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Iran war enters seventh day as Israel expands strikes to Beirut and Tehran The regional war involving Iran, Israel and the United States entered its seventh day after Israel announced a “next phase” of operations and bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs, while blasts were heard in Tehran following what Israel said were strikes on “regime infrastructure” in the Iranian capital. Residents in Beirut’s southern districts fled after the Israeli military issued an unprecedented warning to evacuate “immediately.” In Tehran, AFP…

Israel strikes Beirut hotel as war enters fifth day Israel carried out a strike on a hotel in Beirut as the war entered its fifth day, according to initial updates from the scene. Immediate details on the location within the capital, the extent of damage and whether there were casualties were not available. The strike underscores the volatility and speed at which events are unfolding in Lebanon’s capital, where hotels can house travelers, aid workers and residents alongside commercial tenants. With the conflict now five days…

Rob Reiner’s son pleads not guilty in parents’ fatal stabbings, Los Angeles prosecutors say Nick Reiner, 32, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, during a court appearance in Los Angeles, authorities said. Prosecutors said the case stems from a December incident that jolted Hollywood days before Christmas. The younger Reiner was arrested on Dec. 14 after the bodies of his father, 79, and his mother, 70, were…

Syrian government security personnel entered the northeastern city of Hasakeh under an integration deal with Kurdish forces, extending Damascus’ authority into a longtime Kurdish stronghold after months of tension and sporadic clashes, according to an AFP team on the ground. The phased agreement, struck Friday after Kurdish forces ceded territory to advancing government units in recent weeks, calls for gradually folding Kurdish military and civilian institutions into state structures. The move marks a significant rollback of…

SOFIA — Bulgaria has become the 21st country to adopt the euro, giving up the lev at midnight in a moment that drew both celebration and unease in a nation divided over the change and anxious about inflation and political instability. As the clock struck 12, images of Bulgarian euro coins were projected onto the central bank’s facade in Sofia. “I warmly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family,” European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said, calling the single currency a “powerful symbol” of shared values and collective…

MOGADISHU — The main market in Mogadishu’s Hamarweyne district remained closed for a third straight day Monday as traders protested what they say are excessive and unlawful tax demands imposed by Somalia’s Federal Government. Shopkeepers told local media the Ministry of Finance’s revenue department recently introduced additional fees that far exceed the legally mandated taxes they already pay each year. Several business owners said the new charges run into the hundreds of dollars — sums they say they cannot afford in the…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed admiration for Donald Trump, particularly as Trump's recent election victory casts shadows over Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia. In recent months, Ukraine has faced increasing territorial setbacks. Enhanced and better-equipped Russian forces are making significant inroads in crucial eastern regions, leading to some of the most intense combat witnessed since Moscow's aggression began in February 2022. Trump has been vocal about his discontent with America's current…

Mogadishu (AX) — A groundbreaking partnership was forged between North Western State of Somalia's Ministry of Minerals and Energy and Emirates Industrial Laboratory, a hub from the UAE, aiming to transform the mineral testing landscape in Dahabshiil’s neck of the woods.Ink dried on the agreement in Dubai, where Mohamed Osman Said, the heavyweight at North Western State of Somalia's Ministry, gave Emirates Industrial Laboratory the green light. With this deal, North Western State of Somalia shuns the hefty task of outsourcing…

In Kenya, the presidential marketing campaign is now properly beneath means. After Raila Odinga on Saturday, it was William Ruto's flip to be formally invested on Tuesday, March 15, by his political get together, the United Democratic Alliance (created in…

Turkey enters Africa amid criticism of Somalia's affairs MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Turkish government has reiterated its commitment to work with African countries on security, trade and investment issues, amid external competition to seize the continent, which is seen as the future epicenter of the world economies. Ankara has made inroads in Africa, but its influence is largely visible in…