NEWS ANALYSIS

Beijing, China | AFP |  China was basking in praise Monday for its new Silk Road even as some countries raised concerns over the project seen as boosting Beijing’s global clout on trade and geopolitics. Almost 30 world leaders are attending a two-day summit promoting China’s One Belt, One Road …

Will technology deliver a free and fair election this time? By John Walubengo Elections present a milestone beyond which countries either strengthen their democratic credentials or become failed states. Often states fail when there are either perceived or blatant election malpractices. This in turn can lead to prolonged civil unrest. …

French president Macron’s top quotes at inauguration Paris, France | AFP | Emmanuel Macron took over as French president on Sunday, promising to heal the country’s divisions and breathe new life into the European Union. Here are quotes from his inauguration speech: – On France – “The time has come for …

  Nigerian economy glimpses dim light at end of tunnel Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |  Suffering from rampant inflation, stalled investment and mass layoffs, Nigeria is still gripped by one of the worst economic crises in its history. But for the first time in months, the West African economic giant …

Paris, France | AFP |  Once his high school drama teacher, now wife of incoming French president Emmanuel Macron, 64-year-old Brigitte Macron stepped into the spotlight long before her husband was elected. The 25-year age difference and the extraordinary way they met — he pursued her when he was her …

MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA: The Chairman of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, Amb. Mull Katende, has said heavy reliance on donor funding was affecting peace efforts on the continent. “Our major challenge is donor dependence, and this defeats the whole idea of African solutions to African problems,” …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Another self-inflicted crisis has left Donald Trump’s critics outraged and some of his Republican allies dismayed, but a bedrock of support for the billionaire US leader means the political endgame is far in the distance. A few weeks ago, only Trump’s most rabid opponents …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  It is rare when the pivotal moment in a title race occurs in September — rarer still when it can be pinpointed to the minute — but such has been Chelsea’s season. After drawing with Swansea City and losing to Liverpool, Chelsea found themselves …

Macron’s party unveils new faces for French parliamentary polls, including Rwanda-born candidate Paris, France | AFP | French president-elect Emmanuel Macron’s party on Thursday unveiled more than 400 candidates who will stand in parliamentary elections in June, with half of them newcomers to politics and half of them women. It …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Somalia struck a new stability pact with the international community on Thursday, aimed at steadying the fragile state by bolstering its security, staving off famine and rebooting its economy. New President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed hailed a “historic day for Somalia” after concluding the pact …