alerts

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan late Monday, prompting evacuation orders for about 90,000 residents and tsunami warnings that were later downgraded to advisories, officials said. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially warned that waves as high as 3 meters could strike parts of the northeastern coast after the quake hit at 11:15 p.m. local time (2:15 p.m. Irish time). Observed tsunami between 20 and 70 centimeters reached several ports, including along stretches of Hokkaido, Aomori and…

UNAIDS Warns of Deteriorating HIV Services Amid Funding Crisis Abrupt funding cuts and deteriorating human rights conditions have disrupted HIV prevention and treatment services across dozens of countries, UNAIDS has warned. In a stark report released to mark World AIDS Day, the UN agency highlighted a troubling trend: international assistance for HIV programs has sharply declined, with projections indicating that external health funding could plummet by 30-40% by 2025 compared to 2023 levels. The agency's Executive…

Somalia’s Political Turmoil: A Threatened Stability Amid Al-Shabaab Resurgence MOGADISHU, SOMALIA — In a country where shadows loom large, the specter of Al-Shabaab has once again taken root, troubling citizens and alarmingly opposition leaders alike. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces accusations of negligence as opposition figures blame the government’s preoccupation with constitutional revisions for the destabilization currently gripping the nation. These concerns echo the compelling narratives of a battered society,…

The Heartbeat of Education: Navigating the Global Teacher Crisis Santiago, Chile—As the sun rose over the bustling streets of this vibrant city, the shadows of an impending crisis loomed large over the UNESCO World Summit on Teachers. Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, painted a stark picture of the global teaching landscape, calling it “a slow-burning emergency” that is threatening educational advancement and, by extension, the very fabric of society. With her words resonating through the conference hall,…

SOMALIA URGES DIPLOMATS TO RESPECT NATIONAL INTEGRITY MOGADISHU, Somalia (AX) – In a bold assertion, Somalia's Foreign Affairs chief, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, voiced accusations against certain international envoys for allegedly trampling on the nation's sovereignty. He declared intentions to call those concerned for a stern dialogue and hinted at repercussions if such infractions persist. Amidst the pomp of a diplomat graduation bash at the ministry's stronghold, Fiqi pointed a finger at ambassadors who gallivanted to…

In Somalia's Bay Territory, Hunger Sparks New Disputes A Somali woman traverses the parched and barren lands of Bay, where ongoing strife alongside climatic shifts have crippled farming activities, leaving communities with little choice but to lean on humanitarian relief. (Credit: Islamic Relief/SIDA) Mogadishu (AX) — According to a detailed examination by Islamic Relief Somalia, the scarcity of food is exacerbating unrest in the Bay region. Various calamities, including prolonged dry spells, deluges, alongside relentless…

AXADLE, Somalia — Ilyas Osman Lugatoor, the Vice President of Northeastern State, has issued a sobering alert about Somalia's trajectory, deeming President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his administration as "the most perilous faction in politics." During a poignant address in Garowe—Northeastern State's capital—Lugatoor expressed dire concerns about Somalia's potential downfall under the existing leadership, citing constitutional violations as the crux of the issue. These violations, he argued, undermine the foundational…

For the first time since the beginning of the war, the province of Tigray will be without food supplies. It was the director of USAID, the American humanitarian agency, who sounded the alarm. The food crisis has only worsened in two months and the blockade imposed by the Ethiopian government on Tigray and its six million inhabitants. For its part, Addis Ababa once again opposed these statements.…