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PALM BEACH, Fla. — The United States hit and destroyed a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug boats, President Donald Trump said, in what could amount to the first land strike of his administration’s anti-trafficking campaign in Latin America. “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “So, we hit all the boats and now we hit the area, it’s the implementation…

Swedish aid to Somalia faces scrutiny: What the Ekot investigation reveals—and what we still don’t know Swedish public radio’s flagship news division, Ekot, has ignited a debate over how Swedish government funds were used in Somalia following cooperation arrangements between the two countries, raising sensitive questions about governance, transparency and the line between development aid and migration policy. The Office of the Somali Prime Minister has forcefully denied any impropriety and says Swedish support is implemented…

South Africa arrests, orders deportation of 7 Kenyans linked to U.S. Afrikaner refugee program JOHANNESBURG — South African authorities have arrested and ordered the deportation of seven Kenyan nationals accused of working illegally at a Johannesburg center that processes refugee applications for a controversial U.S. resettlement program prioritizing white Afrikaners. The arrests on Tuesday followed intelligence reports that the Kenyans entered the country on tourist visas and took up employment after South Africa’s Home…

PARIS — French health authorities have isolated two people infected with the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) after they returned from a joint tour of the Arabian Peninsula, the health ministry said late Tuesday. Both patients are in a “stable” condition in a French hospital, the ministry said in a statement, and all measures have been put in place to limit the risk of transmission to their entourage and to health-care staff. The ministry said those measures include contact tracing, “barrier…

Rising Diabetes Epidemic in Africa: An Urgent Call for Action As World Diabetes Day approaches on November 14, alarming new statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlight an ongoing health crisis across Africa. The WHO has raised the alarm about the escalating rates of diabetes on the continent, which it attributes primarily to rapidly changing lifestyles, significant increases in overweight and obesity, and limited access to essential health services. The need for immediate attention and action cannot be…

EU warship seizes suspected pirate ‘mother ship’ off Somalia after tanker hijack; 24 crew freed unharmed A 30-hour standoff ends without casualties in the Western Indian Ocean European naval forces have captured an Iranian-flagged dhow believed to have served as a pirate “mother ship” in the hijacking of the oil products tanker Hellas Aphrodite, bringing a tense 30-hour standoff to a close and freeing all 24 crew members unharmed, officials said. Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy mission, said the dhow…

Minnesota charges eight in alleged Medicaid housing fraud as state moves to reboot troubled program Federal prosecutors in Minnesota have charged eight people with orchestrating more than $8 million in alleged wire fraud tied to the state’s Housing Stabilization Services program, a Medicaid benefit intended to keep disabled and elderly residents housed. The indictments, announced Thursday in Minneapolis, mark what prosecutors called the “first wave” in a widening probe into a program that ballooned far beyond its original…

Executions in Mogadishu: A Harsh Reminder of Somalia's Struggles In a somber scene that underscores Somalia's ongoing battle with extremist violence, a Somali military court recently carried out the execution of two men. Convicted of orchestrating deadly bombings and targeted killings, their deaths serve as a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by the Al-Shabaab militant group. By Ali Musa Axadle Times international–Monitoring. The Executions Anas Abdulqadir Ali Mahmoud, known by the alias "Salman," and Aden Mursal…

In a stunning turn of events, Brazil's law enforcement has detained five members of the military over their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the government. This chilling plot reportedly aimed to assassinate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his vice president just weeks before they were set to assume office. These arrests signify a significant development in an ongoing investigation that has unveiled shocking intentions behind the coup; for the first time, federal authorities have disclosed plans reportedly…

In a heartfelt turn of events, the team at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland has linked the tragic passing of a baby red panda to the disruptive impact of fireworks, igniting a call for more stringent regulations surrounding their use. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the organization that oversees the zoo, has reported that veterinarians attribute the untimely death of three-month-old Roxie to her distress caused by nearby fireworks. It’s worth noting that her demise coincided with Bonfire Night, a holiday…