Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} US President Joe Biden has issued an official pardon for his son Hunter, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases, despite previously ruling it out. In a statement, the president said his son had been “singled out” and called his cases “a miscarriage of justice”.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September, and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June – becoming the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.

Reacting to the pardon, President-elect Donald Trump said: “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the [6 January] Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump was referring to his supporters who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 in a bid to overturn Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election.

Joe Biden’s full and unconditional pardon for his son comes after the president had previously said he would not give him clemency.Just a couple of months ago, in September, the White House press secretary said that Biden would not issue a pardon for his son.

But on Sunday evening, President Biden said although he believed in the justice system, “politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice”.

“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” he said.

Biden said he wrestled with the decision, and added: “once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further.” “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” he said.

In a reaction statement, Hunter Biden said mistakes he made during the darkest days of his addiction had been “exploited to publicly humiliate and shame” his family for political sport.

“I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering,” the 54-year-old added.

The younger Biden has been sober for five-and-a-half years, his father said. This is not the first time a US president has pardoned a member of their family. Bill Clinton pardoned his younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, for a 1985 cocaine-related offence in 2001.

In 2020, Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of his daughter Ivanka. President-elect Trump has recently announced that Kushner will be the new ambassador to France.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine counts of federal tax fraud in September, for which he had been facing up to 17 years in prison. He was also convicted of three felonies in connection with a gun purchase in June, for which he had been facing up to 25 years in prison.

Sentencing for these cases had been scheduled for 12 and 16 December. His legal troubles had been a dark cloud over his father’s presidential campaign, which came to an end in July after Biden pulled out of the election race.

Biden endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate, who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump in November. Trump is set to take over the Oval Office from Biden on 20 January 2025 – Inauguration Day.

Source Aljaziira

Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} The Kenyan government has issued a flood alert following heavy rains affecting several parts of the country.

Disaster response teams have begun evacuating more than 240 households impacted by the ongoing floods nationwide, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration said in a statement issued on Friday evening in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Counties in the Lake Victoria Basin and northwestern regions have experienced heavy rainfall, leading to isolated cases of flooding, the ministry said.

“Disaster response teams, coordinated by national government administration officers, are monitoring the situation in various parts of the country and providing support to those affected,” the ministry said.

It added that flood alerts have been issued for northern and eastern Kenya, as well as parts of the coastal and Rift Valley regions, where storms are expected over the weekend but are likely to subside next week.

The ministry also noted that evacuations are underway in Kisumu, a lakeside city, where about 200 households have been affected and nearly 100 acres of crops have been destroyed.

“Residents of flood-prone areas who may be temporarily relocated for their safety are urged to cooperate with the response teams,” the statement added.

Earlier this year, unusual seasonal rains, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern, caused widespread disruption across Kenya, a country highly vulnerable to climate change.

Between March and June, heavy rains and floods claimed the lives of more than 300 people, injured 188 and left 38 missing. More than 293,200 people were displaced, and nearly 306,520 were affected, according to figures from the National Disaster Operation Center.

Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} Former Somali intelligence chief Fahad Yasin has delivered a blistering critique of the country’s opposition, accusing its leaders of focusing on obstruction.

In his remarks, delivered via a statement shared widely online, Yasin targeted the opposition’s perceived lack of vision. “Opposition should not simply be about standing against everything,” he wrote. “It is disappointing to see arguments not rooted in ideas or strategies.”

Central to his critique was what Yasin described as a glaring double standard. He contrasted the treatment of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—criticized for pushing through a contested constitution and overseeing elections without consensus—with that of Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe, who, he argued, has committed greater political transgressions. “How is it acceptable to praise Ahmed Madobe, whose administration has failed to conduct transparent, fair elections and has even altered the Jubaland constitution to extend his rule?” Yasin questioned.

