Somalia expands digital public infrastructure to boost child immunization in Mogadishu

On a bright morning in Kahda, a fast-growing district on the southern edge of Mogadishu, a young mother steps to the immunization desk without the small, creased card that once governed her child’s medical future. Nurse Naima Muse turns from a crying toddler, taps a number into a desktop computer and summons the child’s vaccination record in seconds. “Before, if a mother lost the card, we had nothing,” she says. “Now, we just search.” The change is powered by Somalia’s Electronic Immunization Register, or EIR, a digital…

Epstein Documents Uncover Connections to West African Elite

Jeffrey Epstein's Connections with West African Elites Uncovered Newly released records from U.S. authorities have shed light on the extensive ties that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein forged with influential figures in West Africa. Noteworthy among these connections are Karim Wade, the son of former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, and Nina Keita, the niece of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara. According to the documents, Epstein and Karim Wade first crossed paths in 2010, quickly building a rapport.…

Trump weighs Iran military strikes; JD Vance opposes extended Middle East war

Trump weighs strikes on Iran as Vance rules out long Middle East war WASHINGTON — Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday that while the White House is considering targeted military strikes in Iran — focused on nuclear facilities and long-range missile sites — President Donald J. Trump and senior officials still prefer a diplomatic path to ease tensions. In an interview with The Washington Post, Vance stressed that even if the administration authorizes limited action, the United States will not be drawn into an open-ended…

Why People Living with HIV Are Crucial to Pediatric Cure Research

Paediatric HIV cure research is yielding cautious optimism: very early antiretroviral therapy (ART) can, in some children, produce periods of ART-free remission — a state in which the virus remains undetectable without ongoing medication — but it has not delivered full viral eradication, researchers say. The long quest for a cure has been complicated by HIV’s capacity to mutate and hide in long-lived viral reservoirs, a challenge that has confounded scientists for more than four decades, reports Sethi Ncube for allAfrica.…

North Western State of Somalia President Urges Unity as Region Pushes Back on Israel Recognition

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro urged Somalilanders to close ranks on Thursday as regional opposition intensifies to Israel’s recognition of the territory, calling unity essential to defend “nationhood and statehood” amid mounting diplomatic pressure across the Horn of Africa. “There are many conflicts going on around North Western State of Somalia. We have not harmed anyone, we have not taken anything from anyone,” Irro said in a speech in Hargeisa. “What is needed is…

Oman reports significant headway in US-Iran diplomatic talks

Oman says U.S.-Iran nuclear talks make ‘significant progress’ as military buildup intensifies Technical talks planned in Vienna next week; move could avert threatened U.S. strikes, but gaps remain on missiles and sanctions Oman said the United States and Iran made significant progress in talks aimed at resolving a longstanding nuclear dispute and averting new U.S. strikes, as Washington expands its military footprint across the Middle East. Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X that the two sides…

Oman says U.S.-Iran talks have made significant headway

GENEVA — Oman said the United States and Iran made “significant progress” in talks aimed at breaking a longstanding nuclear impasse and averting potential new U.S. strikes, as both sides agreed to reconvene within a week and send technical teams to Vienna. Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating the diplomacy, said on X, formerly Twitter, that negotiations in Switzerland ended with “creative and positive ideas” on the table and a plan to resume discussions soon after consultations in both capitals.…

North Western State of Somalia President Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Sanaag Clan Clashes

Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 HARGEISA (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro on Thursday called for an immediate end to clan fighting in the Waqdaria and Shidan areas of Lasqoray district in the Sanaag region, urging all sides to respect the sanctity of Ramadan as casualties mounted in days of escalating tension. “I call on those who have been killing each other to stop the fighting, because the blood of Islam is forbidden,” Irro said, framing the appeal in religious terms and stressing…

U.S. House panel to question Bill Clinton in Epstein inquiry

Bill Clinton is set to face questioning by a Republican-led House panel over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats press the committee to also demand sworn testimony from former President Donald Trump about his own connections to the late financier. The former president features repeatedly in recently disclosed Justice Department files related to Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14 and died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking…

Denmark’s Prime Minister calls early national election in surprise move

Denmark’s Frederiksen calls March 24 election amid U.S.-Greenland tensions COPENHAGEN — Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday called a general election for March 24, 2026, seeking a renewed mandate as Denmark navigates strained ties with the United States over Greenland and a hardening security environment shaped by Russia. Under Denmark’s constitution, an election had to be called within four years of the last vote, held Nov. 1, 2022. “Whether I will continue to be your prime minister depends on how strong a mandate…