Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL | AFP | Michael Phelps bagged the 21st gold medal of his incredible Olympic career on Tuesday, anchoring the United States to victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay. Phelps, who barely 15 minutes earlier had produced a superb victory in the 200m butterfly, led the United …
Read More »Clashes heighten concerns ahead of Zambia election
Lusaka, ZAMBIA | AFP | Election officials and candidates in Zambia’s presidential vote on Tuesday condemned fresh outbreaks of violence between rival supporters, as concerns grow that the relatively stable country could face worsening unrest. Just 18 months after President Edgar Lungu narrowly won a snap election, he and the …
Read More »VIDEO: Petition against IGP Kayihura gets set back as witnesses quit
The expected appearance of the Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura before the Makindye Chief Magistrates’ court over police brutality took a new twist Tuesday when three of the witnesses lined up by the petitioners in the matter bowed out of the case. They claimed the petitioners, some ministers and …
Read More »ECONOMY: BOU reduces CBR to 14 percent.
Bank of Uganda Monday reduced the Central Bank Rate (CBR) by I percentage point to 14 percent. CBR is the rate of interest which a central bank charges on the loans and advances to a commercial bank. BOU governor Tumusiime Mutebile said that because inflation is forecast to stabilize around the policy target of …
Read More »TAXES: Akol’s massive shortfall headache
Having been appointed in October 2014 to replace the long-serving Allen Kagina as commissioner general of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Doris Akol started her tenure on a rather good note. At the presentation of her very first annual revenue performance report in July last year, she was all smiles …
Read More »MTN’s MoKash to the rescue
Telecommunication giant MTN Uganda this week launches yet another ground-breaking product. The initiative, dubbed MoKash, which is being set up in partnership with Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), will benefit all registered MTN Mobile Money subscribers who will be able to take small loans in a matter of minutes. What makes …
Read More »Hepatitis: Ignored killer
Patients go without drugs as billions are spent on vaccines World Hepatitis Day was marked on July 28 under the theme, `Know hepatitis Act now’. It was designed to focus this year’s activities on increasing global awareness and strengthening prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services around the world. The increased focus …
Read More »Olympics: Phelps grabs glory as Russians seek to restore pride
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | US swimming legend Michael Phelps returns Monday to the hunt for more Olympic glory as swimmer Yuliya Efimova opens her campaign to restore Russia’s battered pride. Phelps earned adulation Sunday when he extended his record gold medal tally on a day of Olympic …
Read More »Tensions in Chad as Deby sworn in for fifth term
N’Djamena, Chad | AFP | Chad’s President Idriss Deby took the oath of office Monday for a fifth term in power, facing dogged resistance from an opposition that alleges his re-election was a “political hold-up”. With tensions high a day after the death of a protester during an opposition march, …
Read More »Sri Lanka seeks spiritual help to reduce accidents
Colombo, Sri Lanka | AFP | Sri Lanka’s police sought spiritual help from Buddhist clergy Monday to bless an accident-prone highway in a country that has some of the world’s most dangerous roads. Police at Mawathagama, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north-east of Colombo, directed three saffron-robed monks to bless …
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