Thursday May 21, 2026 Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, on Wednesday issued a sharp condemnation of any plan by North Western State of Somalia, the self-declared authorities in Somalia’s northwestern region, to open an embassy in occupied Jerusalem. In a statement, Aboul-Gheit said such a step would have no legal standing and would amount to a blatant provocation to the Arab and Islamic worlds. "Such rapprochement seeks to solicit illegitimate recognition of Israel from entities and regions…

Alarm over the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo intensified as the head of the World Health Organization warned that the epidemic’s reach and momentum are cause for serious concern. "Early on Sunday, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over an epidemic of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the World Health Assembly in Geneva. "I did not do this lightly... I'm deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic," he said. His remarks…

One of Hamas's highest-ranking figures is reported dead after Israel said it struck him in an air attack, marking what would be the most senior killing of a Hamas official since the October US-backed ceasefire deal intended to stop the war in Gaza. In Gaza City, witnesses said mosques had announced the death of Izz al-Din al-Haddad. If confirmed, he would be the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel since the ceasefire agreement reached in October with US backing, which was supposed to bring the fighting in Gaza to a…

Europe’s bid to reclaim the top job at the United Nations food agency has hit an early obstacle, with the Cyprus presidency of the EU conceding there is still no agreement on a single European contender. Ireland has put forward former EU Commissioner Phil Hogan for the role, but his candidacy is facing determined challenges from both Italy and Spain. The stakes are significant. Europe has not occupied the leading post at the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for five decades, and EU agriculture ministers,…

With three deaths already linked to a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that efforts to contain the virus were still unfinished as authorities carried out evacuations from the stricken cruise ship. The vessel has triggered international concern after the rare virus killed three passengers and left a French woman in critical condition. There is no vaccine against hantavirus and no specific treatment, raising the stakes as health officials race to…

Ukrainian investigators have cast a harsh spotlight on President Volodymyr Zelensky's influential former chief of staff, naming him as a suspect in a sweeping corruption case that threatens to intensify pressure on the president's office at a delicate stage of the war with Russia. Kyiv's political establishment was jolted last year by the sprawling inquiry, which stirred public outrage and ultimately drove the former senior adviser — once Mr Zelensky's closest aide — Andriy Yermak, from office. Ukraine's anti-corruption…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A fresh power struggle has broken out between Somalia’s federal authorities and the Galmudug administration after both sides issued competing orders over who should lead the region’s police force. The confrontation escalated on Thursday when the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) announced that it had removed the sitting Galmudug Police Commander, Khaliif Abdulle Maalin, better known as "Ilkacase." The federal authorities then named Colonel Mohamed Dahir Abdulle, a senior officer who previously served…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has not publicly stated why Inspector General Joseph Shikongo was removed, but the decision comes in the wake of a serious State House security lapse in which an intruder slipped into the President’s private quarters without detection. The breach triggered swift and widespread outrage. Among the critics was former Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, who said the incident laid bare “catastrophic weaknesses” across the police chain of command. Shikongo, 62, had led the force since…

Monday May 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Police Force Commander General Asad Osman Abdullahi on Monday hosted a senior Turkish delegation in Mogadishu, in a meeting centered on expanding security cooperation between the two countries. Officials said the talks were aimed at deepening bilateral ties in the security field, with a particular focus on training initiatives and efforts to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Somali Police Force, including its elite Haramcad unit. The meeting comes amid continuing efforts…

Europe’s leaders have received Donald Trump’s warning over the Iran war — and are now moving to answer it, NATO chief Mark Rutte said after Washington announced it would pull 5,000 troops out of Germany. "European leaders have gotten the message. They heard the message loud and clear," Mr Rutte said ahead of talks with European leaders in Armenia, as he pointed to what he described as frustration in Washington over European allies' reluctance to enter the war. "Europeans are stepping up," Mr Rutte insisted. "We have seen all…