As seen from Lantau island in Hong Kong, the bridge stretches far across the sea: COURTESY PHOTO

China has launched world’s longest sea bridge that links Macau in Hong Kong and mainland China.

The bridge has been officially opened by china’s president Xi Jinping at a new port terminal in the southern mainland city of Zhuhai.

“I declare the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge officially open,” Xi announced amidst fireworks explosion.

The bridge is 55-kilometre (34-mile) with a snaking road bridge and underwater tunnel, connecting  Lantau island in Hong Kong to Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge project between the two countries after the launch of the high-speed rail link last month.

The mega bridge will open to traffic on Wednesday.

Only eligible Hong Kong residents will  granted a licence to cross over to Zhuhai including holding certain mainland government positions or making major contributions to charities in the southern Chinese Guangdong province.

Others will however use public means like buses and coaches.

“Such a huge investment using the Hong Kong taxpayer’s money… yet basically it is not open to us at all,” said one comment on the South China Morning Post website.

The post China Launches World’s longest sea bridge first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The post Chinese arrested in US over spying allegation first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Climate Change and its effects on African Wildlife

Extreme heatwaves that kill even healthy people within hours will strike parts of the Indian subcontinent unless global carbon emissions are cut sharply and soon, according to new research.

Even outside of these hotspots, three-quarters of the 1.7bn population – particularly those farming in the Ganges and Indus valleys – will be exposed to a level of humid heat classed as posing “extreme danger” towards the end of the century.

The new analysis assesses the impact of climate change on the deadly combination of heat and humidity, measured as the “wet bulb” temperature (WBT). Once this reaches 35C, the human body cannot cool itself by sweating and even fit people sitting in the shade will die within six hours.

The revelations show the most severe impacts of global warming may strike those nations, such as India, whose carbon emissions are still rising as they lift millions of people out of poverty.

“It presents a dilemma for India between the need to grow economically at a fast pace, consuming fossil fuels, and the need to avoid such potentially lethal impacts,” said Prof Elfatih Eltahir, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US who led the new study. “To India, global climate change is no longer abstract – it is about how to save potentially vulnerable populations.”

Heatwaves are already a major risk in South Asia, with a severe episode in 2015 leading to 3,500 deaths, and India recorded its hottest ever day in 2016 when the temperature in the city of Phalodi, Rajasthan, hit 51C. Another new study this week linked the impact of climate change to the suicides of nearly 60,000 Indian farmers.

Eltahir said poor farmers are most at risk from future humid heatwaves, but have contributed very little to the emissions that drive climate change. The eastern part of China, another populous region where emissions are rising, is also on track for extreme heatwaves and this risk is currently being examined by the scientists.

Their previous research, published in 2015, showed the Gulf in the Middle East, the heartland of the global oil industry, will also suffer heatwaves beyond the limit of human survival if climate change is unchecked, particularly Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and coastal cities in Iran.

Climate change in Uganda affects pastoralist communities leading to the deaths of their animals

The new work, published in the journal Science Advances, used carefully selected computer climate models that accurately simulate the past climate of the South Asia to conduct a high resolution analysis of the region, down to 25km.

The scientists found that under a business-as-usual scenario, where carbon emissions are not curbed, 4% of the population would suffer unsurvivable six-hour heatwaves of 35C WBT at least once between 2071-2100. The affected cities include Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Patna in Bihar, each currently home to more than two million people.

Vast areas of South Asia – covering 75% of the area’s population – would endure at least one heatwave of 31C WBT. This is already above the level deemed by the US National Weather Service to represent “extreme danger”, with its warning stating: “If you don’t take precautions immediately when conditions are extreme, you may become seriously ill or even die.”

However, if emissions are reduced roughly in line with the global Paris climate change agreement, there would be no 35C WBT heatwaves and the population affected by the 31C WBT events falls to 55%, compared to the 15% exposed today.

