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Oil prices leap past $100 as Iran conflict chokes Hormuz, stoking global food inflation risk LONDON — Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel this week, the highest since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as escalating conflict involving U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran on Feb. 28 rattled energy markets and raised the specter of renewed food inflation worldwide. The Strait of Hormuz — the narrow chokepoint between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which roughly 20% of global oil supply moves — has seen marine traffic…

Djibouti’s Red Sea dilemma: How the Middle East war could reroute trade and test a strategic hub PARIS — Tuesday, March 10, 2026 — The war in the Middle East is no longer just a battlefield story. It is a shock rippling through global trade routes and energy markets, with outsized consequences for small, strategic economies. At the mouth of the Red Sea, Djibouti’s position at Bab el-Mandeb has long been an asset. In a protracted crisis, it could become a vulnerability. This is a classic exposure problem. Djibouti has built a…

U.S. SOCAFRICA chief meets Jubbaland leader in Kismayo to deepen fight against al-Shabab KISMAYO, Somalia — The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa met Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe in Kismayo on Monday to discuss ongoing military operations against al-Shabab and expanded security cooperation in southern Somalia, officials said. Maj. Gen. Claude K. Tudor Jr.’s visit comes amid intensified counterterrorism efforts in the Jubbaland region, where Somali forces, backed by international partners,…

Somalia condemns Iranian strikes on Azerbaijan, backs Baku’s sovereignty as regional tensions rise Tuesday, March 10, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia has condemned Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting Azerbaijan, aligning itself with Baku amid a widening confrontation that has drawn in the United States, Israel and Iran. Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali conveyed Mogadishu’s stance in a phone call with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, according to a statement from Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The call…

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council on Monday warned against any postponement of the country’s 2026 national elections, citing constitutional deadlines and the risk of renewed instability if timelines slip. In a statement, the council said the term of the Federal Parliament under the 2012 provisional constitution ends on April 14, 2026, while the president’s mandate expires on May 15, 2026. It urged authorities to keep the electoral calendar intact to safeguard the…

Somalia: Jubaland president meets U.S. military officials to bolster war on Al-Shabaab KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam on Monday hosted Maj. Gen. Claude K. Tudor Jr., the commander of Special Operations Command Africa, for talks in Kismayo aimed at deepening joint efforts against al-Shabaab and reinforcing security operations across southern Somalia. The high-level meeting focused on strengthening strategic partnerships, accelerating coordinated counterterrorism operations and sustaining…

MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday signed a revised federal constitution into law, replacing the 2012 provisional charter and setting five-year terms for federal institutions in a move billed as a milestone for state-building but denounced by opposition figures as an overreach. The signing at the Presidential Palace capped a contentious review that culminated last week when both chambers of the Federal Parliament approved the overhaul in a joint session. The new document completes a long-stalled…

Somalia: Somali Future Council warns of ‘instability’ over 2026 election delays MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali Future Council on Monday warned that any delay to the country’s 2026 federal elections risks triggering renewed instability, urging authorities to adhere to constitutional timelines and avoid a repeat of the 2021 political crisis. In a formal statement, the Council voiced “deep concern” about a potential leadership vacuum or term extensions as mandates for federal institutions approach their expiry. It said holding…

Monday, March 9, 2026 Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader following his father’s killing in U.S.-Israeli strikes, positioning a low-profile but long-rumored power broker at the apex of the Islamic Republic. The selection cements a potentially dynastic handover at the heart of a system founded in 1979 on religious authority and revolutionary legitimacy rather than hereditary succession. Mojtaba Khamenei has never held public office, rarely appeared in…

AU commander tours recaptured Somali town of Mubarak after joint offensive against al-Shabab MOGADISHU — The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday visited the newly secured town of Mubarak in Lower Shabelle to assess troop readiness after a joint operation that pushed al-Shabab fighters from key positions south of Mogadishu. Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma toured security positions in and around Mubarak with senior Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) commanders, meeting soldiers…