The city of Beni spent the whole day in chaos.

Socio-economic activities were again disrupted almost all day this Friday, June 2020, 12 in the city centre of Beni in North Kivu, by a new demonstration of young people and some pressure groups including the 'Veranda Mutsunga'. ".
This is to demand the departurereturn of some authorities judged including the Mayor of the city already suspended and the commander of the Congolese National Police Urban Police in Beni.
To do this, the fighters of this pressure group went down to the streets to set barricades in several roads in the municipality of Mulekera, especially downtown (Motonge).
Son Isambiro,  of this pressure group in Beni said that this demonstration aims to demand for explanations for the dismissal of Urban Police Commissioner with the whole city's safety committee.
He condemns the attitude of the elements of order that began to disperse protesters using weapons and instead  gas bombs, he says, before adding that 3 of the protesters were arrested by police at of level. He requires their release without condition.
Several city streets that have been hit by protesters have already been evacuated by police deployed to restore order in the city.
There are allegations  that police in beni team up or connive with gangs and other bad elements to terrorise civilians. In the beggining of this police had been banned from taking guns to their homes and authorities  in beni had warned that any police  who will do that will be attested.
In his words on 10/06/2020' Colonel Van Kasongo stressed it that"Any police officer who will be found with a weapon in his home will be arrested"
From now on, no police officer in the city of Beni, North Kivu, has the right to keep a weapon in his home or place of residence.
" Any police officer who will be found with a weapon in his home will simply be arrested warned Colonel Van Kasongo, in charge of the administration of the Congolese National Police (PNC) in North Kivu.
The announcement of this decision was made on Monday, June 8, during an exchange with the elements of the order at the PNC / Beni staff.
In his word to the police, Colonel Van Kasongo said he found that some of them use weapons to commit of acts, including robbery, red tape and other evils that caused local people.
That is why he believes that this decision is urgently needed and the announcement of severe penalties to those who will disobey this order.

American pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson revealed Wednesday that it would expedite the development of its vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by initiating human trials in late July instead of September, as it had initially planned.

In a June 10 news release , the company’s Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels wrote, “Based on the strength of the preclinical data we have seen so far and interactions with the regulatory authorities, we have been able to further accelerate the clinical development of our investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, Ad26.COV2-S, recombinant.”
“Simultaneously, we are continuing our efforts to build important global partnerships and invest in our vaccine production technology and manufacturing capabilities. Our goal is to ensure we can deliver a vaccine to the world and protect people everywhere from this pandemic,” he added.
The human trials in July will be randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled and will test the drug’s safety, reactogenicity (or ability to produce common adverse reactions like fever or soreness at the injection site) and immunogenicity (or ability to induce an immune system response). The study, which will take place in both the US and Belgium, will involve 1,045 adults between the ages 18 and 55, as well as adults aged 65 years and older.
Johnson & Johnson is also currently discussing starting phase three trials of the vaccine ahead of schedule with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“As the Company progresses the clinical development of its investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, Ad26.COV2-S, recombinant, it continues to increase manufacturing capacity and is in active discussions with global partners to ensure worldwide access,” the company wrote, also noting that it plans on “supplying more than one billion doses globally through the course of 2021, provided the vaccine is safe and effective.”
US biotechnology company Moderna is at the forefront of developing a COVID-19 vaccine.
Moderna on Monday confirmed to
Bloomberg that it is on schedule to begin the final-stage clinical trials of its vaccine by July. The company was the first to begin human trials of a potential vaccine in the US. Moderna’s final-stage trial of its mRNA vaccine will involve 30,000 people and will be completed in cooperation with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is the set of instructions used by cells to make proteins, and mRNA vaccines are a relatively new type of treatment that work by providing instructions to healthy cells to generate antibodies for a certain virus or bacterium. Conventional vaccines, on the other hand, introduce a weakened or dead virus or bacterium into the body. This induces an immune system response, allowing the body to recognize and fight the pathogen in the future.

Twitter on Friday removed more than 32,000 accounts with "state-linked information" originating in China, Turkey and Russia for violating social platform’s manipulation policies.

