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Somalia has denied allegations of establishing military bases and relocating Palestinians in exchange for Israel’s recognition. The allegations surfaced after Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Al Jazeera that Somalia had accepted three Israeli conditions, including the relocation of Palestinians, establishing a military base on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, and joining the Abraham Accords.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier today that Israel has officially recognized Somalia as an independent and sovereign state. Somalia’s Foreign Minister has confirmed that the country has joined the Abraham Accords, but denied any negotiations on the matter.
This comes after the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting at Somalia’s request. The move has sparked a strong reaction in Somalia, where thousands of citizens took to the streets on December 30, demanding unity and waving the Somali flag.
Over 50 countries have condemned Israel’s move, including Pakistan, and the African Union and the European Union have called for the protection of Somalia’s regional sovereignty. Somalia declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, but has yet to receive full international recognition.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern over Israel’s decision. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has withdrawn its troops after a counter-terrorism operation.
In other news, the South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has expressed willingness to facilitate negotiations between the United States and North Korea. The Dubai real estate market has recorded a 30.6% increase in rentals compared to last year, with a total of 2025 recorded transactions.
A driver in Dubai has been fined 10,000 dirhams for street racing and had his vehicle impounded. The Indian state of Kerala has seized over 1 million fake degrees from 22 universities.
The foreign ministers of Muslim countries have issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of basic infrastructure and hospitals in Gaza and the reopening of the Rafah crossing.
A video of a physical training class for men at the Ottoman Turkish Mosque in Bradford, UK has gone viral on social media, with over 2 million views on TikTok and Facebook.
The Canadian Transport Regulatory Agency has asked India to investigate a case of a pilot being drunk on duty.
The Saudi King Salman’s Humanitarian Center has provided aid packages to Afghanistan, but the Taliban has taken half of the aid for themselves.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has confirmed that he will be providing financial support to the Republican Party before the midterm elections in 2026.
Protests have been ongoing in Iran for five days, demanding an end to inflation and a devaluation of the currency. The UK’s Meteorological Office has issued amber and yellow warnings for snow, while Afghanistan has seen severe flooding and landslides, resulting in at least 17 deaths and 11 injuries.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense has said that recent military exercises near Taiwan were a demonstration of China’s military strength.
