Panama court cancels Hong Kong company’s port concession deals

Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled the concession framework underpinning Panama Ports Company’s long-running contracts at the Panama Canal’s Atlantic and Pacific gateways, casting immediate uncertainty over who will control the Balboa and Cristóbal container terminals and complicating CK Hutchison’s proposed $23 billion sale of its global ports business to a consortium led by BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Company. In a ruling issued after what it called “extensive deliberation,” the court found the laws and state…

Turkey Deploys F-16 Fighter Jets to Somalia, Hiiraan Online Reports

Türkiye deploys F-16s to Mogadishu as offshore oil push gathers pace MOGADISHU, Somalia — Türkiye has deployed three F-16 fighter jets to Mogadishu, deepening its military footprint in Somalia as Ankara advances plans for offshore oil exploration and broader strategic investments in the Horn of Africa. The jets arrived Wednesday and are believed to be part of Türkiye’s expanding security support for the Somali National Army (SNA), as well as preparations for the expected deployment of a Turkish offshore drilling platform…

Landslide at Unauthorized Mine in Mozambique Leaves Five Dead

At least five illegal miners were killed when an artisanal mine collapsed during heavy rains in Guruè district, Zambézia province, Mozambican authorities said Tuesday, underscoring growing safety and security concerns around unregulated mining across the country. District administrator Felisberto Ponta Vida said the landslide occurred amid torrential rainfall that swept through the area. Local officials have not released the identities of the deceased or provided details on whether more people were missing. The collapse in…

Italian officials stand trial over deadly migrant shipwreck tragedy

ROME — Six members of Italy’s police and coastguard went on trial Tuesday over the 2023 shipwreck off the Calabrian coast that killed at least 94 migrants, including 35 children, in one of the country’s deadliest maritime disasters in a decade. The case, heard in the southern city of Crotone, centers on allegations that authorities failed to mount a timely search-and-rescue operation for a wooden boat that had sailed from Turkey carrying people from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Syria. Around 80 survived when the vessel…

Burkina Faso Military Government Disbands All Political Parties

Military Government Dissolves Political Parties, Citing Unity and Stability The military-led government has taken the drastic step of dissolving all political parties by decree, effectively terminating their ability to operate, even internally. This bold move, announced by Interior Minister Emile Zerbo, is portrayed as a necessary action aimed at addressing the proliferation of political factions that, according to officials, have led to abuses, aggravated societal divisions, and ultimately weakened the nation's social…

Israeli airline awaits Somali overflight permit renewal after North Western State of Somalia dispute

Arkia awaits renewal to fly over Somalia, warns of possible reroute for Thailand flights MOGADISHU — Israeli carrier Arkia says it has not yet received renewed authorization to cross Somali airspace for February, a delay that could force the airline to reroute its Thailand services if approval does not arrive in time. In a statement Thursday, Arkia said the matter stems from routine international aviation procedures that require periodic renewal of overflight permits. “As of now, Arkia has not yet received the renewal of the…

Israeli airline awaits restored access to Somali airspace after North Western State of Somalia dispute

MOGADISHU — Israeli carrier Arkia says it has not yet received renewed authorization to fly over Somali airspace when its current permit expires at the end of January, a delay that could force the airline to reroute Tel Aviv–Thailand services if clearance is not granted in time. In a statement Thursday, Arkia linked the issue to routine international procedures requiring periodic renewal of overflight permits. “As of now, Arkia has not yet received the renewal of the periodic permit for air transit over Somalia for…

Denmark lauds highly constructive talks with U.S. about Greenland ties

BRUSSELS — Denmark’s foreign minister said Tuesday he is “more optimistic” after technical talks with the United States on Greenland began in Washington, the first senior-level engagement since tensions flared over the Arctic territory. Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters on the sidelines of an EU meeting that Danish, Greenlandic and U.S. officials held “the very first meeting at senior official level in Washington yesterday regarding the Greenlandic issue.” “It went well in a very constructive atmosphere and tone, and new…

Trump to seek talks with Iran as tensions climb

President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Iran even as the United States dispatches another warship to the Middle East, signaling a dual track of pressure and potential diplomacy amid a volatile regional standoff. “I am planning on it, yeah,” Trump told reporters when asked about possible discussions with Tehran. “We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them.” He did not elaborate on timing, scope or who might lead any U.S. outreach. The…

Inside Trump’s attacks on the Somali community and political fallout

In Minneapolis, confrontations between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and protesters have become a pressure point for something older and deeper than a dispute over deportations. For Somali Americans in Minnesota — home to more than 100,000 people of Somali descent — the scenes on the streets are the latest chapter in a generational experience of displacement, stigmatization and resilience. Across a tightly connected global diaspora, the anxiety is acute, but so is the resolve. Over much of his second term,…