BAIDOA, Somalia — Pressure is building in Somalia’s South West State as leading presidential contenders accuse rivals of preparing to manipulate the vote, warning they will reject any outcome they believe is tainted by fraud. In remarks to reporters late Tuesday, candidate Ilyaas Ali Nuur singled out his opponent, Aden Madobe, saying any win for Madobe under the current setup would amount to nothing less than a "theft" of the electoral process. "If the results of the South West election are not what we expect, we will step…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 left Ayan Farah. Photo: Christofer Wallentin. right Asmaa Jama. Photo: Tom Whitson “From a country with the history that Somalia has, where a lot of film prints, visual and cultural material have been destroyed, it can feel hard to feel like you’ve got an artistic lineage” ArtReview sent a questionnaire to artists and curators exhibiting in and curating the various national pavilions of the 2026 Venice Biennale, the responses to which will be published daily in the leadup to and during the Venice…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopian marathon standout Yebrgual Melese, a multiple international race winner and one of the country’s respected distance runners, has died after collapsing during a training session, the national athletics federation said Wednesday. She was 36. The Ethiopian Athletics Federation said Melese suffered a sudden medical emergency on Tuesday while taking part in a routine workout in Addis Ababa. Local media reported that efforts to help her began immediately, but she could not be revived. Melese built…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The United States has pushed back against reports that it is serving as a direct mediator in talks between Somalia’s federal government and opposition leaders, even as political friction grows over elections and the country’s transition process. Acting U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Justin Davis said this week that Washington is not hosting or leading any mediation between Somali political parties. Davis said U.S. officials have held discussions with both sides to better assess the…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia police said Tuesday they had arrested several people accused of firing gunshots in Hargeisa amid protests surrounding the city council’s انتخاب of a new mayor and deputy mayor. Police spokesman Abdiaziz Sheikh Ismail said officers had already identified those suspected of opening fire in the capital on Monday night. He said some were in custody while others were still being tracked down. “Last night, shots were fired in the capital by suspects who have…

Hussien ElkabanyTuesday May 12, 2026 Egypt said Monday that an oil tanker carrying eight Egyptian sailors was seized off Yemen’s coast and transported to Somalia, deepening concerns over a renewed spike in maritime insecurity in the region. “Egypt is closely monitoring the hijacking of the tanker M/T Eureka from Yemeni territorial waters, which was taken to Somali territorial waters,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty had directed Egypt’s embassy in…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 File Photo When Malyun Jama Nur was locked up in Galkayo in January over an unpaid $9,000 debt, her life did not just collapse — it took her four young children with it. Since then, the children have left school and slipped deeper into poverty and neglect. From prison, Malyun told Radio Ergo the burden of being separated from her family has been unbearable, especially knowing what her children are enduring outside. “My family has fallen apart. The children I left behind are not safe and could be harmed…

Nik MartinTuesday May 12, 2026 Somali pirates have turned large dhows into floating bases, extending their reach and giving them a platform from which to target commercial vesselsImage: EU NAVFOR/Handout/dpa/picture alliance With ships already diverting around Africa to steer clear of conflict zones in the Middle East, piracy off Somalia is surging again. The comeback is adding pressure across global supply chains, driving up insurance bills, lengthening voyages and forcing operators to spend more on security. For the…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Hargeisa’s city council installed Abdirisaq Mohamed Farah Wiwaa as the city’s new mayor on Tuesday, just hours after members moved to oust former Mayor Abdikarin Ahmed Mooge and his deputy from office. In the same extraordinary session at Hargeisa City Hall, councilors also chose Aden Jamaac Haddi Mideeye to serve as deputy mayor. Speaking after the vote, Wiwaa said the meeting had concluded calmly and vowed to focus on improving services in North Western State of Somalia’s capital.…

Somalia’s President, Opposition Leaders Head for Crucial Talks in Mogadishu’s Halane Compound MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s political deadlock is set to move behind the walls of Mogadishu’s fortified Halane compound, where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders are expected to meet in high-level talks aimed at easing a widening dispute over delayed elections and constitutional revisions. The discussions, anticipated in the coming days, will bring together officials from the federal government and members of…