Mount

Mogadishu (AX) - Each year, as a myriad of souls unite in devotion, a profound spectacle unfolds. Nearly two million Muslim pilgrims converged on the sacred slopes of Mount Arafat in western Saudi Arabia this past Thursday, marking the spiritual zenith of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. This moment isn’t just a ritual; it embodies centuries of faith, hope, and the collective ache for divine connection. Clad in simple white garments, symbolizing purity and equality, these pilgrims began to arrive at Arafat under the quiet…

Mount Etna Eruption: A Natural Spectacle on Sicily's East Coast This morning, a stunning display unfolded above Mount Etna as columns of volcanic ash, gas, and rock erupted into the sky. The scene took place at Europe’s tallest active volcano, nestled on the picturesque east coast of Sicily, Italy. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology shed light on the phenomenon, suggesting that the ash cloud was likely the result of material collapsing from the northern flank of the southeast crater. In their statement,…

Mogadishu (AX) – Imagine the tension that permeates the air when a nation decides it's time to reclaim its peace. That's exactly the atmosphere that enveloped the Middle Shabelle region on Wednesday night. Tasked with a monumental endeavor, the brave warriors of the Somali National Army (SNA), with steadfast support from local allies, embarked on an ambitious ground and air offensive targeting the notorious Al-Shabaab militants. Their mission was clear and resolute: to seek out and dismantle militant hideouts, returning a…

Kirubel Tesfaye, a fact-checker at HaqCheck, spearheads a workshop for journalists and university students in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, in 2024. (Photo courtesy of HaqCheck) WASHINGTON — In the volatile dance of geopolitics, misinformation weaves a dangerously seductive tapestry across social media platforms. Consider last year's rising tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia: a video claimed to show Egyptian troops training on Somali soil. The clip rapidly garnered 34,000 views on the social media platform X, but alas, it was a…

The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a boiling point, especially in the northern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. Here, the M23 group—an armed faction with a historical context of rebellion—has gone head-to-head with the Congolese army and their allies. The situation has escalated dramatically, turning lives upside down and forcing countless families to flee their homes in search of safety. Since January 2025, the echoes of gunfire in Masisi, Minova, and areas just outside Goma…

The newly minted administration of French Prime Minister Michel Barnier, long awaited and hard-earned, now faces immediate turmoil as the specter of a no-confidence motion looms large over parliament.