Eye on Africa

MINNEAPOLIS — In a winter of raids, fear and strobe-lit confrontations, a fried, triangular pastry became an unlikely emblem of resistance. As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in masks flooded the Twin Cities over the past two months, Somali Minnesotans met them not only with phones, whistles and signs, but with sambusas — crisp, fragrant parcels of spiced meat and vegetables — pressed into the hands of neighbors and strangers alike. “Food brings people together in our culture,” said community organizer…

The World Health Organization announced that Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, a milestone that clears the country of a disease long linked to poverty and limited access to hygiene and eye care. The validation makes Libya the 28th country worldwide and the eighth in its region to reach this specific target for trachoma, the WHO said. Trachoma is an infectious eye disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It spreads through contact with infected eye discharge on hands, clothing or by…

Tinubu Signs Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, Sparking Mixed Reactions In a significant move to reform Nigeria's electoral framework, President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law. During the announcement, he emphasized that the primary goal of the amendments is to enhance the integrity of electoral processes, asserting that the revisions are not tailored to benefit specific political interests. "Lessons from past elections have guided our efforts to close procedural gaps and build…

Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting at the Presidential Palace that formally opened a consultative conference with leaders of the Somali Future Council, launching talks aimed at resolving disputes over elections and constitutional reform. The government-opposition dialogue — expected to run several days — begins amid rising political tension and with fewer than three months left in the government’s term, a compressed timeline that has…

Gabon Suspends Social Media Amid Rising Tensions Gabon’s media regulator has announced a sweeping suspension of all social media platforms, a drastic measure attributed to the escalating conflict and deepening societal divisions within the country. This decision reflects the government's increasing scrutiny of online content, deemed damaging to public order. In a televised statement, the High Authority for Communication highlighted several factors leading to the suspension, citing the pervasive spread of false…

Tragedy Strikes in Plateau State: Carbon Monoxide Leak Claims Lives of Miners At least 33 miners have been reported dead in Plateau State following a suspected carbon monoxide leak at a lead and zinc mine operated by Solid Unity Nigeria Ltd. The incident has raised serious questions about safety protocols within Nigeria's mining industry. The toxic gas is believed to have accumulated in poorly ventilated tunnels, leading to a catastrophic collapse of workers who were near the end of their night shift. More than 20…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Counter Terrorism Policing Unit said Wednesday it foiled a planned terrorist attack in Nairobi and seized a cache of weapons and explosives allegedly linked to suspected al-Shabab operatives. In a statement dated Feb. 18, the unit said the operation capped months of surveillance in which investigators tracked suspects’ movements, communications and logistics. Acting on intelligence, officers executed coordinated raids that led to the recovery of firearms, explosive devices and ammunition believed to…

Thursday, February 19, 2026 MOGADISHU — Oman’s low-cost carrier SalamAir will launch the first direct Muscat-to-Mogadishu flights on Sept. 3, 2026, establishing a new nonstop air link between the Gulf and the Horn of Africa via Aden Adde International Airport. The airline said it will operate two weekly services between Muscat International Airport and Mogadishu, positioning the route as an affordable short-haul option for travelers across the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Somali diaspora. One-way Lite fares will start…

‘People and livestock are equal in hunger’: Drought leaves pastoralists in Somalia’s Sanag region without water, medicine or markets In northern Somalia’s Sanag region, a yearslong drought has hollowed out pastoral life. Livestock are dying, markets have stalled, and families who once lived self-sufficiently off goats and camels are rationing water by the cup and living on credit they can no longer repay. For Mohamed Ali Salad, a pastoralist in Gurmale village, the collapse is measured in animals lost. His herd of 200 goats…

Liberal Party roiled by leaked plan to ban migration from parts of 13 countries Australia’s Liberal Party is scrambling to contain internal fallout after a hardline migration proposal, developed in former leader Sussan Ley’s office after the Bondi terror attack and never taken to shadow cabinet, was leaked to media. New opposition leader Angus Taylor moved quickly to distance himself from the plan on Monday night, as senior figures said they were blindsided by its contents and the way it was crafted. Guardian Australia…