Security forces have ended a siege by al Qaeda-linked militants at a hotel in Somalia's capital in which more than 20 people were killed and dozens injured, authorities said on Sunday.

Security forces are still trying to retake the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu, a venue popular with lawmakers and government officials, following an overnight siege.

Families in parts of Somalia affected by conflict are receiving cash donations to help them cope as the country battles drought and rising inflation. This emergency relief is the first in a series of monthly payments to support people pushed out of their homes by the severe drought.

Telling untold stories is in the blood of Bilan Media, Somalia's only all-female news outlet. From gender-based violence to balancing school and home, Bilan Media pays particular attention to women in its reporting.

The fifth drought in as many years has brought Somalia to the brink, raising fears of a deadly famine. Hundreds of children have already died from severe acute malnutrition.

Burkina Faso's leader vows a crackdown on armed extremists. The UN warns that Somalia is on the brink of famine. And a skateboarding crew in Ethiopia's capital brings together young girls from all backgrounds.

Cubans are increasingly feeling the pinch of the country's worst economic crisis in 30 years. In the capital Havana, people wait for hours in long queues to find something to eat for the day. The pandemic has played a major role in the food shortages, which are compounded by rising inflation and a 60-year-old US embargo. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Clémence Waller and Lauren Bain.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in decades. Around 30% of Sri Lankans are coping with food insecurity, and one out of four are skipping meals regularly.

Elizabeth Shoo speaks to Somali human rights activist Ilwad Elman, the winner of the 2020 German African Prize. Having left Somalia at a young age, she returned to her homeland in 2010 to follow in the footsteps of her activist family. Today her organization rehabilitates child soldiers and victims of sexual violence.

Car bombings in central Somalia claimed the lives of scores of people, including senior regional officials. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack as the government ups its efforts against the terror group.

The death toll from this week's truck bombings has risen to at least 40, but local and national authorities say the latest attacks from the al-Shabab group will not deter them from fighting the terrorists.

In the past few decades, Somalia’s droughts have increased both in intensity and in number due to climate change. It is now facing a famine that threatens the lives of millions of people, especially children. The United Nations says there are staggering levels of malnutrition among children under the age of five. T