AUSSOM takes command of British base in Mogadishu to boost operations
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) - The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) took formal control of Operating Base (OB) SHAND from British forces in Mogadishu on 28 March 2026, marking a fresh phase in the mission’s support structure in the Somali capital.
First established in 2017 as the main military operating site for the United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UKMST) in Somalia, OB SHAND is now set to function as a key platform for strengthening AUSSOM’s operational reach.
At the handover…
Leaders Urge Calm After ‘Igbo King’ Row Sparks Violence in South Africa
Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, backed by the national government, has appealed for calm after violent unrest erupted in KuGompo over an alleged coronation of a Nigerian “Igbo king.”
Protesters clashed with police amid looting and arson, leaving multiple businesses in ruins—most of them owned by foreign nationals. The upheaval followed a viral video purporting to show the coronation, which local traditional leaders denounced as an affront to their authority.
The Nigerian government called the act illegal,…
EU Says Attacks on UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon Are Grave Violation
Calls for accountability grew across Europe after three Indonesian United Nations peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon, pushing the conflict’s toll beyond the battlefield and deepening alarm over the safety of international forces.
Three UN peacekeepers from Indonesia died in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon after a bloody weekend that also saw Lebanese journalists and medics killed in Israeli strikes.
"We call for a thorough investigation to shed light on these grave attacks. These attacks are a grave…
Türkiye to expand Black Sea and Somalia drilling operations in April
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Türkiye’s drilling fleet is moving into a busier phase, with new exploration and production campaigns lined up for the Black Sea and Somalia in April as Ankara steps up efforts to tap domestic and overseas hydrocarbon resources. Türkiye's drilling ships are seen at the Filyos Port, northern Türkiye, March 15, 2026. (AA Photo)
Over the past decade, the country has invested heavily in an offshore energy armada designed to trim its dependence on imported fuel by finding more oil and natural gas at…
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar Announces Resignation
In a significant political shift, Yusuf Tuggar has officially resigned as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, signaling his intent to seek the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the governorship of Bauchi State.
In a heartfelt resignation letter delivered to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Tuggar expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, thanking him for the privilege of serving the nation and playing a role in the execution of the administration's Four-D foreign policy strategy.
The…
News outlets falsely report North Western State of Somalia sought extradition of Ilhan Omar
Faisal Ali - Tuesday March 31, 2026
The Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Photograph: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
A wave of misleading coverage has falsely suggested that North Western State of Somalia’s government was seeking the extradition of Ilhan Omar, after several outlets leaned on a social media post from an account that is not an official state channel.
Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent all published stories focused on the US…
Mozambican Navy Accused of Killing Fishermen in Coastal Waters
Mozambique’s navy is under scrutiny after personnel were accused of unlawfully killing and injuring fishermen in Cabo Delgado on March 15, 2026, allegations detailed by Human Rights Watch that sharpen concerns over security conduct along the troubled coast.
Amid ongoing security threats linked to the conflict in the region, Mozambique’s Defense and Security Forces have tightened controls on coastal movement and fishing in parts of Mocímboa da Praia and neighboring Macomia. Authorities say the restrictions are meant to curb…
G7 ministers address financial fallout from Middle East war
With energy markets jolted and anxiety spreading through the global economy, G7 finance ministers and central bank chiefs met today to confront the fallout from the war in the Middle East.
The crisis escalated after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February. Tehran responded by targeting crude-exporting states across the region and stopping most shipments moving through the Gulf.
That blow to supply has driven oil and natural gas prices sharply upward, sending disruptive aftershocks through…
Somali PM rejects indirect elections after federal forces seize Baidoa
Tuesday March 31, 2026
MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's prime minister has rejected calls for indirect voting in South West State after federal forces secured Baidoa, arguing that the transition should move toward national reform rather than return to the older indirect election model.
The dispute over Baidoa is also being read as a test of Somalia's federal arrangement, with critics warning that unilateral intervention could reshape the balance between Mogadishu and the regions.
“Baidoa is under the control of the…
Australian sky turns red ahead of approaching tropical cyclone
Western Australia woke to blood-red skies on Friday as a tropical cyclone that had already carved a path across much of Australia pushed closer, turning daylight in one coastal town into an unsettling scene.
Video captured the crimson glow hanging over Shark Bay Caravan Park in Denham, 831km north of Perth, as the unusual light spread across the area.
The owner of the holiday park said the conditions felt "incredibly eerie outside" and that dust had settled over everything.
"Not a lot of wind yet. Let's hope we get enough…