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Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger form NATO-style military alliance to fight Sahel insurgents BAMAKO, Mali — Dec. 22 — Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced a NATO-style military alliance on Friday and unveiled a 5,000-strong joint force to combat Islamist insurgents that have destabilized large swaths of the Sahel. Officials from the three countries said the alliance is designed to strengthen security cooperation, safeguard porous borders and enhance collective military capabilities as al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates step…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport will shut for one day on Thursday, Dec. 25, as the capital holds local council elections, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority said Monday, suspending all arrivals and departures as part of heightened security and technical preparations. In a statement, the SCAA advised the public, airlines and travel agents that no flights will land at or depart from the airport during the 24-hour closure. The authority described the move as a precaution to “ensure public…

U.S. Congressional Delegation Visits Nigeria, Rules Out Military Deployment A U.S. Congressional delegation that recently visited Nigeria to assess the country's security situation has ruled out the possibility of deploying American troops to the West African nation. The lawmakers stated that Nigeria's designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) is aimed at encouraging diplomatic reforms rather than invoking military intervention. "It is unacceptable that anyone—Muslim or Christian—is experiencing this level of…

Major incident as 50-meter sinkhole breaches Shropshire Union Canal in Whitchurch; more than 10 rescued, no injuries reported Emergency services in Shropshire declared a major incident early Monday after a sinkhole about 50 meters long opened in the Shropshire Union Canal, breaching the bank and draining large volumes of water onto surrounding land in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch. West Mercia Police said officers were called at 4:20 a.m. to reports of the canal bank collapse. “There are currently no reports of any…

Somali army says it killed senior al-Shabab leaders in Middle Shabelle raid MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s national army said Sunday it killed senior al-Shabab leaders and roughly 15 fighters in a planned security operation in the Jabad Godane area of the Middle Shabelle region, describing the strike as a significant blow to the group’s leadership and logistics. In a brief statement, the Somali National Army said the operation targeted a militant cell accused of planning attacks and targeting civilians. The army identified…

Lake Naivasha’s shoreline has been on the move. When farmer Dickson Ngome leased his 1.5-acre plot in Kenya’s Rift Valley in 2008, his vegetables grew more than 2 kilometers from the water’s edge. This October, he woke to find his home and fields inside the lake—about a foot of water covering everything. “It seemed as if the lake was far from our homes,” said his wife, Rose Wafula. “And then one night we were shocked to find our houses flooded. The water came from nowhere.” The couple and their four children now sleep on the…

Airstrikes target al-Shabab bases in central Somalia after clashes, sources say WARSHEEKH, Somalia — Airstrikes struck villages in the Warsheekh district of Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, targeting al-Shabab fighters who had recently infiltrated the area, local sources said. The strikes were concentrated around the Jabad-godane area, which in recent days had been occupied by the militant group, according to the sources. The air campaign followed ground clashes between government troops and fighters loyal to al-Shabab as…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security agencies say nearly 10,000 police officers have been mobilized to secure Mogadishu’s local council elections on Dec. 25, a vote billed as the capital’s first direct, one-person, one-vote poll in more than 50 years. Speaking to reporters Sunday, Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Farataag) said the Somali Police Force has finalized a citywide security plan to safeguard voters, polling stations, election workers and critical infrastructure throughout the Banadir region.…

Justice Department denies shielding Trump as fury grows over redacted Epstein files The U.S. Justice Department denied it redacted Jeffrey Epstein files to protect President Donald Trump as criticism mounted over a partial, heavily censored release of documents that has angered victims and prompted bipartisan demands for full disclosure. Victims of the late sex offender said the newly released cache — with many pages blacked out and images blurred — fell far short of what Congress ordered under a law compelling publication…

Miami — U.S., European and Ukrainian officials wrapped three days of talks in Florida aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine with what Washington called “productive” progress toward a common position and a path to formal security guarantees for Kyiv. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the Miami discussions were focused on aligning the parties around a U.S.-drafted, 20-point plan for ending the conflict and on mapping “timelines” and “sequencing of next steps.” The sessions are part of an accelerated push by President…