Major incident as 50-meter sinkhole breaches Shropshire Union Canal in Whitchurch; more than 10 rescued, no injuries reported Emergency services in Shropshire declared a major incident early Monday after a sinkhole about 50 meters long opened in the Shropshire Union Canal, breaching the bank and draining large volumes of water onto surrounding land in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch. West Mercia Police said officers were called at 4:20 a.m. to reports of the canal bank collapse. “There are currently no reports of any…

ANKARA, Turkey — Somalia finalized a wide-ranging cooperation pact with Turkish industrial group OYAK on Tuesday, launching a program to expand and modernize the Horn of Africa nation’s fisheries while strengthening maritime security and creating jobs along its coast. Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy Ahmed Hassan Adan signed the Cooperation and Marine Production Development Partnership at a ceremony in Ankara, calling it a step-change for the country’s blue economy. The agreement, he said, will channel direct…

Ankara, Turkey — Somalia signed a sweeping cooperation agreement with Turkish industrial group OYAK on Tuesday, launching a multi-year push to modernize the country’s fisheries and blue economy while tightening maritime security and creating jobs along its coastline. The pact, finalized by Somali Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy Ahmed Hassan Adan in Ankara, formally establishes the Cooperation and Marine Production Development Partnership. The initiative is structured to protect Somalia’s marine environment and unlock…

KISMAYO, Somalia — Somalia’s main opposition coalition will fully participate in a high-stakes conference on national elections set for Kismayo, after members of the Somali Salvation Forum met privately in Mogadishu on Wednesday night to discuss the country’s political deadlock and the upcoming Jubaland-led talks. Reliable sources close to the meeting said the coalition agreed to travel to Kismayo on Dec. 17 for the long-planned gathering, which is drawing close scrutiny from both local and national stakeholders. Jubaland…

Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels Capture Strategic City in Eastern DR Congo Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have reportedly entered the eastern DR Congo city of Uvira, a crucial military base located near the borders of Burundi and Rwanda. The takeover has triggered widespread panic and forced thousands of residents to flee, raising alarms about the regional stability. Witnesses reported that the M23 rebels marched into Uvira unopposed, claiming to have "liberated" the city. However, government officials insist that their troops remain…

Kenya signs $2.5 billion health pact with U.S., first under Trump-era overhaul; data privacy questions follow NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has signed a five-year, $2.5 billion health agreement with the United States, the first such government-to-government pact since President Donald Trump overhauled U.S. foreign aid, U.S. and Kenyan officials said Saturday. Washington cast the deal as a model for a series of agreements with developing countries, signaling a deeper pivot to direct funding of public sectors over traditional aid…

Army raids deal major blow to al-Shabab in central Somalia GALGADUUD, Somalia — Somali government forces say they destroyed al-Shabab hideouts and secured a key roadway during an operation in central Somalia, marking a fresh setback for the extremist group as the army intensifies its campaign across Galmudug state. Troops from the Somali National Army’s 242nd Battalion led the raid along the corridor between Cali Yabaal and the Geeriile junction, targeting what officials described as a supply store and shelters used by the…

Edinburgh Airport said flights have resumed after a temporary suspension this morning caused by an issue with its air traffic control provider. The airport, which is the sixth-busiest in the U.K., said travel was halted for a time while the problem was addressed. It handled 15.8 million passengers last year. Officials provided few details about the nature of the fault or which air traffic control provider was involved. Edinburgh Airport said the disruption was not linked to a separate Cloudflare outage affecting internet…

Lawmakers Warn of Risks to Draft 2026 National Budget Targets Lawmakers are raising alarms about the ambitious US$1.2 billion target of the Draft 2026 National Budget, insisting that without key reforms, these goals remain at risk of being unmet. This budget, the largest proposed under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's administration, signifies a bold expansion in government spending. It emphasizes funding for social projects, civil service restructuring, infrastructure investment, and governance reforms. However, lawmakers…

UNAIDS Warns of Deteriorating HIV Services Amid Funding Crisis Abrupt funding cuts and deteriorating human rights conditions have disrupted HIV prevention and treatment services across dozens of countries, UNAIDS has warned. In a stark report released to mark World AIDS Day, the UN agency highlighted a troubling trend: international assistance for HIV programs has sharply declined, with projections indicating that external health funding could plummet by 30-40% by 2025 compared to 2023 levels. The agency's Executive…