#Top5atFive: Here’s what’s happening in Lesotho and around the globe

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Tuesday, June 2nd marked the 44th birthday of Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso. Take a look at what else happened in the first half of this week in Lesotho and around the world.

1Local headlines

Sky Alpha HD and the Lesotho Flour Mills have donated food parcels to two local orphanages and an old age home to celebrate the radio station’s first anniversary. Founded by Tello Leballo, Sky Alpha HD is Lesotho’s digital radio station that broadcasts globally in English.

The initiative donated to St.Angela Home for the Disabled at Ha Seleso; God’s love Orphanage in Sekamaneng and Reitumetse Church Project that looks after senior citizens in Mazenod. Leballo noted that they saw it fit to celebrate their first year anniversary by extending their hand to the less fortunate so they too can have something to eat during these hard times caused by COVID-19.

Sister Maria Crescentia Mosito from the St Angela Home for the Disabled expressed her gratitude to the radio station, adding that the orphanage survives solely on donations. [Sky Alpha HD donates to orphanages, Public Eye]

2Local headlines

The Petroleum Fund Secretariat has warned the public that there will be a shortage of petroleum products in the country until at least mid-June. According to the secretariat in a press statement, there will be disruptions following an unexpected increase in the demand of petroleum products in South Africa. This will lead to some rationing of their supply to neighboring states such as Lesotho.

“However, this is not a major problem as the supply is expected to come to normal during the middle of June 2020 and all refineries come to full production. The public is therefore advised not to panic as this spell will only last for about two weeks,” continued the statement. [Fuel shortage hits Lesotho, Informative]

3Global headlines

Five people, including a 15-year-old girl, have died of Ebola in a fresh outbreak of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations Children’s Fund said. Nine cases total have been reported and are currently hospitalized in isolation. This is the country’s 11th outbreak of the potentially deadly virus, which is passed by bodily fluids and has a fatality rate of anywhere between 25% and 90%, depending on the outbreak.

There has not been a new case in the past 21 days in this outbreak; Ebola has an incubation period of 21 days which suggests the outbreak may be under control. The World Health Organisation waits for two full incubation periods, or 42 days, to be sure before determining that an outbreak has ended. The nation is also battling an outbreak of COVID-19 as well as measles. [Five dead in newest Ebola outbreak in Congo, UNICEF says, CNN]

4Events and lifestyle

This past Sunday, veteran Hip Hop artiste Dunamis released what could be his final album titled UNDEFEATED. Born Retšelisitsoe Molefe in Ha-Mabote, Maseru, Dunamis takes pride in being able to “penetrate dense platforms like the South African music industry” coming from a small country. He has won several awards, one of them being the South African Music Awards (SAMA) in the best South Sotho category for his song Fabia Jo. He is also the first Mosotho hip hop artiste to have his music videos aired on international television stations including Channel O, Trace, SABC and ETV.

UNDEFEATED, whose release falls on Dunamis’ birthday, is the culmination of his life’s work in the music industry and he will touch on matters of the heart and the people he has lost. The album will be released under K.O.L Music Productions — which Dunamis founded in 2007 —  and will feature the likes of Cape Town’s Sylvia and Lesotho’s Flashy, Hfo, Devoe and AxoMind. Local beat producers Skream Beatz, Taks Beats and Sy Soprano provided additional production. [Dunamis releases retirement album, Lesotho Times]

5What we’re reading

In this timely article, Barack Obama suggests what we can do to make sure the recent protests and riots lead to lasting racial justice. All over the United States, activists have led protests as a result of the killing of George Floyd and years of police brutality against Black people, using movements such as #BlackLivesMatter to share their stories and efforts on social media. The former President asserts that “if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both.” [How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change, Medium]

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Matlhabeli Molaoli
Matlhabeli is a reader, an Afro-feminist and a firm believer in the power of human-centered design to create lasting social-economic impact. She is a rising junior at Smith College where she majors in both Biochemistry and Anthropology and also dabbles in venture consulting for the local start-up ecosystem. Matlhabeli also enjoys dialogue so she has spent much of her time attending, speaking at and organising TEDx conferences in both Lesotho and South Africa during her time as a student at the African Leadership Academy.