Monday June 1, 2026 Seoul, South Korea (AX) — Somalia and Egypt used a high-level gathering in Seoul on Monday to press ahead with closer ties, as Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali met his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, for talks on expanding strategic cooperation. The discussion took place on the margins of the Korea-Africa Ministerial Meeting, giving the two ministers a chance to review the state of relations and look at areas where the partnership could be strengthened. The ministers explored ways to broaden…

Monday June 1, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Military Court on Sunday opened proceedings in a case involving two Ethiopian nationals accused of ties to al-Shabab, prosecutors said. Military prosecutors named the defendants as Hamza Ibrahim Ali, also known as Abuu Irshad, and Nasri Abdirahman Ali, also known as Abuu Safiya. Both men are from Harar, Ethiopia, and are fluent in Somali, according to prosecutors. Security officials said the pair were detained in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region, during a planned operation…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Banadir Regional Education Directorate on Sunday released the schedule for Grade 8 certificate examinations for the 2025-26 academic year, setting the stage for thousands of students across the region to take part. Officials said all preparations have been finalized and that tighter safeguards are in place to uphold transparency, fairness and quality during the testing process. The directorate also appealed to school leaders, teachers and parents to stand behind students as they…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief is in DRC, to monitor Ebola containment efforts. / Reuters Five Ebola patients have recovered in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization said on Sunday, offering a rare sign of progress as health workers battle an outbreak in Bunia, the center of the crisis. “Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the inauguration of a…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State’s newly elected House of Representatives members were sworn in on Saturday in Baidoa, a ceremony that unfolded against the backdrop of intense fighting between federal government forces and troops loyal to former regional President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Southwest State’s interim leader, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, attended the event alongside federal government officials, traditional elders and other dignitaries. The new lawmakers formally took the oath of office,…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — An emergency security meeting was convened in Baidoa on Saturday by commanders of the Somali National Army’s 60th Division, hours after fierce clashes erupted between federal government forces and troops aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The session was aimed at tightening security in the city, improving coordination among security agencies and forestalling any fresh attacks following the morning confrontation. Military officials said…

By: Nima Dahir Saturday May 30, 2026 A new study by sociologist Nima Dahir explores how the press influences public ideas about belonging, identity and difference in Black neighborhoods. In “A Harlem Divided: Media, Blackness, and Difference in Le Petit Sénégal,” Dahir turns attention to Le Petit Sénégal, or Little Senegal, the West African enclave in Central Harlem. Dahir reviewed newspaper coverage spanning 1930 to 2025, drawing comparisons between mainstream publications and Black-owned media. The research shows…

Saturday May 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Intense fighting erupted early Saturday on the outskirts of Baidoa, where federal government troops clashed with fighters aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, officials said. The confrontation took place near Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State. No independent casualty count has been verified, though social media videos appeared to show wounded soldiers. Bay regional police commander Sadiiq Duushisho told local media that the battle…

Friday May 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s infantry chief, Gen. Sahal Abdullahi Omar, held talks in Mogadishu on Thursday with an Italian government delegation focused on deepening military cooperation, training and support for the Somali National Army. The delegation, joined by Italy’s military attaché in Somalia, was welcomed at the Somali military headquarters by Sahal and senior officers of the Somali National Armed Forces. Military officials said the discussions centered on broadening ties between the Somali and…

Amid escalating tensions in Burkina Faso, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a stark warning against the suppression of student voices, emphasizing that stifling dissent will not address the nation’s deepening security and governance challenges. This alert comes on the heels of a government decision to suspend the General Union of Burkina Students (UGEB), the largest student organization in the country, signaling a troubling trend of crackdowns on civil liberties. Founded as one of Burkina Faso's longest-standing and most…