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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Irro is attending the World Governments Summit in Dubai for the second consecutive year, joining global leaders as they debate the future of governance, technological innovation and public policy. Irro’s participation comes as relations between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates face renewed strain. Somalia has said it canceled agreements with Abu Dhabi following claims by Israel that it had recognized North Western State of Somalia as an…

Egypt takes helm of AU Peace and Security Council, puts Sudan and Somalia atop agenda CAIRO — Egypt on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, pledging to focus its one-month term on the crises in Sudan and Somalia while advancing a broader agenda linking peace, security and governance across the continent. The presidency, which began Feb. 1, comes amid what Cairo described as escalating and overlapping challenges in Africa — from protracted armed conflicts and fragile…

MOGADISHU — Brig. Gen. Elio Manes assumed command Friday of the European Union Training Mission in Somalia, a handover EU officials said keeps momentum behind Somalia’s push to take greater responsibility for its own security. Manes took over from Brig. Gen. Sofia Westermark during a formal ceremony at EUTM-S headquarters in Mogadishu. The transfer followed standard operational procedures to ensure continuity in a mission EU officials describe as central to Somalia’s long-term security reform and institution-building. In his…

MOGADISHU — The United States will resume World Food Programme food distributions in Somalia after the federal government accepted responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the Port of Mogadishu earlier this month, clearing the way for life-saving aid to reach millions facing acute food insecurity. U.S. officials said Somalia’s acknowledgment of accountability satisfied conditions set after Washington halted certain assistance on Jan. 7, when it accused Somali officials of demolishing a U.S.-funded…

Minneapolis — At least four students, including a 5-year-old boy, were detained by U.S. immigration officers in a Minneapolis suburb this week, deepening tensions over a federal crackdown that has flooded the area with agents and sparked a legal challenge from the state. The 5-year-old, identified by school officials as Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father were taken to a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, according to attorney Marc Prokosch, who said the pair are asylum applicants and is seeking their release. The…

Analysis: At Davos, Trump’s remarks about Somali migrants signal a familiar pattern — rhetoric that shapes policy President Donald Trump’s jab at Somali migrants on the World Economic Forum stage in Davos did more than provoke outrage. It fit a years-long pattern in which inflammatory language about Black and African diasporas is paired with restrictive immigration moves — a feedback loop with real policy and political consequences in places like Minnesota, Maine and beyond. Before a crowd of foreign dignitaries and…

Cyprus takes helm of EU presidency with Zelensky in attendance as Nicosia seeks bridge role to Middle East Cyprus assumed the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency with a high-profile launch that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, signaling continuity in EU support for Kyiv and an ambitious regional agenda from Nicosia. Zelensky was welcomed at the presidential palace by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides…

UNITED NATIONS — Somalia on Friday assumed the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council for January, its first time at the helm since serving on the council in 1971-72. Calling the moment historic, Somalia’s U.N. ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman said the presidency follows the country’s return to the council after 54 years and “is a significant milestone.” He said Somalia’s election and stewardship “symbolizes Somalia’s commitment to strengthening multilateralism.” Osman said that over the past year Somalia has sought…

NEW YORK — Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor in the first minutes of the new year at the historic, long-closed City Hall subway station, setting a populist tone for his administration with a ceremony that highlighted working New Yorkers and his own insurgent rise. New York State Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath. “Happy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above,” Mamdani said beneath the station’s vaulted tiles and arched skylights. “This is truly an honor and a privilege…

Mogadishu’s municipal elections are more than a local contest; they are a stress test for Somalia’s long-promised transition from elite bargaining to citizen-driven governance. If they hold, they could become the clearest step yet toward the country’s first direct national elections in more than half a century. For decades, Somalia’s political order has been defined by indirect electoral arrangements and power-sharing formulas negotiated among clans and political elites. Those frameworks helped stabilize a state battered by…