Monday June 8, 2026 Istanbul (AX) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was reportedly turned away at the U.S. border over the weekend, just days before he was scheduled to join preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Artan, one of 52 referees chosen by FIFA for the tournament to be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico, had been traveling from Istanbul to Miami on Saturday for a FIFA seminar for match officials, according to reports. He was reportedly refused entry upon arrival and sent back to Istanbul on…

By Adam Ahmed and A.A. JamahSunday June 7, 2026 After years of war and disruption, Somalia is moving to rebuild at pace, and that recovery is beginning to draw the attention of investors. Across multiple sectors, new openings are emerging as the country looks to reassert its place in the Horn of Africa and in global trade. One of the most significant prospects now on the table is the New Mogadishu Maritime Port (NMMP). Located about 35 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the planned port is being developed through the New…

Saturday June 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali security minister Abdullahi Mohamed Nur on Saturday accused federal forces of raiding and seizing his Elite Hotel in Mogadishu, describing the operation as a politically driven move against him. Abdullahi said troops arrived at the hotel around 11:30 a.m. with heavy weapons and explosives, then gathered the staff and guards inside before taking complete control of the property. He rejected the government’s account that the operation was a standard security inspection,…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOFriday June 5, 2026 Muktar Dahir, Garissa County Human Rights Defenders Network, speaking to the press at a Garissa hotel./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Human rights organisations in Garissa are pressing President William Ruto to turn his words on Northern Kenya into measurable action. They want the newly created National Infrastructure Fund to be fully rolled out and say the region should be the first to benefit from it. Speaking to reporters in Garissa town on the sidelines of a training forum, the activists said…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOFriday June 5, 2026 Garissa Governor Nathif Jama chairing the high-level security meeting./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Garissa’s standing as one of Kenya’s safest towns is facing a serious test after a wave of killings, muggings and violent break-ins jolted leaders into urgent action. Governor Nathif Jama said the county can no longer ignore the escalating insecurity that has left many residents afraid to move about freely. Shaken by the rise in crime, senior government officials, security agencies, religious…

Thursday June 4, 2026 Ismail Jama Ali by the shack where he and his family now live after diabetes forced him out of work and their rented home/Sabah Mohamed/Ergo A sudden collapse changed Ismail Jama Ali’s life in an instant — and with it, the future of the family of 12 he had been trying to hold together. Since being diagnosed with diabetes in February, he has been unable to work, leaving his household in Gabiley scrambling for food, rent and school fees. The illness was first uncovered after he fainted in shock following…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Bosaso (AX) — Puntland State security forces have detained a foreign ISIS fighter in the Calmiskaad mountains of the Bari region, officials said Wednesday, in a development they say reflects mounting pressure on the militant group. Gen. Mahmoud Jama Faadhigo, spokesman for Operation Calmiskaad, said the man was arrested in the Af-cas area after reportedly breaking away from an ISIS base in Shakaala. Faadhigo said the fighter, identified as a Yemeni national, told security personnel that he had spent…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOWednesday June 3, 2026 Health CS Aden Duale addressing residents of Maalimin, ladgera sub county./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has urged President William Ruto to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border and accelerate the tarmacking of the Garissa-Liboi road, arguing that both steps would unlock the economic promise of North Eastern Kenya. Speaking in Maalim Sub-County at the launch of a Mini-Grid project, Duale took the opportunity to deliver what he called a special appeal on behalf of…

By  JAMES ROBSONSunday May 31, 2026 Paris Saint-Germain did it again — and this time the repeat came with all the tension a European final could possibly offer. PSG defended its Champions League crown in dramatic fashion on Saturday, outlasting Arsenal 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through extra time in Budapest. “It’s incredible,” captain Marquinhos said. “From the very first day of this season, the coach said it’s hard to win, and winning twice is even more difficult. So we all had to get back to work. That…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOThursday May 28, 2026 Education leaders, special school representatives, parents, human rights activists and advocates for children with special needs in Tana River have warned that current funding levels for special schools are too low to meet the rising demands of learners living with disabilities. Speaking at a forum held in a Garissa hotel, the stakeholders said special needs institutions are grappling with persistent problems rooted in underfunding. They pointed to shortages of teachers, a lack of…