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Puntland State orders defected officers to return weapons, warns of ‘dangerous’ consequences amid Las Anod realignment GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland State authorities have ordered military officers who defected to Somalia’s federal government and its newly recognized Northeastern Regional State to immediately surrender weapons, vehicles and bases, warning that failure to comply could trigger serious security repercussions. The demand, delivered by Puntland State Police Commander Gen. Mumin Abdi Shire, accuses the officers of…

Syria’s army advanced across swathes of the country’s north, dislodging Kurdish-led forces from pockets of territory where they had exercised de facto autonomy for more than a decade, in a campaign unfolding a day after President Ahmed al-Sharaa declared Kurdish a national language and granted the minority official recognition. The push appeared aimed at consolidating state control after a March accord to integrate Kurdish-led units into government structures stalled. Kurdish authorities welcomed the decree as a “first step”…

Austria avalanches kill five near Salzburg as heavy snowfall triggers deadly slides across Alps SALZBURG, Austria — Five people were killed in two off-piste avalanches in Austria’s Alps today, Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported, underscoring a perilous start to the winter after heavy snowfall across the region. The deadliest incident struck a group of seven ski tourers in the Pongau district south of Salzburg, where an avalanche swept the party, killing four and seriously injuring another, according to ORF. Mountain…

EU and South American leaders signed a landmark EU–Mercosur free trade agreement in Asuncion, Paraguay, establishing what officials called the world’s largest free trade area after 25 years of negotiations. The accord spans more than 700 million consumers and is billed as a decisive turn toward open markets even as it faces a contentious ratification fight in Europe. “This agreement sends a very strong message to the world. It reflects a clear and deliberate choice. We choose fair trade over tariffs. We choose a productive,…

NASA has begun rolling out the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II, opening a launch window on Feb. 6 for the first crewed mission to orbit the moon in more than 50 years. The towering booster is making its slow move to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where teams will ready SLS and the Orion spacecraft for a full “wet dress rehearsal” that includes loading liquid propellants and practicing countdown operations. The 10-day mission will send four astronauts around the moon and back, marking the…

At Las Anod inauguration, Somalia’s president condemns Israel over North Western State of Somalia and vows to defend unity LAS ANOD — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday attended the swearing-in of Abdulqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, known as Firdhiye, as president of the Northeastern Regional State, using the ceremony to project federal authority and denounce foreign interference in Somalia’s internal affairs. Hassan Sheikh condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of…

MIAMI — Ukrainian negotiators arrived in the U.S. for Miami talks with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, an effort Kyiv says will focus on security guarantees and post-war recovery as the war with Russia nears its fourth year. The mission underscores a dual-track push: Kyiv is seeking concrete assurances to deter a future Russian attack while confronting a punishing winter campaign that has battered Ukraine’s energy grid and left tens of thousands…

Ukrainian negotiators arrived in the United States for talks in Miami with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, seeking a pathway to end nearly four years of war with Russia as strikes batter Ukraine’s energy grid in a brutal cold snap. Kyrylo Budanov, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s new chief of staff and head of the Ukrainian delegation, said on social media the team had landed and would “have an important conversation with our American…

Saturday January 17, 2026 European troops land in Greenland as transatlantic rift deepens over Trump’s acquisition push NUUK, Greenland — Soldiers from France, Germany and other European nations have begun arriving in Greenland to bolster the Arctic island’s security, a rapid show of force that underscores widening disagreement between the United States and its European allies over President Donald Trump’s stated desire to acquire the semiautonomous Danish territory. France has sent 15 soldiers and Germany 13, with Norway…

COPENHAGEN — Thousands of people rallied across Denmark and in Greenland to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, a day after he warned he may impose tariffs on countries that oppose his plans. Demonstrators waving Danish and Greenlandic flags filled Copenhagen’s central square and chanted “Kalaallit Nunaat!” — Greenland’s name in the Greenlandic language — as a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation visited the Danish capital. The protests, organized by…