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NAIROBI, Kenya — Iran’s ambassador to Kenya sought to calm fears on Tuesday, saying Nairobi is not at risk of retaliation as Tehran and its adversaries exchange fire across the Middle East and regional airspace closures ripple through airline schedules. At a press briefing in Nairobi, Iranian Ambassador Dr. Ali Gholampour said Kenya does not host a U.S. military installation of sufficient strategic value to draw Iranian fire. “This country does not provide a US military facility with a magnitude to attack Iran,” he said,…

As U.S. strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury entered a new day, the White House appeared determined to project clarity and resolve. Instead, a flurry of public remarks from senior officials — led by President Donald Trump himself — yielded shifting timelines and evolving justifications that sharpened questions about the mission’s scope, strategy and endgame. The president moved aggressively to frame the narrative, calling news outlets throughout the weekend from Florida and returning to Washington to blanket morning TV.…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s National Communications Authority on Monday brought together telecommunications operators and consumer representatives for a one-day consultation on a draft Telecom Consumer Protection Regulation, a move aimed at strengthening oversight and building public trust in the country’s fast-growing digital market. The session gathered telecom companies, internet service providers, submarine cable operators and consumer advocates to review the draft framework and provide feedback on how it should be implemented…

Starmer seeks broader powers to police internet access and child safety as U.K. weighs under-16 social media ban British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will move to secure broader powers to regulate internet access, arguing the U.K. must accelerate protections for children as digital risks evolve rapidly and platform rules shift faster than legislation can keep up. The push, announced as the government advances its review of online child safety, follows a plan unveiled last month to consult on an Australian-style ban on social…

Ukraine’s foreign minister said only U.S. President Donald Trump can close a deal to end the war with Russia and urged an in-person summit between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to settle the most sensitive points still blocking a cease-fire. “Only Trump can stop the war,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Reuters in an interview in Kyiv, arguing that what remains of a 20-point peace framework must be decided at the leaders’ level. He said Kyiv wants to accelerate U.S.-brokered negotiations while momentum…

GENEVA — The United States called for three-way talks with Russia and China to set new limits on nuclear weapons after the New START treaty expired, erasing the last binding cap on U.S.-Russian strategic arsenals and reviving fears of a new arms race. Thomas DiNanno, the under secretary of state for arms control, told the U.N. Conference on Disarmament in Geneva that the now-lapsed pact had “fundamental flaws,” citing what he called serial Russian violations, the growth of global stockpiles and weaknesses in the treaty’s…

WHO Launches $1 Billion Global Appeal for Health Care Access in Humanitarian Crises The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its 2026 global appeal, aiming to ensure that millions of people affected by humanitarian crises and conflicts can access essential health care. The appeal seeks nearly **US$1 billion** to address the health needs in 36 emergencies worldwide, including **14 Grade 3 emergencies** that represent the highest level of organizational response. These emergencies encompass both sudden-onset and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has invited the Somali Future Council, a leading opposition alliance, to a multi-day national conference in Mogadishu beginning Feb. 1, aiming to speed up talks on the country’s political direction with a particular focus on the electoral roadmap. The invitation, issued late Monday by the Office of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, signals a tentative step toward dialogue amid rising tensions over electoral rules and the broader governance framework. The move follows President…

LAS ANOD, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urged North Western State of Somalia’s leaders to return to talks with Mogadishu during a landmark visit Sunday to Las Anod, offering compromise on “everything” except Somalia’s unity, which he declared nonnegotiable. “I am open to dialogue and compromise on everything,” Hassan Sheikh said, “except the unity of the country.” He framed national unity as a red line even as he pledged flexibility on political and administrative questions that have long strained relations with…

Central African Republic Election: President Touadera Seeks Third Term Amid Controversy Elections commenced in the Central African Republic (CAR) as President Faustin-Archange Touadera aims for a third term following a 2023 constitutional referendum that abolished term limits and extended presidential terms to seven years. Voters participated in a series of elections, including presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal contests. With seven candidates vying for the presidency, analysts predominantly view Touadera,…