Saturday March 7, 2026 Arusha — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Arusha on Saturday to attend the 25th Annual Summit of the East African Community, a high-level gathering focused on advancing economic integration, security cooperation and political coordination across the region. The visit signals Somalia’s deepening engagement with the regional bloc as it seeks to consolidate post-conflict gains and broaden economic and diplomatic ties. The summit brings together heads of state and senior officials from EAC…

Somalia repatriates 12 citizens held for years in Sudan over irregular migration MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government on Friday welcomed home 12 citizens who were detained for years in Sudan after attempting irregular migration, concluding a coordinated repatriation supported by the International Organization for Migration. The group landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu following negotiations that secured their release from detention centers in Khartoum and Omdurman, according to the Ministry…

CANBERRA, Australia — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday he cannot rule out Canada’s military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East, even as he reiterated that the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran launched last weekend appeared “inconsistent with international law.” Asked in a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese whether there was any scenario in which Canada would get involved, Carney called the question hypothetical but left the door open. “One can never…

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…

New York — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday appointed U.S. diplomat James Swan as his new Special Representative for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as MONUSCO, placing an experienced Africa hand at the helm of one of the U.N.’s most challenging peace operations. Swan succeeds Bintou Keita of Guinea, whom Guterres thanked for her leadership and service during a difficult period for the mission. The appointment lands at a pivotal moment for MONUSCO,…

TEHRAN, Iran — Israel launched fresh air strikes across Iran on Thursday, the fifth day of a U.S.-Israeli offensive that has killed more than 1,000 people, damaged security installations and residential buildings, and forced the postponement of funeral rites for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israeli strikes hit targets in Tehran, the holy city of Qom, western Iran and multiple sites in central Isfahan province, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported. Israel said it targeted buildings used by the Basij, a volunteer…

Suspected drone strike kills at least four children in southern Djibouti Thursday March 5, 2026 DJIBOUTI — At least four children were killed in a suspected drone strike in southern Djibouti, authorities and a local human rights group said Tuesday. The explosion occurred in the Dikhil region of Afar, according to Public Prosecutor Hassan Mohamed Hassan. In a statement, Hassan said a team has been dispatched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blast and determine its cause. The Djiboutian League for Human Rights…

Premier League title race tilts Arsenal’s way as Manchester City draw with Nottingham Forest; Newcastle halts Manchester United’s run; João Pedro hat trick powers Chelsea; West Ham takes vital derby win. Arsenal opened a seven-point cushion over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after a scrappy 1-0 win at Brighton, capitalizing on City’s 2-2 home draw with struggling Nottingham Forest. The Gunners have played one game more, but Wednesday’s swing tightens their grip on a title fight defined by thin margins. At…

U.S. names first troops killed in Iran conflict after Kuwait drone strike; death toll rises to six The U.S. military on Tuesday identified four of the six soldiers killed when an unmanned aircraft system evaded air defenses and struck a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Sunday — the first American troop fatalities acknowledged since the United States launched a new war against Iran with Israel. U.S. Central Command initially reported three deaths in the attack. Officials said Monday the toll had risen to six after…

Somalia, U.S. open high-level trade talks in Mogadishu, eye energy and critical minerals amid rising offshore interest Wednesday March 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and the United States held high-level talks in the capital on Tuesday to expand bilateral trade and investment, with a sharp focus on energy and critical minerals, officials said. The meeting — formally convened inside Somalia for the first time — was cast by both sides as a marker of growing confidence in the country’s security and economic trajectory. The…