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TRIPOLI, Libya — Libyan security forces have rescued more than 200 migrants from a clandestine underground prison in the southeastern town of Kufra, exposing what authorities described as brutal and degrading detention conditions along one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. Officials said the detainees — including women and children from sub-Saharan Africa, primarily Somalia and Eritrea — were found in multiple cells nearly three meters below ground. Some had been held for up to two years. The suspected trafficker…

Libya rescues more than 200 migrants from underground prison in Kufra as abuse allegations mount TRIPOLI, Libya — Libyan security forces have rescued more than 200 migrants from a clandestine underground detention site in the southeastern town of Kufra, where authorities say victims were held in brutal, degrading conditions for months and, in some cases, years. Security officials said the migrants were discovered in an improvised prison nearly three meters (about 10 feet) below ground, allegedly run by a Libyan trafficker.…

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…

The United States has ended its longstanding guidance that all children receive vaccines against influenza and three other diseases, shifting to “shared clinical decision-making” between families and providers. The sweeping change — approved by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Acting Director Jim O’Neill without the agency’s usual outside expert review — applies to rotavirus, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A, in addition to flu. Public health experts warned the rollback could lead to preventable…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — A woman, her sister and three young girls were killed early Monday when a fire ripped through their corrugated-iron home in Hargeisa’s 26 June district, authorities said. The blaze, which broke out in neighborhood 150 before dawn on Jan. 5, quickly engulfed the modest structure and nearby tin-walled huts packed closely together, leaving the family little chance to escape, according to the Hargeisa Fire Department. Fire officials said the children who died were girls ages 12, 7 and…

Swiss police have identified the bodies of four Swiss victims, including two minors, from the New Year’s bar fire that tore through Le Constellation in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, as the national death toll rose to 40 and families braced for further grim confirmations. Valais canton police said investigators identified a 21-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man, a 16-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Their remains have been returned to their families while authorities continue the painstaking process of confirming…

Somalia Among Countries Affected as Trump Administration Recalls Nearly 50 U.S. Ambassadors WASHINGTON — Nearly 50 U.S. ambassadors and senior diplomatic officials are being recalled worldwide under President Donald Trump’s administration, leaving key posts vacant in countries including Somalia, according to officials familiar with the move. The changes, expected to take effect by January, are part of Trump’s effort to reshape U.S. foreign service leadership and align diplomatic posts with his “America First” agenda. The…

Israel Tightens Siege of Gaza City as Dozens Killed and Famine Deepens; Ceasefire Push Stalls Gaza City woke up to another day of smoke and sirens on Tuesday, with Israeli warplanes pounding densely packed neighborhoods while troops tightened a siege on the enclave’s largest urban center. Local authorities said more than 50 people were killed in Gaza City alone, among at least 105 Palestinians reported dead across the Strip in the past 24 hours. Aid workers said many of the dead were cut down not in combat zones but while…

Mogadishu (AX) — In a decisive operation on Monday, Somali government forces managed to eliminate at least six al-Shabab militants, including two prominent leaders, near Qansah Dhere in the Bay region. The confrontation occurred in Weel-Manas, which is a rustic hamlet about 15 kilometers from Qansah Dhere. This small village often finds itself amidst the conflict due to its strategic location. Military spokespersons shared with local media outlets that the deceased key figures of al-Shabab were identified as Nur Keerow…

Gaza's civil defense authorities reported that a recent Israeli attack claimed the lives of 30 individuals, including 13 children, following strikes on two homes in the northern region of the Palestinian territory. The first airstrike occurred early today in Jabalia, a northern Gaza town, where initial reports indicated "at least 25" fatalities, among them the 13 children. More than 30 individuals sustained injuries, as noted by the civil defense. Since October 6, the Israeli military has unleashed a relentless…