By Morgan PhillipsThursday May 14, 2026 When President Donald Trump heads to China this week with hundreds of aides, security personnel and officials in tow, many of them will intentionally leave one of the most familiar tools of public life at home: their everyday cellphones. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) As Trump and his delegation prepare for the trip, U.S. officials are once again relying on tightly controlled communications practices meant to reduce the chances of surveillance, hacking or unwanted data collection in a…

Thursday May 14, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s electoral commission on Thursday released the outcome of Southwest State’s unified elections, announcing that the Justice and Unity Party secured a majority in the regional House of Representatives. Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, chairman of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, said the May 10 vote proceeded peacefully in 13 districts across Southwest State. The elections were held to fill seats in the regional House of Representatives and elect members of…

By: Alex Seabrook Local democracy reporterThursday May 14, 2026 A refugee who escaped conflict in Somalia is now set to spend the coming year as Bristol’s lord mayor, taking on the city’s ceremonial top job and serving as one of its most visible public figures. Cllr Yassin Mohamud outside of Bristol City Hall (Image: Bristol Green Party) Green councillor Yassin Mohamud was installed as lord mayor for the new civic year at a full council meeting on Tuesday, May 12. The role is largely ceremonial, but it carries symbolic…

Thursday May 14, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government and opposition leaders left the table Wednesday without a deal after hours of hard-fought talks over the country’s contested electoral roadmap, according to sources familiar with the meeting. The negotiations took place within the tightly secured compound of Aden Abdulle Osman International Airport in Mogadishu, at a venue operated by the National Intelligence and Security Agency. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama…

South Africa’s political temperature rose sharply after the Constitutional Court ordered Parliament to relaunch impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, reigniting the Phala Phala scandal and placing him under fresh legal and political scrutiny. Ramaphosa has dismissed demands that he step down and says he will fight the process in court. He intends to seek a judicial review of the 2022 Section 89 panel report, which concluded there was preliminary evidence he may have breached the Constitution or engaged…

Excitement is building as the U.S. Department of State has revealed a significant update for international fans planning to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Visitors hailing from specific countries previously burdened by U.S. visa bond requirements will no longer have to pay those fees. This development traces back to 2025, when the Trump administration implemented a policy mandating visitors from select nations to submit bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 for tourist visas. Among the 50 nations affected by this…

Thursday May 14, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Britain has tightened its travel guidance for Somalia, urging its citizens to avoid nearly all travel to the country amid terrorism fears, armed clashes and an unsettled security climate. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office says against all travel to Somalia, including the eastern North Western State of Somalia regions of Togdheer, Sanaag and Sool. The department said violence has escalated in those areas in recent months and that conditions remain highly unstable. It…

By JEREMIAH WAKAYAThursday May 14, 2026 Ruto said Kenya had made significant progress toward reopening the frontier before clashes erupted between Somalia’s Federal Government and regional state forces near the Kenyan border/PCS/FILE President William Ruto has said the long-promised reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border collapsed because renewed violence and political turmoil in Somalia upended the plan. In an interview with France 24 on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Ruto said Kenya had been moving…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held talks Tuesday with Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji in Kampala, a meeting that centered on bilateral ties and other matters of shared concern. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the discussions covered cooperation between Somalia and Saudi Arabia and explored ways to deepen relations between the two countries. El-Khereiji was in Uganda to represent Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the inauguration of…

Somalia’s governance system is under strain, with political disputes at the federal level, tensions between Mogadishu and regional states, and a persistent security threat from militant groups. The result has been a cycle of delayed reforms, contested authority, and fragile decision-making—especially as the country tries to stabilize after years of conflict. Below is a clear breakdown of the main factors driving political instability in Somalia and why they matter for governance, elections, and public trust. What…