Wednesday June 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Gunfire erupted Wednesday afternoon at Dabka junction in Mogadishu, where government forces exchanged fire with the security detail of former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, just hours before opposition groups were set to stage demonstrations in the capital. Videos and photos circulating on social media showed what appeared to be intense shooting in the area. The number of casualties was not immediately known, and the federal government had not released an official account of…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Tensions in Somalia’s capital sharpened on Wednesday after a short but violent exchange of fire near Dabka junction, with police and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire each accusing the other side as opposition demonstrations loomed just hours away. In a video posted to the Somali Police Force’s Facebook page, spokesman Abdifatah Adan Hassan said masked armed men targeted a police checkpoint where security personnel were deployed. He said the assailants were carrying heavy…

By Abdishakur Ali MireWednesday June 3, 2026 Somalia is again slipping into political uncertainty, this time driven by the continued failure to settle on a national electoral framework. Every four years, the country appears to relive the same cycle: political tension rises, institutions reach the end of their mandate, and disputes sharpen in the absence of a credible agreement on how elections should be conducted. At the heart of the crisis is the lack of a nationally endorsed electoral model capable of ending repeated…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Tensions erupted into gunfire in central Mogadishu on Wednesday, as Somali police and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire exchanged accusations over a brief clash near Dabka junction just hours before opposition rallies were due to begin in the capital. Police spokesman Abdifatah Adan Hassan said in a video posted on the Somali Police Force’s Facebook page that masked armed men stormed a police checkpoint where security personnel were deployed. He said the assailants were carrying…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Three British naval crew members have died after a helicopter crashed in a field in northwestern England, the UK Ministry of Defence said, with wreckage pictured at Sourton Down in Devon A Royal Navy helicopter has crashed during a training exercise in Devon, leaving three British naval crew dead, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. The aircraft came down around 4:00am (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday near the village of Sourton, a Royal Navy spokesperson said. The Ministry of Defence announced the…

Mogadishu, Somalia (Onkod Radio) A former Somali prime minister says government forces launched an armed operation at his home in Mogadishu on Wednesday while he was meeting with traditional elders from the Murusade clan, escalating tensions ahead of a planned demonstration. In a statement, Mr. Khaire said the operation was carried out by forces under the current administration during preparations for a planned peaceful demonstration scheduled for the following day. The former prime minister offered condolences to the…

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterWednesday June 3, 2026 From screen icons to ice-dancing legends, a roll call of familiar British names stepped into the spotlight at Windsor Castle on Tuesday as King Charles presented a fresh round of honours. Among them was actor Sir Idris Elba, 53, whose work in the US crime drama The Wire and the police series Luther made him a household name. He received a knighthood in the New Year Honours for services to young people. Olympic ice dance champions Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir…

MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 3 — Western diplomats have pressed Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over the direction of the country’s political transition, urging his government to enter serious talks and settle on an election formula acceptable to all key players, diplomatic sources told Axadle on Wednesday. People familiar with the meeting said representatives from several Western countries sat down with the president on Tuesday and delivered messages from their capitals calling for a more inclusive process as Somalia…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Wajir, Kenya (AX) — Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday said the Somali community in Kenya has secured political freedoms and openings that, he argued, were previously out of reach under President William Ruto’s administration. Addressing a gathering in Wajir County, Duale mounted a strong defense of Ruto’s approach to northern Kenya and to the Somali community, saying generations had faced discrimination in schooling, public sector jobs, access to identity documents and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal authorities have tightened security across the capital as opposition groups ready demonstrations in approved locations, deepening a political standoff over the country’s electoral future. Security sources said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has held consultations with senior security officials and directed the deployment of additional forces along major roads in Mogadishu. On Wednesday morning, the leadership of the Somali National Army (SNA) also met with logistics officials as part…