NEWS ANALYSIS

What WHO emergency declaration means | THE INDEPENDENT | On July 17, the second worst Ebola outbreak of all time, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was officially declared an international Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said this means all countries should …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump was hit with new accusations of racism Saturday after he attacked a prominent African-American lawmaker and branded the majority black city of Baltimore an “infested mess.” Trump’s outburst came in a series of sharply worded tweets aimed at Democratic Representative Elijah …

Rabat, Morocco | AFP |  Here are some milestones in the two-decade reign of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and facts on the North African country: – Breaks with father – On July 23, 1999, Mohammed ascends the throne at age 35 on the death of his father Hassan II, …

Washington, United States | AFP |  For the first time since the Great Recession a decade ago, the US Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates, shoring up America’s defenses as the global economy weakens. It will mark a striking about-face for the central bank, reversing a rate increase announced just …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  Thousands of Tunisians on Saturday attended the funeral of president Beji Caid Essebsi as the North African nation gears up for snap elections as early as September to defend the democratic gains of the Arab Spring. Essebsi, the country’s first head of state elected in …

Macau, China | AFP | Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario scored the final spot-kick as Inter Milan beat Neymar-less Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Macau on Saturday. With their want-away Brazilian superstar left out of the trip to the former Portuguese colony, PSG were seconds from victory before Samuele Longo’s injury-time equaliser …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | A probe into a deadly June raid on a Khartoum protest camp revealed Saturday that a feared Sudanese paramilitary group was involved in the crackdown that killed scores and sparked international outrage. Shortly before dawn on June 3, gunmen in military fatigues raided the site of …

Hong Kong, China | AFP |  Seething unrest in Hong Kong is taking on a more stridently anti-Chinese tone, with the target of public anger shifting from the city’s leaders to direct symbols of Beijing’s rule and the huge influx of mainlanders. The chants directed at Beijing’s egg-splattered Liason Office on …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian opposition and ordinary Muscovites plan to take to the streets of Moscow Saturday to demand free and fair polls despite a police crackdown including the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. This week authorities jailed President Vladimir Putin’s top opponent for 30 days and launched …

Washington, United States | AFP |  President Donald Trump announced Friday that a “landmark” asylum agreement has been reached with Guatemala, as the United States ratchets up pressure on its southern neighbors to stem the flow of migrants towards its border. The White House said Guatemala would now be considered a …