Taiwan condemns Somalia travel ban
Taiwan has condemned Somalia for banning travellers with Taiwanese passports from entering or transiting through the East African country.
The ban took effect on Wednesday following an order issued by Somali aviation authorities last week, Taiwan's foreign ministry said.
Somalia is yet to comment on the ban which comes as Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by China, boosts ties with Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia 34 years ago, but remains mostly unrecognised internationally.
In 2020, Somaliland and Taiwan set up embassies in each other's capitals, angering both China and Somalia.
Somalia's civil aviation authority issued a notice to airlines saying that Taiwanese passports "will no longer be valid for entry into or transit through the Federal Republic of Somalia" from 30 April, Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
Somaliland and Taiwan: Two territories with few friends but each other
"The ministry of foreign affairs has strongly protested Somalia's action made under the instigation of China to restrict the travel freedom and safety of Taiwanese nationals and has demanded that the Somali government immediately revoke the notice," the ministry said.
It condemned Somalia's "misinterpretation" of UN Resolution 2758 by linking it with the "one China" principle.
The ministry urged Taiwanese against traveling to Somalia or Somaliland for their own safety before Somalia reverses the ban, Taiwanese media reported.
Neither Somaliland nor Somalia has commented.
China said it "highly appreciates" the ban, calling it a "legitimate measure" that "reflects Somalia's firm adherence to the one-China principle", Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told journalists on Wednesday, according to the AFP news agency.
Taiwan has its own constitution and holds regular, multiparty elections to choose its own leaders.
China insists Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force if necessary to bring the island under its control.
Following a diplomatic push by China, Taiwan - officially known as the Republic of China - is only recognised by a handful of countries.
Somaliland, which is not recognised by any other sovereign state, unilaterally declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the dictatorial regime in Somalia led by the late General Mohamed Siad Barre.
Somaliland also holds regular elections, while many parts of Somalia are under the control of the al-Shabab militant group, which is linked to al-Qaeda.
Somalia sees Somaliland as part of its territory and has condemned Ethiopia for striking a deal with the Somaliland authorities to lease one of its ports.
What's behind China-Taiwan tensions?
The unrecognised nation where 15-year-olds vote
eSwatini - Taiwan's last friend in Africa
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37 minutes ago
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Temu Attacks Remind Us U.S. Politicians Were Never Stopping At TikTok
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Yahoo
an hour ago
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Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq sink as Israel strike on Iran sends oil soaring
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Economic data: University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (June preliminary) Earnings: No notable earnings releases. Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: What analysts are watching as MidEast war risks loom Oil surges as Israel strikes on Iran stoke tensions This year's stock rally is about more than the 'Magnificent 7' Gold jumps after Israel launches strikes on Iran Israel hits Iran, warns more attacks to come Robotaxi wars: How Waymo got the edge on Tesla (so far) Oil outlook in flux as analysts revise views after Israel strike US dollar rises in rush to safety after Israel strikes Iran President Trump weighed in early Friday with his first comments on the escalating situation in the Middle East. On Truth Social, he posted a screed urging Iran to "make a deal." The only event on Trump's public schedule today is national security council meeting at 11 a.m. ET. 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Markets reacted swiftly to the news, with the three major gauges all plunging over 1%. Gold (GC=F) and oil prices surged with investors scurrying to safer assets, hoping to avoid the worst of a financial shake up. Iran is the third largest producer of oil within OPEC+, and the attack has caused prices to surge over 5%. Brent crude (BZ=F) futures jumped 5.5% to $73.27 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate surged 5.9% to $72.05 a barrel. Gold (GC=F) popped 0.9% to $3,434.40 an ounce. A retaliatory attack from Iran against Israel is expected imminently, with a "special situation" being declared by the Isreali defense minister. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took "unilateral action", clarifying that the US was not involved in the strikes ahead of a sixth meeting between the US and Iran on Sunday. Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Kenya police officer arrested over blogger's death in custody
A Kenyan police officer has been arrested in connection with the death of Albert Ojwang, a political blogger who died in police custody, in a case that has reignited anger over police abuse and triggered street protests in Nairobi. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said on Friday that a constable had been taken into custody, the AFP news agency reported. He did not give further information, referring queries to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is leading the investigation. There was no immediate comment from the IPOA. Ojwang, 31, was declared dead on Sunday, two days after his arrest in the town of Homa Bay in western Kenya for allegedly criticising the country's deputy police chief Eliud Lagat. The police initially claimed Ojwang fatally injured himself by banging his head against a cell wall, but an autopsy revealed injuries that pathologists said were 'unlikely to be self-inflicted'. The government's own pathologist found signs of blunt force trauma, neck compression and soft tissue injuries, suggesting an assault. Independent pathologist Bernard Midia, who assisted with the post-mortem, also ruled out suicide. Amid growing pressure, President William Ruto on Wednesday said Ojwang had died 'at the hands of the police', reversing earlier official accounts of his incident has added fuel to longstanding allegations of police brutality and extrajudicial killings in Kenya, particularly following last year's antigovernment demonstrations. Rights groups say dozens were unlawfully detained after the protests, with some still unaccounted for. Earlier this week, five officers were suspended to allow for what the police described as a 'transparent' inquiry. On Thursday, protesters flooded the streets of the capital, waving Kenyan flags and chanting 'Lagat must go', demanding the resignation of the senior police official Ojwang had criticised. Ruto on Friday pledged swift action and said that his administration would 'protect citizens from rogue police officers'. While Ruto has repeatedly promised to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, human rights groups accuse his government of shielding security agencies from accountability. According to IPOA, 20 people have died in police custody in just the past four months. The death of Ojwang, a vocal online critic, has become a symbol of growing public frustration with unchecked police power. International pressure is mounting, with both the United States and European Union calling for a transparent and independent investigation into Ojwang's death.
