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WASHINGTON — The United States will indefinitely suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Somalia, the State Department said, in one of the broadest recent restrictions on legal immigration. The policy, effective Jan. 21, halts approvals of immigrant visas while the department reviews screening and vetting procedures. Applicants from the affected countries may continue to file paperwork, but no visas will be issued until the review is complete. No end date was announced. Officials said the…

Somali, AU and Ugandan troops kill 30-plus al-Shabab fighters in Lower Shabelle operation MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces, backed by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and Uganda’s military, killed more than 30 al-Shabab militants during a joint operation in the Lower Shabelle region, authorities said Thursday. The fighting erupted near the Bulunagaad Forward Operating Base when militants attacked Somali National Army units and AUSSOM troops conducting pursuit operations in the area,…

President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to end protests over federal immigration raids in Minnesota, escalating a standoff over immigration enforcement and the limits of presidential power. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would use the law if Minnesota officials did not halt what he called attacks on federal immigration agents, and he suggested the move could extend to other Democratic-led states including California, Illinois and Oregon. “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey…

North Western State of Somalia’s president says Israel has recognized the breakaway republic, a move he casts as both a moral reckoning and a strategic recalibration in one of the world’s most contested maritime corridors. In a statement published Thursday, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi (Cirro) wrote that Israel extended recognition on Dec. 26, framing it as a response to shared history and aligned security interests along the Gulf of Aden. The claim, originating from the president’s account of events, puts fresh…

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule returned a four-member crew to Earth early after a medical emergency aboard the International Space Station, splashing down safely before dawn off San Diego in the Pacific Ocean. The unscheduled homecoming marked the first time NASA has cut short an ISS mission because of a health issue. The spacecraft, named Endeavour, parachuted into calm seas at about 12:45 a.m. local time, capping a descent of more than 10 hours from orbit and a fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere. Live infrared video…

US Immigrant Visa Suspension Sparks Outrage and Relief Across Africa The processing of U.S. immigrant visas for nationals from dozens of African countries has been indefinitely suspended, a sweeping decision announced by the U.S. Department of State on Wednesday. This move affects a total of 75 countries, including several longtime allies in the African region. In Liberia, one of the nations caught in this new policy, reactions have varied. Some citizens voiced anger and frustration as the announcement reverberated…

The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned that the widespread availability of inexpensive sugary drinks and alcohol is driving avoidable illness and deaths and straining health systems around the world, with low- and middle-income countries in Africa among the most exposed. In two new reports accompanying the agency’s statement, WHO officials said weak tax systems that fail to raise prices on harmful products leave them affordable and fuel a growing tide of noncommunicable diseases. "By increasing taxes on products…

New Leadership in U.S. Africa Bureau Faces Complex Challenges Nick Checker, who stepped into the role of head of the State Department's Africa Bureau earlier this month, brings a unique perspective to the position after spending most of the past decade at the CIA. Unlike his two predecessors—career diplomats who served under President Trump—Checker has only four months of experience at the State Department. As the 'Senior Bureau Official,' a title currently used for acting positions across numerous agencies, Checker is…

Hamas backs technocratic committee for post-war Gaza as ceasefire advances to second stage A senior Hamas official has welcomed the creation of a technocratic committee to administer post-war Gaza, framing the step as vital to consolidating the fragile ceasefire and preventing a slide back into fighting. Egypt, a mediator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, announced the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee. The body would operate under the overall supervision of a so-called “Board of…

Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick as the Conservative Party’s shadow justice spokesperson, removed the whip and suspended his party membership, alleging “irrefutable” evidence he was secretly plotting to defect in a way intended to inflict maximum damage on his colleagues. The Conservative leader announced the move in a post on X, saying she took action “with immediate effect.” Badenoch wrote: “I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging…