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Monday, February 23, 2026 Eberechi Eze tormented Tottenham yet again, striking twice as Arsenal crushed its North London rival 4-1 away to restore a five-point cushion atop the Premier League and reignite a title charge that had stuttered with back-to-back draws. Three months after a hat trick against Spurs, Eze’s brace — bookended by two finishes from Viktor Gyokeres — underlined Arsenal’s authority in a high-stakes derby and reset the tone of the title race. The leaders rebounded emphatically after dropping four points in…

Premier League: Eze and Gyokeres fire Arsenal to derby rout at Spurs as Mac Allister snatches late Liverpool winner LONDON — Eberechi Eze tormented Tottenham again, striking twice as Arsenal stormed back to winning form with a 4-1 victory in the north London derby that restored a five-point Premier League lead and steadied a title bid wobbling after two straight draws. Three months after a hat trick against Spurs, Eze reprised the role of derby scourge with a brace at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Viktor Gyokeres matched…

Monday, February 23, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — North Western State of Somalia said it is prepared to grant the United States exclusive access to mineral resources and potentially host U.S. military bases, sharpening its bid for international recognition three decades after declaring independence from Somalia. In comments published Saturday by Agence France-Presse, North Western State of Somalia’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said the territory is open to exclusive agreements…

Friday February 20, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s new army chief met senior African Union leadership in Mogadishu to tighten battlefield coordination and accelerate the country’s Security Transition Plan as Somali forces prepare a renewed push against al-Shabab following Ramadan. Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, commander of the Somali National Army (SNA), hosted a closed-door session at army headquarters with Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, the Special Representative of the African Union and head of the…

MINNEAPOLIS — In a winter of raids, fear and strobe-lit confrontations, a fried, triangular pastry became an unlikely emblem of resistance. As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in masks flooded the Twin Cities over the past two months, Somali Minnesotans met them not only with phones, whistles and signs, but with sambusas — crisp, fragrant parcels of spiced meat and vegetables — pressed into the hands of neighbors and strangers alike. “Food brings people together in our culture,” said community organizer…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Counter Terrorism Policing Unit said Wednesday it foiled a planned terrorist attack in Nairobi and seized a cache of weapons and explosives allegedly linked to suspected al-Shabab operatives. In a statement dated Feb. 18, the unit said the operation capped months of surveillance in which investigators tracked suspects’ movements, communications and logistics. Acting on intelligence, officers executed coordinated raids that led to the recovery of firearms, explosive devices and ammunition believed to…

Thursday, February 19, 2026 MOGADISHU — Oman’s low-cost carrier SalamAir will launch the first direct Muscat-to-Mogadishu flights on Sept. 3, 2026, establishing a new nonstop air link between the Gulf and the Horn of Africa via Aden Adde International Airport. The airline said it will operate two weekly services between Muscat International Airport and Mogadishu, positioning the route as an affordable short-haul option for travelers across the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Somali diaspora. One-way Lite fares will start…

‘People and livestock are equal in hunger’: Drought leaves pastoralists in Somalia’s Sanag region without water, medicine or markets In northern Somalia’s Sanag region, a yearslong drought has hollowed out pastoral life. Livestock are dying, markets have stalled, and families who once lived self-sufficiently off goats and camels are rationing water by the cup and living on credit they can no longer repay. For Mohamed Ali Salad, a pastoralist in Gurmale village, the collapse is measured in animals lost. His herd of 200 goats…

Liberal Party roiled by leaked plan to ban migration from parts of 13 countries Australia’s Liberal Party is scrambling to contain internal fallout after a hardline migration proposal, developed in former leader Sussan Ley’s office after the Bondi terror attack and never taken to shadow cabinet, was leaked to media. New opposition leader Angus Taylor moved quickly to distance himself from the plan on Monday night, as senior figures said they were blindsided by its contents and the way it was crafted. Guardian Australia…

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday hosted opposition leaders, including members of the Somali Future Council, for a luncheon in Mogadishu, signaling a renewed push to break a political deadlock over elections and constitutional reforms. The talks follow a federal invitation to a National Consultation Conference intended to ease rifts between Villa Somalia and opposition-aligned regional leaders. Discussions centered on the electoral process, disputed constitutional…