government

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council convened in the capital on Saturday for internal consultations ahead of anticipated talks with federal leaders on elections and constitutional reform, as a high-stakes political standoff shows little sign of easing. The meeting brought together powerful federal member state leaders, including Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni and Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madoobe. Participants focused on the dispute over the format, timing and procedures…

Somali opposition says ex-president, ex-PM blocked from Mogadishu airport meeting; government cites security breach Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council on Friday accused security forces of preventing former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Rooble from entering Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport to attend a scheduled political meeting, escalating tensions ahead of anticipated talks with the federal government. In a…

Somali opposition says security forces blocked former leaders at Mogadishu airport; government cites security breach MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council on Friday accused federal security forces of preventing former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Rooble from entering Aden Adde International Airport to attend a scheduled political meeting, escalating tensions ahead of anticipated electoral talks with the government. In a statement, the Somali Future…

DUBLIN — Ireland’s government has raised the case of Kilkenny native Seamus Culleton with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after the Boston-based construction worker was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and transferred nearly 4,000 kilometers to a facility in El Paso, Texas. Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said officials have been engaging U.S. counterparts and offering consular support to Culleton, who was arrested by ICE on Sept. 9, 2025. Culleton, originally from Glenmore, Co Kilkenny, told RTÉ’s…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's federal government has scheduled April 2026 state elections, sharpening the debate over the country's election timetable and whether political institutions can move from announcements to implementation. The plan also raises questions about election administration, including how polling and legal procedures will be managed across a contested political environment. Those concerns are closely tied to constitutional reform, because mandate timing and electoral rules are now part of the same…

Kismayo, Somalia — The Jubbaland regional administration on Saturday accused Somalia’s federal government of unconstitutional interference in the affairs of federal member states, warning that the moves threaten the country’s federal system and national unity as Parliament debates sweeping constitutional changes. In a statement issued by the Jubbaland presidency, the regional authority said Mogadishu lacks the mandate to unilaterally amend the Provisional Constitution or restructure the system of governance. Somalia’s…

Jubaland Raises Alarm Over Federal Government’s Threat to Somali Federalism KISMAYO, Somalia — Somalia’s Jubaland regional administration on Saturday accused the federal government of overstepping its constitutional authority, warning that efforts to impose unilateral changes on the country’s federal system risk destabilizing political order and undermining national unity. In a statement issued by the office of the Jubaland presidency, the regional state said Mogadishu’s recent actions “would not change the status” of…

Court Rules: British Government Must Compensate Families of Iva Valley Mine Massacre Victims In a landmark ruling, Justice Anthony Onovo of the Enugu High Court has ordered the British government to pay U.S.$27 million in compensation to each of the families affected by the 1949 Iva Valley Mine massacre. This tragedy saw colonial forces open fire on protesting coal miners, killing 21 and injuring 51 amidst demands for better working conditions and fair wages. The civil lawsuit, spearheaded by activist Greg Onoh, sought…

Somalia pledges inclusive dialogue as Jubaland, Puntland State allege flight blocks ahead of election talks MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to preserving national unity and advancing an inclusive political dialogue, even as tensions rise with the Jubaland and Puntland State regional administrations over security arrangements before planned election talks. In a statement, the government said it remains fully committed to an open, broad and constructive consultative…

President Donald Trump signed a short-term spending bill to end a four-day partial government shutdown, hours after the Republican-controlled House approved the measure 217-214 amid a bruising fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the administration’s immigration crackdown. The closure, which began Saturday, halted or disrupted nonessential federal services until Congress sent the measure to the White House on Wednesday. Twenty-one Democrats joined Republicans to push the bill through, while an equal…