Somalia’s al-Shabaab Islamic militants released a statement on Monday directed at “a number” of non-governmental and foreign agencies in Mogadishu. Accusing the agencies of collectively supporting President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, “against the Somali Muslim people and against the establishment of an Islamic state,” the al-Shabaab leaders banned several aid programs from continuing to operate in the country. Amongst those blacklisted: the United Nations Political Office for Somalia, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Department for Safety and Security. By late Monday, insurgents had already begun looting the UN buildings and barricading their entrances, though no foreign officials have yet been harmed. Somalia is facing its eighteenth straight year of civil war, with the internationally backed Ahmed government appearing increasingly fragile.
By a narrow 33-28 margin, Iceland’s parliament approved its application to the European Union, a decision that has sparked some backlash despite its promise of better economic security for the fiscally-devastated island nation. Officials in Brussels have welcomed the move by Iceland, given its democratic history and its already established position in the European Economic Area. But the same objections that were raised in past attempts were cited again by Icelandic politicians who fear that several of Iceland’s main industries may suffer from European Union fishing and agriculture regulations. Close to forty percent of Iceland’s exports come from its vast fisheries. Still the stability of the euro is appealing to those concerned with stabilizing Iceland’s bankrupt financial institutions. Now that the application vote appears to be standing, entry talks may begin early next year.
The United States will sign one of the world’s largest arms deals with India today, American officials report. The agreement would allow for the sale of “sophisticated” arms to India, a nation which plans to buy 126 multi-role U.S. combat aircraft. The deal would also allow Washington to begin “end-use monitoring” so the United States can ensure that its arms are being used for their intended purposes. Many point out, however, that the success of the arms deal is contingent upon U.S. companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corporation beating out international offers to supply the combat aircraft to India. After the arms deal is signed, the United States hopes to secure contracts for American companies to build two nuclear power plants, worth up to $10 billion. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is currently in India to finalize the arms deal, normalize Pakistani-Indian relations, and lobby for reduced carbon emissions. On Sunday, Clinton failed to convince New Delhi to sign an emissions reduction agreement–the Indian environment minister “clearly and categorically” rejecting “legally binding emissions reductions.”
Following in the footsteps of the recently ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, the president of Nicaragua has announced his intention to seek a second term through a constitutional referendum. President Daniel Ortega’s announcement on Sunday came during a 30th anniversary celebration of the Sandinista revolution he led which toppled the 45-year dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza. Ortega announced that he will not deny the Nicaraguan people “the right to choose” their leaders and that it was up to Nicaraguan citizens to decide “whom to reward or punish.” Ortega has recently played off of popular anti-U.S. sentiment amongst his supporters, condemning U.S. military bases in Colombia which he claim “continue [an] arms race in Latin America.” Although Zelaya’s attempt to stay in office resulted in his forced removal, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia, and Rafael Correa of Ecuador have all successfully used referendums to stay in power.