DR Congo’s Mbanza Ngungu prison saw 40 deaths in a month
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
The Democratic Republic of Congo faces many challenges, not least the Ebola outbreak in the east, and a government struggling to assert itself after delayed elections. Meanwhile, on the margins of society, almost ignored, have come regular reports of prisoners dying in jails. In the town of Mbanza Ngungu in Kongo Central Province, at least 40 prisoners were buried in April. Officials blame poor conditions in the prison, while human rights activists say prisoners are starving. Video journalists: Poly Muzalia and Emery Makumeno for BBC Afrique. The post DR Congo’s Mbanza Ngungu prison saw 4 ..read more
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Aarey forest: The fight to save Mumbai’s last ‘green lung’
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Aarey forest is in Mumbai city The Aarey forest, a verdant strip that lies at the heart of India’s bustling Mumbai city, is often referred to as its last green lung. But now, locals say, it’s under threat from encroachment. BBC Marathi’s Janhavee Moole reports. As a child, Stalin Dayanand used to picnic in the Aarey forest. “It was the only place where you could go and play, climb trees or just sit and eat under the shade of a tree and be close to nature,” says Mr Dayanand. Now the 54-year-old is the director of an NGO that works to protect ..read more
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US Africa envoy to visit Sudan amid crisis to encourage talks
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Image copyright AFP Image caption People demonstrate in solidarity with the Sudanese protest movement in Washington DC The US’s top diplomat for Africa is going to Sudan this week amid unrest, the state department said on Monday. Tibor Nagy, the US assistant secretary for Africa, will “call for a cessation of attacks against civilians”. Workers have staged a national strike, which began on Sunday, to pressurise the ruling military government to make way for civilian rule. Four people were killed on the first day of the strike after security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition. Re ..read more
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Women’s World Cup: Canada 1-0 Cameroon
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Buchanan scores for Canada A header by Kadeisha Buchanan, voted best young player at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, ensured Canada opened their 2019 campaign with a win over Cameroon. The defender, who plays club football in France for Lyon, struck from a corner at the end of the first half to give Canada a 1-0 win in Montpellier. Cameroon, one of the lowest ranked teams at the tournament, went close through Claudine Meffometou’s header. Canada’s Nichelle Prince hit the post with a deflected shot at 0-0. Although the opening game in Group E lacked clear-cut chances, Canada did enough to go top ..read more
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JUST IN: President Buhari Legalises June 12 As Democracy Day
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into the law the Public Holiday (Amendment) Bill, which legalizes June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day. This was confirmed by Senator Ita Enang, the National Assembly Liaison Officer to President Buhari, on Monday. The new law accommodates June 12 as a public holiday in Nigeria, replacing May 29. May 29 will only be marked as a handover/inauguration of new governments in the country. The signing came just days to June 12, giving legal backing to the day. The president has also announced Wednesday, June 12, as a public holiday. The post JUST IN: Presiden ..read more
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Female scientist’s IVF contribution was ‘unrecognised’
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Jean Purdy and Robert Edwards worked together on the development of IVF A female scientist’s contribution to the discovery of IVF went “unrecognised”, her colleague believed. Sir Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe are known as the pioneers of in vitro fertilisation, which led to the world’s first test tube baby, born in 1978. But newly released letters from Sir Robert show he fought for Jean Purdy’s equal contribution to be publicised. In a letter to Oldham Health Authority, he said the embryologist had “contributed as much to the project ..read more
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Persistent Violence Occurred During Buhari’s Second-term Election – Human Rights Watch
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Human Right Watch, an organization that investigates and reports abuses across the globe, has said that the election that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power for second term was marred with persistent insurgent attacks and communal classes. The was contained in a report released by the organisation on Monday. According to the report, there were cases of the violence carried out by soldiers and police officers during the electioneering period. “Buhari should take concrete steps to address the widespread political violence, and to ensure accountability for human rights abuses by sol ..read more
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Men In Their 30s Elected As Speakers In Oyo, Plateau States
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Debo Ogundoyin, a 31-year-old lawmaker in Oyo State and 34-year-old Abok Nuhu Ayuba, a legislator in Plateau State have been voted speaker of their respective state assembly. Ogundoyin, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Ibarapa East constituency, was unanimously elected speaker of the house on Monday. In the same vein, Ayuba, representing Jos East Constituency was elected speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly. Ayuba, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged after a month of political horse-trading among eight contenders. It was a hot race ..read more
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A call to arms to fight the ‘war on plastic’
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Image caption Hugh and co-presenter Anita Rani on a street in Bristol where residents volunteered to help Every minute of every day, a truckload of plastic enters our oceans. It destroys because it endures, breaking down into smaller pieces and particles. And pretty much every size of particle is a problem – from the plastic bags that are filling up the stomachs of whales and turtles, to the smaller shreds that end up killing young seabirds, stuffed into them by their own desperate parents; to the microplastics that become carriers for lethal pathogens, and the nano-particles that we’r ..read more
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Kwara Postpones June 12 Commemoration
LocalBlog
by Christian Onyebueke
5y ago
Kwara State government has shifted activities commemorating the June 12 Democracy Day in the state to Friday, June 14. “This to enable state governors, including Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on the invitation of the federal government, to join Mr. President and over 80 foreign leaders and dignitaries at the inaugural national commemoration of the day in the capital Abuja,” said a statement by Rafiu Ajakaye, the chief press secretary to the governor. It added, “What this means is that the event slated for the Metropolitan Square and State Banquet in Ilorin will now hold on Friday 14th ..read more
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