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Saudi Arabia’s quiet power play in Somalia’s new military pact Somalia and Saudi Arabia have signed a defense cooperation agreement in Riyadh, a move that folds one of the Horn of Africa’s most fragile states deeper into an increasingly crowded contest for Red Sea influence. The memorandum of understanding, announced by Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, on X, comes weeks after Israel said it would recognize North Western State of Somalia — the northern, breakaway region of Somalia — as an independent state, a…

Analysis: Europe draws a line in the Arctic as Trump presses bid to take Greenland The image raced across social media: Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, stepping out of the White House and wordlessly fishing a cigarette from a pack. He lit up, then offered both pack and lighter to his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt. The optics matched the moment. Inside, a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had gone sideways, and a thin diplomatic accord collapsed almost as…

Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia, setting up diplomatic ties and testing Horn of Africa alignments Israel has become the first country to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, a diplomatic breakthrough that immediately raises questions about how the move will be implemented and how Somalia’s federal government will respond. The recognition was announced Friday after a videoconference between North Western State of Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi “Cirro” and Israeli…

Stalled talks in Kismayo expose a deeper crisis for Somalia’s unity and security KISMAYO — A week of chest‑thumping and handshakes in this southern port city has done little to resolve the core question that has shadowed Somalia since the collapse of central authority three decades ago: who truly speaks for the places that sit on the line between clan, commerce and the state? President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s visit to Kismayo and his face‑to‑face with Jubaland strongman Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe produced the ritual…

Arsenal's grit was commendable, even as they navigated the choppy waters of losing key defenders Gabriel and Jurrien Timber in the latter stages, on top of the suspended William Saliba and the injured Riccardo Calafiori not being available.These are the challenging circumstances, yet for Arteta and his squad in the cutthroat arena of the Premier League's upper echelon, the current standings are sounding alarm bells.The Gunners' draw with Liverpool only lent a hand to Manchester City, who are comfortably perched at the summit…

Since the beginning of the conflict in Tigray, the possible involvement of Eritrea, the country bordering the Ethiopian province, has often been mentioned. But what do we know about the situation on the Eritrean front? The Ethiopian army operates freely from Eritrean territory with the support of the authorities in Asmara. If…