East Africa

In Bosaso, five individuals linked to the al-Shabab terrorist group faced a Northeastern State military court. They were accused of transporting al-Shabab members for deadly missions in Bosaso using their vehicles. The prosecutor revealed that the men were apprehended after an inquiry into two murder cases in the area. The security police caught them along with their vehicle during the operation. Some of the suspects claimed they were coerced by al-Shabab threats, while others argued they were unaware of their association…

President William Ruto bids farewell to Deputy Rigathi Gachagua at JKIA before embarking on a three-day State visit to the US on May 19, 2024. President William Ruto has set off for a three-day state visit to the United States. He was seen off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday night by his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua and other top government officials. “This visit is significant as it marks the first State Visit by a Kenyan Head of State in two decades and the first by an African Head of State since 2008,”…

Iran has lost President Ebrahim Raisi in a tragic helicopter crash in a mountainous area due to poor weather conditions. Raisi, a key figure in Iranian conservative politics, served as president for almost three years and was likely to run for re-election. Born in Mashhad, a significant religious center in northeastern Iran, Raisi received religious training in Qom under notable scholars, much like Ayatollah Khamenei. He was recognized as a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, denoted by his black turban, similar to the…

In a recent development, former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has expressed his disagreement with the outcomes of the National Consultative Council meeting in Mogadishu, claiming that they are worsening political tensions in the country. Farmaajo criticized the decisions made at the meeting, stating that the absence of the Northeastern State leader hints at a lack of trust in the Council. He accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of going against federalization and the democratization of Somalia. "It's…

Somalia Urged to Take Firm Action Against Officials Violating Citizens' Rights A UN human rights expert urged Somalia to tackle serious security challenges. During a visit, Isha Dyfan emphasized the impact on civilians, particularly women and children, targeted by Al-Shabaab terrorists. The expert condemned the ongoing deadly attacks by Al-Shabaab and called for the government to ensure civilian protection and hold armed groups accountable under international law. She also stressed the need for the government to prosecute…

A court filing from Kenyan lawyers reveals their efforts to stop the deployment of police to Haiti to address escalating violence. The High Court has ordered government officials to respond to the lawsuit by June 12. Last July, Kenya offered to send 1,000 officers to Haiti in response to a plea for help. However, the High Court ruled in January that deployment could not proceed without a proper agreement with the Haitian government. President William Ruto signed a security deal with Haiti's former prime minister in March…

Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz is ready to quit if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't set a post-war plan for Gaza by June 8. Gantz wants six strategic goals, including ending Hamas rule and setting up an international civilian administration in Gaza. Gantz warned Netanyahu against leading the nation astray by choosing fanaticism over national interests. Netanyahu, however, dismissed Gantz's words, labeling them as defeatist. The political split over the war's direction intensifies as fighting continues in…

Visitors take in the sleek new domestic terminal at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on May 18, 2024. Ethiopian Airlines, the continent's top and quickest expanding carrier, unveiled a Chinese-designed domestic terminal in the capital city over the weekend. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) Africa's biggest and fastest-growing airline, Ethiopian Airlines, revealed a newly constructed domestic terminal in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, during a recent ceremony. The airline's latest 50 million-dollar…

In Mogadishu, the Somali Court of First Instance has handed down a death penalty to Daud Bashir Adow, a former military officer, for the intentional killing of Said Abdi Musa. The incident occurred in December 2024 at a barbershop, where a dispute over who would go first for a haircut led to the fatal shooting of Musa by Adow. Chairman Hassan Ali Nur Shute of the Somali National Armed Forces military court verified that the tragic event occurred in the Dharkenley district of Mogadishu.

In the central Gaza Strip, smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike on May 18, 2024 . Over the past week, approximately 800,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah in the southern Gaza city due to Israel's offensive, according to Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UNRWA. Lazzarini expressed deep sorrow over the consistent displacement of Palestinians in a statement issued on Saturday. "Throughout the conflict in Gaza, Palestinians have had to flee multiple times in search of safety, but they have never found it,…