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Burundi’s Ndayishimiye takes AU chair as bloc warns of geopolitical turbulence ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The African Union on Saturday elected Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye as its chairperson for 2026, closing a high-level summit in Addis Ababa where leaders elevated water security, institutional reform and regional stability as urgent priorities. Ndayishimiye assumes the rotating leadership from Angolan President João Lourenço at the conclusion of the AU’s 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State…

Premier League title race tightens as Arsenal’s lead shrinks and Manchester City surge gathers pace From a nine-point cushion to a four-point edge in less than a week, Arsenal’s authority atop the Premier League has been trimmed and tested — and the momentum feels as if it has tilted toward Manchester City. Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday did not dislodge Mikel Arteta’s side from first place, and, crucially, the league leaders still control their fate. Yet the psychology of a title chase can shift quickly. City,…

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing calls to step down as his team reels from the fallout of appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S., a move that has boomeranged amid disclosures about Mandelson’s ties to convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Here is how a resignation or a Labour leadership challenge would unfold — and what it would take to replace a sitting prime minister. What happens if Starmer resigns? If Starmer quits, the Labour Party would immediately begin a leadership contest to choose his…

MOGADISHU — Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud formally assumed command of the Somali National Army on Wednesday in a handover ceremony at the Ministry of Defence, as Somalia’s government pledged to accelerate military reforms and intensify operations against al-Shabab. Maj. Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Raage, the outgoing chief of the army, transferred authority in the presence of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, senior security chiefs and foreign diplomats, including Turkey’s ambassador. The…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Irro is attending the World Governments Summit in Dubai for the second consecutive year, joining global leaders as they debate the future of governance, technological innovation and public policy. Irro’s participation comes as relations between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates face renewed strain. Somalia has said it canceled agreements with Abu Dhabi following claims by Israel that it had recognized North Western State of Somalia as an…

Egypt takes helm of AU Peace and Security Council, puts Sudan and Somalia atop agenda CAIRO — Egypt on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, pledging to focus its one-month term on the crises in Sudan and Somalia while advancing a broader agenda linking peace, security and governance across the continent. The presidency, which began Feb. 1, comes amid what Cairo described as escalating and overlapping challenges in Africa — from protracted armed conflicts and fragile…

MOGADISHU — Brig. Gen. Elio Manes assumed command Friday of the European Union Training Mission in Somalia, a handover EU officials said keeps momentum behind Somalia’s push to take greater responsibility for its own security. Manes took over from Brig. Gen. Sofia Westermark during a formal ceremony at EUTM-S headquarters in Mogadishu. The transfer followed standard operational procedures to ensure continuity in a mission EU officials describe as central to Somalia’s long-term security reform and institution-building. In his…

MOGADISHU — The United States will resume World Food Programme food distributions in Somalia after the federal government accepted responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the Port of Mogadishu earlier this month, clearing the way for life-saving aid to reach millions facing acute food insecurity. U.S. officials said Somalia’s acknowledgment of accountability satisfied conditions set after Washington halted certain assistance on Jan. 7, when it accused Somali officials of demolishing a U.S.-funded…

Minneapolis — At least four students, including a 5-year-old boy, were detained by U.S. immigration officers in a Minneapolis suburb this week, deepening tensions over a federal crackdown that has flooded the area with agents and sparked a legal challenge from the state. The 5-year-old, identified by school officials as Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father were taken to a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, according to attorney Marc Prokosch, who said the pair are asylum applicants and is seeking their release. The…

Analysis: At Davos, Trump’s remarks about Somali migrants signal a familiar pattern — rhetoric that shapes policy President Donald Trump’s jab at Somali migrants on the World Economic Forum stage in Davos did more than provoke outrage. It fit a years-long pattern in which inflammatory language about Black and African diasporas is paired with restrictive immigration moves — a feedback loop with real policy and political consequences in places like Minnesota, Maine and beyond. Before a crowd of foreign dignitaries and…