NEWS ANALYSIS

Paris, France | AFP | A poorly stubbed-out cigarette or an electrical fault could have started the devastating fire that ripped through Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral in April, French prosecutors said Wednesday, while ruling out any criminal intent. The statement by prosecutors, which also said an investigation was being opened into possible …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Boris Johnson challenged his rival for Britain’s leadership on Tuesday to deliver Brexit by the end of October whatever happens, only to be accused once again of trying to avoid scrutiny. Johnson, the former foreign secretary and ex-mayor of London, is the favourite to succeed …

What made this country transform rapidly from a backward agrarian society into a modern industrial power The Independent | ANDREW M. MWENDA | How did Japan, a poor and economically “backward” country rapidly transform into a modern industry power a few years after its initial contact with the West? I …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudanese protest leaders said Monday that an Ethiopia-drafted proposal for the country’s political transition was already “unified” with an African Union plan, dismissing calls by ruling generals for a joint blueprint. Ethiopia and the African Union have stepped up diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in …

It is pro-growth, pro-poor; what is important is pushing for its effective implementation Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | On June 13, Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija, delivered the Shs40trillion National Budget for the Financial Year 2019/2020 under the theme “Industrialization for job creation and shared …

WHO warns big outbreaks becoming `new normal’ The Independent | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | On June 9, a 5-year old boy travelled from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with his mother after attending a burial of his grandfather who succumbed to Ebola; the deadly hemorrhagic fever. The grandfather was a pastor …

Why experts now want KCCA to cope with, not fight rain Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | For hundreds of thousands of Kampala residents, the onset of the rain season these days means suffering, losing property and even lives and this year’s rainy season has not been any different. There …

Sudanese security forces violently removed a protest camp in the capital, Khartoum, on June 3. SUDAN | Eric Keels and  Joshua Lambert | In addition to brutally beating the pro-democracy protesters, government troops also fired on the demonstrators. Early numbers suggest that at least 61 people died during the week, …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP |  A cradle of mankind, modern-day Ethiopia is riven by ethnic tensions, with the latest unrest flaring in the region of Amhara in what the government called a regional “coup” bid. Here are some key facts about Africa’s second most populous nation: – People and …

What went wrong? Kampala, Uganda | HAGGAI MATSIKO | “This is a serious issue,” muttered Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime Mutebile when he heard about at it. A plane chartered to transport new currency notes to Uganda from France had on April 27 landed at Entebbe Airport with cargo not …