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A deadly explosion in the northern region of Kenya resulted in the deaths of five individuals close to the border with Somalia. The bomb, concealed on a donkey cart to avoid detection, went off in El Wak town in Mandera County, injuring five others. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but it bears resemblance to previous assaults carried out by al-Shabab militants associated with al-Qaida operating in the area. Earlier this month, suspected al-Shabab gunmen entered the El Wak hospital, injuring guards and…

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launch missile strike, causing damage to a ship in the Red Sea float: left; list-style: none; padding: 1px; margin: 6px 0px 0px 0px; display: inline-block; position: relative A ship in the Red Sea was damaged by a missile attack carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday, according to authorities. This incident marks the latest in a series of assaults on vessels in the vital maritime passage. The attack occurred near Mokha, Yemen, as…

The European Union headquarters announced an extension in visa processing time for Ethiopian citizens, increasing from 15 to 45 days. EU member states are now prohibited from exempting specific paperwork requirements or granting multiple-entry visas. Ethiopian diplomats and officials are now obligated to pay for travel visas.The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, has pledged to leverage visa regulations to pressure countries into cooperating with deportation procedures. Merely one-third of individuals instructed…

Spain paved the way on Friday for a solution to a dispute over Western Sahara, which has been claimed by Morocco for almost 50 years, suggesting that making the region operate autonomously under Rabat's rule is "the most serious, realistic and credible" initiative. . This marked a huge departure from Spain's previous position to regard Morocco's grip on Western Sahara as an occupation. The shift followed months of frosty diplomatic relations and led to the announcement of a flurry of visits by Spanish…

Libya's war - torn parliament rejected all "interference" in its work, its spokesman told UN envoy Stephanie Williams on Monday after she offered to mediate in an election press when the country was torn between two prime ministers. Williams had on Friday offered to host talks between the eastern legislator and the institutions in the western capital Tripoli in a push for far-delayed votes. She has also warned of an "escalation" after parliament appointed a new prime minister in an attempt to oust the…

UN envoy Stephanie Williams on Friday offered to mediate between political rivals in Libya as two rival governments claim power after tentative steps towards unity over the past year. Williams, the UN Special Adviser in Libya, invited lawmakers to appoint 12 members to a committee to work to overcome the political stalemate. "The solution to Libya's crisis is not to form rival administrations and perennial transitions," Williams tweeted. "Libyans must agree on a consensual path forward that…

Fathi Bashagha, appointed by Libya's east as prime minister, said on Wednesday that he would not use force to take office in Tripoli despite the incumbent's promise to retain power. Parliament will swear in Bashagha as prime minister on Thursday, but the head of the current interim government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, has refused to relinquish control, raising the prospect of fighting. "It will not be used by force, either by us or the existing government," Bashagha told Reuters in an interview. "Tomorrow…

Eleven years after the overthrow of dictator Moammar Gaddafi, Libya's transition process continues as Libyans find themselves with two prime ministers, a situation that threatens to unleash a new power struggle in the war-torn nation. Just weeks after national elections scheduled for December 24 were postponed indefinitely, the East-based parliament voted to appoint the influential former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha to replace the Provisional Unity Government. Incumbent Prime Minister Abdul Hamid…

Libya's western-based upper house on Saturday defended a decision by lawmakers in the country's east to appoint a new prime minister as institutional chaos prevails. The High Council of State (HCS) - a Tripoli-based body equivalent to a senate - usually competes with the House of Representatives (HoR), based in the eastern city of Tobruk. The HoR this week "unanimously" approved former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha to lead the government, a move that left Libya with two prime ministers and…

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday called for elections to be held in Libya as soon as possible after the country found itself with two competing prime ministers, which raises the specter of renewed violence. The Secretary-General reminded "all institutions of the primary objective of holding national elections as soon as possible", in a statement saying that he "notes" the name of the Libyan Parliament on a new Prime Minister. The UN chief's statement did not name either Libya's interim prime…