Sparks

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…

MOGADISHU (AX) — A deadly attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people, including a child, prompting nationwide condemnation, heightened security and fears of backlash among Somali and other Muslim communities. Police said a man and his son opened fire during the beachfront gathering late Sunday, targeting attendees in what authorities described as an antisemitic act of terrorism. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Investigators said inquiries were ongoing and urged the public to…

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — After vowing this week to cut down on immigration from “third world countries” in response to the deadly attack on two National Guard members by an Afghan national, President Donald Trump turned his ire on Somalis, calling them “garbage” and urging Somali Americans to “go back” and “fix” their homeland, which he described as “hell.” The comments drew swift condemnation from Somali Americans — including Somalia-born Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, who called the remarks “vile” — and from Somalis…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing backlash after saying members of the al-Shabab extremist group can apply for Somalia’s new national ID cards — a move he argues will bolster national security and the economy but that critics warn could be counterproductive. Speaking at the 2nd Somali National ID Conference in Mogadishu, Mohamud said militants had told security agencies they were ready to register for the biometric program. “Let them take it — their fingerprints and their faces will be…

Somalia’s planned leap to one-person, one-vote exposes fragile balance between hope and division MOGADISHU — Somalia’s long-simmering experiment with electoral reform has entered a decisive — and potentially divisive — phase. The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has announced that Banadir, the region that contains the capital Mogadishu, will pilot what would be the country’s first direct, universal-suffrage poll on November 30. The move comes despite vocal resistance from several federal…

Bombing at Opposition Politician’s Home in Zimbabwe Raises Questions About Safety, Impunity Attack and immediate response The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) on Wednesday condemned what it called a “barbaric act of violence” after a bomb exploded at the home of opposition politician Job Sikhala on August 30, an attack that left family members shaken and raised fresh questions about political safety and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. The device detonated while Sikhala was in South Africa—where he had been publicly…

The much-anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump at the White House offered a fleeting glimpse into their interaction. A handful of sentences exchanged during the "room spray"—the brief moment when photographers and journalists are usually allowed into the Oval Office as a meeting kicks off—were all we got. Biden's most memorable remark? A warm, "Welcome back." As Trump departed, he slipped past reporters gathered at the West Wing portico, who had expected a few sound bites from one…

The European Union (EU) is feeling a renewed sense of urgency regarding its competitiveness, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s election victory. According to Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, concerns are growing that the EU may struggle to keep pace with major players like the United States and China. Before his election, Trump made it clear that the EU would face severe consequences for not purchasing enough American goods—specifically, he threatened tariffs as high as 10% on all imports…

Mogadishu (AX) — Donald Trump's return to the presidency has sent shivers through immigrant groups across America, especially among Somali communities now wrestling with fresh anxieties over deportation. His campaign emphasized a stringent approach toward undocumented migrants, pledging historic levels of deportation. This has stirred alarm particularly among Somali families who view North America as a sanctuary and now fear their settled lives might face upheaval. Many are considering the possibility of relocating to…

Athens, Greece (AX) — A young Somali, who landed in Greece all by his lonesome as a minor seeking asylum, has just been given a clean slate by the Juvenile Court of Kos on October 24, 2024. This judgment wipes away serious accusations against him—such as being involved in a sketchy criminal crew and sneaking in illegally—while shining a light on the thorny issue of how Greece treats folks in search of sanctuary. Imagine this: M.A., the young man in question, found himself in hot water after simply sharing his cell phone with…