Niamey, Niger | AFP | Thirteen African and European countries and the EU agreed Friday that efforts to crack down on migrant trafficking to Europe should also focus on economic woes that prompt poor Africans to seek a better life in Europe. In ministerial-level talks, they agreed to “attack underlying …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Britain on Friday provoked Russia’s wrath by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the nerve agent attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were “shocking and unforgivable.” The war of words between Moscow and London over the poisoning of a former Russian …

Bogota, Colombia | AFP | Video assistant referee technology (VAR) will make its debut at the World Cup in Russia this summer despite lingering opposition from within and outside football, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Friday. “We are going to have in 2018, for the first time, a World Cup …

Beijing, China | AFP | China’s President Xi Jinping will get a second five-year term on Saturday, with his right-hand man tipped to become vice president to help him consolidate power and handle US trade threats. Xi’s reappointment by the Communist Party-controlled legislature is a foregone conclusion, but all eyes …

Nyon, Switzerland | AFP | Manchester City will face Liverpool in an all-English Champions League quarter-final while Juventus play holders Real Madrid in a repeat of last year’s final. Surprise qualifiers Sevilla take on Bayern Munich and Barcelona were paired with AS Roma in the draw in Nyon on Friday. Jurgen …

Washington, United States | AFP | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, Riyadh will follow suit — just days before he arrives in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but …

Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump’s administration levied sanctions against Russia’s top spy agencies and more than a dozen individuals Thursday for trying to influence the 2016 US presidential election and two separate cyberattacks. The announcement follows a lengthy delay, which had caused anger on Capitol Hill and …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe described his departure from office in November as a “coup d’etat” that “we must undo” in his first TV interview since then, aired on Thursday. Mugabe, 94, spoke slowly but clearly to South Africa’s SABC broadcaster from an office in …

A travel advisory to Uganda is now in order as the forces fail to guarantee security for persons and property COMMENT | MORRIS KOMAKECH | The chilling kidnap and murder of Suzan Magara has dented the faith of Ugandans in the security of this country. This crime was at another level …

The dos and don’ts Kampala, Uganda | MOTORING GURU | As the annual long rains of March to May set in, chances of getting caught up in a flood rise. When that happens, know that your vehicle could be rendered irreparable or else, it might require quite some money and effort …