Author: Andrew Rogers

In early July, Maryan Abdikadir Geedi decided to leave her small shop in Moqokori, a town in Somalia’s Hiiraan region. Though she had witnessed al-Shabaab’s rapid advances, she had hoped to stay. Since her marriage in 2013, control over Moqokori had changed hands repeatedly, but the latest surge by the Islamist militant group felt different. “Just like how the rain comes and goes, so does control over Moqokori, but this time it was different,” Geedi said. By July, al-Shabaab had moved within 40 kilometers of Mogadishu, raising fears that the capital might be captured. Geedi fled to Buloburde, 90 kilometers…

City residents are used to fast deliveries of food and groceries, but the sight of a small robot arriving at their door is still new. Skype co-founder Ahti Heinla believes his company, Starship Technologies, is about to change that. Heinla, Starship’s chief executive, said the company can run deliveries with robots at a small profit, even in towns and villages where human delivery was not previously viable. “We’ve solved everything that there is to solve. It will happen. It’s very clear it will happen,” Heinla said during a meeting in London. Residents of Manchester, Leeds, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, and cities…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is under pressure from some Labour colleagues to consider breaking manifesto pledges rather than risk a “pasty tax” budget, raising money through numerous small levies. Sources said the debate intensified as the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) delivered its first fiscal forecast to the Treasury on Friday, highlighting a challenging outlook for government finances. Labour’s manifesto, adopted before returning to power last year, promised not to increase national insurance, VAT, or income tax, which together generate roughly three-quarters of the UK’s tax revenue. Officials and advisers in Downing Street have reportedly warned that adhering strictly to…

The US Treasury is considering producing a $1 coin commemorating the country’s 250th anniversary that would feature Donald Trump with a raised fist and the words “fight, fight, fight.” The phrase references Trump’s declaration following a narrowly survived assassination attempt four months before he won a second term as president. US Treasurer Brandon Beach revealed a draft design of the coin on X, stating, “No fake news here. These drafts honoring America’s 250th birthday and [Trump] are real.” The post, shared Friday, indicated that more details would follow once the partial government shutdown ends. The shutdown began after Senate Democrats…

President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops in Chicago to protect federal officers and assets, the White House confirmed. The move comes after a border patrol incident in which agents shot and injured a woman while defending themselves from a vehicle attack. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the president acted in response to “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” that local leaders had not controlled. She added, “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized the deployment as unnecessary, calling it a “manufactured performance…

President Donald Trump said a ceasefire agreement in Gaza could soon be reached as his envoys traveled to Egypt for high-level negotiations. The White House confirmed on Saturday that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would represent the United States in Cairo to finalize details of a hostage release and discuss steps toward ending the two-year war. The announcement came a day after Hamas signaled willingness to release hostages under Trump’s peace plan. In an interview, the president said, “We are very close,” adding that he hoped to push all sides toward a final deal within days. Egypt’s foreign ministry said…

President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, even as a federal judge blocked his attempt to send troops to Portland. The decision has triggered strong reactions from state officials and renewed debate over presidential authority in times of unrest. The White House announced on Saturday that Trump approved the use of Illinois National Guard members. According to the administration, the move was necessary to respond to what they described as violent protests and rising lawlessness in the city. Officials argued that local leaders had not done enough to address the situation. Abigail Jackson, a…

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Trump administration to remove temporary protected status (TPS) from more than 300,000 Venezuelan migrants. The decision temporarily halts a lower-court ruling that had found the administration acted improperly in ending protections for these immigrants. Three liberal justices dissented from the order. The emergency order will remain in effect while the court case continues. It puts on hold a ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco, who determined that ending TPS for Venezuelans was unlawful. In his ruling, Chen criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for moving “with unprecedented…

The Trump administration plans to offer $2,500 to immigrant children in U.S. custody if they voluntarily leave the country, according to a recently obtained government memo. The program targets unaccompanied minors aged 14 and older who have expressed interest in returning to their home countries. Children from Mexico are excluded from the plan. The memo, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to legal service providers for unaccompanied minors, confirms that the government will provide a one-time resettlement stipend of $2,500 to eligible children. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later confirmed the memo and its details,…

California has taken a major step in expanding labor rights for gig workers. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a measure on Friday that will allow more than 800,000 rideshare drivers across the state to join unions and bargain collectively for higher pay, better working conditions, and key benefits. Supporters say this is the largest expansion of private-sector collective bargaining rights in California’s history. It represents a compromise between labor unions and the tech companies that operate ride-hailing platforms. California is now the second state in the U.S. to grant such rights. Massachusetts voters approved a referendum in November allowing drivers for…