Singapore, Singapore | AFP | A fast-rising cabinet minister and former army chief seen as a frontrunner to succeed Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday that he and other younger officials were ready to lead Singapore if asked. Political succession in the affluent city-state was thrust into the limelight …

Modern engines work smarter In an old V-8 engine, all eight cylinders were firing, no matter if the car was idling or accelerating. They all got the same amount of fuel, regardless. Today’s engines have technology that makes them work smarter. Cylinder deactivation allows some cylinders in an engine shut …

Why recent discussions have been neither highly educational nor offered legitimate debate COMMENT | Bob A. Kasango | It is a few days after October 8 when we passed the 22nd Anniversary of the adoption of the third Constitution of the Republic of Uganda in the 55 years of our …

Singapore, Singapore | AFP | The top US commander in the Pacific warned Tuesday he must “imagine the unimaginable” in responding to the threat posed by the North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. Admiral Harry Harris, head of the US Pacific Command, made clear that while diplomacy remains the preferred option in …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe has banned the importation of fruit and vegetables to save scarce foreign currency in the face of a worsening economic crisis, state media reported Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Joseph Made told The Herald that President Robert Mugabe had directed that the importation of horticultural products be …

Sane’s political satirist legacy lives on | Dominic Muwanguzi | Eria Sane Nsubuga likes to invoke academic critiques and studies in his art to inspire dialogue on contemporary themes. He juxtaposes artistic parody, in form of satire and sarcasm, to create comic twists to hard topics like capitalism, immigration and …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | At least 50 people want to become Zimbabwe’s hangman, a job that fell vacant over a decade ago, officials said Tuesday, stressing that applicants were “very interested” in the role. The country, which has an unemployment rate of more than 90 percent by some measures, last …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Talks between representatives of rival authorities in strife-torn Libya have hit a new snag after a parliamentary delegation suspended its participation in the UN-backed discussions hosted by Tunisia. Years of political turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi have left Libya divided between …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Rent-a-room giant Airbnb said Tuesday that it had provided accommodation for 1.2 million visitors to Africa over the last year — double the previous year as tourism expands across the continent. The website now offers more than 100,000 accommodation options in Africa, global public affairs …

Beirut, Lebanon | AFP | Syria’s war has spiralled into a complex multi-sided conflict since it began with anti-government protests in March 2011, drawing in regional and international powers including the United States and Russia. Here is a breakdown of the forces involved in the war, which has killed more than …