vows

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a potential agreement to end Russia’s full-scale invasion is “90% ready,” but vowed he will not sign a “weak” peace that rewards Moscow or risks a renewed assault, setting a hard line as competing narratives and fresh strikes underscored the war’s volatility. In a New Year’s Eve address posted on his Telegram account, Zelensky framed Kyiv’s position as seeking an end to the war “but not the end of Ukraine,” stressing that unresolved core issues — including security guarantees and…

Pakistan vows support to Somalia at UN after Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia, drawing Muslim world rebuke ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday pledged full support to Somalia at the United Nations and other multilateral forums after Israel became the first country to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia, a breakaway region that declared independence in 1991 but has never before been acknowledged by a UN member state. The commitment followed a phone call from Somali…

Albanese vows sweeping hate-speech crackdown after Bondi Beach mass shooting kills 15 Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised a sweeping crackdown on hate, division and radicalisation after a mass shooting killed 15 people at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach. “Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge, much more,” Mr Albanese told a news conference, outlining a suite of measures aimed at extremist preachers, hate speech and those who spread…

ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed to “shake off Ethiopia’s enemies one by one, like hair lice” as he urged national unity and vigilance during the 20th Ethiopian Nationalities and People’s Day, framing the country’s struggles as tests of resolve that must be met with discipline, dialogue and reform. In a speech calling for resilience amid persistent political and regional strains, Abiy warned citizens against becoming conduits for “outsiders” he said are bent on derailing Ethiopia’s progress. He did…

Summary Former US president Donald Trump has announced plans to sue the BBC for up to $5 billion after the British broadcaster apologised for a misleading edit of his remarks that aired in a documentary about the 6 January 2021 Capitol assault. The dispute has produced high-level resignations at the BBC and a public standoff over whether the edit amounts to defamation. Trump says he will file suit “anywhere between a billion and five billion dollars” and signalled legal papers could follow within days. The BBC…

Somalia’s president denies plot to cling to power as debate over constitution deepens When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sat down with the BBC Somali Service this week, his tone was both defensive and conciliatory. He rejected accusations from opposition figures that he is manoeuvring to prolong his hold on office, insisting that only the country’s independent electoral commission — not politicians — can set election timetables. “No individual politician has veto power,” he said, adding that if the commission needs more…

In Somalia, a Public Pledge of Loyalty Raises Stakes Ahead of Fragile Elections MOGADISHU — When Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre walked through the departure hall of Aden Adde International Airport this week, he was not merely inspecting toilets and trash bins. He was, in effect, rehearsing a partnership — an explicit commitment to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud that has been rare in Somalia’s recent politics. "I will never run for president against President , who entrusted me to serve Somalia as PM," Hamza said during…

New AFRICOM chief in Mogadishu pledges deeper U.S. support against al-Shabaab and ISIS Mogadishu—On a humid Wednesday on the Indian Ocean, as traffic in the capital thinned for afternoon prayers, the new commander of U.S. Africa Command slipped into Villa Somalia for a first meeting with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. General Dagvin R. M. Anderson, newly in charge of America’s military footprint on the continent, promised that Washington will sustain—and sharpen—its support for Somali forces battling al-Shabaab and a…

Changing Tides at Mogadishu Port: A New Chapter for Somalia's Economic Lifeline MOGADISHU, Somalia — In the heart of the Horn of Africa, where geopolitical currents are as tumultuous as the Indian Ocean waves, Mogadishu Port stands as a beacon of economic potential and national resilience. Thursday marked a notable shift in its stewardship as Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nur, affectionately known as Americo, took the helm, poised to chart a fresh course for Somalia’s primary gateway to the world. Leadership Transition: Americo…

In a stirring moment of political grace, President of North Western State of Somalia, Muse Bihi Abdi, lauded Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, the newly elected leader, following his emphatic victory. He promised a calm and orderly handover of authority to his successor. This pledge, made at the heart of Hargeisa’s Presidential Palace, felt as much a call to unity as it was an acknowledgment of political reality. President Bihi seized the moment to express gratitude towards his supporters within the Kulmiye Party,…