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MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia is preparing for a planned shift to direct national elections in 2026, a major change in a country that has relied for decades on an indirect, clan-based system in which selected delegates choose members of parliament, who then elect the president. Somali authorities say the goal is a “one person, one vote” process, but opposition figures have questioned whether the transition is being handled by consensus and warn of renewed political crisis. The push toward universal suffrage has unfolded…

MOGADISHU — Somalia has canceled its defense and security agreements with the United Arab Emirates, a move the government said Friday was necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and public safety while keeping broader diplomatic ties intact. Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Daud Aweys Jama said the termination applies strictly to military and security cooperation frameworks between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi. He argued the arrangements had become more harmful than helpful to Somalia’s…