By VANCE SHERIFF Beyond the Strait: Why Gulf States Are Seeking Alternatives to Hormuz THE Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints. Yet growing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are encouraging Gulf states to invest in infrastructure that could reduce their dependence on the narrow waterway. The idea […]
By ANDERSON CLIFF US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse as New Tariffs Take Effect THE United States and Canada have entered a fresh phase of trade confrontation after negotiations aimed at averting new tariffs collapsed, triggering a 50 per cent US levy on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. The tariffs took effect after a deadline […]
By VANCE SHERIFF UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada have condemned Israel’s plan to construct about 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank. The five countries described the plan as “unacceptable” and urged Israel to withdraw it immediately. They issued the joint statement on Thursday as concern grew over the […]
By ANDERSON CLIFF Trump’s Hormuz Claim Raises Stakes in US-Iran Confrontation THE long-running confrontation between the United States and Iran has entered a more dangerous phase after President Donald Trump posted an image depicting the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as a “NEW U.S. Territory”, while Tehran simultaneously vowed to keep the waterway closed until […]
By ANITA KNIGHT Claims of a Diplomatic Confrontation Raise Questions REPORTS and online claims suggesting that the United States attempted to pressure Saudi Arabia into granting military access in exchange for the continued supply or deployment of air-defence systems have drawn renewed attention to the increasingly complex relationship between Washington and Riyadh. The claims further […]
By FRANKLIN FRANCIS FREY PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has taken a decisive early advantage in Zambia’s presidential election, leading his closest rival by a wide margin as partial results continue to emerge. Results from about 71 per cent of constituencies show Hichilema with roughly 62 per cent of valid votes. His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, trails […]
By FRANKLIN FRANCIS FREY A Security Operation Takes an Unexpected Turn TENSION rose along the Niger-Chad frontier after troops from the two neighbouring countries reportedly exchanged fire in the Diffa region during a security operation near their shared border. The confrontation reportedly occurred on Saturday 15 August 2026 when Nigerien forces were pursuing suspected attackers […]
By FRANKLIN FRANCIS FREY Bakassi Beyond Borders: History, Identity & the Limits of Ethnic Ownership FOR decades, the Bakassi Peninsula has been discussed through the emotionally charged language of loss, sovereignty, ownership and ethnic identity. For Nigerians, particularly many communities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, the name Bakassi evokes memories of displacement and […]
By SUSAN ESSEX A Remark That Escalated an Already Volatile Dispute A controversial statement by United States President Donald Trump about the Strait of Hormuz has added another layer of uncertainty to the already tense confrontation between Washington and Tehran over one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes. Trump told supporters at a […]
By FRANKLIN FRANCIS FREY THE South Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi has denied reports that it was shut down over unpaid rent, insisting that the diplomatic mission remains fully open and operational. The embassy addressed the reports in a statement issued on 13 August, describing claims of a closure as unverified and misleading. According to the […]