Shenyang, China | AFP |  The body of China’s late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo was cremated Saturday after a private ceremony attended by his family, as Beijing faces international pressure to let the dissident’s wife leave the country. Liu’s remains were incinerated “in accordance with the will of his family …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP |  Hollywood paid tribute Friday to “Walking Dead” stuntman John Bernecker after he was killed in a fall on set. Bernecker died in hospital Wednesday after falling 22 feet (6.70 meters) from a balcony headfirst onto concrete, according to The Hollywood Reporter, citing a …

  New Delhi, India | AFP |  India’s next president will emerge from the Dalit caste — a community so marginalised they were once known as “untouchables” — with the victory of the ruling party candidate set to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power. Ram Nath Kovind, 71, …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Mining company Acacia agreed Friday to pay more royalties to Tanzania’s government as it seeks an end to a dispute over alleged underreporting of production and profits. President John Magufuli accused the London-listed company, whose largest shareholder is Canadian Barrick Gold, of “theft” after a …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Burundi’s National Intelligence Service (SNR) has picked up a human rights activist and is holding him over an alleged breach of state security, a police source said Friday. Germain Rukuki, who has long worked for civil associations, was arrested by agents of the feared SNR …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP |  Gambian President Adama Barrow has set up a commission to probe the assets of former leader Yahya Jammeh, accused of stealing at least $50 million from the tiny west African state. In May, The Gambia’s justice minister announced that Jammeh had plundered the meagre state …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP |  A deputy police commander and the administrator of Kinshasa’s central market were killed Friday in an attack by unknown assailants that also freed prisoners, police and witnesses said. The assailants attacked the administrator’s office and the police station at the market allowing inmates being …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP |  Uganda had a goal disallowed and a penalty saved when drawing 0-0 with South Sudan Friday in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) second round, first-leg qualifier in Juba. Derrick Nsibambi had the ball in the net during the first half only to be ruled …

Low cost of production is crucial for private sector-led growth – President Museveni Kampala, Uganda| PPU | President Yoweri Museveni has stressed the need to lower the cost of production for the private sector led growth to yield positive results. The President made the observations Thursday at State House, Entebbe during a meeting …

Kampala, Uganda| THE INDEPENDENT REPORTER | Cranes goalkeeper Denis Onyango is Uganda’s Sports Personality Of The Year 2016. Onyango was named the country’s best at a glitz and glamour event Friday night by the Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA). The South African based goalkeeper becomes the first individual footballer to be crowned …