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Thailand launched air strikes against neighboring Cambodia on Friday as renewed clashes along their disputed border escalated sharply, with both sides trading blame and reporting casualties. At least four Cambodian civilians and one Thai soldier were killed, officials said, as evacuations widened and artillery and rockets pounded frontier areas. Thailand’s Second Army Region said about 35,000 people have been evacuated from Thai border communities, while Cambodia’s information minister, Neth Pheaktra, reported at least 1,157…

BANGKOK — Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia after both countries accused the other of breaching a cease-fire agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Thai military said, marking the sharpest escalation in months along one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile frontiers. The Thai military said at least one Thai soldier was killed and four were wounded in fresh clashes around two areas of Ubon Ratchathani province after its troops came under Cambodian fire. “The Thai side has now…

Israeli airstrikes hit towns in south Lebanon on Wednesday as the Israeli military said it was targeting Hezbollah weapons storage facilities, a day after Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives met for direct talks under a U.N. ceasefire mechanism. The strikes struck Mahrouna, Jbaa, Majadal and Baraasheet, Lebanon's official National News Agency reported, and an AFP photographer saw smoke rising above Jbaa. The Israeli army said it "began conducting strikes on Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon" after…

Mogadishu begins voter card rollout for local council elections Somalia’s electoral commission on Saturday began issuing voter cards in Mogadishu, a step the capital has seldom seen after years marked by conflict, displacement and political uncertainty. The process opened across multiple districts with steady turnout and orderly lines as residents prepared to participate in upcoming local council polls. Distribution started in Hamarjajab, Waberi, Shangani, Hamarweyne, Boondheere, Abdiaziz and Shibis districts. Officials…

North Korea fires ballistic missile days before APEC leaders meet in South Korea North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, in a stark reminder that Pyongyang’s weapons programme remains central to regional security even as world leaders prepare to gather in South Korea for an APEC summit next week. What happened South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff described the projectile as an “unidentified” missile that flew eastward, saying it was North Korea’s first such launch…

Morocco's Bold Investment in Health and Education: A Hopeful Path for Reform In a significant stride towards modernization, Morocco has unveiled plans to invest 140 billion dirhams—approximately $14 billion—into its education and health sectors in the coming year. Announced at a ministerial meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI in Rabat, this initiative aims to address long-standing issues in these critical areas, marking a substantial commitment to improving the nation's infrastructure and workforce. A Boost to Health…

Namibia’s president reaches across the aisle — but will words turn into action? President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sitting down with leaders of the opposition this week in a gesture she said was promised during her State of the Nation address in March: an exchange of views intended to “move the country forward.” The meeting, part of a series of conversations with political rivals, is both plainly practical and highly symbolic in a country where the politics of cooperation have often been fragile. "We may belong to…

U.S. carries out airstrike on ISIS in Puntland State amid broader campaign in Somalia MOGADISHU — The U.S. military said Tuesday that it conducted an airstrike on Islamic State militants in Somalia’s rugged Al‑Miskaad mountains, continuing a pattern of remote strikes aimed at degrading extremist groups in the Horn of Africa. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the late‑September operation occurred on Sept. 26 in a remote area roughly 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Bossaso, the bustling port city at the heart of…

U.S. launches fresh strike against ISIS-Somalia in Cal-Miskaad mountains MOGADISHU — The U.S. military carried out a precision airstrike late last week in the Cal-Miskaad mountain range near Bosaso, targeting fighters from the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia), U.S. Africa Command said Monday. The operation is the latest in a sustained campaign of air attacks that U.S. officials say are aimed at degrading the group’s ability to threaten American interests, Somali forces and regional allies. The strike, conducted in…