criticizes

Friday April 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has sharply condemned the federal government’s decision to name an interim leader for Southwest State, calling it unconstitutional and a direct affront to Somalia’s federal order. In a statement, Sharmarke challenged what he described as the effective reduction of a federal member state into an entity subordinate to the central government. He argued that no legal authority exists for replacing an elected state administration…

Trump rebukes allies over Hormuz escorts as Iran strikes Gulf oil targets; oil prices rise Several European partners decline immediate naval deployments as Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed; strikes hit UAE, Israel and Iraq amid third week of US-Israel war with Iran Standfirst: President Donald Trump criticized some Western allies for hesitating to send warships to protect tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran launched drone and missile attacks across the region. Dubai’s main airport and energy facilities in the UAE…

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Sunday sharply criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s decision to sign a revised constitution into law, warning the move could endanger national unity and deepen political divisions in the fragile Horn of Africa nation. Farmaajo said the amendments threaten Somalia’s system of governance and risk undermining social cohesion at a sensitive political moment. “The constitution is a national agreement,” he said, arguing that any revision requires broad…

Peter Obi Critiques Nigeria's Increasing Security Checkpoints Amid Traffic Chaos Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised significant concerns regarding the proliferation of security checkpoints throughout Nigeria, warning that they are endangering lives and causing "appalling levels of traffic congestion." His remarks come in light of personal observations during the busy festive season, which saw him traverse several major roads across the country. In a candid post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Obi…

Isaias Afwerki’s rebuke of the UN exposes deep fault lines in Horn of Africa diplomacy When Eritrea’s longtime president, Isaias Afwerki, told the new United Nations special envoy for the Horn of Africa that the world body has “not been effective,” he did more than deliver a familiar rebuke. The comments — relayed by Eritrea’s information minister, Yemane Meskel — crystallize a growing regional narrative: international institutions, however well-intentioned, are increasingly seen as instruments that fall short of producing…

Netanyahu’s UN rebuke exposes a deeper diplomatic rupture over Gaza When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium at the United Nations General Assembly this week, it was not just another speech. It was a coda to a seismic shift in Western policy — and a defensive, at times embittered, attempt to push back. "Over time, many world leaders buckled," Mr. Netanyahu told delegates, accusing governments of caving "under the pressure of a biased media, radical Islamist constituencies and antisemitic mobs." Scores…

Somalia's Struggle: A Nation on the Brink Amid Al-Shabaab Resurgence MOGADISHU, Somalia - In the heart of East Africa, Somalia stands at a precarious crossroads, battling the dual specters of insurgency and political strife. As the shadow of Al-Shabaab looms larger over the nation, former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who previously led efforts to vanquish the militant group from Mogadishu, has stepped forward with a dire warning: “The country is on the brink, and Al-Shabaab is taking over, and the army has disintegrated.”…

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AX) — Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota has strongly criticized ex-President Donald Trump's idea of deploying the U.S. military for large-scale deportations, branding the plan as "xenophobic, inhumane, and un-American."In a recent social media post, Trump confirmed his intentions to declare a national emergency in order to initiate what could be the most extensive deportation operation in U.S. history. This plan aims to eject millions of undocumented immigrants starting on his first day back in…

North Western State of Somalia Criticizes Fiqi Over Comments on EU Envoys HARGEISA, Somalia — In a scathing rebuttal, the self-declared autonomous region of North Western State of Somalia has called out Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, accusing him of 'fanning the flames' and engaging in 'hate rhetoric'. This latest spat adds another chapter to the ongoing saga of tension between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. North Western State of Somalia’s Information Minister, Ali Hassan Mohamed, criticized Fiqi's…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken aim at Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, claiming that Scholz is unwittingly aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin by reaching out to him in a phone conversation—his first in nearly two years. During their recent talk, Scholz “denounced Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and urged President Putin to cease hostilities and pull back his forces,” as relayed by the chancellor's spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit. Further, Scholz emphasized “Germany’s steadfast commitment to…