KAMPALA -- A court in Uganda on Wednesday declined to nullify the controversial anti-homosexuality law that imposed death and life imprisonment for certain homosexual acts.
A panel of five judges of the Constitutional Court led by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera rejected the petition from gay activists and campaigners to nullify the legislation, which President Yoweri Museveni signed into law in May 2023. (Uganda-Anti-LGBTQ Law-Petition)
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GABORONE -- The setting up of Pipe World, a Chinese company that specializes in the production of PVC and high-density polyethylene (HDP) pipes, will spur the economic revival of Botswana's eastern town of Selibe-Phikwe, a local official has said.
Kefilwe Motlhanka, the manufacturing and industry development manager at the country's Selibe-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU), said Tuesday that the revival of the city, situated some 400 km northeast of Gaborone, Botswana's capital, is slowly taking shape thanks to the contribution of the Chinese company. (Botswana-Chinese Company-Economic Revival)
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KUALA LUMPUR -- China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is building the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia, recognized its local vendors on Wednesday for their contributions to the project.
In a statement, the CCCC awarded 20 local vendors, including consultants and subcontractors with the Award of Excellence 2023, highlighting their skills and achievements across a range of areas, including health, safety, and environment (HSE) management, quality management, project management, and resource allocation. (Malaysia-ECRL-China)
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SAVUSAVU -- China's assistance is instrumental in the development of Fiji and other Pacific island countries, said Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Fiji has enjoyed a very good relationship with China since the establishment of diplomatic ties, and is "very happy to see that China develops relations with the Pacific island countries," the prime minister told Xinhua during his Tuesday visit to the road upgrade project in Vanua Levu, the second-largest island in Fiji. (Fiji-China-Relations)
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MOSCOW -- Russia has managed to thwart the economic blockade from the West, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Wednesday, noting a significant rise in trade with friendly states.
"Trade turnover with friendly countries has not only grown, but is currently comparable to the volume of Russia's trade with the whole world four years ago," Mishustin said in an address at the Russian State Duma. (Russia-Sanctions-Foreign trade) ■
