claims

Taliban say hundreds killed in strike on Kabul hospital; Pakistan denies civilian toll The Taliban government said an air strike killed at least 400 people and wounded 250 at a Kabul drug rehabilitation hospital, a claim Pakistan rejected as false, saying it precisely targeted militant sites with no collateral damage. At least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in an air strike on a rehabilitation hospital in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, a spokesman for the Taliban government said. Pakistan dismissed the allegation as…

Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iran is seeking talks with the United States but added that the country’s leaders are “all dead,” a remark that left unclear who he was referring to or what prompted the comment. Trump did not provide details to substantiate the assertion. It was not immediately clear whether he meant specific figures within Iran’s political or security establishment or was speaking hyperbolically. No official response from Tehran was immediately available, and there was no public indication…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government has rejected claims that Chinese fishing vessels are operating illegally in its waters, insisting the ships hold valid licenses and comply with Somali law and international maritime rules. The Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy framed the arrangement as part of a longstanding partnership with Beijing and said licensed activity falls within Somalia’s maritime governance framework. “All licensed vessels operate legally under official permits issued by the Federal Government of…

Somalia: Heavy fighting erupts in Qansahdhere as opposition claims control QANSAHDHERE, Somalia — Heavy fighting broke out early Saturday in and around the Bay region district of Qansahdhere, as fighters styling themselves the South West Liberation Front clashed with regional security forces loyal to President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Residents reported several hours of intense combat, with both heavy and light weapons rattling the town before dawn and through the morning. While casualty figures remain…

Iran-linked attacks set two fuel tankers ablaze in Iraqi waters as Tehran escalated strikes on oil and transport infrastructure across the Middle East, warning the world to be “ready for oil to be 200 dollars a barrel.” The flare-up, coming as the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign in Iran neared its second week, further rattled energy markets already reeling from disrupted Gulf shipping and a looming record release of strategic oil reserves. Port officials and maritime security firms said explosive-laden boats appeared to have…

Landslide at Rubaya Coltan Mine Claims Over 200 Lives in Eastern DR Congo In a tragic turn of events, a landslide triggered by heavy rains at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has resulted in the deaths of at least 200 individuals, with reports indicating that around 70 of the victims were children. The catastrophic incident has raised serious concerns about safety regulations in the mining sector and the ongoing conflict in the region. The Congolese Ministry of Mines confirmed the…

AXADLE, Somalia — Iran’s state media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to maritime traffic, warning commercial and oil tankers against attempting to transit the waterway as regional tensions escalate. According to Reuters, a senior IRGC commander said vessels that try to pass through the strait would face direct attack, adding that ships violating the order would be set ablaze. The remarks, carried by Iranian state outlets, immediately raised fears of energy-market…

Tweah Accuses Vice President Koung of Conspiracy During Corruption Trial Former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah has accused Vice President Jeremiah Koung of orchestrating a plot to imprison him, alleging that such a move would clear a path for Koung’s own presidential ambitions. These serious accusations emerged as Tweah's corruption trial resumed, where he and several former officials face allegations regarding the misappropriation of $6.2 million funds. The funds at the heart of the case were reportedly designated for…

CAIRO — Egypt on Tuesday denied reports that it was prepared to grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for flexibility from Addis Ababa over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), calling the claims “entirely baseless,” according to the state-run Middle East News Agency. An official source, quoted by MENA, “categorically rejected” the circulating reports, stressing that “such reports are entirely baseless and unfounded.” The source added that “Egypt’s stance on water security and the GERD remains firm and…

Nigeria Denies Ransom Payments to Boko Haram for School Abductions The Nigerian government has categorically rejected claims that it paid a significant ransom to the Islamist group Boko Haram in connection to the abduction of more than 200 pupils and staff from St. Mary's School in Papiri in November 2024. Information Minister Mohammed Idris described the allegations, which emerged from a report by AFP citing unnamed intelligence sources, as "false and baseless reporting," asserting that such claims undermine the…