to

South Africa warned that Israel’s move to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state poses a “direct threat” to peace in the Horn of Africa, calling the decision a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement Monday, South Africa’s Foreign Ministry said Israel’s recognition undermines continental norms designed to prevent state fragmentation. The ministry said it distinguishes “unequivocally” between decolonization and secession, adding: “The former restores sovereignty;…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Ankara on Tuesday to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a high-stakes visit that comes days after Israel said it would recognize North Western State of Somalia and as Turkey and Somalia weigh the next steps in offshore energy exploration. Two people familiar with the plans said Erdogan is expected to address Israel’s unilateral move during talks with Mohamud. The Somali leader also plans to brief Ankara on a seismic survey completed in October off Somalia’s…

WASHINGTON — The FBI has surged agents and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle “large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs,” director Kash Patel said Sunday, citing a pandemic-era case that authorities now view as only “the tip of a very large iceberg.” Patel said the bureau’s expanded deployment follows a multiyear probe that uncovered a $250 million scheme that siphoned federal food aid intended for children during the Covid-19 emergency. That investigation, which focused on operations in…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened leaders from several federal member states and the Banadir regional administration on Sunday in Mogadishu, following Israel’s steps toward recognizing North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, according to the president’s office. In a closed-door briefing, Hassan Sheikh told the assembled leaders that the Israeli move violated Somalia’s territorial integrity and statehood. He said the federal government was pursuing a coordinated response grounded in…

Liverpool 2-1 Wolves: Wirtz breaks duck as Slot’s side hold off late surge after Jota tribute ANFIELD — Florian Wirtz finally opened his Liverpool account and Ryan Gravenberch struck the opener before a nervy finish, as Liverpool edged Wolves 2-1 in a match framed by a moving tribute to the late Diogo Jota and a bleak milestone for the visitors’ winless season. Wolves, competitive throughout and adventurous after the break, fell to a record that underlines the scale of their struggle. Their 18th match without a win from the…

Israel becomes first country to recognize North Western State of Somalia, pledges full diplomatic ties Move marks first formal recognition of the breakaway republic since 1991; embassies and ambassadors planned under joint declaration. HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognize the Republic of North Western State of Somalia as an independent, sovereign state, a landmark decision that establishes full diplomatic relations more than three decades after North…

U.N. experts warn that al-Shabab remains the most immediate threat to peace and stability in Somalia and the wider region, especially Kenya, even as the U.N. Security Council unanimously extended the African Union’s support-and-stabilization mission in the country through Dec. 31, 2026. Despite sustained operations by Somali and international forces, the al-Qaida-linked group’s capacity “to carry out complex, asymmetric attacks in Somalia remains undiminished,” according to the panel of experts report released Wednesday. The…

Somali president urges turnout as Mogadishu holds first one-person, one-vote local polls in more than 50 years MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday night urged Mogadishu residents to fully participate in Thursday’s one-person, one-vote local council elections, calling the vote a milestone in the country’s state-building and democratic recovery as polls opened across the capital’s 16 districts. In a nationally televised address, Mohamud framed the elections as a defining moment in the restoration of…

Somalia’s khat bill: How a daily airlift of mira to Mogadishu drains a fragile economy Somalia’s dependence on khat—known locally as qaad and as mira in Kenya—has evolved from a social habit into a structural economic liability. Official statements tabled in Kenya’s National Assembly on December 3, 2025, show just how lopsided the trade has become: Somalia is Kenya’s largest export destination for mira, accounting for more than 95 percent of Kenya’s total mira export volume. The crop supports an estimated 110,000 Kenyan…

Kenyan man gets life for al-Shabaab plot to crash hijacked airliner into Atlanta’s tallest building A federal judge on Monday sentenced Cholo Abdi Abdullah, 34, to two consecutive life terms plus a lifetime of supervised release for plotting a 9/11-style attack on Atlanta’s 55-story Bank of America Plaza on behalf of the Somalia-based terrorist group al-Shabaab. A Manhattan jury found Abdullah guilty in 2024 on six counts tied to the thwarted plot, which prosecutors said was designed to mirror the tactics of the Sept. 11,…