France Repatriates Stolen ‘Talking Drum’ to Ivory Coast

France Returns Djidji Ayokwe Drum to Côte d'Ivoire: A Step Toward Reconciliation In a significant move toward addressing historical injustices, France has officially returned the Djidji Ayokwe "talking drum" to Côte d'Ivoire. This drum, looted during a colonial military campaign in 1916, symbolizes not only the cultural heritage of the Ebrie tribe but also the broader reconciliation process between France and its former colonies. The three-meter-long drum served as a crucial means of communication for the Ebrie people,…

Domesticate Somalia’s endangered Yeheb tree to boost food security and prosperity

Somalia’s Yeheb tree is vanishing. Turning Cordeauxia edulis into a domesticated crop could secure food, fodder and fragile drylands. In the sun-scored rangelands of Hiiraan, Galmudug, Mudug and the Somali-Ethiopian borderlands, a native lifeline grows almost nowhere else on Earth: the Yeheb tree (Cordeauxia edulis), known locally as Jicib. Long relied upon for its edible nuts, livestock fodder and soil-restoring roots, this wild leguminous shrub is quietly slipping away—its populations down as much as 70% under pressure…

Violence after Mexican cartel leader’s death leaves at least 25 soldiers dead

El Mencho killed; cartel reprisals leave at least 26 dead across Mexico as U.S., Canada issue travel warnings At least 25 members of Mexico’s National Guard and one security guard have been killed in cartel attacks following the capture and death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the infamous Jalisco New Generation Cartel boss known as “El Mencho,” Mexico’s security authorities said Monday. Oseguera, long considered Mexico’s most-wanted cartel leader, died in custody after being wounded during a Mexican special forces operation…

EU Ambassador Hosts Mogadishu Iftar, Urges Dialogue and National Consensus

MOGADISHU — European Union Ambassador to Somalia Francesca Di Mauro hosted a Ramadan iftar at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu on Monday evening, using the gathering to urge Somali leaders to revive dialogue and forge consensus as political tensions mount over elections and constitutional change. The invitation-only event drew a broad cross-section of stakeholders: senior federal government officials, political leaders, diplomats, civil society representatives and members of the media. Organizers cast the iftar as a…

Nick Reiner Enters Not-Guilty Plea in Los Angeles Parents’ Murder Case

Rob Reiner’s son pleads not guilty in parents’ fatal stabbings, Los Angeles prosecutors say Nick Reiner, 32, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, during a court appearance in Los Angeles, authorities said. Prosecutors said the case stems from a December incident that jolted Hollywood days before Christmas. The younger Reiner was arrested on Dec. 14 after the bodies of his father, 79, and his mother, 70, were…

EU Ambassador Fosters Dialogue and National Unity at Mogadishu Iftar

MOGADISHU — The European Union ambassador to Somalia, Francesca Di Mauro, renewed her call for inclusive dialogue and national consensus as she hosted an iftar reception this evening at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu during the holy month of Ramadan. The Mogadishu iftar brought together senior officials of the Federal Government of Somalia, political leaders from across the spectrum, representatives of civil society and the media, and members of the international community. The gathering offered a rare, neutral…

Armed intruder fatally shot after breaching Mar-a-Lago perimeter, Secret Service says

Palm Beach, Fla. — An armed man breached the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, before being shot and killed early Sunday, authorities said. Trump, who frequently spends weekends at the Palm Beach estate, was at the White House when the breach occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man had a gas can and a shotgun when he drove through the north gate as another vehicle exited. Investigators…

Australian PM backs ousting Prince Andrew from royal line of succession

Australia’s prime minister will back any move to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession to the British throne, according to a letter shared by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office, underscoring the potential constitutional ripple effects across the Commonwealth after the former prince’s arrest. The letter, released by Starmer’s office, said the Australian government supports “any proposal” to alter the succession in light of the criminal investigation involving Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, who is…

Somali Government Says 17 al-Shabab Commanders Killed in Six Months

Somalia says 17 al-Shabab commanders killed in six months as financial squeeze intensifies MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces have killed 17 al-Shabab commanders over the past six months amid escalating military and financial pressure on the extremist group, the government said Sunday. Information Minister Daud Aweis said in a statement on X that the operations reflect sustained counterterrorism efforts focused on the group’s leadership network. He reaffirmed the government’s objective of dismantling al-Shabab’s…

World Bank, UN and EU estimate Ukraine needs €500 billion to rebuild

Ukraine will need roughly €500 billion to rebuild from Russia’s war, a joint assessment by the World Bank, United Nations and European Union said, putting a price tag nearly three times the country’s annual economic output on nationwide recovery as the conflict enters its fifth year. The estimate — about $588 billion — is 12% higher than last year’s figure, reflecting a winter of relentless strikes on the power grid that left millions without heat or electricity. The damage tally runs through the end of December, the report…