Seoul, South Korea | AFP | The staunchly anti-communist Billy Graham had a record of engaging with Communist leaders in Asia as he pursued his global evangelistic mission — most notably North Korea’s Kim Il Sung. Graham, the influential US pastor who died aged 99 on Wednesday, became one of …
Read More »ANALYSIS: How corrupt local officials kill decent education in Africa
Kampala, Uganda | MATY KONTE | There’s no disputing that many African countries’ education systems are in trouble. Despite significant investment and some improvements linked to the push to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, children in large parts of Africa are simply not being well taught or learning what is needed …
Read More »Lawyer pleads guilty to lying in Russia probe
Washington, United States | AFP | A lawyer linked to a former campaign aide of President Donald Trump pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents Tuesday, as the probe into Russian election meddling gains pace. Special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s powerful team of investigators accused Alex van der Zwaan of knowingly …
Read More »Mission unclear in Brazilian army takeover of Rio security
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | The takeover of Rio de Janeiro’s security by army generals was meant to bring clarity to a city mired in chaotic crime, but three days later the exact mission remains unclear. President Michel Temer signed a decree Friday putting the police in Rio …
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 »One migrant’s brutal Odyssey
Migrants are held captive, fed just enough to keep them alive, and subjected to various forms of inhuman treatment in a bid to extort money Kampala, Uganda | KWAKU BOTWE | Thirty-year-old Nazir Mohammed sits on one of the two sofas in his single room in Kwame Danso, a small town about …
Read More »The physics of failing O’ level science subjects
Why 14 years after government made sciences compulsory, failure rate remains high Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | Physics was the worst done subject in the recently released O’ Level examinations. Only 2,280 of the 326,212 students that sat the exams scored over 70%. Another 40,000 scored over 55%. The rest, …
Read More »The Shs700bn loan saga and calls to censure Kasaija
The politics behind calls to censure Kasaija, fire Muhakanizi Kampala, Uganda | HAGGAI MATSIKO | Recently, according to State House sources, President Yoweri Museveni was on phone with Secretary to the Treasury, Keith Muhakanizi. He sounded to be in no mood for pleasantries. “I am tired of this,” the president …
Read More »Deadliest plane crashes in Iran since 2003
Tehran, Iran | AFP | An Iranian passenger plane on a domestic flight crashed on Sunday into the country’s Zagros mountains, with all 66 people on board feared dead. Here is a recap of the deadliest plane crashes in Iran since 2003. – 2014 – On August 10, an Antonov …
Read More »US vows investigation into Syria attack involving Russians
Washington, United States | AFP | US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday vowed to investigate an attack involving Russian citizens on American-allied forces in Syria but stopped short of accusing Moscow of orchestrating the assault. Russia has acknowledged that five of its citizens were killed in a US-led coalition …
Read More »
The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price