Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP |  A “remarkably complete” 3.8-million-year-old skull of an early human has been unearthed in Ethiopia, scientists announced Wednesday, a discovery that has the potential to alter our understanding of human evolution. The skull, known as “MRD”, was discovered not far from the younger Lucy — the …

Godfrey Mundua is dfcu bank’s head of corporate banking that handles one big segment in the institution called commodity financing. He spoke to The Independent’s Julius Businge about the opportunities this line of credit is offering. What is commodity structured finance all about? Structured commodity finance is a specialised way …

Only 14% of the country’s working population has some sort of retirement benefit scheme Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s pension sector continues to register growth amidst the bickering over the proposed changes to the National Social Security Fund Act. Latest statistics from the industry regulator, Uganda Retirement Benefits …

New York, United States | AFP | Top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic fought through shoulder pain to reach the third round of the rain-hit US Open on Wednesday while Roger Federer shook off another slow start to advance. Djokovic, winner of four of the past five Slam titles and 16 in …

Mekele, Ethiopia | AFP |  Yonas Getu Molla started chewing khat as an architecture student, when he and his friends would munch on the leafy stimulant late into the night to help them study. When they closed their books, their heartbeats racing, they would seek out depressants like vodka and cannabis …

Auckland, New Zealand | AFP |  All Blacks selectors backed star centre Sonny Bill Williams to help achieve an unprecedented World Cup treble in Japan but dumped veteran prop Owen Franks from their 31-man squad on Wednesday. The axing of 108-Test stalwart Franks was the major surprise, although the defending champions …

Warsaw, Poland | AFP | US President Donald Trump, fresh from hob-nobbing with his G7 partners at a glitzy French resort town, will on Sunday attend sombre commemorations in Warsaw of the outbreak of World War II 80 years ago. Trump will be the first US head of state to come …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Jinja Resident District Commissioner Eric Joseph Sakwa is calling for the interdiction of three senior officials in Jinja Municipal Council.    Sakwa says the civil servants should be interdicted and investigated over the land and purchase of government land located on plot 24 B Kyabazinga …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan is Wednesday due to announce the members of a new cabinet faced with a mountain of challenges after months of unrest, including rebuilding the economy and ending internal conflicts. Newly-appointed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok will name his key picks from nominees put forward by the …

Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Ministry of Health has lifted the livestock quarantine. The quarantine was imposed on January 15th, 2019 by the Commissioner of Animal Health in Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, MAAIF.  This quarantine followed an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the district.  …