The analysis also showed that the dangerous 31C WBT level would be passed once every two years for 30% of the population – more than 500 million people – if climate change is unchecked, but for only 2% of the population if the Paris goals are met. “The problem is very alarming but the intensity of the heatwaves can be reduced considerably if global society takes action,” said Eltahir.

Source:theguradian

The post Climate change to cause humid heatwaves that will kill even healthy people first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Parliament last year unanimously voted to support a motion that asked government to put a total ban on the export of Ugandans to work as domestic workers in foreign countries on ground that they were being mistreated others being killed.

Margaret Komuhangi (Right) together with the Leader of Opposition Winfred Kizza.

Committee Chairperson, Margret Komuhangi  who is also the Nakasogola Woman MP, while presiding over a committee meeting resolved that the ban be lifted to those companies which have been found to be in line with guidelines that was set so that their allowed to continue recruiting as well export labour as they used to do.

“I think we should consider the fact that some companies have since the ban tried to rectify the mistakes that were previously carried out.As MPs we set out these guidelines to enable companies do the right thing but also protect the rights of the Ugandan workers who are taken to the middle east countries especially Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Oman, Kuwait,” she said.

Komuhangi said, the committee observed that during the ban Ugandans were being taken outside the country in what she called black market and there it was resolved that companies meet the requirements be allowed to operate while those with question mark be monitored until they meet the requirement that was set.

Some Uganda ladies being paraded by Ugandan government officials .

Parliament had carried out several investigations in which it was found that many Ugandans are being mistreated in Kuwait, China, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia where their potential employers withdraw passports from Ugandans as a form of demanding loyalty and holding them onto the jobs which created fear among Ugandans who were exported to render the service.

The post MPs now make U-turn on export of casual labour to the middle east first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The tortoises that had been concealed in sacks  were displayed by URA officials at the media conference in Kampala.

The assistant commissioner enforcement at URA Agnes Nabwire said that there are laws that protect the movement of wildlife.

“If the people had proper documentation, why did they have to conceal them in sacks?”she said as she handed the tortoises back to UWA officials.

The suspects claimed that the tortoises were being transported to a local sanctuary in Mbale for breeding.

“We suspect that they were being transported to the black market either in Kampala or be exported. They are highly valuable in Asian and Chinese communities for food and the shells can be crushed into powder for medicinal purposes,” UWA public relations manager Jossy Muhangi said.

He added that there are currently no permits to export tortoises.

The tortoises are to be returned to Nakapiripirit.

According to UWA officials, during the rainy season the tortoises often roam around on flat lands like Karamoja, which makes it easy for them to be picked.

The post Uganda Revenue Authority Impounds 152 Tortoises first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The point of departure the dignitaries said was the attendance of Sudanese President Omar al Bashir and the remarks he made on the International Criminal Court (ICC). Museveni said court is Irrelevant to the Africa. 

ICC Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo in 2008 alleged that al-Bashir bore individual criminal responsibility for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed since 2003 in Darfur.

Museveni took time during his victory speech to throw jibes at the ICC which he said has lost credibility is no longer entertained in Africa.

“We lost interest in ICC, it is non of our business. ICC is a bunch of useless people” Museveni said as Bashir nodded in affirmative.

The diplomats were seen walking out immediately after these comments were made, a development that the American Embassy confirmed to Daily Monitor.

“I can confirm that the US delegation departed the inauguration ceremony because of the presence of Sudanese President Bashir and the comments of President Museveni regarding the international criminal court(ICC). The US did not lead the walkout, it was a mutual decision,” American embassy Spokesman Chris Brown said by telephone last evening.

Museveni also praised China and Russia, which he called Uganda’s genuine friends and made negative comments that were interpreted as targeting the western countries.

The post Foreign Dignitaries Walk out on Yoweri Museveni Inauguration Ceremony first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The study notes that since the beginning of the 21st Century, China has implemented the largest forest conservation and recovery program, with deforested areas in the background in Wolong China. The program is working and forests are recovering, with about 1.6 percent, or nearly 61,000 square miles, of China’s territory seeing a significant gain in tree cover, while 0.38 percent, or 14,400 square miles, experienced significant loss.

