Vladimir Putin has poured cold water on Volodymyr Zelensky's push for a personal meeting, saying there is "no point" in a face-to-face summit until negotiators first put a peace deal on the table. Speaking at Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg, Putin dismissed the idea of an immediate encounter with the Ukrainian president, one day after Zelensky issued an open later urging such talks. "I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it.…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOFriday June 5, 2026 Garissa Governor Nathif Jama chairing the high-level security meeting./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Garissa’s standing as one of Kenya’s safest towns is facing a serious test after a wave of killings, muggings and violent break-ins jolted leaders into urgent action. Governor Nathif Jama said the county can no longer ignore the escalating insecurity that has left many residents afraid to move about freely. Shaken by the rise in crime, senior government officials, security agencies, religious…

Donald Trump said a face-to-face meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin would be “great,” throwing his weight behind the prospect of direct talks while insisting that any breakthrough would require concessions from both Ukraine and Russia. “I’m glad that they’re maybe talking about meeting. I think we had a lot to do with it,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think it would be great if they met. They should - get it done,” he added. Mr Trump, who has drawn criticism for berating Mr Zelensky in…

Tuesday June 2, 2026 Seoul, South Korea (AX) — Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali was among African diplomats who met South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Monday at Cheong Wa Dae, as Seoul pressed ahead with efforts to widen its reach across the African continent. The engagement took place alongside the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which drew delegates from 50 African countries and four regional bodies, among them the African Union and the African Development Bank. South Korea organized the forum under the…

Monday June 1, 2026 Seoul, South Korea (AX) — Somalia and Egypt used a high-level gathering in Seoul on Monday to press ahead with closer ties, as Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali met his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, for talks on expanding strategic cooperation. The discussion took place on the margins of the Korea-Africa Ministerial Meeting, giving the two ministers a chance to review the state of relations and look at areas where the partnership could be strengthened. The ministers explored ways to broaden…

A burst of interest in the phrase “Thucydides Trap” followed Xi Jinping’s closely watched meeting with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday, after China’s leader invoked the concept during talks that also touched on issues as contemporary as artificial intelligence and advanced computer chips. For many readers, the immediate question was obvious: why was an ancient Greek historian suddenly at the center of a summit about 21st-century rivalry? The term was popularized in 2011 by US political scientist Graham…

Alarmed by a fresh Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says it is tracking the situation closely and mobilizing support. The agency is coordinating with national authorities and partners to mount a rapid, unified response as officials race to contain the spread. Early testing by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) detected Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples, with preliminary findings pointing to a…

JERUSALEM, May 13 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret trip to the United Arab Emirates and met Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed during the war with Iran, Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday, confirming for the first time that the two leaders had met. The Prime Minister's Office said the encounter produced a "historic breakthrough" in ties between Israel and the UAE. A source familiar with the matter said Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, widely known as MBZ, met in Al-Ain,…

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali Future Council has cast doubt on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s proposed consultation meeting, saying it has not yet decided whether to take part. Speaking for the opposition bloc, former MP Abdirahman Dheere said the council is still weighing the invitation and has not settled on a final response. “Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent an invitation, and we are still considering how to respond. We believe he is not sincere and may have other intentions, but we have not yet made a…

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali Future Council has cast doubt on a consultation meeting proposed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, saying it has not yet settled on whether to attend. Speaking for the opposition bloc, former MP Abdirahman Dheere said the group is still weighing the invitation and has yet to arrive at a final stance. “Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent an invitation, and we are still considering how to respond. We believe he is not sincere and may have other intentions, but we have not yet made a…