Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The director of a Burundi radio station said Friday his outlet is being temporarily taken off air after criticising the government over the killings of dozens of refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). CCIB FM+, which is run by Burundi’s chamber of commerce, …
Read More »Twitter reveals Russia-backed ads ahead of US election
Washington, United States | AFP | Twitter on Thursday revealed that nearly 2,000 ads were placed on the messaging service in 2016 by a Russian media group suspected of trying to interfere with the US presidential election. A Twitter statement said the social media company shared data with congressional investigators about …
Read More »Dutch website offers US ‘antidote’ to daily news grind
Amsterdam, Netherlands | AFP | A Dutch ad-free news website, which actively seeks contributors’ help in its reporting and foregoes breaking news in favour of deeper analysis, is about to expand across the Atlantic. Amid the blaring headlines, the breathless drama of 24-hour TV news, the lure of clickbait and …
Read More »With Hefner gone, Playboy’s impact on women still has people talking
Washington, United States | AFP | Playboy degraded women, it empowered women. It liberated them, and objectified them. The legacy of the iconic magazine founded six decades ago by Hugh Hefner, who died Wednesday at 91, remains a topic of heated debate, especially its impact on women. Playboy brought nudity into …
Read More »Russian group spent $274,000 on Twitter ads during US election
Washington, United States | AFP | A Russian media group with links to the Moscow government spent $274,000 in 2016 on Twitter ads which may have been used to try to influence the US election, the social media firm said Thursday. Twitter said it shared data with congressional investigators about ads …
Read More »IN THE INDEPENDENT: Age-limit Bill scandal
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT| These are the top stories in this week’s The Independent. COVER STORY Age-limit Bill scandal: The 4 fights frustrating Museveni THE LAST WORD: Inside Museveni’s life presidency: Why the removal of age limits may be the best way to get a peaceful succession in Uganda …
Read More »UCC warns on live broadcasts after parliment brawl
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Communications Communication (UCC) has accused Ugandan radio and televisions of relaying live broadcasts they say “are inciting the public, discriminating, stirring up hatred, promoting a culture of violence among viewers and are likely to create public insecurity and violence.” UCC directed broadcasters to stop …
Read More »BBC editor gets bodyguard for Labour conference: report
Brighton, United Kingdom | AFP | The BBC’s political editor is attending the main opposition Labour Party’s annual conference with a bodyguard after being accused of bias for the governing Conservatives, The Times newspaper reported Monday. Laura Kuenssberg was seen at the conference in Brighton accompanied by a shaven-headed man identified …
Read More »‘Mentally deranged US dotard’ and other North Korean insults
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | America’s President is many things to many people but “mentally deranged US dotard” is perhaps the most memorable of names to have yet been coined for the billionaire reality television star-turned world leader. Kim Jong-Un’s rhetorical flourish might seem like an outlandish tongue-lashing of the …
Read More »Tanzanian newspaper suspended for ‘insulting president’
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | An independent Tanzanian newspaper has been suspended for two years, a government spokesman said Tuesday, accusing the publication of sedition and endangering national security. The critical Mwanahalisi newspaper was shut after publishing a letter on Monday from a reader containing “insults” against President John Magufuli …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price