Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland, the self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa, heads to the polls on Wednesday for a dual election that could shape its governance for the next decade. In a combined presidential and political party vote, citizens of this unrecognized but democratically driven region will select their next leader and decide which political parties will dominate Somaliland’s political landscape in the years to come.

Kismayo (HOL) — The Jubaland Election and Boundaries Commission is poised to announce a new process for selecting members of parliament, marking an escalatory moment in the ongoing struggle between Somalia's federal government and the autonomous Jubaland administration. The revised selection framework, expected to be revealed today, signals Jubaland's intent to assert greater autonomy—a move that has fueled a deeper rift with Mogadishu.

Mogadishu (HOL) — A decade after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) distributed thousands of date palm seedlings across Somalia, farmers are witnessing a remarkable transformation. Amid relentless droughts, locust invasions, and conflict, these resilient trees have become a lifeline, offering stability and economic promise to rural communities struggling against the odds.

Federal Republic of Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reaffirmed Somalia's support for the Palestinian people and called for an immediate ceasefire, urging the release of all detainees and hostages to prevent further loss of life and alleviate ongoing suffering.

Mogadishu (HOL) — The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) killed at least 22 al-Shabab militants in a targeted operation in Dhararweyn village, under the Gal’ad district in Somalia’s Galgadud region, on Monday night.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is facing a mounting political crisis as tensions between the federal government and the southern state of Jubbaland escalate over a disputed electoral reform plan.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Al-Shabab militants ambushed and killed two Southwest state soldiers on Tuesday as they traveled by motorcycle along the road between Wanlaweyn and Afgoye districts in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, residents reported.

According to the Somaliland National Electoral Commission, more than 1 million registered and eligible voters head to the polls Wednesday to elect their president for the next five years.

Ethiopia has launched the first-ever shipment of refrigerated fruits and vegetables to the European market, the Ministry of Agriculture disclosed.

Kismayo (HOL) — Opposition groups in Somalia's Jubbaland state have rejected the recent appointment of a regional electoral commission by Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe, threatening to hold a separate election in Kismayo if their demands are not met.

Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia at the centre of a diplomatic storm, will hold a presidential election on Wednesday at a tense moment in the Horn of Africa.

Kismayo (HOL) — Somali federal parliamentarians representing Jubaland delivered a sharp rebuke of the federal government on Saturday, accusing it of actions that deepen political rifts and threaten Somalia's unity. Gathering in Kismayo for consultations, these lawmakers warned that recent federal decisions exacerbate divisions and stall dialogue aimed at bridging differences between Jubaland and Mogadishu.

Maritime lawyer Stephen Askins has cast doubt on claims that Yemen's Houthi rebels are raking in as much as $180 million monthly from shipping companies to ensure safe passage through the Red Sea, calling the figures in a recent UN report «unlikely» and logistically challenging.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces killed at least six al-Shabab militants, including two key leaders, in an operation near the Qansah Dhere district in the Bay region on Monday.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's bicameral parliament approved key electoral laws on Monday, including rules governing elections, parties and political organizations and establishing the country's electoral commission.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Riyadh on Monday to join an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic leaders convened by Saudi Arabia. The summit is focused on addressing escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is grappling with dangerously low immunization and treatment rates for pneumonia and diarrhea, two of the leading killers of children under five. According to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Somalia remains far behind in providing essential healthcare interventions, placing thousands of young lives at risk.

Mohammed Abdiwali sexually violated women in 2014 and 2020. Now in and out of jail because of repeatedly breaching his release conditions, he has nowhere permanent to live so sleeps either on the streets or with meth-addicted friends, risking, he says, relapsing into his own addiction.

The Amhara-Ethiopian communities organized a large rally on Saturday in Frankfurt, Germany, to raise awareness about the ongoing killings of ethnic Amharas, which ethnic Amhara activists have described as genocide.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) announced Thursday that it has apprehended an alleged Al-Shabaab associate linked to the October 26 killing of two civilians in the Dharkenley District.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Himilo Qaran political party, led by former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has supported Jubbaland State’s recent appointment of an electoral committee despite opposition from the federal government.

Kismayo (HOL) — Jubbaland Regional State administration suspended cooperation with the federal government, citing federal non-compliance with Somalia's constitution and disrespecting Jubbaland's autonomy.

Kismayo (HOL) — Jubbaland State leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe appointed a seven-member Independent Election Committee on Saturday to oversee preparations for indirect elections in Jubbaland.

Liverpool moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

A Trump win could have a mixed impact on Somalia,particularly given Somalia's strategic location, security challenges, and ongoing development needs. It could mean Increased Counter-terrorism Support since Trump previously took a hard stance on terrorism, including drone strikes and support for counter-terrorism operations.

Qatar has asked Hamas's political leadership to leave the country within a month, acting on a request from the US, two sources told The National on Saturday.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali parliament's interim committee tasked with drafting electoral laws and establishing election frameworks has elected former Deputy Prime Minister MP Mahdi Guled as chairman, with Senator Iftin Hassan Iman Baasto as deputy chairman.

Kenya is among nine countries in Africa that have been allocated MPOX vaccine doses, following an MPOX surge in the continent.

Kismayo (HOL) — Over 30 members of Somalia's federal parliament convened in Kismayo for an anti-federal government consultation meeting called by Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe to discuss the country's political climate.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met with Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed El-Baz on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mogadishu to discuss deepening bilateral relations between Somalia and Egypt.

The IPI global network strongly condemns the killing of award-winning Somali-Swedish journalist Amun Abdullahi Mohamed, who was murdered on October 18 by two gunmen with reported ties to the insurgent group Al-Shabab.

Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali government confirmed Thursday that a limited group of Somali nationals, all convicted of serious crimes in Germany, will be repatriated in the coming weeks, addressing public concern that the decision might affect the wider Somali refugee population in Germany.

Mogadishu (HOL) — As Somalia prepares for its first one-person, one-vote elections in more than 50 years, an ambitious move toward democratic reform threatens to deepen fractures within its fragile federal system.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Security and Intelligence Agency (NISA) killed at least 19 al-Shabaab members in a coordinated operation in the Yaaqle area of the Middle Shabelle region, the agency reported Friday.

Mogadishu (HOL) — The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed Friday that an American-operated MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone crashed on Tuesday in southern Somalia, clarifying initial reports from local media that had misidentified the aircraft as Turkish.