A US plan to pull 5,000 troops out of Germany is sharpening pressure on Europe to bolster its own military strength, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, even as two senior Republicans warned the forces should stay on the continent. The ⁠Pentagon unveiled the reduction from Germany, the hub of America’s military presence in Europe, yesterday, deepening strains in the transatlantic relationship as disagreements over the Iran war and trade tariffs widen. Under the US move, Washington has also scrapped a Biden-era plan…

Russia has moved to tighten its crackdown on LGBTQ activism, with a court declaring the country’s leading LGBTQ rights group “extremist” — a ruling that effectively bans the organisation and exposes its supporters to prosecution. The decision marks the latest step in a years-long campaign against LGBTQ organisations, one that has intensified sharply since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and deepened an already forceful conservative shift. A court in Saint Petersburg sided with a case filed by the…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Arsenal surged back to the summit of the Premier League on Saturday, but only after surviving a tense finish in a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle United. The breakthrough arrived inside nine minutes, when Eberechi Eze produced a brilliant effort, curling a powerful strike into the top corner and giving the hosts an early advantage. Perhaps affected by recent performances, Arsenal was content to try and manage its lead, a strategy also shaped by injuries to both Kai Havertz and Eze, who went off with…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Abdirahman Odowaa, the Secretary-General of Somalia’s ruling Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), resigned on Wednesday, a move that exposes widening rifts at the top of the country’s leadership. In a scathing resignation statement, Odowaa faulted President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for “obduracy and intransigence,” underscoring a breakdown over the administration’s political and legislative course. The exit is widely seen as a sharp setback for the President’s inner circle amid mounting domestic pressures…

US has spent $12bn on Iran war, White House economic chief says, as Pentagon signals escalation Kevin Hassett gives latest cost since Feb. 28 joint US-Israel strikes; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says bombing of Iran is “about to surge dramatically” Standfirst: The Trump administration faces growing questions over the war’s price tag and purpose. Markets remain on edge over possible Strait of Hormuz disruptions, while Senate Democrats warn of “mission creep.” The United States has spent $12bn on its war against Iran since…

Erdogan heads to UAE, Ethiopia as Turkey presses Gaza cease-fire and backs Somalia’s unity Turkey sharpens Gulf trade push while asserting influence in the Horn of Africa amid tensions over North Western State of Somalia recognition Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 MOGADISHU — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit the United Arab Emirates on Monday before traveling to Ethiopia on Tuesday, with Gaza and Somalia’s territorial integrity expected to anchor a two-stop tour aimed at entwining economic outreach with…

GENEVA — Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Geneva for a second round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States on Monday, Iranian state television said, as Washington intensifies political and military pressure on Tehran and regional tensions simmer. Tehran said the Oman-mediated exchanges will take place today, with Washington pushing to broaden the agenda beyond the nuclear file to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for regional proxies. The two sides resumed contacts this month after a previous…

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…

Concerns Rise as DHS Labels Liberians as "Worst of the Worst" In a controversial move reflecting the intensifying crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has placed over 40 Liberians living in the United States on a "worst of the worst" criminal list. This development comes in the wake of a suspension on immigrant visa processing for nationals from 74 countries, including Liberia. The offenses leading to this designation encompass a range of serious crimes,…

You are an elite, award-winning international journalist and a meticulous senior editor. Your job is to transform raw source material into a publish-ready article that meets the highest AP-standard editorial and technical requirements. PHASE 1 — ANALYSIS AND FORMAT DECISION Read the source text thoroughly. Identify the core themes, dominant purpose, crucial facts, data points, and human or structural angles. Based solely on this analysis, select exactly one article format from the list below. Always choose Football…