More than a month after the floods, Indonesia’s survivors are still residing in complete ruin and frantically trying to survive. Jessica Washington from Aceh uploaded this update to Al Jazeera.
In exchange for Israel’s recognition, Somaliland has refuted claims that it agreed to host Israeli military installations and resettle Palestinians who had fled Gaza.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in contrast, said its cooperation with Israel was “purely diplomatic” and carried out “in full respect of international law” on Thursday.
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The president of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, made the denial in response to accusations that the country had accepted three demands from Israel, including the establishment of a military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and adhering to the Abraham Accords, which would normalize relations with Israel.
As Hargeisa officials pressed for recognition, reports began to surface that Somaliland was interested in supporting Israel’s widely criticized goal of ethnic cleansing Palestinians.
Contrary to other nations rumored to be of interest to Israel, Somaliland’s foreign minister stated that no discussions had taken place regarding the matter but stopped short of rejecting the possibility.
Only the most recent condition has been made known in the eyes of the public.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that Somaliland would support the Abraham Accords by saying that he wanted to “support a democratic, moderate country, a Muslim country, that wants to join the Abraham Accords.”
After more than three decades of unsuccessful attempts by the breakaway region of Somalia, Israel became the first nation to grant the nation its first official statehood last week.
“A cover for Israeli objectives”
According to Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, Somaliland’s president Abdurrahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, plans an official visit to Israel in the coming weeks.
According to sources, Abdullahi’s official engagement with the Abraham Accords could start as early as January 2nd, according to sources.
During a video call to announce the mutual recognition, Netanyahu initially invited Cirro.
The president of Somalia reaffirmed that Israel’s recognition “was not just a diplomatic gesture but a cover for specific, high-stakes Israeli strategic objectives.”
He alleged that Israel would “export its problem to the Horn of Africa” and that it would “open a box of evils in the world” as a result.
Analysts point to the region’s strategic position at the entrance to the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthis imposed a naval blockade on Israeli-linked shipping before the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza and fired rockets at Israel, despite the country’s continued libel.
According to a report released in November by the Israeli think tank Institute for National Security Studies, “Somaliland’s territory could serve as a front base” for Houthis’ intelligence surveillance and “a platform for direct operations” against them.
According to the statement made by Somaliland’s former intelligence chief, Mostafa Hasan, earlier this week, the Houthis claimed any Israeli presence would constitute a declaration of war.
concerns and condemnation
Regional concerns were downplayed by Somaliland’s foreign minister on Wednesday, telling Israel’s i24NEWS that while some nations “feel Israel establishing a relationship will cause their downfall,” these worries were unfounded.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Mogadishu, Baidoa, Dhusamareb, Las Anod, and other cities on December 30 to demand unity and waving Somali flags.
The African Union and the European Union both criticized Israel’s decision, while more than 50 nations criticized the decision.
Despite the backlash, Somaliland’s president promised that “many more nations will soon formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland” on New Year’s Eve.
Despite maintaining its own government, currency, and military, the region declared independence from Somalia in 1991 during a civil war, but it has never received international recognition.
In a sweeping show of solidarity with Palestinians, hundreds of thousands of people are marching through Istanbul to protest Israel’s condemnation of the genocide in Gaza and refute claims that a ceasefire has had any lasting impact.
Despite freezing temperatures, protesters gathered on the city’s historic Galata Bridge on Thursday, many of whom waving Palestinian and Turkish flags.
The march, which was organized by civil society organizations in conjunction with Turkish football clubs, was held with the message “We won’t stay silent, we won’t forget Palestine.”
More than 400 organizations from the civil society took part in the rally, which highlights Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza. One of the largest pro-Palestine demonstrations Turkiye has seen since Israel’s war started was led by several major football clubs to call on their supporters to attend.
Dursun Ozbek, the president of Galatasaray Football Club, characterized Israel’s actions as a moral recompense for the world.
In a video message shared on X, Ozbek said, “We will not get used to this silence.” We stand up for humanity by standing up for the rights of oppression.
[Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu via Getty Images] An aerial view of Palestinian flag-carrying boats around Galata Bridge
A “slow-motion genocide”
From the Galata Bridge, Al Jazeera’s Turkiye correspondent Sinem Koseoglu reported that Palestine is still a subject of national consensus. She claimed that the issue involves candidates from major opposition parties, drawing together supporters of the ruling AK Party.
As people crowded the bridge and nearby streets, Koseoglu said, “Today people are trying to show their support on the first day of the new year.”
About 500,000 people participated in the march, according to police sources and the Anadolu state news agency.
Maher Zain, a born in Lebanon, performed “Free Palestine” to a crowd of raised flags during speeches and performances.
Many demonstrators also objected to Israel’s ceasefire plan during the protest.
Koseoglu said, “These people here do not believe in the ceasefire.” They posit that the genocide is being slowed down by the current ceasefire rather than a real ceasefire.
