Somalia

Hormuud Salaam Foundation delivers Ramadan aid to prisoners and war veterans in Mogadishu MOGADISHU, Somalia — Hormuud Salaam Foundation has delivered food, clothing and financial assistance to inmates at Mogadishu Central Prison and to disabled Somali National Army veterans, expanding its annual Ramadan aid drive across two of the capital’s most vulnerable communities. The foundation — the humanitarian arm of Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank — opened the latest phase of its campaign on Sunday with a visit to the…

African Union, Somalia condemn deadly Zamfara attack in Nigeria; demand release of abducted women, children The African Union and Somalia on Monday condemned a deadly attack in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara state that left at least 50 civilians dead and women and children abducted, urging the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all captives. AU expresses full solidarity with Nigeria, calls attacks grave human rights violations Somalia backs Nigeria’s efforts to pursue perpetrators and free abductees Assailants on…

Somalia vows to stick to one-person, one-vote plan amid stalled talks MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government reaffirmed its push for a one-person, one-vote election after negotiations with the opposition-aligned Future Council ended without a deal, keeping uncertainty over the country’s electoral calendar. State Minister at the Foreign Ministry Ali Balcad said the government remains open to dialogue, technical compromises on how to conduct the vote, and broad national consultations. But he emphasized that the direction…

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and other international partners met Monday with senior representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia and the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council, hours after high-level political talks collapsed without agreement as constitutional deadlines approach. In a statement posted on social media, UNTMIS said it was disappointed the two sides had not reached a deal in the discussions held so far. “Along with other partners, UNTMIS…

Somalia’s Yeheb tree is vanishing. Turning Cordeauxia edulis into a domesticated crop could secure food, fodder and fragile drylands. In the sun-scored rangelands of Hiiraan, Galmudug, Mudug and the Somali-Ethiopian borderlands, a native lifeline grows almost nowhere else on Earth: the Yeheb tree (Cordeauxia edulis), known locally as Jicib. Long relied upon for its edible nuts, livestock fodder and soil-restoring roots, this wild leguminous shrub is quietly slipping away—its populations down as much as 70% under pressure…

MOGADISHU — European Union Ambassador to Somalia Francesca Di Mauro hosted a Ramadan iftar at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu on Monday evening, using the gathering to urge Somali leaders to revive dialogue and forge consensus as political tensions mount over elections and constitutional change. The invitation-only event drew a broad cross-section of stakeholders: senior federal government officials, political leaders, diplomats, civil society representatives and members of the media. Organizers cast the iftar as a…

MOGADISHU — The European Union ambassador to Somalia, Francesca Di Mauro, renewed her call for inclusive dialogue and national consensus as she hosted an iftar reception this evening at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu during the holy month of Ramadan. The Mogadishu iftar brought together senior officials of the Federal Government of Somalia, political leaders from across the spectrum, representatives of civil society and the media, and members of the international community. The gathering offered a rare, neutral…

Palm Beach, Fla. — An armed man breached the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, before being shot and killed early Sunday, authorities said. Trump, who frequently spends weekends at the Palm Beach estate, was at the White House when the breach occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man had a gas can and a shotgun when he drove through the north gate as another vehicle exited. Investigators…

Somalia says 17 al-Shabab commanders killed in six months as financial squeeze intensifies MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces have killed 17 al-Shabab commanders over the past six months amid escalating military and financial pressure on the extremist group, the government said Sunday. Information Minister Daud Aweis said in a statement on X that the operations reflect sustained counterterrorism efforts focused on the group’s leadership network. He reaffirmed the government’s objective of dismantling al-Shabab’s…

Somali opposition bloc says talks with federal government collapse as election deadline nears MOGADISHU — The Somali Future Council, an alliance aligned with the opposition, said Monday its high-level negotiations with the federal government ended without agreement after several days of talks at the Presidential Palace, intensifying political uncertainty as the mandates of federal institutions expire in three months. The discussions focused on elections and constitutional reform. In a statement, the council said it entered…