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Somalia's military has dealt a significant blow to the terrorist group Al-Shabab, killing 27 fighters in a large-scale operation. The Ministry of Defence reported that the operation, conducted in the autonomous state of Jubbaland, was carried out with the support of international partners who provided air strikes.The operation, which took place across the Lower Jubba and Middle Jubba regions, targeted the districts of Jilib, Xagar, and Afmadow. Somalia's Defence Ministry stated that the operation was a success, dealing a major blow to Al-Shabab and eliminating key members of the armed group.In addition to the casualties, the Somali army seized weapons and military equipment, including BKM machine guns, RPGs, AK-47 rifles, and landmines intended for use against civilians. The Defence Ministry emphasized that operations are ongoing to pursue the remaining Al-Shabaab elements and ensure the security, stability, and safety of civilians living in Somalia.Somalia has been battling Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, since 2007. The group aims to topple Somalia's central government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law. Al-Shabab is considered by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to be the largest, wealthiest, and most lethal al-Qaeda-affiliated organisation globally, controlling large swaths of southern and central Somalia.The conflict has had a significant humanitarian impact, with almost 60,000 people displaced due to fighting between government forces and Al-Shabab in Somalia's Middle Shabelle region between January and July 2025. The group has also claimed responsibility for attacks in Kenya, Uganda, and Djibouti.

The UK's culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has cleared Axel Springer's £575m takeover of the Telegraph titles, paving the way for the end of almost three years of uncertainty over the ownership of the newspapers. Nandy stated that she does not believe there are grounds to intervene and refer the deal to the media regulator, Ofcom, for an in-depth regulatory investigation. The culture secretary has the power to call in mergers for further scrutiny on public interest grounds, as well as the new foreign state influence regime. Axel Springer, a German media group, had tabled a significantly superior offer to Lord Rothermere's Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), prompting the United Arab Emirates-backed group that controls the Telegraph to seek UK government approval to switch the permission to sell the right-to-buy option to Axel Springer. The Telegraph titles will add to Axel Springer's media portfolio, which includes Europe's biggest newspaper, Bild, Politico, and Business Insider. Axel Springer CEO, Mathias Döpfner, has promised to invest in the Telegraph to make it the “leading centre-right media outlet in the English-speaking world”, with a rapid expansion planned for the US supported by the expertise of Politico and Business Insider. The sale of the newspapers was kicked off in 2023 when the Barclay family lost control of the group over £1.16bn of unpaid debts owed to Lloyds bank. RedBird IMI, which is 75% controlled by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice-president of the UAE and the owner of Manchester City, took control of the publishing group after agreeing to pay the Barclays' debts.

The ongoing global finance talks between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have taken a contentious turn. Governments are being urged not to mention climate change, despite its growing impacts and the pressing need for climate finance.The climate crisis has significant implications for developing countries, which are already paying billions to repair damage from droughts, floods, and storms. The World Bank Group aims to devote 35% of its funding to climate-related activities, but US pressure may hinder these efforts.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has demanded the removal of some climate finance targets from the World Bank's aims, insisting on an 'all-of-the-above approach to energy' that includes financing for gas, oil, and coal. This move has sparked alarm among other countries, including large developed economies.Experts warn that sidelining climate change discussions would be disastrous for the developing world. Mohamed Adow, director of the Power Shift Africa thinktank, described the situation as 'beyond absurd', emphasizing that fossil fuels and the climate emergency are inextricably linked.The World Bank is the biggest single source of climate funding, and many donor countries channel their climate finance largely through the multilateral development banks. At the Cop29 UN climate summit in Azerbaijan in 2024, countries agreed that at least $1.3tn a year should flow to the developing world by 2035 to help countries cut greenhouse gas emissions and cope with the impacts of extreme weather.Lord Stern, a former World Bank chief economist, suggested that much could still be achieved without formally labelling projects as climate-related, emphasizing that investing in low-carbon infrastructure and energy systems is crucial for sustainable development.

