NEWS ANALYSIS

  Washington, United States | AFP | From Martha Washington to Melania Trump, the role of US first lady is as old as the republic itself. But if one of half a dozen Democrat hopefuls get their way in 2020, the nation could soon have a first gentleman — potentially …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | In his first speech as Ethiopian prime minister last April, Abiy Ahmed called for an end to the repressive, exclusionary governance that had plunged the country into turmoil. It was a promise on which he is seen to have delivered dramatically, earning him both …

How bad can investing in a specialised hospital be? Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | “Bring them in. Give them free land. Offer them Tax exemptions. Guarantee their financing. Don’t bother them with minimum wage. Then allow them to take their profits back home.” That is how one unhappy commentator …

Rwanda tension cited in supplementary budget, but why does govt want Shs1.5 trillion? Kampala, Uganda | HAGGAI MATSIKO | The government intends to push US$320 million (Approx.Shs1.2 trillion) worth of supplementary budgets through parliament in the next two months, The Independent can exclusively report. The money must be passed urgently before …

The great sex recession: celibate Americans at record high Washington, United States | AFP | The share of American adults having no sex in the past year reached an all-time high in 2018, an intimate survey revealed Friday, and many of those missing out are men in their 20s. An …

Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Thousands of Algerians gathered for new anti-government protests in the capital on Friday despite moves by a succession of veteran loyalists to abandon ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Demonstrations were expected to take place across the North African country, where protests broke out more than a month …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain has identified “significant” issues in Huawei’s engineering processes that pose “new risks” for the nation’s telecommunications, a government report found Thursday amid lingering global suspicion over the Chinese technology giant. “Further significant technical issues have been identified in Huawei’s engineering processes, leading to new …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has achieved his first target by landing the Manchester United manager’s role on a permanent basis but plenty of work remains for the Norwegian to do, starting with Watford’s visit to Old Trafford on Saturday. The 46-year-old was a popular choice to …

Beira, Mozambique | AFP | The number of confirmed cholera cases in cyclone-ravaged Mozambique climbed sharply to 139 Thursday as authorities prepared to roll out a mass vaccination campaign to stem the spread of the deadly disease. “The total number of cholera cases is now 139,” government health officer Ussein Isse …

Beira, Mozambique | AFP | Disease is threatening to aggravate the already dire conditions facing millions of survivors following the powerful tropical cyclone which ravaged southern Africa 10 days ago, officials warned on Sunday. Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique’s coast unleashing hurricane-force wind and rain that flooded swathes of the poor …