access

Monday, February 23, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — North Western State of Somalia said it is prepared to grant the United States exclusive access to mineral resources and potentially host U.S. military bases, sharpening its bid for international recognition three decades after declaring independence from Somalia. In comments published Saturday by Agence France-Presse, North Western State of Somalia’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said the territory is open to exclusive agreements…

Ethiopia asks Türkiye for diplomatic backing in push for sea access as Erdogan visits Addis Ababa Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Tuesday he asked Türkiye for diplomatic support in Addis Ababa’s effort to secure access to the sea, making the issue a central focus of talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a rare high-level visit to the Ethiopian capital. At a joint news conference, Abiy said he discussed Ethiopia’s “quest for sea access” with Erdogan and welcomed what he described as strong and…

Starmer seeks broader powers to police internet access and child safety as U.K. weighs under-16 social media ban British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will move to secure broader powers to regulate internet access, arguing the U.K. must accelerate protections for children as digital risks evolve rapidly and platform rules shift faster than legislation can keep up. The push, announced as the government advances its review of online child safety, follows a plan unveiled last month to consult on an Australian-style ban on social…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday renewed his demand for maritime access, telling regional leaders at the ongoing African Union Summit that Ethiopia’s future depends on securing a direct route to the sea. Calling the issue “existential” for the continent’s second-most populous nation, Abiy linked Ethiopia’s economic ambitions and stability in the wider Horn of Africa to a resolution of its landlocked status. “The security and stability of the Horn of Africa depend on Ethiopia gaining sea access,”…

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge has ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to immediately restore detainees’ access to lawyers in Minnesota and to halt rapid out-of-state transfers that sever legal contacts, finding the agency’s recent practices “all but extinguish a detainee’s access to counsel.” U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel, appointed by President Donald Trump, issued a 14-day temporary restraining order in a class-action lawsuit filed Jan. 27 on behalf of noncitizen detainees. The order requires the government…

Egypt warns Israeli Red Sea access, North Western State of Somalia recognition pose major security threat CAIRO — Egypt has warned that any move by Israel to gain access to the Red Sea or to recognize North Western State of Somalia would constitute a grave threat to regional stability and to Egyptian national security, according to officials familiar with recent high-level discussions. The position was set during talks a day earlier between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s leading journalists’ union on Monday accused parliamentary leaders of suppressing press freedom during high-stakes constitutional debates, alleging reporters were blocked from the legislature and that audio from raucous sessions was digitally scrubbed to mute dissenting noise. In a statement, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) called the actions a serious attack on transparency and democratic accountability, saying reporters were denied access, removed from the building and…

Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on foot only, allowing Palestinians to leave the enclave and enabling some to return after fleeing the war, authorities said. The movement will be limited and subject to Israeli security checks for those entering and exiting, with Israel and Egypt expected to cap the number of travelers. An Israeli security official said European monitoring teams have arrived at Rafah, which “has now opened to the movement of residents, for both entry and exit.” Israel seized…

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…

X’s Grok AI “nudification” feature has set off a global backlash and a political firestorm in Ireland, exposing the limits of platform self-regulation and the gray areas where fast-moving AI collides with slower-moving law. A Christmas Eve update that let Grok digitally remove clothing from images—affecting adults and children—promptly spawned requests to undress celebrities and place politicians in bikinis. The most alarming consequence, critics say, was the tool’s ability to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM). As…