talks

China postpones Wang Yi’s Somalia visit, cites ‘friendly negotiations’ on new date Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 MOGADISHU — China has confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s planned stop in Mogadishu has been postponed, saying the change came after “friendly negotiations” with Somali counterparts and that both sides are working on a revised schedule. In a statement posted late Friday by the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu, Beijing said it had adjusted the itinerary for Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party…

ADEN, Yemen — The Saudi-led coalition said Wednesday that Aidrous al-Zubaidi, leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, fled to an unknown location after failing to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at defusing escalating violence in the country’s south. Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 Coalition says Zubaidi skipped a planned flight for talks and later “fled” without notifying colleagues Limited pre-emptive strikes reported near al-Zand camp in al-Dhalea to disrupt armed units Presidential Leadership Council moves…

PARIS — U.S. and Ukrainian officials will continue negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine after a high-level meeting in Paris produced what leaders called significant breakthroughs, including a U.S.-led truce monitoring mechanism and plans for a European multinational force to deploy in Ukraine once a ceasefire with Russia is agreed. The pledges emerged from the largest gathering yet of the “Coalition of the Willing,” where representatives from 35 countries — including 27 heads of state or government — sought to…

BEIJING — Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to hold in-depth talks on trade with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a five-day visit to China, pressing for progress on Irish beef exports and relief from tariffs on dairy products as EU-China trade tensions simmer. The meeting with Li follows Martin’s summit with President Xi Jinping, where the Irish leader raised sector-specific barriers facing Irish agri-food exporters and broader questions about how Europe and China manage an increasingly fraught economic relationship. “I…

Somali Future Council urges Hassan Sheikh to convene election talks within a month, warns of crisis GAROWE, Somalia — The Somali Future Council on Monday renewed its call for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene all political stakeholders within a month to agree on a clear and timely electoral framework, warning that further delay risks a constitutional and security crisis as the country nears another transfer of power. In a statement issued after a meeting of the Future Council’s Technical Committee in Garowe, members…

India rejects claims of talks with North Western State of Somalia, denies any move toward recognition NEW DELHI — India has dismissed viral social media posts claiming New Delhi held official talks with North Western State of Somalia and was preparing to recognize the self-declared republic, calling the reports “fake” and urging the public to be vigilant against misinformation. In a brief fact-check posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected assertions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi…

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday sidestepped a question about an alleged U.S. strike on a dock inside Venezuela but signaled openness to talks with Washington on drug trafficking, oil and migration after weeks of escalating American pressure. “Wherever they want and whenever they want,” Maduro said in a state television interview, describing potential dialogue with the United States. Pressed on whether he could confirm or deny an attack, he replied, “This could be something we talk about in a few days.” His…

Trump to meet with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago Former President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, the oceanfront club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Details on the timing, agenda and format of the conversation were not immediately available. The planned Trump–Zelensky meeting comes as the war in Ukraine grinds on and Kyiv continues to press international partners for air defenses, long-range strike capabilities and sustained financing. Any interaction between the former U.S.…

Zelensky hails ‘very good’ talks with Trump envoys as Ukraine steps up strikes; Poland scrambles jets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held “very good” talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff focused on ending Russia’s “brutal” war, as Kyiv intensified long-range strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure and Poland intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. “We discussed certain substantive details of the ongoing work,” Zelensky said in a social…

Miami — U.S., European and Ukrainian officials wrapped three days of talks in Florida aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine with what Washington called “productive” progress toward a common position and a path to formal security guarantees for Kyiv. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the Miami discussions were focused on aligning the parties around a U.S.-drafted, 20-point plan for ending the conflict and on mapping “timelines” and “sequencing of next steps.” The sessions are part of an accelerated push by President…