MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s political standoff sharpened on Sunday after former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accused the federal government of cutting off basic services, blocking movement and turning security forces against opponents amid an escalating dispute over the country’s elections. Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu alongside another former leader, Farmajo, Sharif said the authorities had disconnected electricity and water to the compound where he was staying, stopped food from being delivered and barred…

Sunday June 7, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Sunday accused the federal government of tightening restrictions around him in the wake of deadly unrest in the capital, saying authorities had cut off basic services to his compound and moved to stifle opposition politics. At a news conference in Mogadishu, Sharif said his compound had been deprived of electricity, water and food, while visitors attempting to see him were turned away. “We have had our electricity cut off, our water cut off,…

Sunday June 7, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Sunday accused the federal government of tightening pressure on the opposition by restricting his movement, cutting off essential services to his compound and suppressing political activity in the wake of deadly violence in the capital. At a news conference in Mogadishu, Sharif said electricity, water and food deliveries to his residence had been halted, while visitors were being turned away at the gate. “We have had our electricity cut off,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s federal government is moving to reopen dialogue with opposition leaders as the country heads toward political gatherings in the regional capitals of Dhusamareeb and Jowhar, according to sources familiar with the talks on Saturday. The latest push for mediation is being backed by Turkey, the sources said, as officials look for a way to lower political temperatures in Mogadishu, where tensions have recently contributed to security unrest. During discussions on Friday, the government reiterated…

MOGADISHU – Somalia’s government said on Friday that security forces had re-established control in two districts of the capital following a day of gunfire between state troops and militias aligned with opposition politicians, clashes that sent some residents fleeing. The unrest erupted this week as tensions rose over planned demonstrations against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s decision to stay in office after his term expired last month. Those protests never materialized. In March, parliament approved constitutional…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled plans to send envoys across Africa and to other regions of the world, signalling a stepped-up diplomatic push as South Africa grapples with mounting migration pressures. Ramaphosa said the initiative is aimed at widening international cooperation on migration, arguing that countries must work in concert to confront the underlying drivers of population movement. He also rejected the characterisation of South Africa’s approach as xenophobic, framing the outreach as an effort to build…

Thursday June 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Heavy gunfire that erupted in Mogadishu on Thursday drew sharp concern from the United States and the United Kingdom, both of which urged Somalia’s political leaders to step back from confrontation and settle their disputes through dialogue. In a warning that underscored the stakes for the country’s fragile security, the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu said the violence could have far-reaching consequences for Somalia’s stability. “The violence unfolding in Mogadishu is reckless,” the…

Wednesday June 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said Tuesday that opposition leaders will not accept any government attempt to confine planned anti-government protests to a single site in Mogadishu. Addressing a gathering of opposition politicians, Sharif argued that peaceful demonstration is protected by the constitution and that residents should be able to take to the streets throughout the capital. “The protest should take place wherever it can. The whole city should come out,” Sharif…

An independent watchdog is expected to report within three months on why British police handcuffed murder victim Henry Nowak as he lay fatally wounded, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, as pressure mounted for answers in a case that has shocked the country. Nowak, an 18-year-old student, was restrained by officers after he was stabbed by a Sikh man wielding a ceremonial knife. When police arrived at the scene in Southampton on 3 December 2025, his attacker, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, claimed he had been targeted in a…

Even before he arrived in Washington, Peter Mandelson was making a personal pledge: appoint him as Britain’s ambassador to the US, he wrote, and the government would “never regret” it. That assurance has now surfaced in a fresh cache of official papers released alongside thousands of documents about the controversial posting. The government published the second batch of records this afternoon, shedding more light on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to hand the high-profile Washington role to Mr Mandelson…