National

Iran’s state media said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a large-scale U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, a watershed moment that jolted the region and set off competing scenes of mourning and celebration across the country. State television announced a 40-day mourning period and seven public holidays for the leader, who had ruled since 1989. A presenter on state TV vowed Khamenei’s “path and mission” would continue with “greater vigour and zeal.” The claim of his death, which Iranian and Israeli officials…

Denmark’s Frederiksen calls March 24 election amid U.S.-Greenland tensions COPENHAGEN — Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday called a general election for March 24, 2026, seeking a renewed mandate as Denmark navigates strained ties with the United States over Greenland and a hardening security environment shaped by Russia. Under Denmark’s constitution, an election had to be called within four years of the last vote, held Nov. 1, 2022. “Whether I will continue to be your prime minister depends on how strong a mandate…

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday called a general election for March 24, setting up a high-stakes vote framed by security concerns, fraught ties with the United States over Greenland and ongoing tensions with Russia. “Whether I will continue to be your prime minister depends on how strong a mandate you give the Social Democrats in the parliamentary election to be held on March 24, 2026,” Frederiksen said as she outlined her platform, which includes reforming the retirement age and introducing a wealth…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — On a warm afternoon in the capital, 23-year-old Abdirahim Ali Mohamud Shuriye refreshed a website that did not exist a year earlier: the Somali National Job Portal. The page was stark—search bar, vacancy list, live counters of job seekers and employers—but to a recent SIMAD University graduate who had spent months chasing scattered job posts on Telegram, Facebook and WhatsApp, its simplicity felt like a breakthrough. For years, Somalis applied for work through a maze of ministry notices, radio…

MOGADISHU — European Union Ambassador to Somalia Francesca Di Mauro hosted a Ramadan iftar at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu on Monday evening, using the gathering to urge Somali leaders to revive dialogue and forge consensus as political tensions mount over elections and constitutional change. The invitation-only event drew a broad cross-section of stakeholders: senior federal government officials, political leaders, diplomats, civil society representatives and members of the media. Organizers cast the iftar as a…

MOGADISHU — The European Union ambassador to Somalia, Francesca Di Mauro, renewed her call for inclusive dialogue and national consensus as she hosted an iftar reception this evening at the EU diplomatic compound in Mogadishu during the holy month of Ramadan. The Mogadishu iftar brought together senior officials of the Federal Government of Somalia, political leaders from across the spectrum, representatives of civil society and the media, and members of the international community. The gathering offered a rare, neutral…

Friday February 20, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s new army chief met senior African Union leadership in Mogadishu to tighten battlefield coordination and accelerate the country’s Security Transition Plan as Somali forces prepare a renewed push against al-Shabab following Ramadan. Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, commander of the Somali National Army (SNA), hosted a closed-door session at army headquarters with Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, the Special Representative of the African Union and head of the…

Kenya and Ghana Launch Investigations into Russian Man's Alleged Non-Consensual Filming Authorities in Kenya and Ghana are set to investigate disturbing reports that a Russian man secretly filmed sexual encounters with women in both countries and subsequently posted the footage online without their consent. This alarming case has raised serious concerns about gender-based violence and cybercrime in both nations. The individual at the center of this controversy has been identified as a self-styled "pick-up artist." Media…

London — A 21-year-old Somali national from Bristol has been charged under U.K. terrorism laws after allegedly traveling to Somalia to support fighters linked to the Islamic State group, British authorities said. Prosecutors named the defendant as Mohamed Farah Mohamoud, of Francombe Grove, and said he is accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts, contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. The charge alleges he traveled from the United Kingdom to Somalia between Jan. 29 and March 4, 2025, and…

Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, appeared on course for a sweeping victory in national elections, with television projections showing the party vaulting past the 150-seat mark needed for a parliamentary majority in the first vote since a deadly 2024 uprising. The projections, based on partial counts late Thursday, indicated that Jamaat-e-Islami and its Islamist-led allies had secured 63 seats — a sharp surge from previous performances but well short of an outright win. Official…