Wigan Warriors edged out Wakefield Trinity 22-20 in a thrilling Super League quarter-final, securing their spot in the semi-finals against St Helens. The match was marked by Wakefield's strong early performance, with tries from Jake Trueman and Ky Rodwell giving them a 12-0 lead.However, Wigan responded impressively, with Patrick Mago halving the deficit and Liam Marshall bringing the scores level. A crucial moment came when Wakefield's Jazz Tevaga was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes, allowing Wigan to gain momentum.Harry Smith's try on the hooter saw Wigan take a 16-14 lead at halftime. Wakefield continued to push, but Wigan's experience ultimately paid off as they held their nerve in a tense final quarter.Wakefield's Zach Eckersley scored twice, but it wasn't enough to overcome Wigan's strong finish. The win sets up a highly anticipated semi-final between Wigan and St Helens, while Wakefield will look to regroup and come back stronger next season.

Israel has firmly stated that it will not engage in discussions about a ceasefire with Hezbollah when it meets with Lebanese officials in Washington next week. This stance comes as Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue, intensifying diplomatic efforts to address the escalating conflict. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter confirmed that the talks will mark the beginning of formal negotiations with the Lebanese government, despite the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, Israel has ruled out any discussion involving Hezbollah, labeling the group a terrorist organization. The diplomatic push includes US involvement, with the American delegation, including US Vice President JD Vance, set to engage in talks with Iranian representatives in Islamabad. The US and Iran had agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities, but Israel has rejected the interpretation that this includes a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Iran has responded by keeping the Strait of Hormuz shut and stated it will not engage in negotiations without a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The conflict has resulted in close to 2,000 deaths in Lebanon in recent weeks, with over 350 killed on Wednesday alone. Next week's talks are likely to focus on demands directed at the Lebanese state, which has long struggled to contain Hezbollah. The situation remains volatile, with no sign of easing in the fighting.

Donald Trump's decision to accept a two-week ceasefire in Iran has created a stir within his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, with some supporters expressing mixed reactions to the development. While some have defended the president's decision, others have accused him of betrayal and capitulation.The ceasefire, which was agreed upon after more than a month of war, has been hailed as a victory by both the US and Iran. However, critics argue that the agreement has failed to achieve its objectives, with Iran's regime still intact and its nuclear facilities persisting. The strait of Hormuz remains closed, and fighting continues in Lebanon.Dinesh D'Souza, a right-wing commentator, defended Trump on social media, stating that the president had outsmarted his critics and proved himself to be the adult in the room. Similarly, Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, expressed confidence in Trump's decision-making, citing his real, actionable intelligence.However, not all supporters are convinced. Matthew Feinberg, a self-described 'MAGA Jew', expressed disappointment, stating that the ceasefire allows the IRGC to regroup and rearm. Laura Loomer, an activist and Islamophobe, also criticized the outcome, saying that the negotiation didn't yield any significant benefits for the US.The Pew Research survey found that, among Republicans, there had been an 18-point decline in confidence in Trump's policymaking about Iran since 2024. Despite this, Republicans aged 65 and older remain overwhelmingly confident in Trump's ability to make good decisions on Iran.

