Somalia agriculture minister urges local production to end aid dependence

By Nuri AdenSaturday April 4, 2026 Somalia's Agriculture minister Mohamed Abdi Hayir on a farm tour. / Others Somalia’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdi Hayir, widely known as Mareeye, has delivered a blunt message about the country’s direction, urging Somalis, investors and decision-makers to place agriculture, livestock and fisheries at the center of national recovery and long-term growth. Speaking at length in Mogadishu, the minister laid out both the strain and the promise facing the country, saying…

Soaring fuel prices push Somalia’s three-wheeler drivers to the brink

Saturday April 4, 2026 Fuel shortages and soaring prices have turned a familiar Mogadishu street scene into a snapshot of economic strain: three-wheelers sitting idle by the roadside, drivers stranded, and livelihoods slipping out of reach. On April 2, 2026, a staff member refueled a three-wheeler at a petrol station in Somalia’s capital as the ripple effects of war in the Middle East continued to push fuel costs sharply higher across the country.(Photo by Hassan Bashi/Xinhua) Abdulkadir Sharif eased his tuk-tuk to the side…

Puntland State orders newly appointed ministers to declare assets

Saturday April 4, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State’s top auditing office has moved to tighten scrutiny on public officials, ordering all newly appointed ministers, deputy ministers and state ministers to declare their private assets within 30 days of taking office, in line with Article 77 of the Puntland State Constitution. In a directive released Thursday, Auditor General Osman Mahmoud Ali told the Council of Ministers and other senior officials to comply with the constitutional requirement, which is intended to boost…

Mogadishu swears in 390 council members after first one-person, one-vote election

Friday April 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Thursday crossed a long-awaited threshold toward universal suffrage, with 390 newly elected members of the Banadir Regional Council sworn in at the Banadir Regional Court in Mogadishu. The ceremony marked the capital’s first one-person, one-vote local election in more than half a century. The council members were chosen in December 2025 from Mogadishu’s 16 districts and represent 20 political parties, reflecting a notable break from Somalia’s traditional clan-based political…

Former Somali PM criticizes appointment of interim Southwest state leader

Friday April 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has sharply condemned the federal government’s decision to name an interim leader for Southwest State, calling it unconstitutional and a direct affront to Somalia’s federal order. In a statement, Sharmarke challenged what he described as the effective reduction of a federal member state into an entity subordinate to the central government. He argued that no legal authority exists for replacing an elected state administration…

More than 100 US legal experts condemn Iran strikes as possible war crimes

Friday April 3, 2026 A picture released by the Iranian government's foreign media department shows graves being prepared for victims, mostly children, of a United States attack on a girls' primary school in Minab, Iran More than 100 international law scholars based in the United States have issued a sharp open letter condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran, saying the attacks violate the United Nations Charter and could amount to “war crimes”. Published on Thursday, the letter says the conduct of US forces and remarks by…

Uganda receives first U.S. deportation flight under third-country agreement

Rachel Savage and agenciesFriday April 3, 2026 A deportation flight from the United States has touched down in Uganda, underscoring Donald Trump’s drive to send migrants to countries where they have no roots, no family and, in many cases, no clear future. The people removed from the US will remain in the east African country as “a transition phase for potential onward transmission to other countries”, an unnamed senior Ugandan government official told Reuters. The Uganda Law Society, which has denounced the arrivals, said 12…

African Union Welcomes China-Pakistan Initiative to Restore Middle East Stability

Friday April 3, 2026 The African Union (AU) on Friday praised the China-Pakistan five-point initiative aimed at easing the current peace and stability crisis in the Gulf and Middle East. In a statement, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the plan “constitutes a timely and constructive contribution to ongoing international efforts to de-escalate tensions and advance a political and diplomatic pathway.” He said the initiative’s “emphasis on an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians,…

President Mohamud arrives in Baidoa amid criticism of Southwest interim appointment

Friday April 3, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Baidoa on Friday for his first trip to the Southwest regional capital since the installation of an interim administration and the latest political turmoil in the state. In a statement, Villa Somalia said the visit is intended to speed up the delivery of social services, push forward peace and reconciliation efforts, reinforce governance and support preparations for Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote elections. The president is expected…

5 Unhealthiest Fast-Food Cheeseburgers in America, According to Reviewers

Five Guys, Whataburger and Other High-Calorie Cheeseburgers Five fast-food cheeseburgers are among the highest in calories, saturated fat and sodium based on company-provided nutrition information. Fast-food cheeseburgers can vary widely by chain and menu item, but several popular options clock in at high levels of calories, saturated fat and sodium in nutrition listings provided by the restaurants. Five Guys Five Guys’ customizable menu includes a cheeseburger with about 980 calories, 55g of fat, about 26g of…