Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Uganda Manufacturers Association is eyeing 30 acres of former Naguru Housing Estate to expand its showground in Lugogo to accommodate the growing number of exhibitors entering the annual International Trade Fair.         Mubarak Kirunda Nkutu, the Director Membership Services at Uganda Manufacturers Association – UMA says …

Madrid, Spain | AFP |  Sergio Ramos is set to overtake Iker Casillas and become his country’s most capped player with his 168th international appearance on Saturday as Spain take on Denmark hoping to secure a place at Euro 2020. The 33-year-old first took the field for Spain as a callow teen against …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  Ahead of Sunday’s presidential runoff vote, here is a recap of key developments in Tunisia since its 2011 revolution. – President flees – Demonstrations erupt in central Tunisia in December 2010 after the self-immolation of a fruit seller protesting police harassment and unemployment. After weeks of …

Paris, France | AFP |  One day after the blaze that scarred Notre-Dame, President Emmanuel Macron addressed a nation in shock at the damage to one of its great cultural landmarks, with a promise that rang as clearly as the peal of the cathedral’s bells. “We will rebuild the cathedral even …

Ketama, Morocco | AFP | Morocco’s rugged Rif Mountains have long been renowned for their cannabis but traditional varieties are being smoked out by foreign hybrids offering higher yields and greater potency. The local strain of marijuana, known as Beldiya, is coveted by afficionados but is gradually disappearing from the fields …

Ras al-Ain, Syria | AFP | Turkey has launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria, with intensive bombardment followed by a ground offensive made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday the start of the attack on Twitter and soon after jets …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Lawyers representing Dr Stella Nyanzi have protested a decision by the Deputy Head of the Criminal Division of High Court, Lady Justice Flavia Anglin Senogaon to hear Nyanzi’s appeal in her chambers. The appeals are scheduled for hearing today in the Judge’s private chambers, with the …

Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  A suspected Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF impersonator is in trouble for aggravated robbery and kidnap in Rukungiri district. The suspect is 31-year-old Barham Twebaze, a resident of Ruku village in Kagunga Sub County in Rukungiri district. Twebaze is accused together with three others of kidnapping …

New York, United States | AFP |  As the General Motors strike grinds on, more auto suppliers and contractors are sending workers home, adding to the economic drag on Michigan and other US midwestern car manufacturing hubs. The idling affects companies that supply parts, computer systems and raw materials to GM …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Namwongo Blazers Basketball Club (NBC) defeated Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) Tomahawks 64-57 in a thrilling Division 1 basketball league finals game. The two teams have been elevated to top-flight National Basketball League after qualifying for the finals, but have to battle for the number one …