Rebels Reportedly Enter Key DR Congo City Despite US-Brokered Peace Rebel forces entered Uvira, the last government-held city in eastern DR Congo, triggering panic and forcing thousands to flee into Burundi as heavy artillery and gunfire erupted. Residents said M23 rebels marched in unopposed and claimed to have “liberated” the city, despite officials insisting…
Australia this week became the first country to ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and others now face one of the toughest child-protection regimes ever imposed on Big Tech. And while critics are warning of overreach and creeping digital nanny-statism, it’s increasingly difficult to argue that doing…
STORY HIGHLIGHTS Since its launch, the Shock Responsive Safety Net for Human Capital Project (SNHCP), locally known as Baxnaano, has supported over four million Somalis with cash transfers. Under the project, families receive $20 monthly, and up to $60 during national emergencies, to meet basic needs and build long-term resilience. Baxnaano is also strengthening Somalia’s…
STORY HIGHLIGHTS The World Bank-supported Rajo Kaaba (“Building Hope”) program has enabled over 2,700 Somali girls to access higher education and technical training, empowering a new generation of professionals in health, education, and public service. The project aims to equip more than 40,000 women, girls, and youths across Somalia with technical and vocational (TVET) skills…
The first official National Security Strategy (NSS) of the second Trump administration, dated November 2025 and publicly issued in early December 2025, is a document that some will hate and some will love. But many will scratch their heads in bewilderment as they try to determine what it means for global security for the next…
New York — As humanitarian crises around the world outpace the funding available to address them, senior United Nations officials today rallied the international community to urgently mobilize more support for the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), at an annual pledging event marking the Fund’s 20th anniversary. “The humanitarian system’s tank is running on…
As I step into 2026, my task is to continue building the layers that will create a future where African states can turn their climate commitments into real achievements, and I look forward to that with excitement. When I reflect on the year, I do not see isolated trips or separate assignments, but a long…
Kenya’s electric bus company BasiGo has received funding from Proparco, the French development finance institution, to support its expansion in East Africa. The investment follows BasiGo’s $41.5 million Series A round completed last year and comes as the company accelerates deployment of electric buses in Kenya and Rwanda. BasiGo provides electric buses, charging infrastructure and…
The UN refugee agency’s (UNHCR) prestigious Nansen Award is shining a light on the people proving that compassion and solidarity with displaced communities remain strong – even in some of the most difficult places on earth. This year’s honourees include five remarkable laureates from Cameroon, Mexico, Ukraine, Iraq and Tajikistan, each recognised for their courage,…
