiently.

Dubai, UAE

The Dubai office serves as the central hub for Cipla’s operations in the Middle East. It manages sales, marketing, and distribution throughout the region, ensuring that Cipla’s products are accessible across the GCC countries and beyond.

European Operations

London, United Kingdom

Cipla's office in London oversees operations in Europe, driving strategic initiatives and managing key partnerships within the region. London’s status as a global financial center provides Cipla with a strategic advantage in terms of market access and regulatory compliance.

Milan, Italy

The Milan office focuses on sales and distribution within Southern Europe. This location is pivotal for penetrating markets in Italy, Spain, and surrounding countries, ensuring that Cipla’s products are widely available across these regions.

North American Presence

New York, USA

Cipla’s New York office functions as the North American headquarters, overseeing operations in the United States and Canada. This office manages strategic partnerships, regulatory affairs, and market expansion efforts, ensuring that Cipla maintains a strong presence in one of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets.

Toronto, Canada

The Toronto office focuses on research, development, and regulatory affairs within Canada. This facility ensures that Cipla’s products comply with local regulations and meet the specific needs of the Canadian market.

Latin American Operations

São Paulo, Brazil

The São Paulo office is the central hub for Cipla’s operations in Latin America. This location manages sales, marketing, and distribution across the region, ensuring that Cipla’s products reach markets in Brazil, Argentina, and other Latin American countries.

African Footprint

Johannesburg, South Africa

Cipla’s Johannesburg office oversees operations across the African continent. This strategic location ensures that Cipla’s products are distributed efficiently throughout Africa, addressing the unique healthcare needs of various countries within the region.

Nairobi, Kenya

The Nairobi office focuses on East African markets, managing sales and distribution in countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This office is crucial for expanding Cipla’s presence and ensuring accessibility to quality medicines in these emerging markets.

Operational Excellence and Strategic Advantages

Global Supply Chain Management

Cipla’s extensive network of global locations enables robust supply chain management. By strategically positioning its offices and facilities worldwide, Cipla ensures efficient production, distribution, and delivery of its products, minimizing lead times and costs.

Innovation and Research

Cipla’s global research centers, particularly in Bangalore and Toronto, drive the company’s innovation agenda. These centers focus on developing new and effective pharmaceutical solutions, ensuring that Cipla remains at the forefront of medical advancements.

Customer-Centric Approach

Cipla’s regional offices play a pivotal role in maintaining a customer-centric approach. By having dedicated teams in key markets, Cipla provides tailored solutions and personalized services, fostering strong relationships with healthcare providers and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction.

Sustainable Practices

Cipla is committed to sustainability across its global operations. The company integrates eco-friendly practices in manufacturing, supply chain management, and daily operations, striving to minimize its environmental impact while maximizing efficiency.

Conclusion

Cipla Ltd’s global network of offices underscores its strategic approach to international business. From its headquarters in Mumbai to regional offices in key markets across Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Africa, Cipla ensures robust operations, innovation, and customer service. This comprehensive presence not only enhances its market reach but also solidifies its position as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry.