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KISMAYO, Somalia — A senior Puntland State official urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to embrace the outcomes of the Somali Future Council conference that concluded in Kismayo on Saturday, as the newly formed opposition alliance set a Jan. 20, 2026, deadline for inclusive talks on Somalia’s elections. Abdifatah Mohamed Abdinur, the state minister for the Puntland State presidency, called on the president to place national interests above personal considerations and warned against actions that could deepen political…

Trump orders blockade of ‘sanctioned oil tankers’ bound for Venezuela, escalating standoff with Maduro WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered what he called a “total and complete blockade” of all “sanctioned oil tankers” going into and out of Venezuela, a sweeping move that intensifies U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro and raises fresh legal and military questions about enforcement in the Caribbean. The announcement, delivered in a late-night social media post, came days after U.S. forces seized an oil tanker…

Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting kills 15; Albanese condemns ‘antisemitic terrorism’ SYDNEY — Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, killing 15 people — including a child — and wounding dozens more in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism. Authorities said the attackers were a father and son. A 50-year-old man was shot dead by police and his 24-year-old son was wounded and hospitalized, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon…

MOGADISHU — The U.N. Security Council has unanimously renewed sanctions targeting Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabaab, extending maritime interdictions and expert monitoring while resisting Somali pressure for faster loosening of arms controls. All 15 members on Friday adopted Resolution 2806, keeping in place an arms embargo, asset freezes and travel bans focused on the insurgent group that has fought the Somali government for more than 16 years. The measure extends authorization for naval inspections to enforce the…

MINNEAPOLIS — The takedown happened in seconds: masked federal agents sprinting toward a 20-year-old Somali American as he stepped from a restaurant, forcing him through a doorway and pinning him against a metal gate. “Why are you running?” one demanded in the bystander video, despite footage showing he had stopped. Moments later, as snow gathered on his jacket, an arm slid around his neck and he was shoved into an unmarked gray SUV while neighbors shouted that he is a citizen. The man, who asked to be identified as Mubashir…

DHOBLEY, Somalia — Kenya’s deputy army commander, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Hassan, wrapped up a two-day operational visit to Kenya Defence Forces troops deployed in Somalia under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, delivering a message of discipline, vigilance and troop welfare as the mission supports Somalia’s security transition against al-Shabab. Hassan inspected positions at the Dhobley Main Operating Base and forward locations in Afmadhow, Beles Qoqani, Tabda and Hoosingo on Dec. 9 and 10. He…

Haaland penalty completes City comeback in Madrid as Alonso’s Real sink deeper into trouble Erling Haaland’s second‑half penalty sealed a 2-1 comeback win for Manchester City over Real Madrid on a feverish Champions League night at the Bernabéu, tightening the pressure on Xabi Alonso after another bruising defeat. Real Madrid struck first through Rodrygo, his first goal in 33 club appearances, but City answered through academy midfielder Nico O’Reilly’s assured equaliser before Haaland punished a clumsy Antonio Rüdiger…

Somalia defense minister rebukes ex-president’s warning on Mogadishu security, says critics undermine reforms MOGADISHU — Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, on Thursday rejected former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s assertion that Mogadishu remains unsafe, accusing the opposition figure of eroding confidence in security gains and obstructing the country’s political transition. In a statement posted on Facebook, Fiqi said Sheikh Sharif and allies in the Council of National Salvation have consistently…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The National Union of Somali Journalists concluded its participation in the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with a slate of trainings, safeguarding measures and a human rights colloquium that union leaders say will strengthen protections for women journalists and raise ethical reporting standards across Somalia. Backed by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the Nov. 25–Dec. 10 campaign combined practical newsroom interventions with public awareness efforts aimed at confronting…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s passport has climbed to 100th place on the 2025 Henley Passport Index, giving Somali travelers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 33 destinations, according to data released by Henley & Partners in October 2025. While labeled “2025,” the latest Henley ranking reflects travel-access conditions measured during 2024, a methodological detail that underscores how passport power often lags behind diplomatic change by a year. Even so, the new standing marks one of Somalia’s strongest positions in more…