Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israel has struck an “historic” contract to supply natural gas to Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday, in a deal one firm said was worth $15 billion over 10 years. “This will bring billions of dollars to state coffers,” Netanyahu said in a statement …
Read More »Maize everywhere, but no store anywhere
Bumper maize harvest exposes weakest link in food supply chain Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | There is good news on Uganda’s food security front. The agriculture ministry estimates that Uganda has harvested about 5.5 million metric tonnes from the last planting season; which is a 38% increase from the …
Read More »Trump backs improved background checks on gun buys
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump signaled support Monday for improving background gun checks amid mounting pressure for reform in the wake of the Florida school shooting, as the accused gunman appeared in court. Nikolas Cruz, charged with killing 17 people, sat silently with his head …
Read More »Arsenal announce record shirt deal with Emirates
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsenal announced the club’s biggest-ever sponsorship deal worth a reported £200 million on Monday, extending their shirt partnership with Dubai-based airline Emirates by five years. The Gunners confirmed the branding of Emirates, which began its sponsorship agreement with the north London club in 2006, …
Read More »Expect further rise in fuel prices – Hashi Energy MD
Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Peter Onasis Ochieng’ is the managing director of Hashi Energy. He spoke to The Independent’s Isaac Khisa about the current surge in fuel prices and the industry’s future outlook. What explains the current trend of increase in fuel prices in Uganda and the region? …
Read More »South Africa’s main airport OR Tambo evacuated in bomb scare
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport, Africa’s largest, was evacuated on Monday and passengers forced to wait for two hours to return after South African officials identified a suspect bag. Images of the deserted terminal were posted to social media while other photographs showed crowds of …
Read More »Sugar price to drop further
Manufacturers cite increased imports and declining demand from foreign markets Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | There is good news for Uganda’s sugar consumers in the coming months owed to the projected sugar in production volumes amidst increase in imports. Statistics from the Uganda Sugar Manufacturers Association (USMA), which consist …
Read More »Saudi women to start own busines without male permission
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fast-growing private sector. The policy change, announced by the Saudi government on Thursday, also marks a major step …
Read More »Stanbic set to open a business incubator in Kampala
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s largest commercial bank, Stanbic, is set to open a business incubator to stir growth of small and medium enterprises countrywide. “The incubator will provide an enabling environment for SMEs to enhance their capacity, enabling their businesses to survive, operate successfully and grow,” Stanbic Bank …
Read More »BoU moves to trigger reduction in lending rates
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | On Feb.13, Bank of Uganda announced a cut in the Central Bank Rate by 0.5 percentage points to 9% in the next three months as a measure for boosting private sector credit uptake and economic activities. The Governor, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, said the decline in …
Read More »