By Abdikarim Buh There is an old Somali story about a man who confidently claimed that he would never lose a case before a traditional court. When people asked how he could be so certain, his answer was simple: before taking another person to court, he first put himself on trial. He would examine his...
Mogadishu – (WDN) – Kenya’s confirmation of its first Ebola case has triggered renewed concern across the Horn of Africa, highlighting the urgent need for Somalia’s federal and Federal Member State health authorities to set politics aside and work together to prevent the potentially devastating spread of the disease. Kenya’s Health Minister, Aden Barre Duale,...
LAS ANOD (WDN) — A growing political dispute has emerged within Somalia’s newly established North Eastern Federal Member State, raising concerns that a deepening rift between its top two leaders could undermine the administration’s stability and derail its early development efforts. The dispute reportedly pits President Abdulqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali (Firdhiye) against his Vice President, Abdirashid...
Nile Dispute, Red Sea Access and Security Rivalries Bring Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia Closer Together Addis Ababa (WDN) — Ethiopia is facing a widening diplomatic challenge as Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia increasingly coordinate their positions on issues touching some of Addis Ababa’s most sensitive interests — the Nile, Red Sea access and regional...
From Underground Music Icon to Death Row: The Extraordinary Rise and Fall of One of Iran’s Most Controversial Artists Tehran (WDN) — Amir Tataloo once stood at the unlikely intersection of Iran’s conservative establishment and its rebellious youth culture. Now, the tattooed singer sits in prison facing the ultimate punishment after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld...
Prosperity Party Sweeps Parliament as Opposition Questions the Election and Abiy Faces Mounting Pressure at Home and Abroad Addis Ababa (WDN) — Ethiopia’s parliament has re-elected Abiy Ahmed to a third five-year term, giving his Prosperity Party overwhelming control of the legislature just as his government confronts renewed fighting, deep political divisions and worsening tensions...
Beledxaawo Tensions Raise Fresh Alarm as Mogadishu Faces Accusations of Using National Forces to Pressure Jubaland and Remove Regional Leaders Beledxaawo (WDN) — Somalia’s political crisis is increasingly spilling onto the battlefield, with local authorities in Beledxaawo warning of a new federal military offensive against Jubaland — months after federal forces seized Baidoa in a...
Saudi Air Campaign Backs Yemeni Counteroffensive as Fighting Reaches the Strategic Bab al-Mandab Corridor MOKHA, YEMEN (WDN) — Yemen’s war has entered a new and potentially decisive phase, with Saudi-backed government forces launching a major counteroffensive along the Red Sea coast and claiming significant gains around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. The offensive comes weeks...
Hargeisa’s Wake-Up Call: Baidoa Fighting Raises Fears That Turkish Military Power Could Become Entangled in Somalia’s Political Conflicts HARGEISA (WDN) — For Somaliland, the lesson from Baidoa is no longer theoretical. As Turkish F-16s, drones and other military capabilities have become increasingly visible in Somalia, the violent confrontation surrounding Baidoa has given Hargeisa a powerful...
Hawadle Demand for Hirshabelle Presidency Collides With Hassan Sheikh’s Backing of Abgaal President Ali Guudlaawe BELEDWEYNE (WDN) — The crisis in Hirshabelle is increasingly becoming a struggle over political power, with the Hawadle community demanding the presidency of the regional state while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has backed incumbent President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlaawe, an...