Cairo, Egypt | AFP | An Egyptian court sentenced a British woman to three years in prison on Tuesday, convicting her of trying to smuggle drugs into the country, a judicial official said. Laura Plummer, 33, was arrested at Hurghada airport when customs officers found almost 300 Tramadol pills in …
Read More »South Sudan govt, rebels accuse each other of breaking truce
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | South Sudan’s government and main rebel group on Sunday accused each other of breaking a ceasefire that went into effect shortly after midnight. The ceasefire is the latest bid to end a devastating four-year war which broke out after a falling out between former …
Read More »Kane says ‘great feeling’ to beat Shearer record
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane said beating Alan Shearer’s Premier League record for goals in a calendar year was a “great feeling” after he netted a hat-trick on Tuesday. Kane’s three goals in a 5-2 rout of Southampton also guaranteed he would finish as …
Read More »Egypt FM visits Ethiopia over Nile dam
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egypt’s top diplomat is in Addis Ababa to discuss controversial Ethiopian plans to build a dam on the Nile that Cairo fears will impact its water supplies, his ministry said Monday. Construction of the massive dam on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia has poisoned relations …
Read More »Low turn-out as George Weah contends to lead Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Liberian former international footballer George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai joined voters in casting their ballots on Tuesday as they went head-to-head in a delayed run-off vote for the country’s presidency. Voters were choosing a successor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is stepping down …
Read More »Who burned down President Kabila’s residence?
Bukavu, DR Congo | AFP | A residence of President Joseph Kabila was burned down early Monday in a suspected militia attack that killed a police officer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, witnesses said. So-called Mai-Mai armed groups were probably trying to steal goods from the building in Musienene, …
Read More »IN THE INDEPENDENT: 2017 year of Togikwatako
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The top stories of this week’s The INDEPENDENT. COVER 2017 year of Togikwatako: The falsehoods & false hopes. THE LAST WORD RPF celebrates 30 years: How the struggle to liberate Rwanda has shaped the character of post genocide reconstruction. AGE LIMIT When Kadaga fumbled …
Read More »UPDF strikes rebel camps in eastern DR Congo
Ugandan army strikes rebel camps in eastern DR Congo Kampala, Uganda | AFP – Michael O’Hagan | Uganda’s army said Friday it had launched attacks on a shadowy rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the militants killed 14 UN peacekeepers earlier this month. Army spokesman Richard Karemire …
Read More »Latest clashes highlight fragility of South Sudan ceasefire deal
Aba, DR Congo | AFP | As South Sudan’s warring parties haggled over a ceasefire deal this week, dozens of refugees streamed into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing what they said was a fresh government offensive. The apparent push to recapture the key rebel stronghold of Lasu came as …
Read More »How Ugandan MPs voted to scrap presidential age limit
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Ugandan lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to remove presidential age limits, paving the way for President Yoweri Museveni to serve a sixth term in office. The highly controversial bill passed with 315 votes for, 62 against and two abstentions, after three days of chaotic debates in …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price