Somalia

Elon Musk urges arrest of Somalia’s UN ambassador over alleged Medicaid fraud NEW YORK — SpaceX founder and X owner Elon Musk called for the arrest of Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, after social media allegations linked the diplomat to past U.S. Medicaid fraud, according to reports from APA News and Axadle. Musk posted “Arrest him” on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to claims that Osman once owned a healthcare firm financed by U.S. taxpayers that was found guilty of…

Opinion | Jerusalem’s lost mayoral mandate shows how factional rivalry surrenders power — a warning for Somalia’s leaders A boy holds a Palestinian flag on top of a mound of rubble in the central Gaza Strip. Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images When Britain consolidated control over Jerusalem after World War I, the city’s future turned not only on imperial policy and Zionist immigration, but on a bitter rivalry inside Palestinian society. The struggle between the Husayni and Nashashibi families — two influential clans with distinct…

MOGADISHU — North Western State of Somalia-born politicians based in Mogadishu urged Somalia’s federal authorities on Thursday to avoid punitive steps that could damage the economy, restrict movement or undermine security for people living in North Western State of Somalia, warning that coercion would deepen, not heal, divisions. In a joint statement, the group — which includes current lawmakers and ministers — said forceful measures “will never bring unity” and called for a return to dialogue to resolve disputes between…

Burundi Faces Humanitarian Crisis as Refugees Flood In The ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has unleashed a humanitarian crisis in nearby Burundi, where over 84,000 refugees have sought shelter since early December. Save the Children reports alarming conditions in overcrowded camps, particularly for vulnerable children. The situation calls for immediate global attention. Over 84,000 people from DRC have crossed into Burundi due to intensified violence. Transit centres are severely…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A group of North Western State of Somalia-born politicians based in Mogadishu urged the Federal Government of Somalia on Thursday to avoid punitive steps that could harm the economy, restrict movement, or undermine the security of people living in North Western State of Somalia, calling instead for de-escalation and renewed dialogue as tensions rise over Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia. The politicians warned that coercive or punitive measures would not advance Somali unity. They…

Several killed as Iran’s economic protests turn deadly; clashes reported across multiple provinces At least several people were killed in Iran as protests over a plunging currency and soaring prices escalated into violent confrontations with security forces in multiple cities, according to Iranian media, activist groups and local authorities. The semi-official Fars news agency said three protesters were killed and 17 were injured Thursday after demonstrators stormed a police station in Lorestan province around 6 p.m. local…

Tragedy Strikes as Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Gambia An overcrowded boat carrying migrants capsized near Gambia’s Atlantic coast, highlighting the dangers faced by those attempting to reach Europe. Seven bodies have been recovered, and search efforts continue for missing passengers, underscoring the persistent risks of the West African route to the Canary Islands. The boat, carrying over 200 migrants, overturned near Jinack village. 96 people were rescued, while 10 survivors are in critical condition. Gambia’s…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government said Thursday that a planned airstrike in the al-Shabab-held town of Jilib on Dec. 10 killed two senior leaders of the extremist group, including a bomb-making chief who carried a $5 million U.S. bounty. The National Intelligence and Security Agency, known as NISA, said the strike killed Abdullahi Osman Mohamed, widely known as Engineer Ismail, describing him as al-Shabab’s chief explosives planner. The United States had offered up to $5 million for information leading to his…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia on Thursday denied that it had agreed to resettle Palestinians from Gaza or host Israeli military bases in exchange for recognition from Israel, rejecting the claims as false and politically motivated. In a statement posted on X, North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “firmly rejects false claims made by the President of Somalia alleging the resettlement of Palestinians or the establishment of military bases in North…

OPINION | Israel’s move to recognize North Western State of Somalia did not create Somalia’s political crisis, but it revealed the country’s fault lines with unusual clarity. Instead of a unified response to an external challenge touching sovereignty and territorial integrity, the reaction laid bare fractures inside the federal system—most visibly in the silence of key federal member states and the central government’s tendency to turn unity into a political weapon. That silence has been most pronounced in Puntland State and…