Beyond the specific criticisms, Yasin’s statement echoed frustration with Somalia’s political culture. He noted the tendency of opposition groups to support regional administrations when they flout the law while condemning the federal government for similar actions. This inconsistency, Yasin argued, not only erodes political credibility but also deepens the country’s divisions.
The embattled former spy chief earlier called on Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to take a direct role in addressing the political crisis unfolding in Jubaland.

“The current approach risks setting dangerous precedents and further destabilizing Somalia’s already fragile political landscape,” he warned. “President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud knows the pain of principled opposition too well—he is now a victim of the same rhetoric he once wielded.”

Fahad Yasin, a former journalist with Al Jazeera, has been a polarizing figure in Somali politics. As the head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) under President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, Yasin faced allegations of politicizing the agency and suppressing dissent. His tenure was marred by controversies, including the unresolved disappearance of NISA officer Ikran Tahlil, which led to public outcry and intensified scrutiny of his leadership. In February 2022, Yasin was elected to Somalia’s parliament. However, the Federal Election Implementation Team annulled his victory due to alleged irregularities, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court, preventing him from assuming the seat. In September 2024, Yasin announced the end of his decade-long political alliance with former President Farmaajo, signalling a significant shift in Somalia’s political dynamics.

Yasin’s statement comes as the federal government grapples with criticism over constitutional reforms and electoral processes, and regional administrations, including Jubaland, face growing scrutiny for alleged undemocratic practices.

Source Hiiraan online

Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} The Ministry of Health in Somaliland has strongly dismissed a report by Hargeisa General Hospital that suggested an alarming rise in AIDS cases over the past two decades. Health officials have called the data inaccurate, unauthorized, and potentially harmful, emphasizing that the nation’s HIV prevalence remains low and is steadily declining.

The disputed report claimed that between 2004 and 2024, a total of 3,206 people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Somaliland. Of those, 2,481 patients received antiretroviral therapy, while 725 did not seek treatment due to personal reasons. The report also noted that in 2024 alone, 714 individuals were tested for the disease, with 103 cases confirmed, including 64 women and 39 men.

Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Mohamed Abdi Hergeye, addressed the issue during a World AIDS Day event in Hargeisa, where he urged the public not to panic. “The public should not be misled by unauthorized information. The hospital does not have the mandate to issue such reports,” Dr. Hergeye said.
Dr. Hergeye refuted these findings, asserting that Somaliland’s official data shows only 0.15% of the population is affected by HIV/AIDS. “Our efforts have significantly reduced the prevalence of HIV. It’s vital that we rely on verified data to maintain public trust and avoid unnecessary fear,” he added.

Somaliland began offering antiretroviral therapy in 2005 and has steadily expanded its response to the HIV epidemic. As of 2021, 1,868 people were living with HIV in the region, with 193 new cases reported that year. Public health initiatives have included free testing, treatment programs, and education campaigns to reduce stigma and promote prevention.

Despite progress, challenges persist. A 2017 demographic survey revealed that nearly half of Somaliland women aged 15-49 held discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS, highlighting the pervasive stigma that continues to hinder testing and treatment. In 2011, for instance, only 2.7% of women of reproductive age in Somaliland had been tested for HIV, according to a study published in the International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research.

The rejection of the Hargeisa General Hospital report is not the first time the Ministry has dismissed alarming claims about HIV prevalence. Earlier this year, health officials refuted statements from a police official who alleged an increase in infections. The Ministry stressed that only data from authorized sources should be trusted.

As Somaliland observes World AIDS Day, officials are urging institutions to work collaboratively with the Ministry to ensure accurate and transparent communication on health matters. “We cannot afford to let misinformation derail the progress we’ve made in addressing HIV/AIDS,” Dr. Hergeye said.

Somaliland remains committed to reducing HIV prevalence, safeguarding public health, and fostering a society free of stigma and discrimination. With continued efforts, the region aims to further diminish the impact of HIV/AIDS and improve the lives of those affected.

Source Hiiraan online

Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} Djibouti has assumed leadership of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) for December, placing the small but strategically vital nation at the center of Africa’s most pressing peace and security challenges. Ambassador Abdi Mahmoud Eybe, Djibouti’s Permanent Representative to the AU, leads the council at a time of deepening instability in the Horn of Africa and unresolved continental crises.

