President

Thursday March 19, 2026 - Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Wednesday accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of stalling regional elections since 2022, sharpening an increasingly public split between Baidoa and Mogadishu. At a press conference in Baidoa, Laftagareen said leaders of federal member states had made repeated attempts to organize their own ballots but were blocked by the federal leadership. “In September 2022, all the regional state leaders were present…

Thursday March 19, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Wednesday reaffirmed a break in relations with Somalia’s federal government, accusing Mogadishu of undercutting federalism and destabilizing his region. “Starting today, there will be no contact between us and the federal government until something Somalis agree on is brought,” Laftagareen told reporters at a press conference in Baidoa. The regional leader said cooperation with the central government will not resume until…

Nicolas Sarkozy faces retrial over alleged Libyan financing of 2007 campaign Ex-French president appeals five-year sentence; hearing at Paris Appeal Court runs to June 3 Standfirst: A lower court in September convicted Sarkozy of criminal conspiracy in a scheme prosecutors say sought funding from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya. He served 20 days in jail after the ruling and denies wrongdoing. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy returned to court for a retrial at the Paris Appeal Court over allegations he sought Libyan financing…

Joan Laporta was reelected as FC Barcelona president, securing a new five-year mandate with 68% of the vote in a member ballot that reaffirmed his grip on the club’s future and its most consequential rebuilding effort in a generation. Barcelona announced the result shortly after midnight in the Catalan capital. Víctor Font, Laporta’s only rival, conceded earlier in the evening and congratulated the incumbent on what he called an “unquestionable victory.” The club said more than 48,000 of its 114,000 eligible members cast…

Joan Laporta has secured another five-year term as FC Barcelona president, winning a members’ vote that cements his control of the club at a pivotal moment for its finances, stadium rebuild and sporting project. Shortly after midnight in Barcelona, the club announced Laporta’s victory. With the count complete, Barcelona said Laporta received 68% of ballots cast. His only challenger, Víctor Font, conceded earlier in the evening, congratulating Laporta for what he called an “unquestionable victory.” More than 48,000 of Barça’s…

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to keep up pressure on Russia’s war machine despite the United States temporarily easing curbs on Russian oil sales, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Paris amid rising global energy prices and fresh shocks from the Middle East war. Speaking alongside Zelensky after talks in Paris — the Ukrainian leader’s 12th visit to France since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 — Macron said there would be no “respite” for Moscow. “During a meeting of the Group of Seven…

DJIBOUTI — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Djibouti on Wednesday for talks with President Ismail Omar Guelleh, a visit framed by rising tensions across the Horn of Africa and the wider Middle East and coming as the United States warns of heightened security risks in the region. Villa Somalia said the trip reflects the longstanding ties between the two neighbors and a shared vision for regional cooperation, solidarity and stability. The two leaders are expected to hold discussions aimed at reinforcing…

Somalia: Jubaland president meets U.S. military officials to bolster war on Al-Shabaab KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam on Monday hosted Maj. Gen. Claude K. Tudor Jr., the commander of Special Operations Command Africa, for talks in Kismayo aimed at deepening joint efforts against al-Shabaab and reinforcing security operations across southern Somalia. The high-level meeting focused on strengthening strategic partnerships, accelerating coordinated counterterrorism operations and sustaining…

MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday signed a revised federal constitution into law, replacing the 2012 provisional charter and setting five-year terms for federal institutions in a move billed as a milestone for state-building but denounced by opposition figures as an overreach. The signing at the Presidential Palace capped a contentious review that culminated last week when both chambers of the Federal Parliament approved the overhaul in a joint session. The new document completes a long-stalled…

Somalia: President Signs New Constitution Amid Growing Political Tensions MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday signed Somalia’s new constitution into law at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu, sealing a landmark step in the country’s drawn-out effort to formalize its governance — and triggering a fierce political backlash from regional leaders and opposition figures. The ceremony, attended by the speakers of both houses of the Federal Parliament, followed lawmakers’ approval of a package of…