Browsing: Business

Artificial intelligence is no longer something we summon with a voice command or find in hidden menus. It’s now baked into the tools we use every day—from your desktop and phone to the photo albums on your screen. Microsoft’s Copilot can see your apps and help in real-time. Google is letting users turn still photos into anime videos with a tap. Apple, after pulling back, is reintroducing AI-powered news summaries—this time with warnings. This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about a shift in how we live with technology. AI is no longer the future. It’s the interface.

Uganda’s latest Business Climate Index shows a subtle but serious slide—down to 89 in Q1 of 2025—signaling deeper fatigue in the private sector. Micro and small enterprises are struggling under the weight of multiple taxes, unstable electricity, and fierce informal competition. Add to that the aftershocks from the DRC conflict, and Uganda’s economy stands at a precarious crossroads.

Robusta prices have dipped to Shs 10,000–11,000 per kilo, sparking anxiety among Uganda’s coffee farmers. But while market forces are to blame, a roadmap to recovery is on the table. Experts are calling for policy interventions—from rural credit reform to stronger local processing—to turn the slump into a springboard for long-term coffee sector transformation.

In a sweeping crackdown, South Sudan’s Western Bahr El Ghazal State has banned the import and sale of Uganda Waragi and other high-risk spirits. The move follows alarming findings from a local study showing 14% of drinkers meet criteria for alcohol misuse, driven by poverty, trauma, and lack of treatment access. “This is about saving our young people,” said Minister Samuel Nicola Cornelio.