HornToday

Independent media covering news and analysis from Horn of Africa | Get Breaking news alerts and updates @HornToday | HT considers accuracy & impartiality

[HornToday @HornToday]

BREAKING: Several buildings in Minneapolis engulfed in flames as violent riots continue in the streets. Looting now becomes widespread, with reports of looting happening miles away from the original protest location. #USA #minneapolisriots

[Sky News @SkyNews]

The US Navy has released footage from onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea last month as tensions with Iran remain high.

It comes as Iran's president instructed the country's foreign minister to 'pursue fair and equitable negotiations' with the US

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

𝗘𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 #𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 #𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹’𝘀 𝗿𝗲��𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱

#Turkey’#Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government will not accept Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, a move he said violates #Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Speaking in Egypt, Mr Erdogan said any steps taken in the future concerning Somalia and its northern region of Somaliland must reflect the will of all Somalis.

[Sky News @SkyNews]

Lord Mandelson has resigned his membership of the Labour Party to avoid causing it "further embarrassment" following the release of documents revealing his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

@JonCraig discusses what could be next for Lord Mandelson ⬇️

Latest 🔗 https://t.co/WeLdIjQm4J

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗙-𝟭𝟲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘂, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗽��𝘁𝗮𝗹.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

#Somalia’s prime minister has described Mogadishu as “one of the safest capitals in the world”, in what appeared to be a direct message to Puntland and Jubaland leaders.

He said some political actors remain trapped by memories of the city’s violent past.

The remarks came days after advance security teams of the Puntland and Jubaland leaders were denied entry mid-flight while travelling for election talks with the federal government. Officials said the teams were carrying heavy weapons and unusually large troop numbers.

Opposition leaders and regional officials rejected that explanation, saying the issue is trust, not security. They argue they cannot rely on security forces under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, citing unresolved past confrontations, including the Raskamboni Battle, where tensions remain unresolved.

[Sky News @SkyNews]

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned the United States that if it launches action, they will start a regional war

The comments are the most direct threat he's made so far.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

Fresh chaos in #Somalia’s parliament. MPs clash with police as security tightened ahead of plans to pass controversial constitutional amendments.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

#𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀

Somalia’s federal government on Sunday denied landing permission to aircraft carrying security personnel for the leaders of Jubaland and Puntland, ordering the planes to turn back while still in mid-air as the two regional presidents were due to attend election talks in Mogadishu on Monday.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/pHqzwaKoi7

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

🚨𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘂 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀

A number of international airlines operating flights to #Somalia’s capital have raised serious concerns about security at Aden Adde International Airport and in its surrounding areas.

Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines are said to have formally communicated their growing worries to the Somali Civil Aviation Agency, warning that deteriorating security conditions could affect their continued operations to Mogadishu.

The airlines have expressed fears that rising risks at the airport and its environs could endanger passengers, crew and aircraft. Sources say senior officials at the agency were briefed in detail on the perceived threats during discussions with representatives of the three carriers.

However, the same sources indicate that the civil aviation authority has yet to take tangible measures or provide a concrete response to address the concerns raised.

In their communications, the airlines reportedly made clear that they would be unable to continue flying to Mogadishu if the security issues were not resolved, citing the potential risk to the safety of their staff, passengers and assets.

A suspension of international flights to Somalia would have wide-ranging consequences, affecting the movement of people and goods, damaging the country’s civil aviation sector, and undermining its international standing and relations.

Somalia’s civil aviation authority has not publicly commented on the concerns raised by the airlines and has yet to issue an official response.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/1nkyHQRPjQ

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

A Russian drone strike on a passenger train in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region has killed at least five people. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the attack as an act of terrorism.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗲𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿��𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲-𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿.

The move has reignited political tensions, with opposition leaders and the regional states of Puntland and Jubaland calling for the nullification of earlier amendments they say were enacted without consultation with the country’s political stakeholders.

The standoff has further exposed deepening fractures in Somalia’s fragile constitutional process.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

#𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗠𝗣𝘀 𝗿��𝗽 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝗮𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

Somalia’s parliament descended into chaos on Wednesday, where lawmakers tore up papers containing proposed additional constitutional amendments that had been tabled for approval in a controversial move spearheaded by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

The disorder erupted shortly after MPs were presented with the agenda to debate the new changes introduced by the federal government. Proceedings quickly broke down, with shouting matches spreading across the chamber as some lawmakers blew whistles and disrupted the session.

Video footage from the hall showed the security minister, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartag, who is also a member of parliament, exchanging punches with MP Hassan Firinbi, underlining the severity of the confrontation and the extent to which the proposed amendments have inflamed political tensions.

