Global

A Growing Challenge for America’s Somalia Policy

By Joshua Meservey In the early hours of Jan. 5, the al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab attacked a joint Kenyan-American military base in Manda Bay, Kenya, where several hundred American troops and military contractors live and work. The U.S. confirmed that three Americans—one serviceman and two contractors—were killed, several injured, and a number of aircraft

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Somali Islamic Leader Accused of Sexually Assaulting Four U.S. Children

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office A Somali national who serves as an Islamic religious leader in Houston, Texas, has been accused of sexually assaulting four children in the United States since 2013. Mohamed Omar Ali, a 59-year-old Somali national, was arrested last week by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and charged with three counts

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Iran most likely downed Ukraine airliner with missiles, U.S. officials believe

A Ukraine airliner that crashed in Iran, killing all 176 people aboard, was most likely brought down accidentally by Iranian air defenses, U.S. officials said on Thursday, and President Donald Trump said he did not believe the crash was due to a mechanical issue. Citing an extensive review of satellite data, one U.S. official said

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Ethiopia passes gun control law to tackle surge in violence

Photo Credit Reuters Ethiopia’s parliament passed legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing gun ownership after a surge in regional ethnic violence blamed on a proliferation of small arms in private hands. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government said last April that it had seized 21 machine guns, more than 33,000 handguns, 275 rifles and 300,000 bullets

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Locusts now in Meru, Isiolo counties

Photo Credit Daily Nation Some of the desert locusts which have invaded Gurar in Wajir North. The insects have been spotted in Meru and Isiolo. Desert locusts that have ravaged north-eastern Kenya have made their way to Meru and Isiolo counties even as government officials downplayed their threat. On Tuesday evening, residents of Ndumuru in

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Trumps says Iran likely ‘standing down’ after strikes

‘Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned,’ says US president Iran “appears to be standing down” after it launched a barrage of missiles at Iraqi facilities that host U.S. and coalition forces, President Donald Trump said Wednesday. Trump said the U.S. sustained no military casualties when Iran’s

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Iran missiles target U.S. forces in Iraq; Trump says ‘All well

Residents look at a crater caused by a missile launched by Iran on U.S.-led coalition forces on the outskirts of Duhok ,Iraq, January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Ari Jalal Iran launched missiles at U.S.-led forces in Iraq early on Wednesday, retaliating for the U.S. drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week stoked fears of

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US official confirms airstrikes at Iraq’s Ain Assad air base housing U.S. troops

Iranian lawmakers chant slogans as some of them hold posters of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Iraq in a U.S. drone attack, in an open session of parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. Iran’s parliament has passed an urgent bill declaring the U.S. military’s command at the Pentagon in Washington and

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Miguna finally on his way to Nairobi after standoff in Germany

Miguna Miguna traveling to Kenya. [Source/Miguna Miguna/Facebook] Exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna has finally boarded a Nairobi-bound aircraft after hours of uncertainty at Frankfurt airport in Germany. Miguna left Canada on Monday but was temporarily halted in Germany, after Lufthansa airline claimed the government of Kenya had barred it from ferrying him. However, Government Spokesperson Col

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US won’t grant Iran foreign minister visa for UN visit

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives to speak about Iran, Tuesday Jan. 7, 2020, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The U.S. won’t issue Iran’s foreign minister a visa to travel to the United Nations later this week, contending there was not enough time to process the request. Mohammed Javad Zarif told

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