Garissa MCAs risk losing seats over absenteeism, speaker says

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOSaturday May 9, 2026 Garissa County Assembly Speaker Abdi Idle speaking to journalists in his office. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO Garissa County Assembly Speaker Abdi Idle has issued a stark warning to MCAs who repeatedly skip sittings, saying prolonged absenteeism could cost them their seats under the assembly’s standing orders. Addressing reporters in his office, Idle said the pattern of missing House business was hampering the assembly’s work and slowing down the passage of key motions and bills intended to serve…

Russia holds scaled-back Victory Day parade amid renewed calls for truce

Under the shadow of possible Ukrainian strikes, Russia staged its most stripped-down Victory Day parade in years, a stark departure from the grand military spectacles that once defined 9 May as Moscow still struggles to secure the triumph it promised in the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. The parade on Red Square marks Russia’s most important national holiday, commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany and honoring the 27 million Soviet citizens who died in the war, including many from Ukraine. Long…

Somali President arrives in Djibouti for Guelleh inauguration

Saturday May 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Djibouti City on Friday at the head of a Somali delegation, joining regional leaders for the inauguration of Djibouti’s re-elected President, Ismail Omar Guelleh. At the airport, the Somali president and his delegation were welcomed by Djibouti Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed and other senior officials, a reception that highlighted the long-standing ties and cooperation between the two neighboring countries. President Hassan…

7 Everyday Foods That Help Reduce Belly Fat Quickly

These Foods May Help Burn Belly Fat, Dietitian Says Top dietitian Tara Collingwood shares seven everyday foods that can aid in reducing belly fat effectively. Trimming belly fat often combines diet and exercise, but some foods are particularly effective at burning fat, according to Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a board-certified sports dietitian and co-author of Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. She recently shared her favorite fat-burning foods, highlighting seven that may help quickly shrink belly fat.…

Farmaajo urges inclusive election deal before Mohamud’s term ends

Saturday May 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has urged the country’s leaders to use the final days of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term to build an inclusive electoral process that all political stakeholders can accept, warning that failure to do so could deepen instability. In remarks on Friday, Farmaajo said Friday, May 15, 2026, will mark the end of President Hassan Sheikh’s constitutional term, and he emphasized that Somalia now needs broad agreement on the path ahead for…

South Sudan’s humanitarian needs continue to rise across the country

On the frontlines of a deepening humanitarian emergency, the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) and its more than 19,000 volunteers continue to deliver life-saving aid across the country — a relentless effort that the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement is marking today by honoring the volunteers and staff who show up for people in crisis. "South Sudanese people continue to face severe humanitarian consequences, driven by relentless conflict and violence, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and a struggling economy in a…

WHO says six hantavirus cases have been confirmed so far

A hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship has left three people dead and six others confirmed infected, prompting a World Health Organization warning and plans to fly American passengers back to the United States. "As of 8 May, a total of eight cases, including three deaths (case fatality ratio 38%), have been reported. Six cases have been laboratory-confirmed as hantavirus infections, with all identified as Andes virus (ANDV)," it said in a statement. "WHO assesses the risk to the global population posed by this event as…

North Western State of Somalia delegation holds trade, investment talks with Israeli representatives

Saturday May 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — North Western State of Somalia stepped up its push for foreign investment on Thursday, as a delegation led by Trade and Tourism Minister Abdirahman Hassan Nur met with Israeli business representatives in Addis Ababa to explore deeper commercial ties. In a statement, North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Trade and Tourism said the discussions centered on broadening economic cooperation across agriculture, energy, technology, infrastructure, financial services and healthcare. The…

Wales First Minister loses seat in Senedd election

Wales’ political landscape has been jolted by a landmark defeat: First Minister Eluned Morgan has lost her Senedd seat in a crushing election for Welsh Labour. Her defeat makes history as the first time a sitting Welsh leader has been unseated in an election to the Welsh parliament. Labour has governed Wales since the Senedd was created as the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, and the party has remained the country’s largest political force for more than 100 years. Ms Morgan’s exit caps a punishing day for Labour in Wales…

Police say German bank hostage-taking ends with no injuries

A dramatic hostage ordeal at a bank in western Germany ended with a special police unit freeing two people from a vault unharmed, but the suspects had already vanished and remained at large, police said. When officers moved into the branch in Sinzig, they found no trace of the attackers, according to police. Investigators now believe that "immediately after locking the individuals in the vault, the perpetrator or perpetrators left the scene by means as yet unknown", authorities said in a statement. The incident began at…