and

U.N. experts warn that al-Shabab remains the most immediate threat to peace and stability in Somalia and the wider region, especially Kenya, even as the U.N. Security Council unanimously extended the African Union’s support-and-stabilization mission in the country through Dec. 31, 2026. Despite sustained operations by Somali and international forces, the al-Qaida-linked group’s capacity “to carry out complex, asymmetric attacks in Somalia remains undiminished,” according to the panel of experts report released Wednesday. The…

Lake Naivasha’s shoreline has been on the move. When farmer Dickson Ngome leased his 1.5-acre plot in Kenya’s Rift Valley in 2008, his vegetables grew more than 2 kilometers from the water’s edge. This October, he woke to find his home and fields inside the lake—about a foot of water covering everything. “It seemed as if the lake was far from our homes,” said his wife, Rose Wafula. “And then one night we were shocked to find our houses flooded. The water came from nowhere.” The couple and their four children now sleep on the…

Analysis: Somalia’s ‘one person, one vote’ push risks crisis without consensus and constitutional safeguards Somalia’s federal government is advancing a “one person, one vote” election model it says will anchor the country’s democratic transition. But the process, as described by Puntland State State Minister of the Presidency Abdifatah Abdinur, suffers from deep constitutional, legal and practical flaws that threaten to compound — not resolve — Somalia’s political fragility. The concerns revolve around three pillars of any…

Somalia, AU and UN issue urgent donor appeal to sustain Somali Security Forces support MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) on Tuesday launched an urgent appeal for new donor contributions to keep critical support flowing to Somali Security Forces. The call came during a Somali Security Forces (SSF) Trust Fund event in Mogadishu attended by Somalia’s National Security Advisor, the U.N.…

MOGADISHU (AX) — A deadly attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people, including a child, prompting nationwide condemnation, heightened security and fears of backlash among Somali and other Muslim communities. Police said a man and his son opened fire during the beachfront gathering late Sunday, targeting attendees in what authorities described as an antisemitic act of terrorism. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Investigators said inquiries were ongoing and urged the public to…

Somalia signals deeper AU security role at Addis Ababa defense summit ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Somalia joined African Union defense and security talks this week in Addis Ababa, underscoring a bid to move from recipient of assistance to contributor in shaping the continent’s collective response to rising threats. Deputy Defense Minister Omar Ali Abdi led Somalia’s delegation to the 17th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Safety and Security at AU headquarters. The forum convened…

Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting kills 15; Albanese condemns ‘antisemitic terrorism’ SYDNEY — Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, killing 15 people — including a child — and wounding dozens more in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism. Authorities said the attackers were a father and son. A 50-year-old man was shot dead by police and his 24-year-old son was wounded and hospitalized, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon…

Salah returns, Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0 as Arsenal escape via two own-goals to stay five points clear Sunday December 14, 2025 Mohamed Salah’s uneasy week at Liverpool ended with a rousing ovation and a decisive contribution as the defending Premier League champions beat Brighton 2-0 at Anfield, while leaders Arsenal needed two own-goals deep into stoppage time to edge last-placed Wolverhampton 2-1 on a nervous Saturday. Salah, who publicly vented his frustrations last weekend and was omitted from Liverpool’s midweek…

Saturday, December 13, 2025 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre dismissed two cabinet ministers and named their replacements on Saturday in a targeted reshuffle intended to speed up government operations and reinforce delivery of services, according to a decree issued by his office. Ambassador Jamaal Mohamed Hassan was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry, replacing lawmaker Mahamud Geesood. Senator Ayuub Ismail Yusuf was named Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction, taking over from Dr. Elmi…

Turkey starts building Somalia spaceport, a strategic equatorial launch site drawing global scrutiny Turkey has begun constructing a satellite and rocket launch site on Somalia’s Indian Ocean coast, a bold step that Ankara says will accelerate its space ambitions and that outside observers say is already drawing intense attention from rival powers. The spaceport — publicly backed by Baykar chairman Selçuk Bayraktar — is being developed under Turkish state authority on a roughly 30-by-30-kilometer coastal tract. Turkish…