Higher inflation will reign in Christmas spending after a post-Covid splurge last year, but Cameroonians and Zimbabweans will still be extremely generous with Christmas gifts, decorations and food this year, according to an annual report SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | African households will focus on gifts and decorations as …
Read More »Could bombshell Colorado ruling thwart Trump’s presidential run?
WASHINGTON | Xinhua | The bombshell Colorado ruling begs the question of whether former U.S. President Donald Trump’s presidential ambitions will be thwarted. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the state of Colorado — all seven of its justices appointed by Democratic governors — banned Trump, a Republican, from running …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Retired judges get more benefits than retired Presidents, Speakers
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | On Monday, a section of the public took to social media to decry what they called unnecessary government expenditure after watching videos and pictures of the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among handing overt luxurious vehicles to four former speakers of parliament. Those who …
Read More »Vibrant consumption fuels China’s economic recovery
NANCHANG | Xinhua | Despite external pressure and internal difficulties, China’s economy has achieved a recovery and made solid progress in high-quality development in 2023, noted the annual Central Economic Work Conference held last week. Among various factors propelling growth, consumer spending is playing an increasingly important role, accounting for …
Read More »Gaza and Ukraine leave Europe divided
BRUSSELS | Xinhua | More than two months into the Israel-Hamas conflict, violence in the Middle East has no end in sight and Europe as a neighbor is still struggling to unify around a call for ceasefire in Gaza. The European Union (EU) summit ended December 15 without a much-expected …
Read More »What’s east Africa’s position on the Israel-Hamas war?
An expert unpacks the reactions of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda ANALYSIS | MICHAEL BISHKU | The reactions of some east African countries to the ongoing conflict in Gaza have been less dramatic than South Africa’s. South Africa’s parliament has passed a resolution calling for the closure of its embassy in Tel …
Read More »Uganda still secretive on oil and gas money
Visiting transparency body says government should give citizens more information Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Representatives of civil society organisations working in Uganda’s extractives sector (oil, gas and mining) want money and more freedom to check on the government’s pledge to be transparent and accountable to Ugandans. That is what …
Read More »Israel-Hamas conflict agonizes Palestinian workers, Israeli labor market
JERUSALEM | Xinhua | Mohamed Ghraib, a Palestinian taxi driver, is waiting for his business at the Israeli side of the Qalandia checkpoint 15 km away from Jerusalem, but not much luck has come to him so far. “Before the Israel-Hamas conflict, at this time of the day and this …
Read More »Bobi Wine versus Muhoozi
2023 achievements, hopes for 2024 COVER STORY | IAN KATUSIIME | Bobi Wine’s visit to the U.K. after a ten year visa ban capped a year where his political significance soared again after the lull of last year. The party Bobi Wine founded, the National Unity Platform (NUP), went through a …
Read More »What next for oil and gas after COP28?
NEWS ANALYSIS | THE INDEPENDENT | Researchers in energy say the just-ended UN Climate Summit will be remembered as one of the most important moments in the UNI fight against Climate Change. They have indicated it was quite decisive because of the historical results with a wave of new deals …
Read More »