Progress

GENEVA — The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva made “a step forward,” but warned that time is running out to lock in an agreement as military threats hover over the diplomacy. “We made progress, but there is still work to be done, and the problem is that we don’t have much time,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told France’s LCI television in an interview. “There is the possibility of a dialogue that is really beginning, for the first time, to…

Russia said there had been “progress” in talks with Ukraine in Abu Dhabi as Kyiv accused Moscow of launching a “massive” overnight drone attack on railway infrastructure in the country’s north, underscoring the gulf between diplomatic messaging and battlefield realities nearly four years into the war. Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian negotiator, told state media that discussions in the United Arab Emirates were advancing. “There is definitely progress, things are moving forward in a good, positive direction,” he said on the second…

EU hails Somali opposition joining national dialogue as positive step MOGADISHU, Somalia — The European Union’s envoy to Somalia has welcomed the decision by the country’s main opposition alliance to join a government-led consultation, calling it a constructive step toward national stability. The Somali Future Council — a coalition of regional leaders and former officials — confirmed it will attend the consultations scheduled for Feb. 1, 2026, in Mogadishu. The invitation was extended by the Federal Government of Somalia. EU…

Finland seizes cargo ship in probe of undersea cable damage; two crew arrested HELSINKI — Finnish police said they have made progress in a criminal investigation into damage to an undersea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland, seizing a cargo vessel and arresting two crew members in a case that has heightened concern over the security of critical seabed infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Authorities on Wednesday detained the “Fitburg,” a freighter sailing from Russia to Israel, on suspicion it damaged a…

A Historic Peace Agreement Between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda After three decades of violence, proxy wars, and relentless political maneuvering, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a peace agreement that is being heralded as historic. Yet, in the Great Lakes region—a landscape marked by the tumult of conflict and fragility—optimism walks a delicate line alongside skepticism. As the ink dries on this pivotal document, questions linger: Will this truly signal the dawn of durable…

Somalia’s Cash Pipeline: Billions in Aid, Little Change at Home as Trust Deficit Deepens MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia sits at the center of a paradox. The country attracts substantial external finance — about $4.2 billion in annual inflows by one senior official’s estimate — yet citizens still face delayed salaries, frayed services and scarce formal jobs. As donors recalibrate their risk exposure and the government insists its systems are improving, a widening trust deficit is draining resources, slowing delivery and…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development on Thursday convened a high-level session of the National Development Council (NDC), bringing together federal and state planning leaders to align priorities behind the country’s new National Transformation Plan (NTP 2025–2029). The Mogadishu meeting advanced a unified national planning agenda by focusing on accelerated NTP implementation, tighter federal–state coordination, strengthened drought-response mechanisms and the rollout of a single…

President Donald Trump said Thursday he had a "very productive meeting" with New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani after the two met in the Oval Office to discuss cost-of-living pressures and public safety in the nation’s largest city. The session, requested by Mamdani, came amid earlier public sparring between the two leaders. Trump had threatened to withhold federal funding for New York and used inflammatory language to describe the 34-year-old former state lawmaker — calling him a "radical left lunatic," a communist…

Somalia’s energy moment: private grit, solar hope and the hard work ahead MOGADISHU — When Somalia’s 4th Success Stories Forum wrapped on a warm October afternoon, the optimism in the room felt brutally practical rather than triumphant. Government ministers applauded Somali-owned electricity firms for keeping lights on in the capital. A telecom giant announced that nearly all of its facilities now run on solar. And business leaders urged deeper investment to wean the country off imported diesel. Those notes of pride,…

Responding to Ebola's Echo: An Ongoing Battle in the Heart of Africa The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is no stranger to the ominous specter of Ebola. Its history with the virus has been marked by terrifying outbreaks and miraculous recoveries, and the latest resurgence underscores a vital truth: public health is an ongoing battle, deeply woven into the fabric of DRC's communities. Just as the Congo River winds through the nation’s landscape, so too do the somber realities of infectious diseases intertwine with the…