Red Sea Security & Trade Disruption: Iran-backed Houthi forces have begun enforcing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening shipping through Bab al-Mandeb (“Gate of Tears”) and raising risks for Horn of Africa supply routes, with piracy and regional rivalries adding pressure. Horn of Africa Spillover: The same corridor is increasingly shaped by overlapping conflicts, including Sudan’s civil war converging with the Ethiopia-Eritrea crisis, while northern Somalia faces new tensions tied to Gulf rivalries. Somaliland Prisoner Talks: The Somali Ulema Council urged Somaliland and the Northeastern state to speed up peace talks and prisoner exchanges after visiting detainees in Las Anod and planning further meetings in Hargeisa. Religious Violence & Public Safety: A man in Somaliland was reportedly poisoned to death after converting to Christianity, with sources citing ouabain as the cause. Security Sector Sustainability: Somalia’s army-building problem is less training than keeping troops paid, equipped, and deployed—an issue that can undermine stability as external forces transition out. Culture Under Climate Stress: An art feature highlights how climate change is eroding materials used in the Somali xeedho wedding tradition, now flagged by UNESCO for urgent safeguarding.