The United Kingdom’s cyber‑defence agency has issued a stark warning: Russian‑affiliated hackers are targeting everyday internet routers to conduct espionage operations. By compromising these edge devices, attackers can steal user credentials, redirect traffic to fraudulent sites, and potentially infiltrate other connected gadgets such as smartphones and computers. According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the campaign appears opportunistic, casting a wide net before filtering for high‑value intelligence targets. This mirrors a broader trend where threat actors focus on hardware that bridges users to the cloud, often overlooking the security of routers and network cameras. Professor Alan Woodward of the University of Surrey emphasized that routers are frequently forgotten, becoming weak points in home and small‑business networks. "If a router is compromised, attackers can reroute users to fake banking sites, establish persistence on the network, and probe connected devices for further vulnerabilities," he explained. The NCSC attributes the activity to the notorious group APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, which is almost certainly linked to Russian intelligence services. APT28 previously orchestrated high‑profile attacks, including the 2015 breach of the German parliament that exposed confidential emails and legislators' schedules. In a parallel move, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has prohibited the sale of all consumer‑grade routers manufactured outside the United States, citing "unacceptable risks to national security." The FCC warned that foreign‑made routers have been exploited to facilitate espionage, disrupt networks, and steal intellectual property. While most routers are produced in China or Taiwan, exceptions like Elon Musk’s Texas‑made Starlink devices are unaffected. Privacy specialists caution that a blanket ban will not resolve existing vulnerabilities, especially for legacy routers that no longer receive security patches. Woodward urged small businesses and individuals to keep firmware up to date and monitor network activity for anomalies. The article also revisits the 2016 Bangladesh central bank heist, where hackers siphoned $80 million by exploiting cheap, second‑hand routers that were exposed to the internet. Investigators believe a North Korean state‑linked group was behind that attack, illustrating how compromised routers can serve as gateways to critical financial systems. Overall, the NCSC’s alert underscores a growing geopolitical cyber‑threat landscape, where state‑sponsored actors leverage everyday hardware to gather intelligence and disrupt adversaries.

Australian cricket selector Shawn Flegler has acknowledged that the decision to appoint Sophie Molineux as team captain may need to be reassessed if she continues to struggle with injuries. Molineux, a bowling allrounder, was handed the captaincy ahead of Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner despite concerns over her fitness.Molineux has played for Australia since 2018 but has been plagued by injuries, including a serious knee issue that forced her to miss the recent Ashes series. Her injury problems resurfaced during the recent multi-format series against India, where she took on the T20I captaincy.Flegler described the latest setback as 'not ideal' but emphasized that the plan had always been to take a conservative approach to Molineux's fitness ahead of this year's T20 World Cup. He acknowledged that it was 'unprecedented' for Australia to bestow the captaincy upon a player subject to such uncertainty around her fitness.Despite the concerns, Flegler has not had any second thoughts about the captaincy decision, stating that the team is 'comfortable internally that it was the right decision for this group at this time.' However, he conceded that Australia would have to remain open to change should more long-term injuries arise.Molineux will take part in upcoming training camps with the squad and is on track to be fit for the World Cup that begins in the UK in June. The team's national contract list was also revealed, featuring uncapped Chloe Ainsworth and teenage allrounder Lucy Hamilton for the first time.

The US-Iran conflict has taken a dire turn as President Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran's power plants, bridges, and other vital civilian infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts warn that such actions will only prolong and expand the conflict, which has already entered its sixth week.Naveed Shah, political director at Common Defense, an advocacy group led by US military veterans, cautioned that if the regional war is not brought to an end soon, “there’s no end in sight as to how far” it will spread. Shah emphasized that attacking infrastructure will not end the war faster, but rather make it go on much longer.Iran has warned of severe retaliation if its civilian infrastructure is attacked, potentially targeting energy and power facilities across the region, which could further raise oil and gas prices. Several Iranian officials have ruled out reopening the Strait of Hormuz under Trump's threats.Brian Finucane, an analyst at the International Crisis Group and former adviser at the US Department of State, stated that attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran are unlikely to help Trump achieve his goals, namely reopening Hormuz. “It’s hard to see this lead to some quick US victory,” Finucane said.The supply pressure from closing Hormuz is being felt in the US, where petrol prices have gone up to more than $4.11 per gallon from less than $3 before the war. Finucane noted that escalating attacks against Iran and having Iran escalate attacks against its neighbors is a recipe for “even higher gas prices.”Trump has set a deadline for Iran to reopen Hormuz or face widespread destruction, threatening that the “whole civilisation will die” after the deadline passes. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari warned that prolonging the war benefits no one and could take the conflict to a point where it cannot be controlled.Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said more threats and attacks by Trump will only lead to more resistance by Iran. “Maximum pressure has not produced surrender from Iran since the first term of President Trump,” Mortazavi told Al Jazeera.