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Somali filmmaker Khadar Ayderus Ahmed readies ‘Thundering Smoke,’ a bold return to East Africa’s silver screen LONDON — One of the most intriguing new voices in African cinema is setting his sights on a daring second act. Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, the Somali director who charmed Cannes and gathered armfuls of festival prizes with his feature debut The Gravedigger’s Wife, is preparing his next film: a genre-bending thriller about a middle-aged Somali hitwoman who returns to the village that once expelled her. A hitwoman comes…

Somalia’s Climate Fight Is Also a Battle for Peace — and for Fair Finance On a recent morning along Somalia’s Shabelle River, neighbors climbed onto rooftops clutching documents and schoolbooks as floodwaters surged through villages already battered by years of conflict. It was a scene that has become uncomfortably familiar across the country: people surviving one disaster only to be driven into another. The number of internally displaced people in Somalia has now surpassed 3.8 million — a figure that captures not just the…

9 Fast Food Breakfasts to Skip for Better Health When it's rush hour and you find yourself at a drive-thru, the allure of a fast breakfast can be tempting. But what you grab can dramatically impact your energy levels and health for the day ahead. Making mindful choices in the morning can set a positive tone for the entire day. Health expert and registered dietitian Mary Sabat, MS, RDN, LD, highlights some of the worst offenders in the fast-food breakfast category that you should steer clear of. Let’s dive into these…

9 Fast Food Breakfasts to Avoid for a Healthier Start In a world rushing by, grabbing breakfast at a drive-thru may seem like a lifeline for busy mornings. However, many fast-food breakfast options can derail your wellness goals before the day even begins. What if I told you that the breakfast you choose could set the tone for your entire day? According to Mary Sabat, MS, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian and personal trainer, “Starting your day with a balanced meal is crucial in maintaining steady energy levels and overall…

Somali president welcomes boxer Ramla Ali, casting sports as a bridge to a hopeful future MOGADISHU — In a carefully staged encounter that mixed ceremony with symbolism, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday welcomed Ramla Ali — the Somali-born, UK-raised boxer who made history as the first Somali to compete in the Olympics — to the presidential palace in Mogadishu. The meeting was brief but pointed: Ali received a certificate of honor from the presidency and words of praise that turned an individual sporting…

U.S. Praise in Bosaso, Local Anger in Sanaag: A Test of Counter‑ISIS Strategy in Somalia BOSASO, Somalia — In a carefully choreographed visit this past weekend, senior U.S. officials flew into Puntland State’s bustling port city of Bosaso to laud the region’s role in combating Islamic State fighters and protecting Somalia’s northern maritime approaches. The delegation — led by Ambassador Richard Riley and including Major General Claude Tudor and the head of U.S. special operations in East Africa, Colonel Benander — met with…

Somalia’s Parliament Opening Postponed as Electoral Battle Deepens MOGADISHU — What began as a procedural delay has rippled into a broader political crisis in Somalia, revealing the frictions inside a fragile federal system trying to move from clan-based power sharing to direct elections. Lawmakers were told at the last minute that the Federal Parliament would not open as scheduled on Saturday — a pause President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s office has tied to changes in his travel plans — and the leadership said the 7th session…

U.S. Envoy and Special Operations Commander Praise Puntland State’s Anti-ISIS Push in Bosaso as Airstrike Controversy Lingers BOSASO, Somalia — In a high-profile show of support, the U.S. ambassador to Somalia and the head of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa met Puntland State’s president on Saturday in the bustling port city of Bosaso, commending local forces for pushing Islamic State militants from their mountain redoubts and helping keep some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes safe. U.S. Ambassador Richard H.…

Minnesota charges eight in alleged Medicaid housing fraud as state moves to reboot troubled program Federal prosecutors in Minnesota have charged eight people with orchestrating more than $8 million in alleged wire fraud tied to the state’s Housing Stabilization Services program, a Medicaid benefit intended to keep disabled and elderly residents housed. The indictments, announced Thursday in Minneapolis, mark what prosecutors called the “first wave” in a widening probe into a program that ballooned far beyond its original…

Somalia’s identity shake-up: a bid to reclaim control sparks questions about reach and rights MOGADISHU — In a forceful televised address that mixed alarm at security risks with the blunt tools of statecraft, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a sweeping overhaul of how Somalis are identified: passports, he said, will no longer be the primary credential for accessing government or private services. Instead, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) card must be used — and those who refuse to…