NEWS ANALYSIS

Beijing, China | AFP | As the United States and North Korea exchange fiery words over the regime’s growing weapons programme, China — the North’s biggest ally and trade partner — has receded into the background. Donald Trump had been publicly prodding China for months to use its influence on Pyongyang, …

  Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Though it is seen as the most democratic country in east Africa, Kenya is on a knife-edge because its opposition coalition is claiming election results are being rigged. Partial results from Tuesday’s general election released by the electoral commission (IEBC) show President Uhuru Kenyatta …

Hagatna, UNITED STATES | AFP | Guam’s governor on Thursday said the US territory was “well-equipped” to handle any North Korean strike thanks to robust infrastructure that had survived earthquakes and typhoons, after Pyongyang released a detailed plan to launch missiles towards the island. A drumbeat of threats by North Korea …

Washington, UNITED STATES | AFP | Will the United States defeat the North Korean nuclear threat through “peaceful pressure” or “fire and fury”? This week US Secretary of State and diplomatic good cop Rex Tillerson was in southeast Asia, working with allies to isolate and cajole Kim Jong-Un’s regime. Meanwhile, back …

Washington, UNITED STATES | AFP | The crisis over North Korea’s nuclear program deepened Thursday when US President Donald Trump underscored his threat to rain “fire and fury” on Kim Jong-Un’s regime by saying his apocalyptic warning perhaps “wasn’t tough enough.” The latest escalation in the stand-off has set the world …

Washington, UNITED STATES | AFP | US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday warned that war with North Korea would be “catastrophic” and said diplomatic efforts were yielding results. Speaking at an event in California, Mattis said his mission and responsibility was to have military options ready “should they be …

United Nations, United States | AFP | In slapping its seventh set of sanctions on North Korea, the United Nations has adopted its toughest measures yet against the regime — but how effective they will be in changing Pyongyang’s behavior is another matter. Days after the UN unanimously approved the US-drafted …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African opposition leaders piled pressure on President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday after a parliamentary vote of no confidence exposed deep rifts in his ANC party as it readies for a leadership battle. Zuma survived the attempt to oust him, but he was weakened after …

Washington, United States | AFP | US intelligence believes North Korea has now built a nuclear weapon small enough to fit onto a ballistic missile, making it a potent threat against neighbors and possibly the United States, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. The country’s nuclear advances have proceeded much more quickly …

World Bank upbeat about economy | Says Public Private Partnerships on large projects could spur economy Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | The Uganda economy could grow at a rate of 5.2% during the current Financial Year 2017/18, according to the latest World Bank update released on July 25. That …