Somali federal government funds Puntland State troops as rift with regional leaders widens

Somalia’s Federal Government Pays Troops in Puntland State, Deepening a High-Stakes Rift Mogadishu — Somalia’s federal government has moved to directly pay more than 2,500 soldiers stationed across Puntland State in a blunt show of authority that underlines a widening power struggle with the semi-autonomous region, officials and financial records indicate. Over the past 48 hours, soldiers in Garowe, Bosaso and Galkayo received $200 each via electronic transfers, according to local officials and transaction details reviewed…

Boakai’s Dismissal of Key Liberian Officials Sparks Concern

Political Shifts in Liberia: A Changing Landscape Under President Boakai In a dramatic turn of events, President Joseph Boakai of Liberia has reshaped the government's landscape by dismissing senior officials, sparking a wave of uncertainty among cabinet members and agency heads. This unexpected upheaval has not only alarmed those directly affected but has also raised broader questions about the direction of Boakai’s presidency. As the dust settles, the political implications of these moves could resonate far beyond the…

Peace Protects Health: Deadly Cholera Surge Mostly Preventable

Conflict, poverty and collapsing services: why cholera is surging again "Peace is health," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus repeats in briefings, a blunt reminder that infectious disease is not merely a biological problem but a political and social one. In late August 2025, WHO warned the world that cholera is resurging — and that the drivers are familiar: armed conflict, broken water and sanitation systems, deepening poverty and strained vaccine supplies. The warning is not abstract.…

Former President Trump Meets Japan’s Emperor After Landing in Tokyo

Trump’s Asia swing seeks a truce — and perhaps a headline-grabbing handshake In a carefully choreographed arrival that mixed pomp with negotiating urgency, US President Donald Trump landed in Tokyo on the latest leg of a five-day tour of Asia that officials hope will yield a pause, if not a full settlement, in the bruising trade fight with China. Wearing a gold tie and blue suit, Trump offered the kind of broad-shouldered pageantry that has marked his foreign trips — fist pumps on the tarmac, a helicopter lift for a…

Amid Sudan’s turmoil, Egypt and Eritrea reaffirm strategic ties to navigate Horn dynamics

Egypt and Eritrea Tighten Ties as Sudan’s Conflict Reshapes the Horn CAIRO — In a meeting that underscored shifting alliances across the Horn of Africa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi this week publicly reaffirmed Cairo’s backing for Eritrea’s sovereignty and signaled a renewed push for deeper economic and strategic cooperation with Asmara. The talks, held in Cairo and attended by both countries’ foreign ministers, were framed by the Egyptian presidential office as an effort to bolster investment links and…

Djibouti’s President Guelleh urges Somalis to unite, rebuild Somalia through self-reliance

Djibouti’s Guelleh Calls for Somali Unity — While Quietly Extending His Own Rule Analysis At a commemorative ceremony steeped in the memory of the 2000 Arta Conference — the meeting that helped coax Somalia from state collapse toward a fragile transitional government — Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh delivered a familiar message with a fresh edge. “Somalis, only you can rebuild your country,” he said, encouraging neighbors to rely on themselves rather than on foreign patrons. It was the kind of exhortation that…

Boakai’s Dismissal of Key Liberian Officials Sparks Concern

Political Shifts in Liberia: A Changing Landscape Under President Boakai In a dramatic turn of events, President Joseph Boakai of Liberia has reshaped the government's landscape by dismissing senior officials, sparking a wave of uncertainty among cabinet members and agency heads. This unexpected upheaval has not only alarmed those directly affected but has also raised broader questions about the direction of Boakai’s presidency. As the dust settles, the political implications of these moves could resonate far beyond the…

Peace Protects Health: Deadly Cholera Surge Mostly Preventable

Conflict, poverty and collapsing services: why cholera is surging again "Peace is health," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus repeats in briefings, a blunt reminder that infectious disease is not merely a biological problem but a political and social one. In late August 2025, WHO warned the world that cholera is resurging — and that the drivers are familiar: armed conflict, broken water and sanitation systems, deepening poverty and strained vaccine supplies. The warning is not abstract.…

Former President Trump Meets Japan’s Emperor After Landing in Tokyo

Trump’s Asia swing seeks a truce — and perhaps a headline-grabbing handshake In a carefully choreographed arrival that mixed pomp with negotiating urgency, US President Donald Trump landed in Tokyo on the latest leg of a five-day tour of Asia that officials hope will yield a pause, if not a full settlement, in the bruising trade fight with China. Wearing a gold tie and blue suit, Trump offered the kind of broad-shouldered pageantry that has marked his foreign trips — fist pumps on the tarmac, a helicopter lift for a…

Somalia Commemorates 25 Years Since Third Republic’s Revival at Arta Peace Talks

Somalia’s Arta Anniversary: A Quiet Milestone Amid Deepening Political Strains When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud touched down in Djibouti this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Arta Peace Conference, the trip looked at first like a ceremonial reprise of a turning point in Somali history. Villa Somalia described the visit as a working engagement “at the invitation of H.E. President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh,” noting bilateral talks and participation in the commemoration of the 2000 conference that helped birth Somalia’s…