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MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government and an opposition alliance have reached a preliminary agreement to hold a long-awaited consultative conference at the presidential palace in Mogadishu, according to sources familiar with the talks. The move, seen as a critical opening for political dialogue, would bring together the Federal Government of Somalia and the opposition coalition known as the Somali Future Council. The understanding on venue followed a request by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and came after days…

North Western State of Somalia clans agree to cease-fire after deadly clashes in Awdal and Salal, minister says HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — Two clans that recently fought deadly battles in western North Western State of Somalia have agreed to end hostilities after a government-backed reconciliation push, officials said Saturday, as authorities announced arrests and fresh deployments to stabilize the border region. The fighting, which flared in parts of the Awdal and Salal regions, left several people dead…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkish F-16 fighter jets conducted test flights over Mogadishu on Wednesday morning, signaling an expanded military footprint by Ankara in Somalia, according to people familiar with the deployment and local media reports. At least three F-16s arrived in Somalia last Wednesday as part of Turkey’s broadened security support to the Horn of Africa nation, the sources said. The flights were described as tests intended to assess the aircrafts’ readiness and capabilities for future operations while reinforcing…

MOGADISHU — Mogadishu City Club and Horseed Sports Club will contest the Jaranaal Da’uud Tournament final on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, with the Somali Football Federation unveiling an updated format that guarantees a decisive result on the day — extra time and, if needed, penalties — as part of a broader bid to raise standards across the domestic game. In a letter signed by SFF Chairman Ali Shiino and circulated Saturday, the federation confirmed both clubs’ participation in the final and detailed the match regulations designed…

Syria’s government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have reached a sweeping agreement to fold Kurdish security units and their autonomous administration into the central state, capping weeks of clashes that culminated in a cease-fire, according to statements released today by both sides and broadcast on Syrian state television. The accord follows a period of fighting in which Kurdish forces lost control of swathes of territory to pro-government units, leaving them confined largely to Kurdish-majority pockets in…

Southern African Development Community emergency response teams have arrived in Mozambique after heavy rains caused deadly floods that have submerged entire villages and left large areas inaccessible, officials said. The teams were deployed following the Mozambican government's Red Alert declaration on Jan. 16, and are concentrating on the worst-hit districts of Gaza Province, where floodwaters have reached levels that local authorities say are unprecedented. Roads, public facilities and other critical infrastructure have…

DAVOS, Switzerland — President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine would be “stupid” not to strike a peace deal and claimed he will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos on Thursday, even as Kyiv insisted Zelensky remains in the Ukrainian capital. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Trump repeated his view that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky are close to an agreement to end the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. “I believe they’re at a point now where they…

Trump says Ukraine peace talks ‘very close’ as Donbas remains sticking point MAR-A-LAGO, Fla. — President Donald Trump said he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a framework to end the war in Ukraine, while acknowledging the fate of the disputed Donbas region remains a key unresolved issue. Speaking at a joint news conference after talks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, both leaders reported progress on two of the most contentious items in negotiations — long-term security…

WASHINGTON — U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said Sunday that a negotiated end to the nearly four-year war in Ukraine was “really, really close,” but that Moscow and Washington remained divided over two core issues: territorial settlement, primarily the future of the Donbas, and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Kellogg, who is due to step down in January, told the Reagan National Defense Forum that talks were in “the last 10 metres,” a phase he said is always the hardest. “If we get those two…

Peace Framework Signed in Qatar: A New Dawn for Eastern DR Congo? In a significant development, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have entered into a peace framework in Qatar, amidst ongoing efforts to cease decades of conflict that have ravaged eastern DR Congo. This agreement, brokered with the involvement of international mediators, including the United States and the African Union, represents a glimmer of hope as both parties strive for stability in a region plagued…