Somalia is prepared to grant the United States exclusive control over key air bases and ports, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated in a letter to President Donald Trump on March 16, as seen by Reuters.

The proposed assets include the Balidogle and Berbera air bases as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.

The move, if accepted, would strengthen the U.S. military presence in the Horn of Africa, offering strategic advantages in countering Islamist militant threats in Somalia and the broader region.

“These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor,” the letter read.

However, the offer has sparked tensions with Somaliland, a self-declared independent region where the Berbera air base and port are located. Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden dismissed Somalia’s proposal, emphasizing that the U.S. would deal directly with Somaliland instead.

“The USA gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The USA is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation,” Aden told Reuters.

The Balidogle air base, located 90 km northwest of Mogadishu, and Bosaso port in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland are also part of the deal. The Somali government has yet to provide an official response regarding potential diplomatic fallout.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Sunday, threatening military action and economic sanctions if Tehran refuses to negotiate on its nuclear program.

Speaking in an NBC News interview, Trump declared that if Iran does not reach an agreement with Washington, “there will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”

His remarks follow Iran’s rejection of direct negotiations with the U.S. last week.

Instead, Iranian officials confirmed that indirect discussions are ongoing, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allowing diplomatic exchanges through intermediaries.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran would not engage in direct talks while facing Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign.

Trump also floated the possibility of reintroducing secondary tariffs, similar to those imposed during his first term.

These penalties would target countries and entities that conduct business with Iran, further isolating the nation economically. The president hinted that similar measures could be applied to Russia and Venezuela.

In 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reimposing severe sanctions. Since then, Iran has significantly expanded its uranium enrichment program, raising concerns among Western nations that Tehran could be advancing toward nuclear weapons capability—a charge Iran denies, insisting its nuclear ambitions are purely civilian.

The death toll from Myanmar’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake has surged to approximately 1,700, with more than 3,400 injured and over 300 still missing, as rescue operations intensify across the war-torn nation.

The quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, struck on Friday, leaving behind widespread destruction and overwhelming hospitals in affected regions.

The country’s military government, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has warned that fatalities could continue to rise as search efforts progress.

The disaster comes amid ongoing civil unrest following the 2021 military coup, which has crippled Myanmar’s infrastructure and health system.

In response to the crisis, international aid has begun pouring in, with India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia sending relief supplies and emergency teams.

The United States has pledged $2 million in humanitarian assistance, with a USAID response team en route.

However, damaged bridges, highways, and railways have slowed relief efforts, while reports indicate that some of the hardest-hit communities remain without government support.

“The destruction has been extensive, and humanitarian needs are growing by the hour,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement.

Hospitals in cities like Mandalay and Naypyitaw are struggling to cope with the influx of injured survivors.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Service predicts the final death toll could exceed 10,000, with economic losses surpassing Myanmar’s annual GDP.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has vowed to retake Khartoum, despite recent losses to the Sudanese army.

In his first public remarks since RSF forces withdrew from much of the capital last week, Dagalo—commonly known as Hemedti—said the retreat was a “tactical decision” and promised a comeback.

“We will return to Khartoum stronger, more powerful, and victorious,” he declared in an audio message on Telegram.

The army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been consolidating its control over the capital region, recently capturing a key market in Omdurman that RSF forces had used for attacks.

The military already dominates much of Omdurman, which, along with Khartoum and Bahri, forms the heart of the war-torn capital area.

Burhan has ruled out any reconciliation with the RSF, vowing to crush the paramilitary group. The conflict, which erupted from a power struggle between the two factions, has devastated Sudan, displacing over 12 million people and pushing half of the country’s 50 million citizens into acute hunger.

A study last year estimated that the war may have killed 61,000 people in Khartoum state alone during its first 14 months. As fighting intensifies, Sudan’s humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with no resolution in sight.