On January 1, 2026, thousands of people gathered across Istanbul to demand a stop to the genocidal war in Gaza. [Muhammed Ali Yigit/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Koseoglu claimed protesters prefer sustained international pressure over symbolic measures, despite the fact that Turkiye has restricted trade with Israel and barred its airspace and ports.
She said, “The main goal here is to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people and prevent the world from forgetting what is happening in Gaza,” adding that many people believe the ceasefire is “very fragile.”
Turkey has established itself as one of Israel’s most vehement critics and assisted in the United States’ effort to implement a ceasefire that was announced in October.
As Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the internationally renowned Presidential Leadership Council, issued a warning against unilateral military actions by southern separatists, tensions are still high in Yemen.
Al-Alimi warned that serious consequences would result from further advancements by separatists from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces.
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His warning came after STC forces took control of the resource-rich provinces in a surprise offensive in December. Riyadh claimed that the United Arab Emirates is trying to smuggle the STC, and Riyadh warned that Yemen’s security is threatened by the STC’s presence in Yemeni provinces that border Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s security is being supported by the UAE, which has refuted those claims.
The STC, in contrast, has rejected al-Alimi’s rule and vowed that its fighters will remain in the provinces that Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government want them to leave.
The organization announced a new agreement on Wednesday night that would increase its presence further by putting additional separatist forces there. Official responses to this announcement have not been made by the Yemeni government or Saudi Arabia.
In a video posted on X, STC spokesperson Mohammed al-Naqeeb stated that the group’s units would continue operating in the seized areas. However, he added that they would be coordinated with the Saudi-led coalition and the “Homeland Shield” forces.
a solitary withdrawal
Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout, claimed that the STC’s response to official requests for a withdrawal had been constrained.
He urged the separatists to leave Hadramout and return to their original positions in an Arabic interview with Al Jazeera. He claimed he hoped there would be no bloodshed and that continued defiance could lead to province-level hostility.
After two ships leaving Fujairah, the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on weapons and military vehicles at the port of Mukalla on Tuesday. STC is in charge of Mulla.
Saudi Arabia claimed that the UAE was sending military equipment to the STC as its troops gained access to Hadramout and al-Mahra, calling it a “red line.”
The accusation was refuted in Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE described the allegations as “allegations,” but it later announced that Yemen’s “counterterrorism” teams had finished their last mission.
The STC, which wants to annex southern Yemen, made its most recent military moves in early December, disregarding local and regional calls for resumption.
As partygoers celebrated the new year’s eve in a ski resort early on Thursday morning, “dozens” of people were killed and more than 100 others were hurt, according to Swiss police.
What transpired?
According to a statement released on Thursday, a fire broke out at 1: 30 am (00:30 GMT) at Le Constellation, a bar in the heart of the posh Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana in southwest Switzerland.
The border with Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is about 200 kilometers south of Crans-Montana.
According to Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in Wallis canton in southwest Switzerland, “there has been an explosion of unknown origin.”
The town’s bar is a well-known tourist destination. More than 100 people were present at the time of the incident, according to Swiss media outlet Blick, citing police.
What are the victims’ details known to us?
Without giving an exact number, Frederic Gisler, the police commander in the Valais Canton in southwest Switzerland, told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that “several dozens” of people were presuming to be dead. More than 100 people were injured, he added.
The Italian foreign ministry later reported that about 40 people had died, according to the Italian foreign ministry, quoting Swiss police.
According to a source in the medical sector, burn victims have flooded hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland. According to regional councillor Mathias Renard, the majority of the injured were in serious condition. Some victims, according to police, were from other nations.
He continued that the intensive care unit at Valais Hospital is full and that patients are being moved elsewhere.
On January 1, 2026, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, a fire that broke out during a celebration of the new year, injuring and killing people, in Crans-Montana.
What has the government done?
10 helicopters, 40 ambulances, and 150 firefighters responded to the scene after being called to the fire. According to the police, the majority of the injured have “significant” burns or “significant” injuries. The Valais hospital has treated many patients.
A no-fly zone over Crans-Montana has been established, and the area around the bar has been completely closed off to the general public.
There is no current information on the possible causes of the fire.
Although we’re only just starting to investigate, Lathion referred to this as an “internationally renowned ski resort with a lot of tourists.”
The Valais canton’s prosecutor-general, Beatrice Pilloud, stated at the press conference that “we are currently favoring a fire and there is no question of any attack.”
Lathion added that a support line and reception desk (+1 41 848 112 117) have been established to assist families who have been affected. He continued, “The intervention is still ongoing.”
How frequent is this kind of incident in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, incidents like this are uncommon; recent fires and explosions have been minor.
In northern Switzerland, a blast that left two people dead in an underground parking garage and inflicted 11 injuries on two in June 2024 led to the discovery of the bodies of two people who had been killed. Local authorities confirmed that homemade fireworks had caused the explosion.
3, 000 tonnes of World War II ammunition that had been buried in the mountains above Mitholz, were the site of perhaps the biggest explosion in Swiss history in December 1947 at Mitholz Ammunition Depot. There were nine fatalities and several injuries.
