Moscow, RUSSIAN FEDERATION | AFP | Russia said Wednesday it is formally withdrawing its signature from the founding statute of the International Criminal Court, saying the tribunal has failed to live up to the hopes of the international community. Russia in 2000 signed the Rome Statute setting up the ICC, …
Read More »Russian economy minister sacked, held over ‘$2mn-bribe’ charges
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev was sacked Tuesday and put under house arrest on suspicion of pocketing a two-million-dollar bribe in a deal involving state-controlled oil giant Rosneft. Ulyukayev is the highest ranking official detained over suspected corruption since President Vladimir Putin took power in …
Read More »Putin, Trump in phone call normalising US-Russia ties
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke on the phone on Monday evening and agreed on the need to normalise ties between Washington and Moscow, the Kremlin said. The Kremlin also said that the two politicians agreed to “make provisions for a personal meeting.” …
Read More »RAFSCED: Facilitating Russia-Uganda cooperation
Karen Melik Simonyan is the President of Russian African Foundation for Science, Culture and Economic Development (RAFSCED), an initiative aimed at furnishing both the African and Russian Business communities about the business opportunities that do exist in both countries, as well as other African countries. He spoke to Nicole Namubiru …
Read More »Nuclear to the rescue?
Uganda, Russia reach understanding to harness huge Uranium deposits to produce thousands of mega watts from nuclear energy It’s now official; Uganda’s plan to develop nuclear as a source of electricity is on course. On Oct. 13, a Russian government delegation was in Uganda to meet President Yoweri Museveni. The …
Read More »Russia loses election to UN rights council
United Nations, United States | AFP | Russia on Friday failed to win re-election at the United Nations Human Rights Council in a vote rights groups said reflected international disapproval of Moscow’s involvement in the war in Syria. The UN General Assembly elected Hungary and Croatia instead to represent eastern …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Russia, the uninvited guest in US election
New York, United States | AFP | Many unorthodox things have taken place in the 2016 race for the White House, but Russia is perhaps the most unlikely guest at the US political dinner table. From US accusations that Moscow hacked emails of Democratic Party leaders to hurt Hillary Clinton, …
Read More »Did it crash or land? Search on for Europe’s Mars craft
Paris, France | AFP | Europe’s second attempt to reach Mars’ surface appeared in peril Thursday as initial analysis suggested the latest lander may have plummeted to its demise. While holding out faint hope, ground controllers said it seemed the paddling pool-sized lander’s parachute may have been discarded too early, …
Read More »Clinton says Trump would be Putin’s ‘puppet’
Las Vegas, United States | AFP | Democrat Hillary Clinton warned Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is rooting for Donald Trump in the race for the White House because the Republican would be his “puppet.” In a ferocious debate exchange, Clinton cited reports from US intelligence agencies that …
Read More »American to build Uganda’s refinery?
American to build refinery? Deal could be blow to sanction-strapped Russians Technocrats at the Energy Ministry and the Ministry of Finance who are working on the country’s pet project, the US$4 billion oil refinery, have learnt to stay cool under pressure. Behind their cool fronts, however, they are working in …
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