Somalia’s 2026 election process is shaped by a multi-step plan that includes voter registration, new voting rules, and a phased roll-out across federal member states. Below is a clear timeline of major dates and milestones that have been reported as the country moves toward elections under a renewed political framework. What Happened Over the past year, Somalia has advanced election preparations through voter registration, local voting experiments, and negotiations over how the country should conduct elections.…

A confirmed case of hantavirus on board a cruise ship anchored off Cape Verde has prompted heightened precautions as authorities monitor passengers and crew. Two Irish citizens are among the 149 people aboard MV Hondius. Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the vessel, said strict safeguards have been introduced on board, including isolation procedures and enhanced hygiene measures. Here is a brief chronology of developments: 24 April: The body of a passenger was taken from the ship, with his wife accompanying it. 27…

Sunday May 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Sunday unveiled the full calendar for the country’s 2026 regional elections, setting South West State on course to open the voting season later this month. Under the newly announced timetable, South West State will be first to vote. Local council and parliamentary elections are slated for May 10, the election of the state parliament speaker will follow on May 18, and the regional president is due to be chosen on May 23,…

President Donald Trump declared in a televised address that the US military was close to meeting its objectives in Iran, yet he offered no firm end date for the month-long war and warned that the country could be bombed back into the "stone ages". Markets recoiled after Mr Trump signalled that military action would intensify over the next two to three weeks, without setting out a concrete path to ending a conflict that has rattled global energy supplies and raised fears of a broader economic shock. Brent crude, which had…

Starmer’s 18-month slide: From landslide to crisis as Mandelson fallout empties No. 10 Keir Starmer marched Labour back into Downing Street in July 2024 with a commanding majority and a promise of sober, competent government. Eighteen months later, the prime minister is fighting for authority after his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and communications chief, Tim Allan, resigned in the wake of a deepening Peter Mandelson scandal. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urged him to quit, saying the “distraction needs to end and…

Somalia’s planned leap to one-person, one-vote exposes fragile balance between hope and division MOGADISHU — Somalia’s long-simmering experiment with electoral reform has entered a decisive — and potentially divisive — phase. The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has announced that Banadir, the region that contains the capital Mogadishu, will pilot what would be the country’s first direct, universal-suffrage poll on November 30. The move comes despite vocal resistance from several federal…

In the vibrant yet tumultuous political landscape of Kismayo, the Jubbaland Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rolled out the timeline for both parliamentary and presidential elections. This move has amplified the friction between Jubbaland and Somalia's federal government concerning election processes. It's the sort of political drama that keeps the nation on the edge of its seat. The Commission, in their Saturday communique, highlighted key dates. Mark your calendars, folks: November 18–19 will see the unveiling of…