“It is encouraging that China’s forest has been recovering in the midst of its daunting environmental challenges such as severe air pollution and water shortages,” said co-author Jianguo “Jack” Liu, Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability and director of MSU’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS). “In today’s telecoupled world, China is increasingly connected with other countries both socioeconomically and environmentally. Every victory must be measured holistically, or we aren’t getting a true picture.”

According to the United Nations, Forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass, performing vital functions around the world. Around 1.6 billion people – including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures – depend on forests for their livelihood. Forests are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land, home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. They also provide shelter, jobs and security for forest-dependent communities.

Today, forest and woodland cover in Uganda stands at 49,000 km² down from 75,000 square kilometres in the late 1980s. Many events are happening across the world to make the International Day of Forests whose theme this year is ‘Forests and Water’ 

The post World celebrates International Day of Forests as China restores forests first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The Chinese government has agreed to a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports seeking for 30.8 billion shillings to enable introduction of Chinese language in Uganda’s education syllabus. This language, according to the plan, is supposed to be taught in all secondary schools in the country.

This development is contained in a letter addressed to President Museveni in which the Ministry, headed by the Minister of Education Jessica Alupo, wrote to the president briefing him on various engagements the Ministry has had with Chinese and Korean governments. The letter dated June 10/2015 signed by Alupo, indicates that on 26/5/2015, the Minister travelled to China with a team of Ugandan technocrats where they met with the management of Confucius Institute [China].

The Alupo-led delegation presented a draft proposal seeking for a grant of 30.8 billion shillings from the Chinese government to facilitate the introduction of the Chinese language into the country’s education system at secondary level. The same minister asked for support to the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) and  China agreed to all these requests, adding that the same country gave Uganda five (5) scholarships of a core team of people to learn the Chinese language in China who upon return, will act as master trainers.

The same China offered Uganda more in-service teachers of Chinese language at Makerere University Confucius institute in addition to offering Uganda a team of Chinese teachers to kick start the teaching of Chinese in Ugandan schools as a pilot, in addition to donating instructional materials in teaching and learning Chinese and also opening up regional  Institutes in Uganda.

The post Chinese language to be taught in Ugandan Secondary Schools first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

There is about 70% cancer disease increase in resent years in the republic of Uganda especially among children according to statistics available in the ministry of health.

The increment is due to reportedly uncontrolled imported fake products that has flooded Uganda Markets from India and China.

Dangerous Fake Products dumped into Uganda from China and India include: Medical products expired repacked preserved food, fake products from China, dangerous cooking oil (Transformer Oil), repacked expired food like, biscuits, tinned milk and tinned beef among others.

Opposition politicians in Kampala say the increased cases of cancer are the outcome of failed institutions in Uganda caused by bad Governance. On weekly basis Uganda Revenue Authority and Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) seize dangerous health products imported into Uganda from China and India.

Ends

The post Cancer infections in Uganda increases by 70% first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

It seems the sky is the only limit for Uganda now. We have been told by senior sources in Uganda government that the United States of America and the Republic of China are in talks with Kampala government to start buying HIV/AIDS drugs in Uganda.

Uganda currently is one of the countries in the world producing high quality anti retroviral (ARVs) drugs known as the ‘Tenofovir drugs.’

The sources told our Kampala based reporters that the US and China want to buy the tenofovir drugs and they make more research on them. The tenofovir drugs are produced by Quality Chemicals limited, a Kampala based Drug Company.

People living with HIV/AIDS need to take only one pill per day and this drug can not cause drug resistance in the body. The proprietor of Quality Chemicals, Emmanuel Katongole, confirms the development and says that the Tenofovir drugs are easy for people to swallow.

Ends

The post ‘United States and China to buy HIV drugs in Uganda’ first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.