Dubai — Citigroup and Standard Chartered have told staff in Dubai to leave their offices and work from home as Gulf lenders step up precautions after Iran threatened to strike regional banking interests linked to the United States and Israel, according to people familiar and a staff memo. Citigroup instructed employees at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and in the Oud Metha neighborhood to evacuate and work remotely until further notice, a memo reviewed by Reuters showed. A Citi spokesperson said the bank is…

Egypt, Turkey step up African security coordination in Cairo talks on Libya, Horn of Africa and Sahel CAIRO — Egypt and Turkey held new diplomatic consultations in Cairo on Wednesday focused on instability in Libya, the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, deepening their coordination on regional security and political mediation amid mounting pressures across several African theaters. The meetings, organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, marked the third round of…

DOHA, Qatar — Iran launched missiles and drones across the Gulf on Wednesday, claiming strikes on U.S. forces in Kuwait, as several Gulf states reported intercepts and casualties and maritime authorities said two commercial ships were hit near the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation comes hours before a United Nations Security Council vote on a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed resolution demanding Tehran halt attacks on its Arab neighbors. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired four missiles at the headquarters of…

Iran launches missiles and drones across Gulf as tankers struck near Hormuz; oil prices surge Iran fired missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf on Wednesday, including what it said were two missiles aimed at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, as regional militaries scrambled to intercept incoming threats and maritime authorities reported commercial ships hit near the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation, which Tehran described as the 37th wave of attacks on day 12 of the U.S.-Israel war “on Iran,” deepened fears over energy…

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council on Monday warned against any postponement of the country’s 2026 national elections, citing constitutional deadlines and the risk of renewed instability if timelines slip. In a statement, the council said the term of the Federal Parliament under the 2012 provisional constitution ends on April 14, 2026, while the president’s mandate expires on May 15, 2026. It urged authorities to keep the electoral calendar intact to safeguard the…

AU commander tours recaptured Somali town of Mubarak after joint offensive against al-Shabab MOGADISHU — The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday visited the newly secured town of Mubarak in Lower Shabelle to assess troop readiness after a joint operation that pushed al-Shabab fighters from key positions south of Mogadishu. Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma toured security positions in and around Mubarak with senior Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) commanders, meeting soldiers…

Oil surges past $90 as war in Middle East chokes Strait of Hormuz, rattling fuel costs worldwide Oil prices spiked and showed no signs of easing a week after the United States and Israel launched major attacks on Iran, tipping the Middle East into war and choking off one of the world’s most vital energy arteries, the Strait of Hormuz. Commercial tankers carrying roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day are stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the narrow waterway bordered by Iran, as missile and drone…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Fuel prices in Somalia’s capital surged nearly 77% overnight on Sunday, intensifying pressure on households and businesses already strained by rising living costs and supply disruptions across the region. The price of gasoline jumped from about $0.65 to $1.15 per liter late Friday, according to traders and drivers. By rush hour, cars queued at multiple Mogadishu stations as motorists scrambled to fill up, while taxi and three-wheeler (Bajaj) operators warned they may have to raise fares to stay afloat.…

China donates $2 million in cash and food to Somalia’s drought response as hunger crisis deepens MOGADISHU — China on Sunday donated $2 million in cash and food assistance to drought-affected communities in Somalia, an infusion of humanitarian aid arriving as the country confronts worsening hunger projections and prolonged dry conditions. At a handover ceremony in Mogadishu, Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu presented the package to Mahmoud Moalim Abdulle, commissioner of the Somali National Disaster Management Authority (SoDMA).…

East Africa’s new drought surge pushes millions toward hunger as water prices soar and livestock die Friday March 6, 2026 MOGADISHU — A failed rainy season has deepened drought across Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, thrusting nearly 26 million people into extreme hunger, accelerating livestock deaths and sending water prices soaring, Oxfam warned in a report released this week. The crisis arrives less than three years after the Horn of Africa’s longest and most severe drought on record, when five consecutive rainy seasons…