NEWS ANALYSIS

The details and implication on border tension Kampala, Uganda | HAGGAI MATSIKO | Letters exchanged by Rwanda President Paul Kagame and his counterpart Yoweri Museveni that might point to how the tension between them possibly escalated have emerged. Most importantly, the contents of the letters shed light on what might …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Chilean Cardinal Riccardo Ezzati, who had agreed to step down along with his country’s bishops over sexual abuse cases and their cover-up, the Vatican said Saturday. Ezzati, archbishop of Santiago, is the seventh senior Chilean church official …

Beira, Mozambique | AFP | The death toll in Mozambique on Saturday climbed to 417 after a cyclone pummelled swathes of the southern African country, flooding thousands of square kilometres, as the UN stepped up calls for more help for survivors. Cyclone Idai smashed into the coast of central Mozambique …

  Washington, United States | AFP | Now that the Islamic State group has officially lost its geographic “caliphate,” the Pentagon is marking a historic moment in its years-long campaign to defeat the jihadists. From a military perspective at least, the United States can claim significant success in its strategy of …

Paris, France | AFP | The Qatari boss of top French soccer team PSG Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been questioned in France in connection with a corruption probe over the awarding to Doha of the World Athletics championships, a judicial source said Saturday. The source said Al-Khelaifi was questioned on Wednesday by investigating magistrates who termed …

  Rome, Italy | AFP | Chinese President Xi Jinping sought Friday to allay Western unease over his new Silk Road initiative by emphasising the vast infrastructure project’s two-way nature as he kicked off a whistlestop European tour in Rome. Italy has rolled out the red carpet for Xi, who …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Prime Minister Theresa May returns to Britain on Friday vowing to make “every effort” to win over MPs opposed to her EU divorce deal, hours after securing a delay to Brexit from European leaders in Brussels. The embattled premier faces daunting odds to persuade recalcitrant …

Hong Kong, China | AFP | As millions of people in Asia choke under polluted skies, authorities have turned to water-dispersing drones and outdoor air purifiers to improve air quality, while companies have tried to cash in by selling everything from canned air to lung-purifying teas. According to the World …

Mumbai, India | AFP | Transgender mystic Zoya Lobo turns over three oracle cards, studies them for a minute and looks up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will definitely win India’s general election this summer, she proclaims. Clairvoyant Larra Shah also predicts a victory for Modi owing to his “extremely powerful …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  Defending champions Cameroon are among 21 countries hoping to fill one of 10 places up for grabs this weekend in the final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Indomitable Lions will be among the 24 finalists in Egypt this June provided they avoid …