Axadle - Breaking news and analysis from Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and across Africa.

Ghana Seeks Extradition of Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta The Ghanaian government has formally transmitted an extradition request to the United States Department of Justice for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. This development marks a significant chapter in the country's ongoing anti-corruption efforts, reflecting a renewed focus on accountability in public office. Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, Ghana's Attorney General and Minister for Justice, announced that the request follows an intensive investigation…

The Trump administration announced an immediate pause to the U.S. diversity visa green card lottery on Thursday, citing the case of a Portuguese national suspected in a mass shooting at Brown University and the killing of an MIT professor who, officials say, entered the country through the DV1 program in 2017. Homeland security chief Kristi Noem said in a social media post that Claudio Neves Valente, 48, “entered the United States through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green…

Somalia’s newly relaunched electronic visa portal contains a serious security flaw that could allow unauthorized parties to download large numbers of e-visas holding sensitive personal data, including passport information, full names and dates of birth, according to findings confirmed by Al Jazeera.The vulnerability emerged a month after a separate breach of the country’s e-visa platform exposed tens of thousands of records and prompted warnings from the United States and United Kingdom. Al Jazeera reported that it…

KIUNGA, Kenya — On a sliver of Kenya’s northern coast, just 15 kilometers from the Somalia border and within sight of the turquoise shallows of the Kiunga Marine National Reserve, a different kind of refugee story has been unfolding for more than three decades. It’s a story without tents or barbed wire, without aid convoys or registration queues. In Kiunga, families opened their doors to Somali neighbors fleeing conflict and drought — and kept them open. A new media release by the Office of the Director Public Service…

Harrison Ford will receive the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award at the rebranded Actor Awards in March, honoring a career that has delivered some of cinema’s most enduring characters from Han Solo to Indiana Jones. The 32nd annual ceremony, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, will stream live on Netflix on March 1. The union’s highest honor is presented annually to a performer who embodies the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” SAG-AFTRA said in announcing the lifetime achievement award for Ford.…

Trump signs order to fast-track marijuana to Schedule III, says move is not legalization Friday December 19, 2025 US President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order easing restrictions on marijuana in the Oval Office on December 18 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to expedite the federal reclassification of marijuana, setting in motion a shift from the most restrictive category of controlled substances to a less stringent tier. The…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Warsaw on Friday for talks with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, his first official visit to Poland since Nawrocki took office in August. The agenda centers on European security, efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, and sensitive historical issues that have strained relations between the neighbors. The trip follows Zelensky’s address to an EU Council summit in Brussels, where he urged European leaders to tap frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s budget and defense…

Puntland State’s Deni urges inclusive national dialogue, warns of political instability in Somalia KISMAYO, Somalia — Puntland State State of Somalia President Said Abdullahi Deni on Thursday urged Somalia’s federal leadership and political actors to heed warnings from Somali intellectuals and reopen inclusive talks on the country’s future, saying failure to do so risks renewed political chaos and threatens national unity. Speaking at the opening of the Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo, Deni said repeated alerts…

Man who disarmed gunman in Bondi Beach mass shooting receives more than A$2.5 million in donations A man credited with saving lives by wrestling a gun from one of the alleged attackers in the Bondi Beach mass shooting has received a cheque for more than A$2.5 million (€1.4 million) after tens of thousands of people contributed to an online fundraising campaign. Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, was presented with an oversized cheque at his bed in St. George Hospital by social media influencer Zachery Dereniowski, a co-organiser of the…

Unity Schools Reopen Amid Enhanced Security Measures The government has announced the reopening of 47 unity schools that were closed in November following a surge in school abductions. With the implementation of strengthened security measures around affected campuses, academic activities have fully resumed. In a recent statement, the Ministry of Education explained that the closures had been prompted by mass abductions in Kebbi and Niger states. Notably, at least 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a school in Kebbi, while…