"Today we are disclosing 32,242 accounts to our archive of state-linked information operations — the only one of its kind in the industry. The account sets we’re publishing to the archive today include three distinct operations that we have attributed to the People's Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Turkey respectively. Every account and piece of content associated with these operations has been permanently removed from the service … In all instances, accounts were suspended for various violations of our platform manipulation policies," Twitter said in a blog post.
Twitter claimed that over 23,000 China-linked accounts were engaged in spreading misinformation about the situation in Hong Kong and "geopolitical narratives favorable to" the Chinese Communist Party. Moreover, the social platform removed some 7,000 "fake and compromised accounts" that were being used to "amplify political narratives favorable" to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In addition, Twitter claimed that the Russian network of 1,152 accounts was linked to the Moscow-backed Current Policy media website and engaged in the political propaganda within the country. The platform alleges that the network was used for "promoting" the ruling United Russia party and "attacking political dissidents."
Twitter also said that it had shared data with two research partners, namely the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Stanford Internet Observatory.

NRAHEROES:COL FRED MWESIGYE R0/00027

HIS STORY
I’m Fred mwesigye a retired Colonel from the
mighty UPDF army which I participated in
founding.
I was born on 9th September 1950 in Nama
katazya kinoni nyabushozi county president
kiruhura district though it was Ankole district by
then.I was born to Mr Elinest katatondwa son of
Rubeho from Bahinda clan and Mrs Frida
kyacwaiteme of the Baranzi clan.
I was born in family of 3 being the first born
followed by 2 girls.
I started my primary school in 1959 from kazo
primary school briefly before my parents shifted
to Buganda current singo in kiboga district after
the government had declared Ankole the
ranching area and chased our parents to pave
way for the Ankole ranching scheme. I latter
joined kyanamugela primary school in kasanda,
having failed to catch up with the language
( Luganda) my parents had to bring me back to
kazo primary school up to my primary 4 class
and latter my mother took me to rujjumbura to
my grandfather’s home kezilone kabataraine one
of the tallest people in Uganda, I even remember
tourists used to come and see him. This is where
I joined kashenyi primary school where I used to
walk 15 Kms everyday to and from school and
then latter joined Rutoma Catholic school where I
completed my p7 in 1967 this was the time when
p 8 was removed and we did joint exams p 7 and
p 8 and I passed very well where after I joined
kigezi high school.
I started my secondary school from kigezi high
school in 1968 where latter on in 1970 I and my
colleagues ( Jim muhwezi, late Ben kagonyera
and late Steven Banya ) organised a strike
against the whites who were running the school
because they were mishandling us also.
We were expelled and I went to kinyasano where
I completed my S4 from.Due to my humble
background I had no chances of joining A’ level
so I applied in various institutions like kyambogo
and Shimon to do education but unfortunately…m
y name was red lined due to my revolutionary
background while in school as “a dangerous
character” it’s here I left school and got
employed in civil service as a clerk officer in
treasury department in ministry of finance before
joining nakawa college of commerce now mubs
to do a diploma in commerce.
I resumed to books after capturing power I did
the mature exams and enrolled at mubs with
bachelor’s degree in business administration BBA
and latter did master’s degree in peace and
conflict resolution fro makerere university.
I wanted to be a teacher but my revolutionary
background made me join the army. I’m a person
who can’t see things going wrong and I just sit
and watch so it motivated me to join the people
who were fighting the bad government of iddi
Amin.
Secondly, it was the bad political situation in the
country, everyone was living as a threat to each
other especially us who were suspected to be
having links to the rebel leader museveni and the
situation went on worsening after the killing of
Bishop janan luwum and other 5 ministers so I
wanted to give in a hand in bringing peace and
stability in my country
when the situation worsened we managed to
sneak out of the country. So some of us were in
Kenya and others in Tanzania discussing how to
bring peace to our country until when president
Amin attacked Tanzania which gave president
Nyerere ahuge opportunity to counterattack
because it was difficult for the country to attack
another country.
Due to the fact that we were fighting the same
war ( Amin ) ,we worked with Nyerere. All
Ugandans in exile moved to Tanzania .we formed
FRONSA and kikosi maroom of Tito okello lutwa
and oyite Ojok and other many factions. So
president Nyerere here helped us to acquire
training in munduli , gave us some artillery. we
launched a war against Amin and he was
overthrown.
We put up a government of different factions, it
failed to bring peace and unity. We organised
elections..they were rigged again, the army was
brutal again. The upc faction countermand over
other groups so we again went to the bush
where we formed People’s Resistance Army
(PRA) and latter joined by Yusuf lule group to
form National Resistance Army (NRA)
KABAMBA ATTACK
We left Rukikaire’s home where we had all
gathered at 6′ o’clock on 5th February 1986 in a
loryy to masaka nyendo- sembabule – ntutsi and
to kabamba. We waited in a place called makore
where Museveni joined us at 5am towards
morning.
We grouped our selves into sections. A section
to attack the Armoury, a section to attack the
quarter guard and other various targets we had
identified where my section ( I, late magara, late
Julius aine, late sucide katungyi, late Frank
kifuba late ndayondi and kagina) we were to
attack the Armoury. We survived here because
when General Elly tumwine fired the first bullet,
it alerted the man who was guarding the
Armoury and he positioned him self better before
us. He started firing at us. I remember Julius
kihanda got injured on that day however we
managed to capture some weapons, food
supplies, lorries, and many people joined us plus
the world being alerted that we have started a
revolution.
After kabamba we moved and crossed mubende
road to kyenjjojo to kakumiro kagadi kiboga and
entered the luwelo triangle where we again
divided our selves in different sections
In 1981, I was put in charge of Nkurumah section
which was in charge of the hoima road under the
commond of Elly tumwine and Fred rwigyema as
the overseer. My section was the one in charge
of recruiting, training and protecting. All the
recruits that were from Western Uganda passed
through my hands and latter as a senior officer
we went to open a front of rwenzori. I latter
became the 2nd in command of the 9th batallion
until we captured power.
My biggest challenge was to venture into the
unknown because we did not know whether we
shall die or not whether to capture power or
not…we had that mysterious in minds then
hunger and shortage of ammunition.
My worst moment was the attack of kabamba
where my section was to attack the Armoury and
I was almost shot and when the bomb almost
killed me
After capturing power, I was put in charge of the
re organisation. I was the first re-organisation
commander and my duty was to receive all
former forces that were fighting and those
groups include rescue front, UNRF, FUNA of
which some were in exile and some had joined
obote so it was my duty to receive, negotiate
with them and make them join us for the
betterment of our country and be welcomed in
the community.After I became the managing
director of NEC and latter retired from the army
and joined politics in 2006

