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Wednesday January 14, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s first direct local council elections in Mogadishu in nearly 60 years were peaceful and orderly, but they unfolded amid a surge of misinformation and political bias, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ). The Election Observation and Media Monitoring Report reviewed the Banadir local council vote held Dec. 25, 2025, drawing on structured monitoring from Nov. 1 to Dec. 30. NUSOJ called the exercise a historic milestone,…

North Western State of Somalia’s Irro urges African, Arab states to recognize region after Israel’s move Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro on Tuesday called on African and Arab countries to recognize North Western State of Somalia, arguing the region has earned international acceptance and should no longer be overlooked after Israel’s decision to formally recognize it. Speaking at a consultation meeting with former foreign ministers at the presidential palace in…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal cabinet has annulled all agreements previously signed with the United Arab Emirates, voiding deals that covered defense cooperation, port management and security assistance, in a sweeping move aimed at reasserting federal control over foreign partnerships. The cabinet cited breaches of sovereignty stemming from UAE agreements with regional authorities. The decision follows Mogadishu’s ban on Emirati military and cargo flights and the start of a UAE military drawdown in Somalia, according to…

MINNEAPOLIS — Three Democratic members of Congress from Minnesota, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, were blocked from entering a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center near Minneapolis on Saturday morning, escalating tensions in the Twin Cities after the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent earlier in the week. The lawmakers — Omar, Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Kelly Morrison — said they were briefly admitted to the facility inside the Bishop Whipple Federal Building before officials rescinded access and…

Mogadishu opens DARMAD Business Park to ease congestion at Aden Adde International Airport MOGADISHU — Authorities on Saturday inaugurated a new commercial and parking complex inside Aden Adde International Airport, a project designed to curb traffic chaos and modernize services at Somalia’s busiest gateway. The DARMAD Business Park, funded by Amana Bank, introduces organized parking, banking services, business centers and passenger facilities within the airport perimeter. The development was formally opened by Banadir…

OIC states condemn Israeli official’s visit to North Western State of Somalia as violation of Somalia’s sovereignty Foreign ministers from more than 20 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned an Israeli official’s Jan. 6 visit to North Western State of Somalia, calling it an illegal act that violates the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. In a joint statement issued Thursday, the ministers said the visit “breaches international law and the U.N. Charter”…

Israel’s North Western State of Somalia recognition jolts Somalia’s diplomacy — and tests Africa’s bedrock rule on borders When Israel formally recognized North Western State of Somalia in late December 2025, the move sent a shock wave through Mogadishu and across African diplomatic circles. For Somalia, the decision was more than a breach of protocol: it was a direct challenge to the principle that has underpinned Africa’s post‑colonial stability — that borders cannot be redrawn without the consent of the sovereign state…

Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia upends Horn of Africa politics — and tests Somalia’s path forward HARGEISA and MOGADISHU — The split screen was stark. In late December, flags rose over Hargeisa and crowds flooded the streets after Israel announced it would formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. In Mogadishu, tens of thousands rallied beneath Somali and Palestinian flags, denouncing the move as a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous precedent for the region.…

Somalia Cabinet reviews security, lauds Mogadishu vote, approves Uganda, Saudi pacts MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting Monday to review the national security situation, assess recent operations against extremist groups and mark the completion of one-person, one-vote local council elections in the Banadir region, government officials said. Chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the session signaled the political weight the…

Explosions, low-flying aircraft rattle Caracas overnight as tensions with U.S. simmer CARACAS, Venezuela — At least seven explosions and the sound of low-flying aircraft jolted Venezuela’s capital around 2 a.m. local time Saturday, prompting residents in several neighborhoods to rush into the streets. The Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear what caused the blasts, and there were no immediate details on damage or casualties. Residents across multiple areas of Caracas…