At the heart of Djibouti’s agenda is the Horn of Africa, where tensions are flaring over Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland to access a key port on the Gulf of Aden. Somalia, which views Somaliland as part of its territory, has condemned the deal as violating its sovereignty. Djibouti, uniquely positioned in this volatile region, has sought to ease tensions by temporarily granting Ethiopia limited port access.

Further complicating matters is the impending conclusion of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) at the end of December. The PSC must address delays in launching its successor, the African Union Stabilization and Support Mission to Somalia (AUSSOM), while managing disputes over troop contributions. Somalia has vehemently opposed Ethiopia’s involvement in AUSSOM, linking its participation to Ethiopia’s controversial agreement with Somaliland.

Beyond the Horn, Djibouti faces a packed agenda that includes the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has displaced millions, and the protracted unrest in Eastern Congo. Both crises reflect the broader difficulties of implementing the AU’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative, which aims to eliminate armed conflict by 2030.

Tensions over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) between Ethiopia and Egypt also persist, with Addis Ababa raising alarms over Egypt’s delivery of weapons to Somalia. These overlapping crises highlight the interconnected nature of Africa’s security landscape and the immense challenges facing the PSC.

Djibouti’s chairmanship began with the 11th Annual High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in early December. The seminar focused on counterterrorism, United Nations Security Council reforms, and strengthening coordination between the PSC and African members of the UN Security Council (A3 Plus). Later in the month, the PSC will convene a ministerial session to discuss Somalia’s post-ATMIS arrangements and engage in informal consultations with countries undergoing political transitions

Monday 2,Dec,2024{HMC} Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has dismissed allegations that a recent trilateral agreement between Eritrea, Somalia, and Egypt forms an “axis” against Ethiopia, calling the claims baseless propaganda designed to fuel regional mistrust.

In a Saturday evening interview on national television, Isaias emphasized that the trilateral agreement, signed in Asmara, is focused on promoting stability across the Horn of Africa, the Nile Basin, and the Red Sea. “Eritrea has no interest in seeing Ethiopia destabilized,” he stated, underscoring his nation’s commitment to fostering cooperation in one of the world’s most volatile regions.

The accusations come amid heightened tensions between Ethiopia and its neighbours following Addis Ababa’s controversial memorandum of understanding with Somaliland. This deal, aimed at securing access to a Red Sea corridor, has deepened Ethiopia’s rift with Egypt over Nile River resources and drawn quiet discontent from Eritrea.

Isaias condemned what he described as “foreign-backed disinformation campaigns” spread through traditional and social media platforms, warning that such narratives risk further inflaming regional conflicts.

President Isaias also took aim at Ethiopia’s political framework, describing the country’s 1994 constitution as “fundamentally flawed” and a key source of instability. He argued that Ethiopia’s unresolved internal conflicts, including the Tigray war and recent unrest in the Amhara region, have hindered its ability to contribute positively to regional peace.

The president linked Ethiopia’s prolonged border clashes with Eritrea to external interference but refrained from naming specific actors. He pointed to the TPLF’s rocket attacks on Eritrea during the Tigray conflict as evidence of destabilizing forces at play.

While much of the interview focused on Ethiopia, Isaias reiterated Eritrea’s commitment to fostering stability in Sudan. “The resolution of Sudan’s conflict ultimately lies with its people, but our historical ties compel us to support efforts toward peace,” he said.

Isaias also reflected on shifting global power dynamics, criticizing U.S. policies while questioning the potential for meaningful change under President-elect Donald Trump. “For three decades, U.S. influence has waned, and it faces growing challenges from rising powers like China and Russia,” he noted.

Despite strained ties with Washington, Isaias called for constructive engagement, urging Eritrea to prepare for partnerships that advance mutual interests. “We must focus on productive work that builds trust and cooperation,” he said.

Source Hiiraan online