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MOGADISHU, Somalia — U.S. Africa Command has intensified airstrikes in Somalia, pushing the annual tally to 109 and signaling a stepped-up campaign against al-Shabaab and ISIS militants in coordination with state forces in Puntland State and Jubaland. AFRICOM said multiple operations between Nov. 26 and Nov. 28 struck ISIS positions in the rugged Calmiskaad mountains of Puntland State, roughly 37 miles from Bosaso, the region’s commercial hub. The mountainous redoubt has long provided militants with cover and access to…

Global temperatures are on track to deliver the planet’s second hottest year on record in 2025—tied with 2023—after a historic high in 2024, according to Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The new assessment places the world perilously close to the 1.5C threshold enshrined as a safer limit in the 2015 Paris Agreement and underscores how quickly the climate system is changing. From January through November, average temperatures rose 1.48C above pre-industrial levels, Copernicus said in its latest monthly update,…

Mogadishu — U.S. Africa Command carried out seven new airstrikes in Somalia between Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, pushing this year’s total to at least 109 strikes — a record level of U.S. military activity in the country. The latest operations targeted ISIS-linked militants in Puntland State and an al-Shabaab site in southern Jubaland, AFRICOM said. The command described a rapid sequence of strikes focused on a remote mountain zone southeast of Bosaso, a longtime militant hideout, and a separate strike near the Kenyan border. It did…

Overview: a surge in Irish passport applications from the UK Nearly a quarter of a million people living in the United Kingdom applied for Irish passports in 2024, the highest number recorded since the UK formally left the European Union. The wave of applications cuts across Britain and Northern Ireland and reflects both practical responses to Brexit and longer-running family ties. Department of Foreign Affairs figures show 242,772 applications in 2024. Just over half (53%) of those applications came from people living…

Overview: Global emissions climb as 1.5C window narrows The latest Global Carbon Budget warns that carbon dioxide from fossil fuels is poised to reach a fresh peak in 2025, and that the remaining CO2 allowance to keep warming below 1.5C is vanishing fast. Scientists say current levels of emissions make meeting the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious goal effectively out of reach without unprecedented rapid action. Fossil CO2 emissions are projected to be about 1.1% higher in 2025 than in 2024, despite rapid deployment of…

R22 billion pledge in KwaZulu‑Natal shines light on a familiar fault line: money without trust and skills When Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation toured KwaZulu‑Natal last week, it did not find the comforting sight of hoses and concrete being laid across parched riverbeds. Instead, it encountered a recurring national headache: bold budget lines and high‑profile projects undermined by doubts about capacity and governance. The committee welcomed uMngeni‑Uthukela Water’s announcement that it plans to…

A Culinary Triumph: Hilda Baci's Record-Breaking Jollof Rice Amidst the rich tapestry of Nigerian culture, marked by lively music, vibrant colors, and mouthwatering cuisine, chef Hilda Baci has made a mark that resonates beyond borders. Her latest achievement, recently confirmed by Guinness World Records, secures her place in the culinary world not just as a chef but as an ambassador of Nigerian culture. Baci expertly orchestrated a monumental cooking event, crafting the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof Rice,…

Banadir Court Chief Urges Appointment of 30 Judges to Tackle Caseload Crisis "The current surge in cases is overwhelming our present cadre of judges," stated Dabaan, the head of the Banadir Court. "We desperately need to activate newly qualified judges and ensure they receive adequate compensation. A judge under financial strain cannot be expected to impart justice impartially." Aman Obsiye, the Assistant District Attorney from Ramsey County, voiced his support for expediting the onboarding of new judges. "I back Jimale…

NAIROBI, Kenya - Tuesday's airstrike within the Tigray area continues to entice worldwide condemnation with the dying toll now reaching 80, in one in every of the newest massacres towards harmless civilians, who've been focused by the Ethiopian navy. Ethiopian Nationwide Protection Forces continues the Standard Entrance for the Liberation of Tigray fighters, who opposed Abiy Ahmed's authorities, which took over as prime minister in 2018, however has struggled to impose its authority within the nation. The European…

The presence in Uganda of the five variants is one of the reasons for the epidemic outbreak that the country in the Great Lakes region is currently experiencing when it had been relatively spared during the first wave. Strict containment had prevented the spread of the epidemic during the first wave of Covid in Uganda, but…