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Somalia’s space ambitions meet environmental realities Somalia’s coastline and equatorial latitude have thrust Bashaqle, in Middle Shabelle, into conversations about an African launch site. The prospect promises strategic access to orbit and a pathway into the global space economy. It also brings complex environmental, health, and governance questions that must be addressed before ignition. Equatorial launches reduce fuel needs and enable heavier payloads to orbit, making Bashaqle geographically attractive. Turkey’s…

India offers aid as Botswana confronts acute medicine shortages India has offered to assist Botswana in addressing a severe shortage of essential medicines, officials said during a visit by Indian President Droupadi Murmu. The offer was announced by Botswana President Duma Boko at a joint media briefing, underscoring the urgency of the country’s health supply crisis. President Boko announced the offer while briefing the media alongside visiting Indian President Droupadi Murmu. Available reports put the stock of essential…

Overview: Asbestos contamination in children's play sand forces school checks Authorities in New Zealand and Australia are investigating decorative play sand found to contain asbestos, prompting dozens of school and daycare closures as officials trace affected batches. The disruption has focused attention on imported classroom materials and the potential health risk to children and staff. Forty schools and daycare centres in New Zealand closed temporarily while decorative sand was located and removed. More than 70 schools…

Security warning from Puntland State authorities Puntland State has urged travelers using foreign passports to avoid Somalia’s federal E‑VISA platform, citing significant security weaknesses that could expose personal data. The warning, delivered from Garowe by Puntland State’s Minister of Information, Mahmoud Caydiid Dirir, alleges flaws that could allow sensitive traveler information to be accessed and misused. Dirir said the E‑VISA system contains vulnerabilities that put user data at risk. He framed the platform…

Somalia's New Cargo Tracking System Shakes Port Management Landscape Mogadishu, Somalia — In a significant shift aimed at consolidating federal control over maritime operations, Somalia's Ministry of Ports and Marine Transports has enacted a mandatory Electronic Cargo Tracking Number (ECTN) for all its ports. This action, highlighted in an official notice released late September, comes as a challenge to the historically autonomous port administrations of North Western State of Somalia, Puntland State, and Jubbaland, which…

Gunmen Strike Despite Security Presence in Kebbi State In a shocking incident that has left a community shaken, armed assailants launched a raid in Kebbi State, Nigeria, resulting in multiple casualties. Reports indicate that the attackers infiltrated the area via the densely wooded Zamfara forests, demonstrating their ability to bypass military checkpoints that were supposed to ensure safety in the region. Fatalities and Community Impact The violent raid resulted in the tragic deaths of a school teacher and a local…

On Thursday morning, a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from war-torn Gaza – many without the required travel documents – landed at an airport near Johannesburg, leaving South African officials “blindsided”. After nearly 12 hours of scrambling, the group was allowed to disembark into the care of a local charity organisation.More details have emerged about the scheme run by “Al-Majd Europe”, through which activists argue Israel is advancing its ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza. The Palestinian…

House to vote on release of Jeffrey Epstein investigative files The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on a resolution to compel the release of investigative records related to Jeffrey Epstein, a move expected to pass after President Donald Trump abruptly abandoned his opposition. The change clears a major political hurdle and shifts control of the timing to House leaders. The vote follows a successful petition that forced consideration by the full House, an unusual instance of…

Pope Leo XIV and the State of Cinema: A Vatican Appeal Pope Leo XIV used a rare audience at the Vatican with leading actors and filmmakers to cast cinema as a cultural bulwark at risk. He warned that theatres are dwindling and urged creative communities to defend the shared experience of film against digital homogenization. Addressed a gathering of prominent actors and directors, including Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Chris Pine and Spike Lee. Framed cinema as a “workshop of hope” and a space where imagination and…

Parts of the web appear to have stopped working amid a technical problem at Cloudflare. Visitors to websites such as X, formerly known as Twitter, ChatGPT and film reviewing site Letterboxd saw an error message that indicated that Cloudflare problems meant that the page could not show. Cloudflare is an internet infrastructure that offers many of the core technologies that power today’s online experiences. That includes tools that protect websites from cyber attacks and ensure that they stay online amid heavy traffic, for…