Wednesday June 10, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somalia’s Lower House Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe secured the presidency of Southwest State on Wednesday in a vote in Baidoa that unfolded after a leading contender pulled out, citing alleged election irregularities. The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that Madobe won 88 votes. Abdiasis Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari, his remaining rival, received one vote, and one ballot was ruled invalid. Ninety members of the Southwest House of…

By  OMAR FARUKWednesday June 10, 2026 A scene of celebration greeted Somalia’s Omar Artan on Wednesday when the World Cup referee, blocked from entering the United States, landed in Mogadishu to applause, cheers and Somali flags. Artan said he still intends to reach the next World Cup and urged young Somalis to stand tall and be proud of their nation. Artan had been poised to become the first referee from Somalia to work at a World Cup after earning a place on FIFA’s final tournament list. Already regarded as one of…

By  OMAR FARUKWednesday June 10, 2026 When Omar Artan stepped off the plane in Mogadishu on Wednesday, he was met not as a disappointed official but as a national symbol — a Somali World Cup referee whose journey to football’s biggest stage had been abruptly halted by the United States. Artan, who had been poised to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after landing on FIFA’s final tournament list, told the cheering crowd in Somalia’s capital that his dream was far from over. A leading figure in…

By  OMAR FARUK and GERALD IMRAYWednesday June 10, 2026 A journey that was supposed to lift Somalia onto the World Cup stage has instead ended at a Miami airport, where referee Omar Artan was turned away, then removed from FIFA’s tournament roster. Artan, set to become the first referee from Somalia to work a World Cup after earning a place on FIFA’s final list announced two months ago, arrived with rare distinction. Widely regarded as one of Africa’s elite officials, he was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.…

Wednesday June 10, 2026 Mandera (AX) — Two people were killed and another left badly injured on Monday after what police described as a suspected cross-border militia raid in Mandera County, close to the Kenya-Somalia frontier. Police said in a report that about 10 heavily armed militia fighters, believed to have come in from Somalia, stormed Elgolicha village at around 3 a.m. and began shooting at residents. Police said the attackers, armed with assault rifles, killed 82-year-old Abdo Ali Gole, who was identified as a…

Wednesday June 10, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State is set to choose its next president on Wednesday in Baidoa, as authorities enforce a curfew and step up security around an election seen as pivotal for the region’s political future. The contest is drawing intense attention because the result is expected to influence both Southwest State’s internal power balance and its ties with the Federal Government of Somalia. On Tuesday night, two candidates who had voiced concerns about the electoral process — former Southwest…

Wednesday June 10, 2026 Istanbul (AX) — What was meant to be a landmark moment for Somali football ended in disappointment on Tuesday, when referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan returned to Somalia after being barred from entering the United States and missing out on what would have been a historic World Cup assignment. Artan traveled back from Istanbul, where U.S. border officials had sent him after refusing him entry at Miami International Airport over the weekend. In Mogadishu, preparations were under way to receive him home.…

By Ali HarbTuesday June 9, 2026 Referee Omar Artan signals a penalty during the CAF Champions League final in in Rabat, Morocco, on May 24 Washington has barred a leading Somali referee from entering the United States just as he was preparing for the FIFA World Cup, intensifying scrutiny of American travel restrictions and their possible effect on the tournament. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Al Jazeera on Monday that Omar Artan was stopped after landing in South Florida on Saturday. Artan, who is listed…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 U.S. authorities over the weekend barred Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from entering the country, derailing plans for him to become the first Somali official to work a World Cup match. A FIFA spokesperson said Monday that Artan will not be able to attend the training and officiating program for the tournament, which begins Thursday, after he was denied entry into the United States. "FIFA is ​not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has ​been…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports voiced deep regret Tuesday after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the United States just as he was expected to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In a statement, the ministry said the Somali government is closely following Artan’s case and is pursuing diplomatic channels in search of a swift resolution. The ministry said it is working with relevant agencies, describing Artan as a symbol of the progress made by Somali…