and

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s main opposition coalition, the Somali Salvation Forum, on Tuesday condemned what it called unlawful arrests and forced evictions by federal security forces in the Dab-dhamiiska section of Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, warning the operation reflects a mounting pattern of rights violations tied to government land-reclamation drives across the capital. In a statement, the coalition said it received credible reports that residents were removed from their homes and endured severe hardship during the…

MILAN — Liverpool found respite and resolve at the San Siro, edging past Inter Milan in the Champions League without Mohamed Salah and offering embattled manager Arne Slot the most significant win of his tenure to date. Dominik Szoboszlai’s nerveless conversion from the penalty spot and a disciplined clean sheet ended Inter’s 18-match unbeaten home run in Europe and delivered Liverpool’s first away Champions League victory without Salah since 2009. The significance ran deeper than the scoreline. After a fraught 72 hours and…

Somalia launches nationwide census of Quranic schools amid concern over conditions MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has begun a nationwide census of Quranic schools, responding to rising complaints that many centers operate in places and conditions considered unsuitable for children’s learning. Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali said the assessment is designed to establish a clear picture of Quranic schools across the country so the government can plan,…

DOHA, Qatar — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud used the Doha Forum to argue Somalia is moving from crisis response to an assertive phase of state-building, urging partners to align aid and security programs with the country’s plans as Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye signaled fresh commitments. Chairing a roundtable titled “State-Building in Somalia: Coordinated Strategies to Sustain Progress,” Mohamud said Somali institutions are increasingly capable of setting and executing priorities — from national security and…

Mogadishu — U.S. Africa Command carried out seven new airstrikes in Somalia between Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, pushing this year’s total to at least 109 strikes — a record level of U.S. military activity in the country. The latest operations targeted ISIS-linked militants in Puntland State and an al-Shabaab site in southern Jubaland, AFRICOM said. The command described a rapid sequence of strikes focused on a remote mountain zone southeast of Bosaso, a longtime militant hideout, and a separate strike near the Kenyan border. It did…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — In the shadow of sandbagged checkpoints and concrete blast walls, the National Theater sits like a survivor. Years after a suicide bomber tore through its auditorium, the stage still glows under hard light. On a recent morning, Hassan Barre stepped forward to offer a different emblem of Somalia: poetry. “Somalis must be aware of their responsibility to their country and each other,” he recited, his cadence steady and unhurried. The 70-year-old cut a somber figure at the podium, his voice carrying over a…

ICE raids and Trump’s rhetoric rattle Minnesota’s Somali community MINNEAPOLIS — Federal immigration raids, high-profile fraud prosecutions and escalating rhetoric from former president Donald Trump are converging on Minnesota’s Somali community, unsettling daily life in the state that is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. Since Dec. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained 12 people in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area under a Department of Homeland Security initiative called Operation…

Premier League title race blown open as Buendia’s stoppage-time strike sinks Arsenal; Man City close in Aston Villa detonated the Premier League title race with a 2-1 win over Arsenal sealed in the fifth minute of stoppage time, trimming the leaders’ advantage to two points after Manchester City’s clinical 3-0 dispatch of Sunderland. Villa sit a point further back in third after a raucous late twist at Villa Park that revived Unai Emery’s resurgent side and rattled Mikel Arteta’s unbeaten machine. Emiliano Buendia,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday issued a formal warning to district administrations across the Banadir region, ordering them to ensure an open campaign environment and unhindered distribution of voter cards as the election period intensifies in Mogadishu and its surrounding districts. In a directive circulated to local officials, the Commission said political organizations and candidates are legally entitled to campaign without interference, and citizens must be able to…

Democrats condemn Trump’s remarks about Somali Americans as ‘xenophobic,’ warn rhetoric aids extremists Senior Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s strongly derogatory comments about Somali Americans and Somalia, calling the remarks “xenophobic and unacceptable” and warning they could endanger U.S. interests. In a joint statement, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Sen. Cory Booker said Trump’s rhetoric targeted Somali Americans, including immigrants and refugees,…