France has barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country after he posted a video ridiculing bound activists detained by Israeli soldiers during a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. "From today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory" because of "his reprehensible actions towards French and European citizens" involved in the humanitarian flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X. Barrot said he was also joining Italy in pushing for European Union sanctions…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Police in Mogadishu have detained several young people accused of interfering with security checkpoints and taking part in violent incidents, authorities said Friday, even as opposition leaders denounced the arrests as a political crackdown. The Banadir Regional Police Command said the suspects were taken into custody in security zones after allegedly engaging in conduct that could endanger public safety, disrupt stability and restrict movement in the capital. Police said initial…

Thursday May 21, 2026 Garowe (AX) — In a meeting that underscored both security concerns and Somalia’s unsettled politics, a U.S. delegation headed by acting Ambassador to Somalia Justin Davis met Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni in Garowe on Wednesday to discuss cooperation against ISIS and the country’s broader political transition. According to a statement from the Puntland State presidency, the delegation included officials from U.S. Africa Command, among them Col. Shane Jones. Puntland State Vice President…

Wednesday May 20, 2026 The daughter of mosque security guard Amin Abdullah is describing him as the “absolute best dad in the world,” as family and community members came together Tuesday to pay tribute to the man killed while facing gunmen during an attack on a San Diego mosque.

Monday May 18, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State security forces detained suspected pirates on Sunday in a sweep across Somalia’s Bari region, stepping up pressure on groups accused of trying to revive maritime crime along the coast. According to Puntland State security officials, the suspects are thought to have ties to pirate networks linked to attacks, kidnappings and attempted hijackings of commercial ships in Somali waters and along nearby Red Sea shipping lanes. The operations form part of a wider effort to block…

MOGADISHU – Security forces were stationed around the home of former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Saturday as tensions deepened in the capital ahead of an opposition-led protest scheduled for Friday in Mogadishu. According to sources, the presence of troops near Khaire’s residence, close to Mogadishu airport, was intended to block efforts to organize support for the demonstration. Opposition figures say the rally is meant to denounce forced evictions and the demolition of homes in the city. The political…

As Vienna readies for the Eurovision Song Contest's provocative songs and glittering spectacle next week, the festival's 70th edition is unfolding under heavy security and an intensifying row over Israel's participation. The world's biggest live televised music event will feature contestants from 35 countries — the lowest total since participation widened in 2004 — after several countries, including Ireland, withdrew over Israel's war in Gaza. The semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday will narrow the field before Saturday's…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has not publicly stated why Inspector General Joseph Shikongo was removed, but the decision comes in the wake of a serious State House security lapse in which an intruder slipped into the President’s private quarters without detection. The breach triggered swift and widespread outrage. Among the critics was former Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, who said the incident laid bare “catastrophic weaknesses” across the police chain of command. Shikongo, 62, had led the force since…

U.S. Moves to Lift Eritrea Sanctions Amid Red Sea Security Concerns WASHINGTON — The United States is preparing to lift sanctions on Eritrea, according to an internal government document obtained by Reuters, in a notable policy shift shaped by the East African nation’s growing strategic value as conflict ripples across the Middle East. The move to revoke the penalties, which analysts say reflects Eritrea’s control over a key Red Sea shipping corridor, would mark a major change in Washington’s approach to one of the world’s…

Monday May 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Police Force Commander General Asad Osman Abdullahi on Monday hosted a senior Turkish delegation in Mogadishu, in a meeting centered on expanding security cooperation between the two countries. Officials said the talks were aimed at deepening bilateral ties in the security field, with a particular focus on training initiatives and efforts to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Somali Police Force, including its elite Haramcad unit. The meeting comes amid continuing efforts…