NRAHEROES Captain Marios Katungi aka Suicide (RIP)

He was among the NRA fighters that attacked Kabamba on February 6, 1981. He guarded President Museveni in early days of the bush. Because of bravery that bordered on recklessness, he was named Suicide.

NRAHEROES BRIG PETER KERIM (RIP) R0/00054

Brig. Kerim joined the army in 1973 as a signaler and joined the NRA in 1981
On capturing Kampala, Kerim commanded the 19th Battalion, which later advanced till Nebbi in West Nile. He also served the NRA/UPDF in various command capacities. At the time of his death in 2012 Brigadier Kerim was the Deputy Reserve Force Commander
Whenever the cracking sound of machine gunfire fell silent in the battle trenches in Luwero, the NRA rebel bands always re-grouped to save the injured and bury the dead.
Yet it's these perilous encounters that emboldened Brig Peter Kerim's spirit. Those who were close to him during the Luwero struggle in the early 1980s remember the fallen comrade as a brave fighter whose war humour would morale-boost the troops at their most fragile moment.
"I remember him as a committed soldier, humorous and very composed in battle. He would crack jokes. He is one of the commanders I trusted; he was never involved in intrigue. He liked his job" pecos Kutesa

9 dead,155 houses burnt and several property stolen by CODECO militias in ITURI

A new attack by assailants of the CODECO militia, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, June 10, 2020, left at least: 9 dead, 155 houses burned down, several goats and valuables taken away, in the Lenga village of the chiefdom of Bahema Badjere, in Djugu territory.
The chief of this chiefdom who alerted  authorities this Wednesday June 10, specifies that among the victims, there are 5 children.
"It was around 11:00 p.m. that an attack by CODECO militiamen was reported. They had to kill 9 people, including 3 men and 1 mother, but also 5 children under the age of 13 and one very seriously injured man was taken to the hospital, "explains Richard Dhedda Kondo.
He continues that this attack, which would have come from the Gokpa and Ndjaudha groups in the Walendu Djatsi sector, has caused a generalized suffering in the region.
“The population is really in a rush since the night. Innocents killed, houses burned down and property looted, it is truly unfortunate for everyone here.
We fear yet another attack, ”he said.
This customary authority invites its population to remain "vigilant" to denounce any suspicious movement. Chief Dhedda also requests, from the military command in Ituri, the establishment of a military base in Lenga.
"The government must do everything to neutralize these negative forces that are operating in the region, especially in Djugu. The population needs to live in total tranquility, to live in security (…) ”he pleads.

