Cheers rang out outside Bangkok’s Klong Prem prison on Thursday as Thailand’s billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra walked free on parole, eight months after a court ordered him to serve prison time he had earlier avoided through an extended stay in hospital. Now 76, the business magnate spent a quarter-century reshaping and dominating Thai politics. Yet his grip on the country’s political landscape has weakened in recent months after his jailing and after his once-powerful Pheu Thai Party suffered its…

Monday May 11, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Sunday said government forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Mogadishu’s Dayniile district, alleging that one person was killed and several others were injured. Speaking to reporters, Khaire said residents had assembled in Dayniile to voice anger over forced evictions and displacement when security personnel fired on the crowd. He expressed sympathy to the family of the person he said died and wished those wounded a swift…

Wales’ political landscape has been jolted by a landmark defeat: First Minister Eluned Morgan has lost her Senedd seat in a crushing election for Welsh Labour. Her defeat makes history as the first time a sitting Welsh leader has been unseated in an election to the Welsh parliament. Labour has governed Wales since the Senedd was created as the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, and the party has remained the country’s largest political force for more than 100 years. Ms Morgan’s exit caps a punishing day for Labour in Wales…

Ireland would see it as a "big moment" if Iceland votes to resume negotiations on joining the European Union, Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne has said, as Reykjavik moves toward a fresh decision on its stalled membership bid. The Nordic island nation is expected to hold a referendum on 29 August on whether to reopen talks on entering the EU. Iceland first applied for membership in 2009, before the accession process was suspended in 2015 after a change of government. Its current administration, which took…

Keir Starmer has vowed to stay on as British prime minister even after his Labour party was hammered in local elections, a bruising result that has intensified questions over his leadership. He conceded Labour had endured a "tough" night, but said that "days like this don't weaken my resolve to deliver the change that I promised". Nigel Farage’s Reform UK surged in contests across the country, with hundreds of Labour councillors losing their seats and piling fresh pressure on Mr Starmer. More damaging results could still lie…

Friday May 8, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday said Somalia’s federal government is ready to hear opposition concerns, but drew a firm line against any rhetoric or actions he said could threaten the country’s security and hard-won stability. At a press briefing in Mogadishu, Hamza took aim at recent comments by some former national leaders who have aligned themselves with the opposition, cautioning that political language should not be allowed to deepen national tensions. “I hope those…

A High Court in Abuja has found former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman guilty on 12 counts related to fraud and money laundering. This ruling emerges from a thorough investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which uncovered unauthorized misappropriation of public funds during Mamman's term in office under former President Muhammadu Buhari. In a pointed critique within the ruling, the presiding judge remarked, "... instead of establishing a legacy aimed at resolving the nation's chronic power…

Nigeria's national electricity grid continues to face severe instability, plagued by frequent system failures that interrupt power distribution nationwide. Since President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023, the grid has experienced at least 20 significant collapses, as reported by industry statistics compiled by early 2026. In response to these ongoing challenges, Joseph Tegbe, the minister-designate for power, has committed to addressing the persistent issue of grid failures, provided he is confirmed and officially takes…

In a concerning development, Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi addressed Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health following the alarming confirmation of Hantavirus in a severely ill British national in South Africa. Additionally, the health minister reported on a woman who collapsed at OR Tambo International Airport and unfortunately succumbed to her condition in South Africa. Her husband, who also fell ill, later died in St Helena. Both individuals were among the passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was…

Wednesday May 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday named Abdifitah Qasim Mohamud as the country’s new Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, replacing Daud Aweis Jama in a cabinet change announced in Mogadishu. According to a government press release, the appointment was made in line with constitutional provisions and came after consultations with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The statement did not disclose the reasons for the removal of the former minister. Prime…