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China has removed a three-decade-old tax exemption on contraceptive drugs and devices, imposing a 13% value-added tax on items such as condoms and contraceptive pills from Jan. 1, in a fresh bid to arrest a prolonged slide in birth rates. The change subjects most contraceptives to the standard VAT applied to consumer goods in the world’s second-largest economy. It marks a policy shift after years in which such products were treated as tax-exempt public health items, and it arrives as Beijing ramps up efforts to encourage…

SOFIA — Bulgaria has become the 21st country to adopt the euro, giving up the lev at midnight in a moment that drew both celebration and unease in a nation divided over the change and anxious about inflation and political instability. As the clock struck 12, images of Bulgarian euro coins were projected onto the central bank’s facade in Sofia. “I warmly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family,” European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said, calling the single currency a “powerful symbol” of shared values and collective…

OPINION | Israel’s move to recognize North Western State of Somalia did not create Somalia’s political crisis, but it revealed the country’s fault lines with unusual clarity. Instead of a unified response to an external challenge touching sovereignty and territorial integrity, the reaction laid bare fractures inside the federal system—most visibly in the silence of key federal member states and the central government’s tendency to turn unity into a political weapon. That silence has been most pronounced in Puntland State and…

Trump administration freezes $185 million in Minnesota childcare funds, orders audits of Somali American immigration cases MINNEAPOLIS — The administration of President Donald Trump has suspended federal childcare funding to Minnesota and ordered audits of immigration cases involving Somali Americans, escalating a fraud crackdown that critics say disproportionately targets immigrant communities in the state with the nation’s largest Somali population. The Department of Health and Human Services froze $185 million in…

Red Sea flashpoint: Israel’s North Western State of Somalia recognition collides with Türkiye’s long game in Somalia In the strategic waters that link the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, two storylines are converging with destabilizing force. Israel’s December 2025 recognition of North Western State of Somalia, the breakaway region abutting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, has injected a new geopolitical shock into a corridor already strained by Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in Yemen. The…

Türkiye’s Firm Stance Against Israel's Recognition of North Western State of Somalia In a heated session at the United Nations, Türkiye’s U.N. envoy, Ahmet Yıldız, condemned Israel's recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. He warned that this decision threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and poses broader risks to international stability. Yıldız addressed the U.N. Security Council, stressing the importance of territorial integrity. He criticized the Israeli government's actions as…

North Western State of Somalia Denies Allegations of Hosting Israeli Military Base North Western State of Somalia has officially refuted claims that it agreed to host an Israeli military base or resettle Palestinians in exchange for Israel recognizing its independence. The controversy arose after Israeli recognition sparked protests and accusations from Somalia. North Western State of Somalia firmly rejects claims of accepting Palestinians or hosting a base. Somali President alleges conditions linked to Israeli…

Fatal fire labeled ‘one of worst tragedies’ in Swiss history A fatal fire in Switzerland has been described as “one of the worst tragedies” in the country’s history, according to live updates from Europe. Immediate details remained scarce as authorities worked to confirm the scope of the disaster. Officials had not released the location of the blaze, a death toll or information about the cause at the time of the initial reports. The characterization underscores the severity of the incident and indicates a significant loss of…

Taiwan’s Lai vows to defend sovereignty after China’s ‘Justice Mission 2025’ drills TAIPEI — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te pledged to “resolutely defend” the island’s sovereignty and accelerate its defense buildup after China fired rockets toward Taiwan and massed warships and aircraft nearby in sweeping “Justice Mission 2025” military drills. In a New Year’s address delivered from the presidential office and broadcast live, Lai said the international community is watching to see whether Taiwanese people have the resolve to…

Somalia warns Israel against presence in North Western State of Somalia, citing risk of regional spillover MOGADISHU — Somalia’s president warned Tuesday that any Israeli move to recognize or establish a presence in North Western State of Somalia would export Middle East conflicts to the Horn of Africa, urging respect for Somalia’s sovereignty and international law. “We have never attacked Israel. We have never created a problem for Israel. We don’t want Israel to come to us and bring their problem to us,” President Hassan…