Emergency response efforts are being jeopardized as aid officials report a troubling surge in prank calls and the spread of counterfeit flood videos. These disruptions are deterring essential rescue operations and misallocating critical resources needed for those genuinely affected by the floods. The alarming announcement was made by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, highlighting the severe implications of such irresponsible behavior during a crisis. The regional minister underscored that this situation hinders the work…

By Aki NaceTuesday June 9, 2026 A Somali-born immigrant in Minnesota is among 17 people the Trump administration is pursuing in its newest denaturalization drive. The U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota on Wednesday filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Abdikadir Kadiye. The case accuses him of multiple violations, including illegal procurement of naturalization and obtaining citizenship by concealing a material fact. Starting in 1997, Kadiye tried to enter the United States by filing two separate…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 For Somalia, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a mixed stage of pride and frustration: while the national team is absent, five people of Somali heritage are still set to feature in football’s showcase event as players and officials. (Photo: Handout) Miami, US – (AX) — Somalia’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be felt in two very different ways. Several players with Somali roots are preparing to take part in the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Somali referee Omar…

In a significant setback for the sport, Somali referee Omar Artan, poised to become the first official from Somalia to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals, has been excluded from the upcoming 2026 tournament following an incident at Miami International Airport. Artan, who earned recognition as the 2025 CAF Men's Referee of the Year, was traveling with valid credentials, including a diplomatic passport intended to streamline his earlier visa issues. However, FIFA has confirmed that he will not participate in the tournament,…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Somalia will not take the field at the FIFA World Cup, but Somali football will still be represented on the game’s grandest stage. Five people of Somali heritage are due to feature in the tournament as players and officials, even as one of them, referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, has been barred from entering the United States. (Photo: Handout) Miami, US – (AX) — A number of footballers with Somali roots are preparing to appear at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Somali…

The United States is providing critical health assistance, albeit with a significant caveat: broad access to surveillance data and rights to pathogen samples for pharmaceutical development, according to a recent assessment by Human Rights Watch. This evaluation scrutinizes seven bilateral health agreements established in late 2025 with Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Liberia, and Uganda. These agreements have sparked substantial concerns regarding the potential misuse of individuals' private health…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Olympic Committee has thrown its weight behind referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan after U.S. authorities denied him entry just as he was set for a historic role at the FIFA World Cup. In a statement released Monday, the committee said Artan’s selection for an international tournament in the United States marked a national honor and a major step forward for Somali sport. “The selection of a Somali official for such a prestigious platform is not just a personal achievement,…

by BRIAN ORUTAMonday June 8, 2026 Abdullahi Mohamed Nuur, a former security minister in Somalia/HANDOUT A security raid at one of Mogadishu’s better-known hotels has sharpened worries that Somalia’s political battle is starting to spill into the private sector, unsettling investors and raising fresh questions about the safety of businesses tied to opposition figures. The Elite Hotel incident in the capital has quickly become a symbol of the country’s widening political rift. Analysts say the standoff between the federal…

Monday June 8, 2026 Istanbul (AX) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was reportedly turned away at the U.S. border over the weekend, just days before he was scheduled to join preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Artan, one of 52 referees chosen by FIFA for the tournament to be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico, had been traveling from Istanbul to Miami on Saturday for a FIFA seminar for match officials, according to reports. He was reportedly refused entry upon arrival and sent back to Istanbul on…

Monday June 8, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia took a new step Sunday toward safeguarding its historical record, as Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Abdulfatah Kasim Mohamud launched a UNESCO workshop focused on protecting the country’s documentary heritage, including the long-significant Radio Mogadishu archive. The National Workshop for Somalia is being held under UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, an initiative designed to preserve and improve access to documentary heritage ranging from manuscripts and…