Iran has delivered its answer to a US-backed proposal designed to end a war now stretching beyond two months, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. IRNA said the proposal, relayed through mediator Pakistan, is for now centred on one immediate goal: stopping the fighting. People familiar with thinking on both sides have said the latest diplomatic push seeks a temporary memorandum of understanding that would pause the war and reopen traffic through the Strait of Hormuz while negotiators work toward a broader…

By Ali Mohamed Omar Saturday May 9, 2026 A Response to the Heritage Institute’s Assessment of Somalia’s Diplomacy There is a sharp line between rigorous analysis and reflexive cynicism, between constructive criticism and the kind of commentary that weakens the very institutions a country depends on abroad. When that line is crossed, scholarship can become a liability instead of a public service. A recent policy paper has asked Somalis, along with our international partners, to judge what the country has achieved during…

In a concerning development, Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi addressed Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health following the alarming confirmation of Hantavirus in a severely ill British national in South Africa. Additionally, the health minister reported on a woman who collapsed at OR Tambo International Airport and unfortunately succumbed to her condition in South Africa. Her husband, who also fell ill, later died in St Helena. Both individuals were among the passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was…

Iran has threatened “long and painful strikes” on American positions if Washington resumes attacks and presses its claim over the Strait of Hormuz, injecting fresh uncertainty into US efforts to assemble a coalition to reopen the crucial waterway. Now two months into the US-Israeli war with Iran, the narrow sea passage remains shut, cutting off 20% of global oil and gas supplies. The disruption has driven energy prices sharply higher and intensified fears that the world economy could slide toward a downturn. Attempts to…

Iran warns of 'firm response' to military transit through Strait of Hormuz TEHRAN - Iran said any military vessel attempting to move through the Strait of Hormuz would meet a "firm and decisive response," in a statement issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy. The IRGC said it exercises "full and intelligent control" over the strategic waterway, adding that passage is allowed only for non-military ships and only under defined regulations. It also rejected reports that US vessels had crossed the strait,…

French President Emmanuel Macron brushed off Donald Trump's taunts about his marriage, saying the remarks were "neither elegant nor up to standard" and not worthy of a reply. Yet after several days of strain over US-Israeli strikes on Iran and renewed friction over NATO, Macron appeared to let his frustration show, warning that "there is too much talk" and insisting that "this is not a show". Mr Trump on Wednesday ridiculed the French president and his wife during a private lunch, as he lashed out at NATO allies for failing…

Hormuud Salaam Foundation pledges $700,000 for Somalia drought relief MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation said it is committing $700,000 in emergency aid to families hit by severe drought across south-central Somalia, aiming to deliver water, food and other essentials as conditions deteriorate. The foundation — the humanitarian arm of Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank — said the funding will target communities facing worsening shortages after months of below-average rainfall that have dried traditional…

UAE warns of possible action if Iran attacks continue ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates may take stronger measures, including the possibility of military action, if Iran continues launching missiles and drones toward its territory, the country’s minister of state for international cooperation said in a televised interview. Reem Al-Hashimi told CNN the UAE is prepared to defend itself against what she described as an ongoing threat, signaling a sharpened posture should the attacks persist. “We are…

When Donald Trump threatens Iran with “force never been seen before,” the words do more than light up headlines. They signal a strategy of coercive diplomacy that has defined the most fraught chapters of U.S.-Iran relations this century, raising the stakes across a Middle East already primed for miscalculation. Rhetoric at that volume can deter, but it can also lock leaders into escalatory paths, unsettle markets and embolden hard-liners on both sides who thrive on grievance and spectacle. The central question is not whether…

U.S. House Committees Urge Action on Religious Persecution in Nigeria U.S. House committees investigating the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria have formally submitted their findings to President Donald Trump. The report proposes a roadmap for curbing religious violence, enforcing accountability, and bolstering security cooperation between Washington and Abuja. The inquiry was ignited by Trump's decision to redesignate Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) due to reports of rampant religious…