World Tour - Floods in Italy, and pro-lifers in Argentina

NICK EICHER, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with Africa correspondent Onize Ohikere.

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Dozens dead in Uganda protests—We start today here in Africa.

AUDIO: [Uganda Protests, people yelling]

At least 45 people died in Uganda last week during protests in the capital. Hundreds of Ugandans took to the streets after the arrest of pop star-turned-politician, Bobi Wine.

AUDIO: [Chanting, “Our power, people power”]

Wine is running for president. Police arrested him earlier this month after he held a campaign rally that drew large crowds.

Uganda currently has a ban on large gatherings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But Wine’s supporters say the government is using that ban to crack down on opposition campaign events ahead of the presidential election in January.

AUDIO: [Shots]

As news of Bobi Wine’s arrest spread, protesters took to the streets, clashing with Ugandan police and military. They burned tires and trash and built blockades on major roads. In response, police fired tear gas and live bullets into the crowds.

Sardinian floods—Next, we go to the Mediterranean.

AUDIO: [Water rushing] 

Landslides buried a town in Sardinia this weekend, killing three people. Two others remain missing. Heavy rains drenched the Italian island, triggering torrential floods that poured through the streets. Mudslides smashed cars and buried homes up to the second story.

With more rain in the forecast, officials have issued a red alert for the whole island and warned other towns to evacuate. Many inhabited areas are built on geologically unstable terrain.

New Zealand files new criminal charges in volcano eruption—Next, to New Zealand.

AUDIO: Not only are we coming up to the anniversary of this horrific tragedy, we also are coming up against the deadline for which charges would need to be laid.

Prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 13 organizations and individuals following last year’s volcanic eruption on White Island. The once-popular tourist destination off New Zealand’s coast is an active volcano. Twenty-two people died when it erupted in December 2019.

In the weeks before the eruption, New Zealand’s monitoring service raised the alert level for the island. But tour companies didn’t heed that warning, and 47 people were exploring the island’s slopes and beaches when the volcano erupted.

Investigators determined government agencies and tourist companies failed to take proper precautions to protect workers and visitors.

Argentina protests bill that would legalize abortion—Finally, we end today in South America.

AUDIO: [Crowd chanting “pro-life” in Spanish]

Thousands of pro-lifers gathered in front of Argentina’s congressional building this weekend. They were protesting a new bill that would legalize abortion in the South American country. The protesters carried sky-blue scarves and signs that read “Save both lives,” and “March for the unborn.”

This is the ninth time lawmakers have tried to legalize abortion in Argentina, but the congress has always blocked the legislation. This time it has the support of Argentina’s president. The bill would legalize abortion for any reason up to the 14th week of pregnancy. Argentina currently allows abortions only in cases of rape, or if the mother’s life is in danger.

Lawmakers will debate the bill next week.

That’s this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

(Alessandro Tocco/LaPresse via AP) Cars among other debris litter the street in Bitti, Sardinia, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. 

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