TLDR Weekly
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💣 Bomb scare

💣 Bomb scare

TLDR Weekly
May 15, 2023

Good morning ☀️ The “godfather of AI," warned that the threat of AI might be more pressing than climate change. We might have to press pause on using paper straws that leave pesky particulates in our mouths and fast-track a sequel to I, Robot.

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Headlines

💣 Bomb scare

Residents of Nabweru were once again subject to a movie-like security threat after six people were arrested in possession of bomb-making materials. We applaud the intelligence of security agencies but can’t help but wonder if they always have press on standby, ready to document and broadcast their every move. Sensational.

💧 Water you talking about?

After months of droughts and soaring temperatures in East Africa, mother nature served balance and brutality in the form of floods as River Katonga burst its banks, cutting off access to the Kampala-Masaka highway. Amidst the chaos and finger-pointing on and offline, Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, the Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) ruled out rice growing or sand mining as possible causes of the flooding, but warned that the situation would get worse before it gets better.

🔫 Another shooting

Mr. Umttam Bhandari, an Indian money lender, was shot dead in his office by a policeman—Ivan Wabwire—at Parliamentary Avenue. The gruesome incident recorded on security cameras and dispersed on WhatsApp by distressed aunties shocked a country still reeling from the murder of former state minister, Charles Engola. Reports emerged that the policeman was banned from carrying weapons after suffering a mental illness. The unfortunate incident dovetails similar cases that have thrust the issue of the welfare of the rank and file in the police and military into public discourse.

Other headlines

BAR Aviation plane crash-lands at Kajjansi Airfield

Airtel Uganda became the first telecom to provide e-sims

Court dismisses compensation for man who drowned in a drainage channel

Ndorwa deputy clerk flees to China after embezzling Shs 414m

Districts tasked to develop measures to fight climate change

Former MP and charcoal vigilante, Odonga Otto turned himself in to the police

Tororo leaders were arrested for protesting against poor roads

Police to step up crackdown on marijuana despite court ruling

The US Mission in Uganda to raise visa fees starting May 30^th

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Beyond Borders

🌍️ Africa

🇸🇩 The War in Sudan. Sudan's warring factions reluctantly mustered a sliver of goodwill as they pledged to protect innocent civilians and allow the passage of much-needed humanitarian aid. However, a complete cease-fire remains distant.

🇷🇼 🇺🇬 🇨🇩 Floods in DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda:

Heavy rainfall led to flooding and landslides across parts of Eastern DRC as of May 8^th
Flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain killed at least 400 in DRC, 130 in Rwanda, and 20 in Uganda
In Rwanda, flooding and landslides also destroyed more than 5,000 homes this week.
President Kagame visited the hard-hit area of Rubavu and offered material and moral support
In DRC, distraught people are still searching for their missing loved ones
In Uganda, Great Lakes traders are counting painful losses after floods cut off access to major border points

Other headlines

Zimbabwe to introduce a digital currency to fight inflation

Over 20,000 displaced after flash floods in Somalia

DRC President threatens to expel EACRF forces

The likely pointless presidential election result petition begins in Nigeria

African alternative to Chat GPT

Former Burundi PM charged with insulting the president

EAC leaders to meet over a common currency

The Wagner Group denies operating in Sudan, and arming Russia while being implicated in the killings in Mali.

China to fund EACOP as climate activists scare major lenders

Kenya clamps down on rogue preachers as the current cult death toll stands at 201 with more than 600 missing

🗺️ The rest of the world

🇵🇰 Imran Khan arrested. Violent protests broke out in Pakistan after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges (which Khan denies) on Tuesday. At least one person was killed, and mobile data services were suspended. Khan, the former cricket star elected in 2018, was released on bail later in the week after Islamabad’s high court deemed his arrest (but not the charges) illegal. Khan has been a vocal critic of the military since his ousting as prime minister in April last year.

🇸🇾 Back in the Arab league fold. The Arab League foreign ministers readmitted Syria to the organization after a nearly 12-year suspension, despite US opposition. This is a major win for Syrian President Assad and comes as part of a regional normalization process pushed by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The foreign ministers stressed the need to address the implications of the Syrian crisis on other countries and called for foreign forces to leave Syria and for refugees to be allowed to return safely.

🇮🇳 Indian tech bubble(?) Despite the hype, western venture capitalist firms like Sequoia, Tiger Global, and Y Combinator have decreased investments and valuations in India. However,…some investors still believe India has an established ecosystem for funding from angel to IPO. Also, U.S. President Biden may limit American investment in Chinese tech companies, which is good for India.