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NATO intercepts ballistic missile allegedly launched from Iran en route to Turkish airspace; Tehran denies Thursday March 5, 2026 A Turkish F16 fighting jet flies over naval ships during an annual NATO naval exercise on Turkiye's western coast on the Mediterranean NATO air and missile defense systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean destroyed a ballistic munition detected after launch from Iran and tracked across Iraqi and Syrian airspace toward Turkiye, Ankara said Wednesday. Iran’s Armed Forces denied firing any…

Premier League title race tilts Arsenal’s way as Manchester City draw with Nottingham Forest; Newcastle halts Manchester United’s run; João Pedro hat trick powers Chelsea; West Ham takes vital derby win. Arsenal opened a seven-point cushion over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after a scrappy 1-0 win at Brighton, capitalizing on City’s 2-2 home draw with struggling Nottingham Forest. The Gunners have played one game more, but Wednesday’s swing tightens their grip on a title fight defined by thin margins. At…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal parliament on Wednesday approved a revised constitution, formally ending more than a decade under a provisional charter and marking a significant step in the country’s turbulent state-building project. In a rare joint sitting of the House of the People and the Upper House, 223 lawmakers voted in favor of the amended text — 186 members of the lower house and 37 senators — with no votes recorded against. The tally reflected an opposition boycott rather than unanimity across the political…

Chinese fishing vessel and crew freed after seizure off Puntland State following China–Somalia coordination MOGADISHU — A Chinese fishing vessel seized by armed men off the coast of Puntland State was released along with all crew members after coordinated efforts by China, Somalia’s federal government and Puntland State authorities, officials said Tuesday. The vessel was freed on March 2 in what the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu described as a peaceful resolution reached through close consultations between Somalia’s federal…

Jubbaland police arrest officer after journalist Abshir Khalif Shide Omar is shot dead in Kismayo MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Jubbaland state police officer has been arrested after fatally shooting broadcast journalist Abshir Khalif Shide Omar in Kismayo, authorities and media representatives said Tuesday. The killing occurred Monday evening in the interim administrative capital of Jubbaland after what police and colleagues described as a brief altercation between the journalist and the officer. The motive remains unclear, and…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Iran’s ambassador to Kenya sought to calm fears on Tuesday, saying Nairobi is not at risk of retaliation as Tehran and its adversaries exchange fire across the Middle East and regional airspace closures ripple through airline schedules. At a press briefing in Nairobi, Iranian Ambassador Dr. Ali Gholampour said Kenya does not host a U.S. military installation of sufficient strategic value to draw Iranian fire. “This country does not provide a US military facility with a magnitude to attack Iran,” he said,…

BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and multiple areas across Lebanon on Monday after Hezbollah said it launched rockets and drones at a military base near Haifa in northern Israel, calling the operation retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement, the Iran-aligned Lebanese group said the attack was “in defence of Lebanon and its people” and “in response to the repeated Israeli aggressions.” “The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the…

Iran declares 40 days of mourning as state media confirm Khamenei killed in Israeli-US strikes Iranian state media on Sunday confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at his office during Israeli-US attacks on Iran, an escalation that has jolted the region and set Tehran on a 40-day period of mourning for its paramount leader. The announcement followed hours of uncertainty after the Tasnim and Mehr news agencies initially reported that Khamenei was “steadfast and firm in commanding the field.” The…

MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hosted an iftar meeting at the Presidential Palace with leaders of political organizations, days after high-level talks with the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council collapsed without agreement, officials said. The gathering at Villa Somalia centered on Somalia’s political trajectory and efforts to advance the country’s fledgling democratic process, according to a statement from the presidency. The administration framed the session as a forum for open dialogue on…

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…