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Measles outbreak in Minnesota’s Somali community tests public health outreach as vaccine fears persist MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota health officials racing to contain a measles outbreak centered in Minneapolis’ large Somali community are confronting entrenched vaccine fears stoked by long-running myths about autism and the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot. Fourteen measles cases have been confirmed statewide since February. About half are in Somali children, six of whom were not vaccinated and one of whom was too young for shots,…

In Mogadishu’s Dec. 25 municipal vote, the promise of direct democracy met the reality of centralized power. Marketed as a landmark step toward universal suffrage and a prelude to Somalia’s 2026 presidential contest, the election in the Banadir region looked—by design and outcome—like a nomination process dressed up as a popular mandate. That tension goes to the core of Somalia’s electoral dilemma: in a fragile state without a census, credible registries or impartial institutions, the rush to “one person, one vote” can…

Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians, including seven children, across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, health officials said, in a surge of violence that threatens to further unravel a nearly four-month-old ceasefire. Among the dead was a medic who had rushed to treat casualties in the southern city of Khan Younis and was killed by a subsequent strike on the same location, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas authorities. In Gaza City, health officials said a five-month-old boy…

COLOMBIA–VENEZUELA BORDER — A Satena passenger plane carrying 15 people crashed near Colombia’s border with Venezuela on Monday, killing everyone on board, the country’s civil aviation authority said. The twin‑propeller Beechcraft 1900 took off from the border city of Cucuta and lost contact with control towers shortly before it was due to land in nearby Ocana around midday (5 p.m. GMT). “There are no survivors,” an official from the aviation authority said. The aircraft was carrying 13 passengers and two crew members.…

Greenland’s culture of calm meets a moment of fear as U.S. pressure mounts As the United States under President Donald Trump increases pressure on Greenland, the island’s deeply rooted tradition of emotional restraint is colliding with a geopolitical confrontation many residents say they are afraid to even discuss. The unease reaches back to the anthropological record. In the 1960s, scholar Jean Briggs lived among Inuit families for 17 months, documenting a culture of striking composure in her 1970 book, “Never in Anger.”…

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…

Kyiv, Ukraine — At least three people, including a four-year-old child, were killed Friday as Russia launched a “massive” missile and drone barrage across Ukraine, striking power facilities and triggering emergency outages in multiple regions amid freezing temperatures, Ukrainian officials said. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the assault “an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities,” noting the barrage landed “in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war.” He urged Ukraine’s Western partners to increase…

MOGADISHU — The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts worldwide in a sweeping reshuffle aimed at aligning U.S. diplomacy with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, according to two State Department officials. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters, said chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their tenures will end in January. All of the recalled diplomats were…

MOGADISHU (AX) — A deadly attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people, including a child, prompting nationwide condemnation, heightened security and fears of backlash among Somali and other Muslim communities. Police said a man and his son opened fire during the beachfront gathering late Sunday, targeting attendees in what authorities described as an antisemitic act of terrorism. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Investigators said inquiries were ongoing and urged the public to…

Israeli navy intercepts international aid flotilla; at least eight Irish citizens detained An international flotilla attempting to bring food and medicine to Gaza was intercepted and boarded by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday, organisers and officials said, in a tense standoff that recalled a deadly raid more than a decade ago. Video livestreams from the boats showed passengers in life jackets sitting on deck, hands raised, as military vessels closed in. Detentions and immediate reactions Global Sumud Flotilla…