Kenya has introduced new banking policies. An economist weighs them up Nairobi, Kenya | AGENCIES | The Central Bank of Kenya has made two significant changes in the country’s banking sector. The first is to lift a decade-long moratorium on licensing new banks. Second is to raise capital requirements, the amount of money …

Deforestation-induced warming linked to 28,000 deaths a year SPECIAL FEATURE | Xilena Pinedo | Halting deforestation is not just an environmental issue but also a public health imperative, say researchers after a study found compelling evidence on the rise in heat deaths linked to tree loss. The study published in Nature …

  COMMENT | SAM OTUKEI | In the fight against medicine stockouts and theft in Uganda’s public health facilities, much attention is rightly given to the supply side—how and when National Medical Stores (NMS) delivers drugs. But once those deliveries reach a health facility, the responsibility shifts. At that point, …

SPECIAL REPORT | Namasagali College in Kamuli, Uganda has kick-started a series of activities to mark the first anniversary of the death of their longest ever serving headteacher, Mill Hill Missionary (MHM) Rev Fr Damian Grimes. Fr Grimes taught in Uganda from 1959 and was between August 1967 and December …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a landmark achievement for Uganda’s healthcare landscape, TMR International Hospital successfully completed its first-ever closed-heart surgery, performing a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) ligation on a 9-month-old infant from Kagadi District. The surgery, which can be life-saving if conducted on time, marks a historic …

LONDON | Xinhua |  U.S. President Donald Trump’s second state visit to Britain wrapped up Thursday night in royal pomp and friendly rhetoric. But showy ceremonies could not hide the gaps in results: while a splashy technology deal and new investment pledges drew concerns, trade rows persisted, and the split …

Lender’s decision is expected early next year Kampala, Uganda | AGENCIES | Uganda is negotiating a new funding programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the expiry of its previous $1 billion facility last year, as the East African nation faces mounting debt and rising financing costs. Ramathan Ggoobi, …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has stood over debate on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill, 2024, stopping the proposed law from progressing to its second reading. According to the report of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, the object of the Bill is to establish a …

National E-Mobility Expo 2025: Charging towards a greener, more prosperous future in Uganda Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The two-day National E-Mobility Expo 2025 kicked off Thursday with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Kiira Vehicle Plant. Expo Delegates got a first-hand look at Uganda’s cutting-edge EV manufacturing, a powerful …

WASHINGTON | Xinhua |  The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a single vote after Republicans changed the rules to allow batch approvals. The Republican-controlled Senate approved a slew of Trump picks by a 51-47 party-line vote, including several ambassadorial appointments. Former Fox News …