citizens

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday stood by her characterization of two U.S. citizens shot dead by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis as “domestic terrorism,” refusing to retract the remarks during a combative Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that underscored the political and operational stakes of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, repeatedly pressed Noem to walk back her statements about Renee Good and Alex Pretti — as well as a…

Ireland urges citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Cuba as fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and shrinking access to food and medical care deepen one of the island’s worst humanitarian crises in decades. In updated guidance issued in recent days, Ireland joined the United Kingdom and Canada in advising against travel to the Caribbean nation “unless absolutely necessary.” The Department of Foreign Affairs said Cuba is now under its second-highest advisory level, warning that travel is likely to present “a clear and…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday renewed his demand for maritime access, telling regional leaders at the ongoing African Union Summit that Ethiopia’s future depends on securing a direct route to the sea. Calling the issue “existential” for the continent’s second-most populous nation, Abiy linked Ethiopia’s economic ambitions and stability in the wider Horn of Africa to a resolution of its landlocked status. “The security and stability of the Horn of Africa depend on Ethiopia gaining sea access,”…

WASHINGTON — The United States will indefinitely suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Somalia, the State Department said, in one of the broadest recent restrictions on legal immigration. The policy, effective Jan. 21, halts approvals of immigrant visas while the department reviews screening and vetting procedures. Applicants from the affected countries may continue to file paperwork, but no visas will be issued until the review is complete. No end date was announced. Officials said the…

‘Please leave us alone’: In Nuuk, generations of trust in the U.S. give way to fear For generations, many in Greenland saw the United States as a protector — the superpower that helped shield the Arctic island during World War II and maintained a reassuring presence ever since. In Nuuk today, that faith has curdled into fear as talk of an American move to seize the territory reverberates across the capital’s snowy streets. Tillie Martinussen still remembers her grandmother returning with Wrigley’s gum passed out by U.S.…

Benin Prepares for Key Elections Following Failed Coup Attempt As the political landscape shifts in Benin, approximately eight million registered voters are gearing up to cast their ballots for 109 members of parliament and local representatives. The pivotal elections are set to take place amidst a backdrop of heightened political tension, as the country grapples with the aftermath of a recent coup attempt. According to the country’s election commission, the elections will mark a significant moment in Benin's democratic…

Kenya has repatriated 119 citizens who were trapped in online fraud syndicates in Myanmar, with nearly 200 more still awaiting evacuation across Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said Monday. In a statement, the department said 198 Kenyans remain in the pipeline for repatriation. That group includes 66 in Thailand’s immigration detention center, 129 in shelters in Myanmar, and three in a Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia, where Kenya’s Embassy has established contact. The…

Congolese Electoral Commission Urges Voter Verification Ahead of 2026 Presidential Election The electoral commission in the Republic of Congo is urging registered voters to verify their names on the provisional voter's roll in preparation for the upcoming presidential elections. This call to action is accompanied by banners displayed throughout Brazzaville, highlighting the critical nature of this verification process. As the nation gears up for the 2026 presidential election, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, now 81 years…

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Tanzania’s prime minister urged citizens to remain at home Tuesday as activists called for Independence Day protests over the deadly suppression of demonstrations that followed October’s elections. Police warned any gathering would be illegal, and security forces mounted a visible show of force in major cities. The United Nations has said hundreds of people were likely killed in the unrest, which was fueled by the exclusion of leading opposition candidates from the ballot. President Samia Suluhu…

Rediscovering a National Hero: The Legacy of Herbert Macaulay and the Power of Presidential Mercy in Nigeria In a remarkable gesture aimed at reconciliation and acknowledgement of historical injustices, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has recently granted presidential mercy to 175 individuals. Among those honored is a name that resonates deeply within the annals of Nigeria's fight for independence: Herbert Macaulay. The Weight of History Herbert Macaulay, often hailed as Nigeria's foremost nationalist, played a pivotal…