Saturday May 23, 2026 A tanker in the Gulf of Aden came under a suspicious approach on May 22, prompting its armed security team to fire warning shots in a bid to turn away a small boat — the latest in a string of incidents tied to active Somali pirate groups. The reported encounter was passed to UK Maritime Trade Operations by the tanker’s company security officer. The vessel was underway when it was approached about 98 nautical miles from Socotra, the Yemeni-controlled island off the Horn of Africa. A small craft carrying…

EDITORIAL: Why Qatar's timing for mediation in Somalia is suspicious EDITORIAL: The Qatari authorities has despatched considered one of its well-known sons to assist Somalis agree on a political resolution. It seems good from the beginning, however the timing raises questions. Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani, a particular envoy for Qatar's overseas minister, is a veterans diplomat.…

Resumption today of the trial of the bombing of Bouaké. On November 6, 2004, 10 people were killed in the attack on the French military camp in the Licorne force by two Soukhoï planes piloted by Russian mercenaries and their Ivorian co-pilots. The court began investigating one of the gray areas of this act: the arrest of suspects in Togo, which will finally be released because France, warned, is not…