The opposition, along with the leaders of the federal member states of Jubaland and Puntland, has already demanded that the government nullify earlier constitutional changes approved by parliament under the current president. They argue that those amendments were pushed through without proper consultation or consensus.

As tensions escalated, MPs tore up the agenda papers, making it impossible for proceedings to continue. The speaker of parliament and his deputies subsequently walked out, abruptly bringing the day’s sitting to a close.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/gqBBmJN8Nb

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

US President Donald Trump says he’s ordered an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile strike group to the Middle East as tensions soar with Iran.

[Narendra Modi @narendramodi]

Kartavya Path witnessed a powerful display of national pride as the Republic Day celebrations took place today.

Here are some more glimpses…

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗠𝗣𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁

Members of #Somalia's parliament have begun collecting signatures for a motion seeking to block any further amendments to the country’s provisional constitution, a process being pushed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

The move comes amid an escalating dispute over constitutional changes approved by parliament in recent years, which have remained deeply contentious.

The motion also challenges plans by the authorities for parliament to continue sitting beyond the end of its seventh session, a move lawmakers opposing the amendments say is intended to push through additional constitutional changes despite mounting opposition.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/PeWOOb6D0t

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

#𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁��𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀

Somalia’s National Future Council, a coalition bringing together opposition leaders and the presidents of Jubaland and Puntland states, has agreed to attend government-led talks aimed at ending a deepening political standoff over the country’s delayed elections.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the council said Somalia stood at a critical crossroads, warning that the nation’s unity and territorial integrity were under grave threat and required urgent protection. It cautioned that the prolonged political paralysis was creating fertile ground for militant groups, including Al-Shabaab, to exploit the uncertainty.

The council said it was prepared to engage in dialogue, stressing that the talks must be conducted in good faith and produce concrete outcomes. It called for a decisive end to the long-running dispute over the model and timetable for the parliamentary and presidential elections.

Earlier this week, the federal government announced it would convene talks with political stakeholders, responding to mounting pressure from the opposition to urgently resolve the electoral impasse. The announcement has been broadly welcomed by political actors across the country.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/Cp4mLTtpyh

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

#𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝘆 𝗰𝗵��𝗲𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶��𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘂 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝗔𝗘

Ethiopia’s intelligence chief, Ridwan Hussein, held closed-door talks on Tuesday with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud shortly after arriving in Mogadishu, a day after #Somalia said it had terminated all agreements with the United Arab Emirates.

The substance of the discussions was not disclosed, but sources said the talks focused on geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa. Hussein also delivered a letter from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to President Hassan Sheikh.

MORE 👉 https://t.co/HPuCOOV2LH

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

🚨#𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻��𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱

Somalia’s defence minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has indicated that he continues to regard Lasanod as part of Somaliland, despite the city currently serving as the capital of a federal member state.

In a Facebook post published on Tuesday, Mr Fiqi wrote: “We are travelling to Somaliland, particularly Lasanod, the capital of unity."

The remarks appeared to reaffirm Somaliland’s claim over the city, even as Lasanod functions as the administrative centre of the north-eastern Somalia federal member state.

[Somali Guardian @SomaliGuardian]

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 #𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗼��𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 #𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀

The Director of Somalia's Disaster Management Agency (SODMA) has blamed Ethiopia for the drying up of Somalia’s two main rivers amid a worsening drought, accusing the upstream neighbour of restricting water flows through the construction of large dams.

The official said Ethiopia has built major water infrastructure designed to capture and control river flows, holding back water during periods of shortage and releasing it during the rainy season. This, the official argued, leaves Somalia vulnerable at both extremes: acute water scarcity during droughts and severe flooding when excess water is released downstream.

According to the official, the controlled releases during the rainy season have contributed to flooding in Somalia, while prolonged retention of water upstream has exacerbated drought conditions as the rivers run dry.

The official urged the Somali government to develop a clear national policy to address the issue, warning that the absence of a coordinated approach risks deepening humanitarian, environmental and economic impacts linked to water scarcity and flooding.

Somalia’s two rivers are a lifeline for agriculture and livelihoods, and their depletion during drought periods has far-reaching consequences for food security and displacement. The official’s remarks underline growing concern over transboundary water management and the need for sustained dialogue and policy responses to safeguard Somalia’s water resources.

[Sky News @SkyNews]

BREAKING: According to reports, a parliamentary speaker in Iran has warned Donald Trump that any attack on Iran will lead to Tehran striking Israel and regional US bases as targets

https://t.co/5MpePzQTlm

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