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ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed to “shake off Ethiopia’s enemies one by one, like hair lice” as he urged national unity and vigilance during the 20th Ethiopian Nationalities and People’s Day, framing the country’s struggles as tests of resolve that must be met with discipline, dialogue and reform. In a speech calling for resilience amid persistent political and regional strains, Abiy warned citizens against becoming conduits for “outsiders” he said are bent on derailing Ethiopia’s progress. He did…

Negotiations to consolidate the US-backed truce in Gaza are at a "critical" moment, Qatar's prime minister said Friday, as mediators press to move the cease-fire to its next phase while violence continues to flare. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told a Doha Forum panel that mediators were working to "force the next phase" of the cease-fire forward, calling the current halt in fighting a pause rather than a resolution. "We are at a critical moment. It's not yet there," he said. The truce took effect Oct. 10 and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s prime minister on Wednesday defended his government’s decision to stay silent in the face of recent inflammatory remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has escalated attacks on Somali immigrants living in the United States. Speaking at the Sixth Youth Leadership and Innovation Summit 2025, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Mogadishu had no interest in turning Trump’s comments into a political confrontation that could amplify his rhetoric. “It is easier to ignore President Donald…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Isaac Herzog for a pardon on Thursday in his long-running corruption trial, saying criminal proceedings were hampering his ability to govern and that a pardon would be in Israel’s national interest. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and said in a video released by his Likud party that he still expects a full acquittal. “My lawyers sent a request for pardon to the president of the country…

David Cameron reveals prostate cancer diagnosis and urges targeted screening Former British prime minister David Cameron said he was successfully treated for prostate cancer and used his platform this week to press for a targeted screening programme for the disease, the most common cancer in men in the U.K. Cameron told The Times he was prompted by his wife, Samantha, to get tested after the couple heard Soho House founder Nick Jones speak about his own cancer experience on the radio. Cameron said the sequence of…

Somali prime minister heads to Morocco for Medays International Forum MOGADISHU — Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre departed Tuesday morning for Morocco to attend the 17th Medays International Forum, where he is expected to outline Somalia’s priorities and the government’s agenda on security and governance as the annual gathering convenes leaders and experts from more than 120 countries. Hosted under the patronage of the King of Morocco, Medays will run Nov. 26–29 under the theme “Fractures and Polarization: Reinventing…

Mogadishu — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been named the CAF Best Male Referee for 2025, a landmark honor announced Wednesday evening at a ceremony at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco. The award marks a historic breakthrough for Somali football and its match officials, drawing swift congratulations from the nation’s top leadership. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called the accolade “historic” and said Artan’s rise reflects the talent and professionalism of a new generation of Somali officials…

Raila Odinga, Kenya’s towering opposition figure, dies in India NAIROBI — Kenyans woke to shock and grief on Wednesday after reports that Raila Odinga, the country’s most prominent opposition leader and a defining figure in modern Kenyan politics, died during a morning walk at a hospital in India. Odinga, 80, was reported to have collapsed at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kochi, Kerala, after experiencing breathing difficulties at about 7:45 a.m., a hospital spokesman told news agencies.…

Raila Odinga, Kenya’s tenacious opposition leader and former prime minister, dies at 80 NAIROBI — Raila Odinga, the combative and charismatic politician who embodied Kenya’s long, bruising fight for multiparty democracy and remained the country’s most formidable opposition voice for decades, has died at the age of 80, a person in his office told Reuters on Wednesday. Immediate details were scarce. Indian daily Mathrubhumi reported that Odinga had been receiving treatment in the southern city of Kochi and suffered a cardiac…

French prime minister resigns hours after naming new cabinet, deepening political turmoil What happened France's newly appointed prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, abruptly resigned on Thursday morning just hours after unveiling his cabinet, throwing President Emmanuel Macron's government into fresh and immediate uncertainty. The Élysée confirmed the move in a brief statement: "Mr Sébastien Lecornu has submitted the resignation of his Government to the President of the Republic, who has accepted it." Lecornu, a close ally…