Today will be final day that 141 Congolese pardoned in Kampala by Museveni will be repatriated in the DRC

141 Congolese nationals sentenced and detained in prison facilities in Uganda have been released following the grace measure signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

According to the DRC embassy in Uganda and other info from our DESK, their repatriation to the DRC  is scheduled for two days, 9 to 10 June 2020 at the border posts of Busanza, Bunagana and  for the province of North Kivu and Goli, Wanseko and Ntoroko for Ituri province.

The presidential measure of grace is part of the follow-up of decisions and recommendations during the visit of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi to Uganda, in November 2019.

In April, 74 fishermen had also enjoyed freedom after presidential grace.

Yesterday,a handful of them were handed over to DRC authorities at bunagana.

Armed men capture the largest oil field in libya

The oil field has been under the control of the Tobruk-based Libyan House of Representatives and forces of the Libyan National Army led by general Khalifa Haftar since February 2019, but restarted extraction activities only recently.
The Libyan National Oil Corporation has stated that its El Sharara oil field was captured earlier in the day by a group of armed men led by "so-called brigadier general, Mohammed Khalifa", who claims to be the "guard" of the country's southern oil facilities. It's unclear which armed group "Mohammed Khalifa" represents, but Tuareg and Toubou militias exercise control over the territories adjacent to the oil-field.
"[Armed men] asked the field manager to stop maintenance operations, unconcerned with the dire consequences act for the facility's equipment, which may cost the Libyan state and its partners money, time, and efforts, as well as to thwart the efforts to restore oil extraction to earlier levels", the statement said.
The National Oil Corporation said it ordered employees on site not to follow any orders from the armed men regarding the oil field's operation, saying it will be notifying the Office of the Attorney General, Interpol, and the UN of the situation, requesting assistance.
The oil field has been under the control of the Libyan National Army led by General Khalifa Haftar since February 2019 but started to resume its operations only days ago. The facility faced technical difficulties in restarting operations due to a long pause in its usage and decided to run maintenance to root the problems out. The NOC planned that in three months the El Sharara oil field, the biggest in the country, would be producing 30,000 barrels per day supported by western countries supported the ouster its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi. The Tobruk-based Libyan House of Representatives supported by the LNA controls a significant part of the country's east and north-east, while the UN-supported Government of National Accord controls the capital of Tripoli and the country's northwest. Tuareg and Toubou militias control territories in Libya's southwest, including those surrounding the LNA-controlled swath of land where the El Sharara oil field is located.

A citizen of the Islamic Republic, who allegedly provided the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with information about the whereabouts of the late top Iranian general , will be executed

On 3 January, a US drone strike, authorised by President Donald Trump, killed Qasem Soleimani and Shia militia commander Abu Mahdi Muhandis who both were in a car at the Baghdad International Airport.
Iran's judiciary spokesman has announced that a citizen of the Islamic Republic, who allegedly provided the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with information about the whereabouts of the late top Iranian general , will be executed.
"Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, one of the spies for CIA and [the Israeli intelligence service] Mossad has been sentenced to death. He gave the whereabouts of martyr [Qasem] Soleimani to our enemies”, Gholamhossein Esmaili told a televised news conference on Tuesday.
The statement comes after the magazine Newsweek quoted several unnamed sources as saying in late March that only a few people were in the know about the killing of Soleimani by a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in Iraq earlier this year.
According to the sources, Soleimani’s assassination was carried out in such secrecy that even the US military’s own spy satellites, the so-called “national technical means” (NTM), did not know about the drone’s position.
One of the sources claimed that there was “no GPS track on the MQ-9 Reaper as it made its way toward Baghdad International Airport, nor was there any indication of its flight provided to radar systems tasked with identifying friendly aircraft”.
Soleimani's Assassination
On 3 January, Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force, was killed at the Baghdad International Airport in a US drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump.
Soleimani’s assassination led to a major escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington , with Iran officially responding by launching airstrikes against two Iraqi military bases housing US troops.
The strikes caused no deaths or serious injuries, but the Pentagon has since reported that at least 109 US servicemembers have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.
Ain al-Asad air base was struck by a barrage of Iranian missiles on Wednesday, in retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed atop Iranian commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose killing raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
US-Iranian tensions have been in place since Trump announced Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, or
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) , also reinstating harsh economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic on 8 May 2018. Exactly a year later, Tehran declared that it had started suspending some of its JCPOA obligations.