NEWS ANALYSIS

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP |  Key dates in the post-independence history of the Democratic Republic of Congo: – End of Belgian rule – On June 30, 1960, the Belgian Congo becomes independent. Power is shared between Joseph Kasa-Vubu, the president, and his prime minister, Patrice Lumumba. Rivalry between the …

Seoul, South Korea | AFP | The planned second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un needs to make tangible progress on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons if it is to avoid being dismissed as “reality TV”, analysts say. Their summit in Singapore in June was undoubtedly …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s lack of an upper age limit for driving was in the spotlight on Friday as 97-year-old Prince Philip recovered after being involved in an accident that flipped his car. An experienced pilot and carriage racer, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband has never been one for …

Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Rafael Nadal hopes home fans will still love him after he broke their hearts by completing an Aussie hat-trick at the first Grand Slam of the year. The Spanish world number two has only faced Australians so far at Melbourne Park — and sent all three …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenya’s security response to the Islamist assault on the Dusit hotel complex in Nairobi shows the numerous lessons learned since a chaotic intervention when the Westgate mall was attacked in 2013, according to analysts. The swift reaction, under a single chain of command, with the …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP |  The outcome of the presidential election in Democratic Republic of Congo lies in the hands of the Constitutional Court, where the declared runner-up Martin Fayulu has filed an appeal. Here are the figures which lie at the heart of his claim: – Election board …

Mission, United States | AFP | In Mission, Texas, the construction of part of a long-promised wall on the border with Mexico to stem the tide of undocumented migrants is already in progress. Among the many who will be affected? Butterflies. Mission, located in the lower Rio Grande Valley, is …

🇧🇷🤜🤛🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/QPlidR0Jp8 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 16, 2019 Liverpool, United Kingdom | AFP | An untimely series of injuries to defenders has left Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp short-handed at the back as he tries to keep the Premier League leaders on track for a first title in 29 years at …

Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Romelu Lukaku’s Manchester United future is in the spotlight as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plots to maintain his 100 percent winning record against Brighton on Saturday. Solskjaer is the first manager in the club’s history to begin his career with six straight victories and the …

  Berlin, Germany | AFP | A growing pushback against human rights abusers and autocrats has emerged in the last year, Human Rights Watch said Thursday, with resistance coming from a number of new sources. Smaller countries and groups like the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation are stepping up and taking …