Press Releases

UK: High Court ruling on asylum hotel ― 50,000 Channel crossings since 2024 general election ― More deaths of people on the move in Channel and northern France ― First people detained under recent UK-France deal ― NGOs urge political leaders to end div…

The High Court has ruled that asylum applicants who are being accommodated in a hotel in Essex have to be moved out. The number of people who have crossed the Channel in small boats since the change of government in July 2024 has exceeded 50,000....

5th Singapore-Africa Ministerial Exchange Visit (SAMEV), 26 - 28 August 2025

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will host the 5th Singapore-Africa Ministerial Exchange Visit (SAMEV) from 26 to 28 August 2025. SAMEV is a biennial platform hosted by Singapore since 2014 to strengthen links and encourage the...

Voter registration of Mogadishu’s municipal council elections is concluded by Somalia

(MENAFN) Reports indicate that Somalia has finished voter registration for the upcoming municipal council elections in Mogadishu, scheduled for October 30, marking what authorities describe as a historic moment in the nation’s democratic...

Somalia Rejects Ethiopia's Request for Joint Naval Drills

(MENAFN) Somalia has turned down a proposal from Ethiopia to take part in collaborative naval maneuvers within its own territorial waters, due to apprehensions over potential breaches of international maritime regulations and risks to its national...

Somalia Targets al-Shabab’s Finances in Major Crackdown

(MENAFN) The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has issued a stark warning to citizens and businesses, urging them to immediately cease any financial interaction with the al-Shabab militant group. This announcement is part of...

Ethiopia, Somalia Move to Restore Diplomatic Ties

(MENAFN) Ethiopia’s newly appointed envoy to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, has formally delivered his credentials to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, marking a move toward normalizing diplomatic relations after several months of strained...

Ethiopia Taps New Ambassador to Somalia to Ease Diplomatic Strains

(MENAFN) Ethiopia’s newly appointed ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, has formally handed over his credentials to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, marking a significant step toward easing diplomatic strains between the two nations....

Indonesia’s FM, Somalia counterpart come together to enhance collaboration

(MENAFN) The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Somalia met in Jakarta on Thursday and agreed to enhance collaboration across several key sectors, including trade, agriculture, maritime affairs, and education, according to reports....

Indonesia, Somalia Forge Stronger Bilateral Collaboration

(MENAFN) In a high-level meeting held Thursday in Jakarta, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono and Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali agreed to boost bilateral collaboration across multiple sectors, including trade, agriculture,...

US Passport Power Plummets to Historic Low

LONDON, Oct. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the first time since the Henley Passport Index was created 20 years ago, the United States is no longer ranked amongst the world’s Top 10 most powerful passports. Once unrivalled at No.1 in 2014, the...

Defence on SA firms registering notable trade leads at International Defence Exhibition in Türkiye

South African defence sector companies are generating significant trade leads at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF), currently underway in Istanbul, Türkiye. These companies, supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and...

Media reports Somalia declining neighbor’s request to join naval drills

(MENAFN) Somalia has turned down Ethiopia’s request to take part in joint naval exercises within Somali territorial waters, citing violations of international maritime law and threats to its sovereignty, according to local media reports on Monday....

Al-Shabaab seizes city in Somalia

(MENAFN) The Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group Al-Shabaab has taken control of Tardo, a key town in Somalia’s central Hiiran region, Reuters reported, citing a Somali military official. This advance is part of the group’s ongoing offensive that...

Turkish, Somali presidents meet to discuss their nations relations

(MENAFN) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Ankara on Friday for a private discussion focused on deepening bilateral ties and addressing regional developments, according to Türkiye’s...

Suicide booming strikes Somalia's capital

(MENAFN) A suicide bombing carried out by an al-Shabab militant struck a military academy in Somalia's capital on Wednesday, marking another assault in the group’s ongoing campaign, according to accounts from witnesses and police sources. A police...

Helicopter crash in Somalia kills peacekeepers

(MENAFN) A military helicopter operating under the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed on Wednesday morning at Mogadishu’s international airport, killing five personnel, according to official reports. The Mi-24 aircraft,...

Ugandan Military Chopper Crashes in Somalia's Capital

(MENAFN) The Ugandan military confirmed on Wednesday that one of its helicopters crashed in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, leaving five out of eight people aboard feared dead. Felix Kulayigye, spokesperson for the Ugandan military, shared with a...

MEDITERRANEAN: EU court rules in favour of parents on the move ― Italian Senate approves controversial security law ― Italy terminates contract with spyware firm following surveillance scandal ― Greek coastguard personnel charged over 2023 Pylos…

The Court of Justice of the EU has ruled that helping minors under one’s care to enter the EU is not a crime. The Italian Senate has passed the government’s controversial security law. Italy has ended its contracts with the Israeli cyber company...

Somali president proposes deal to US

(MENAFN) The United States may be preparing to expand its military presence in the Horn of Africa after Somalia’s federal government offered control of key infrastructure in two breakaway regions. In a letter leaked in March 2025, Somali President...

Chad president reciprocates US visa prohibition

(MENAFN) Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby announced that Chad will halt issuing visas to American citizens as a reciprocal measure against the US travel ban targeting Chadian nationals. The ban, signed by President Donald Trump, restricts...