Trump discusses months-long blockade in talks with oil companies

With oil markets on edge and diplomacy stalled, US President Donald Trump has been weighing how to cushion the fallout from a potential months-long US blockade of Iran's ports, according to a White House official, while pressing Tehran to “get smart soon” and agree to a deal. The discussion with US oil executives yesterday came after several days of impasse in efforts to end the conflict, which has prompted the United States to squeeze Iran’s oil exports through a naval blockade in an attempt to force Tehran to reopen the…

Former President Farmaajo calls for unity as Somalia nears elections

by BRIAN ORUTAThursday April 30, 2026 Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has urged Somalis to rally around national unity and reinforce democratic institutions as the country heads toward a new electoral cycle, saying political calm must outweigh personal or factional ambition. Speaking in a recent interview with journalist Suleyman Hashi, Farmajo presented Somalia’s political path as a measure of how well its institutions can withstand pressure, rather than as a showdown between rival political camps. He…

Washington shooting suspect took selfie before the attack

Moments before prosecutors say he tried to reach US President Donald Trump with a pump-action shotgun, the man at the centre of the case snapped a selfie inside his hotel room, documenting what authorities describe as a carefully staged attack. Cole Allen allegedly moved into action shortly after 8.30pm on Saturday, leaving his room at the Washington Hilton and heading toward the basement ballroom, where Mr Trump and other senior officials were attending a media gala dinner, according to prosecutors. The 31-year-old was…

Trump Weighs Reducing US Troop Presence in Germany

President Donald Trump has revived pressure on Germany and its NATO partners, saying his administration is weighing a cut to the US military presence in Germany after accusing allies of failing to do more, including in efforts to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. "The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time," Mr Trump said on Truth Social. Earlier this month, a senior White House official told Reuters that Mr Trump…

Iran war deepens hunger crisis for Somalia’s malnourished children

By Ammu Kannampilly and Olivia Le PoidevinWednesday April 29, 2026 An internally displaced Somali woman feeds her malnourished child at the Daynile hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia April 20, 2026. REUTERS/Feisal Omar Purchase Licensing Rights In Somalia, where children are already caught between a worsening hunger crisis and deep cuts in foreign aid, the latest shock from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is hitting the most vulnerable first. For malnourished boys and girls, the fallout is not just higher fuel prices. It is the…

Jimi Hendrix bandmates lose rights claim in High Court

A High Court judge has thrown out a claim by the estates of two former Jimi Hendrix bandmates, handing Sony Music Entertainment UK a victory in a long-running dispute over recordings by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Companies acting for the estates of bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell had sued Sony, arguing they held copyright and performers’ rights connected to about 40 studio recordings made by the band during the 1960s. Redding and Mitchell, both of whom died in the 2000s, joined Hendrix to form The Jimi…

PSG beats Bayern Munich 5-4 in record-setting Champions League semifinal first leg

By JEROME PUGMIREWednesday April 29, 2026 Paris Saint-Germain survived a Champions League semifinal unlike any other on Tuesday, racing to a three-goal cushion before hanging on for a breathtaking 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich in the highest-scoring semifinal in the competition’s history. And the tie is far from over, with the second leg still to come next week. PSG surged to a 5-2 lead early in the second half after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé each struck twice at Parc des Princes. “We deserved to win, we…

Four killed in ISIS attack on telecom vehicle in Somalia’s Bari region

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Garowe (AX) — A deadly blast in the Calmiskaad mountains of Somalia’s Bari region killed at least four people on Wednesday, among them two telecommunications workers and two soldiers. Security sources said ISIS militants struck a vehicle belonging to Golis Telecom as it moved through the area. A fifth victim, a soldier with the Puntland State Dervish forces, was badly wounded and is said to be in critical condition. The attack took place while the company was working to restore communications…

Trump says US will soon release UFO files

President Donald Trump said his administration plans to make public as much information as possible about UFOs in the coming weeks, signaling a broader release of material tied to one of the government’s most closely watched mysteries. Trump made the remarks at the White House during a meeting with the crew of the Artemis II mission. "I think we're going to be releasing as much as we can in the near future," Mr Trump said. "We're going to be releasing a lot of things… that we haven't," he said. In February, he ordered US…

Sweden to fine social media sites over murder-related advertisements

Sweden is moving to crack down on what officials describe as brazen online “murder adverts,” with the government proposing new rules that would force platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat to remove gang-linked recruitment posts within an hour or risk steep financial penalties. Authorities say criminal networks in Sweden are making growing use of social media to enlist people to carry out killings and other violent crimes, as the phenomenon known as “crime as a service” continues to spread. Those targeted for recruitment are…