Germans Vote in an Election That Could Decide Merz's Future

Germans are voting in elections that could decide the fate of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He is already under intense political pressure, and that pressure sharpens if his party underperforms.

Two killed near Moscow

Russia says two people were killed in what it described as a massive Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region. An oil refinery was reportedly hit, and flights were suspended at two of the capital's airports.

The Houthis say they hit Riyadh

The Houthis say they targeted the Saudi capital with ballistic missiles. A reported strike on a fuel depot at Riyadh airport caused delays on Saturday, while Saudi Arabia says it shot down a ballistic missile aimed at the capital.

This is the item with the shortest line back to Addis. Saudi Arabia is the principal destination for Ethiopians working abroad, and the Ministry of Labour and Skills spent this week defending the state's employment agreement with the kingdom. Missiles over Riyadh are a labour-corridor story as much as a security one.

Asmara, 25 years on

The children of Eritrean politicians jailed 25 years ago without trace are still asking what happened to them. One told the BBC they do not know whether their parents are alive.

The G-15 detentions remain the defining fact of Eritrean politics, and — through the fate of a generation of officials who argued for a constitution — a live part of the Horn's present rather than its history.

Cuba

Millions are without power in Cuba in the latest major blackout. Outages have become increasingly common, driven by fuel shortages that the BBC's account attributes to the effects of the US embargo.

Sources: BBC — German elections · BBC — drone attack on Moscow region · BBC — Houthis and Riyadh · BBC — Eritrea's jailed politicians · BBC — Cuba blackout