ADDIS ABABA -- The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) opened Saturday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
The two-day summit, which brings together leaders from AU members, was launched under the AU's 2026 theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063." (AU-Summit)
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LONDON -- Britain will deploy a carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday.
Starmer said the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales will lead the deployment, Sky News reported. He said that Europe "must be ready to fight," describing Europe as a "sleeping giant" with "huge defense capabilities," but adding that "too often this adds up to less than the sum of its parts." (Britain-MSC-Arctic)
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MUNICH, Germany -- European leaders at the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) have called for greater strategic autonomy, reflecting growing anxieties over a fractured international order and a widening rift in transatlantic relations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted on Saturday that Europe faces "a distinct threat from outside forces attempting to weaken the union from within". (Germany-MSC-Strategic Autonomy)
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MOSCOW/KIEV -- The next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia will be held on Feb. 17-18 in Geneva, Moscow and Kiev confirmed on Friday.
The Russian delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's state news agency TASS reported, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. (Ukraine-Russia-Talks)
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ABUJA -- Nigeria's next presidential poll will be held early in 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said, as the most populous African country begins preparations for its general elections.
According to the election timetable released by INEC on Friday, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Feb. 20, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections will follow on March 6, 2027. (Nigeria-General Election-Timetable) Enditem
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