Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday, September 9, began presenting evidence in the court’s first-ever in absentia hearing against fugitive Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony. The ICC accuses Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), of 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The militia terrorised northern Uganda from the 1980s before expanding attacks into Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan, and was notorious for using child soldiers, mutilating civilians, and enslaving women. Some Ugandans, including lawyer Okello Herbert, welcomed the proceedings, saying victims are deeply invested in the case. Judges will determine whether to confirm the charges, but Kony can only be tried if taken into custody.

Uganda Cancer Institute trains oncology super specialists

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has graduated 28 fellows from its two-year fellowship programme, designed to address the country’s shortage of highly skilled oncologists. UCI Director Dr. Jackson Orem described the graduates as “super specialists” with advanced training in oncology after completing prior specialisation in fields such as gynaecology, internal medicine, and paediatrics. He noted the milestone would improve access to high-quality cancer care and strengthen the nation’s healthcare system.

Uganda to host Africa’s first AI factory at Karuma

Uganda will host Africa’s first artificial intelligence factory inside the 600MW Karuma Hydropower Plant. The Aeonian Project, a 100MW hyperscale facility supported by global partners including Germany’s GIZ, Finland’s HAUS, and the EU Development Fund, will roll out in stages from 2026 to 2028. The first phase includes a 15MW AI module and a 10MW supercomputer, both fully powered by renewable energy. Oladele Oyekunle, CEO of Synectics Technologies, said the initiative will allow Africa to retain control of its data backbone and enable researchers to build AI models grounded in local languages and data.

Entebbe Airport enters final phase of $325m upgrade

Uganda is moving forward with the last phase of its $325 million expansion of Entebbe International Airport, aimed at transforming it into a modern regional hub. The project, which has already completed its first $200 million phase, includes terminal upgrades, new baggage handling systems, and increased passenger capacity. The second phase, worth $125 million, is now underway after COVID-19 delays. Authorities say the modernisation is part of Uganda’s Vision 2040 strategy to enhance tourism, boost trade, and strengthen international connectivity.

Uganda and South Korea launch rice seed project

Uganda and the Republic of Korea have launched a five-year, $3.9 million rice seed project under the Korea Rice Belt Program. The initiative, based in the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam District, aims to boost yields, improve farmer incomes, and reduce Uganda’s reliance on rice imports. Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze called it a timely intervention for food security. The project will rehabilitate 50 hectares of farmland, provide over 13,000 metric tons of high-quality rice seed, and train farmers in sustainable production practices.

Leading the list is the United States which boasts 15,873 airports. Following the U.S. is Brazil, with 4,919 airports.

Here is the full list of the top 10 countries with the largest number of airports:

USA - 15,873

Brazil - 4,919

Australia - 2,180

Mexico - 1,485

Canada - 1,425

UK - 1,043

Russia - 904

Germany - 838

Argentina - 756

France - 689

The airport which was previously named after the late Nigerian literary icon less than a year ago in June 2023 was commissioned by President Tinubu on March 11.

The governor after the airport name change decided to rename the Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru, after Abubakar Imam.

In a live interview with TVC News Nigeria , he stated that naming the State Polytechnic Zungeru after the late Abubakar Imam is more fitting and it ensures that "we are putting a square peg in a square hole."

"Bola Ahmed Tinubu being a father of the nation, being a very astute politician who has paid his price needs to be celebrated," he said

"He has been so magnanimous to us and he gave us the first agro-processing free zone airport in Nigeria... I sat down with my stakeholders and we thought it was wise for us to do that immediately, we got his approval," he added.

The Tinubu-led government in June 2023 instructed Nigerian aviation officials to rename fifteen federal airports in honour of notable Nigerians, including former presidents which included the renaming of the Niger state airport (then Minna Airport) to Abubakar Imam airport.