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

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s presidential envoy for countering extremist ideology on Thursday rejected reports that the federal government is holding secret negotiations with al-Shabab, calling the claims false and meant to mislead the public. Aweys Mohamed Omar said the government has not entered discussions with the militant group and has no plans to do so. The rumors, which circulated widely on social media and in several local outlets, suggested informal contacts were underway. Omar said the reports were designed to erode…

U.S. seizes Venezuelan oil tanker in helicopter raid, to bring ship to American port as tensions spike with Maduro U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela in a helicopter-borne operation and will bring the vessel to a U.S. port to confiscate its cargo, the White House said, escalating a fast-moving standoff with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The dramatic interdiction—described by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as aimed at the “regime” in Caracas—was captured in video released by U.S.…

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has rejected the government’s plan to hold one-person, one-vote elections in Mogadishu this month, warning the process lacks legal consensus, adequate security and public confidence. The vote would be the capital’s first direct election in more than 50 years. In an interview with the BBC Somali Service, Sharif — a leading member of the Council for Somalia’s Future, a coalition that includes the Somali Salvation Forum as well as the Puntland State and Jubaland…

Girls’ basketball game in Mogadishu doubles as rally against gender-based violence MOGADISHU, Somalia — A girls’ basketball match in Mogadishu’s Shibis district became a platform for visibility and protection on Thursday as the Somalia Sisterhood initiative used sport to spotlight the fight against gender-based violence during the global 16 Days of Activism campaign. Two teams, Somalia Sisterhood and Super Sign, faced off in an energetic game attended by officials from the Benadir Regional Administration, the Somali Police…

Coup Attempt in Benin Foiled as Leader Flees A dramatic coup attempt in Benin collapsed over the weekend, leading to the escape of its orchestrator, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. Officials have confirmed that Tigri fled the country following the intervention of Nigerian military forces that came to support President Patrice Talon’s government during the crisis. On Sunday, a group of soldiers identifying themselves as the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR) took to state television to announce a government…

Oslo — Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado vowed to return her Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuela “at the correct moment” after slipping out of the country under a decade-old travel ban and arriving in Norway hours after Friday’s ceremony. Machado, 58, reached Oslo early Saturday following a clandestine journey that her camp says began by boat from Venezuela to Curaçao and continued by private plane to Norway. She missed the prize ceremony, where her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, accepted the award and…

Thursday December 11, 2025 MOGADISHU (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has signed into law the establishment of the Independent National Human Rights Commission, capping a legislative process completed by both houses of the Federal Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The presidential assent came Tuesday and coincided with the country’s observance of International Human Rights Day. Mohamud said the commission’s creation reflects Somalia’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of its citizens. He…

Disney to invest $1 billion in OpenAI, license Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar characters to Sora Walt Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and will allow the startup to use characters from its Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises inside Sora, OpenAI’s AI video and image generator, in a deal announced today that could reshape how Hollywood makes and distributes content. Under the partnership, Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-requested videos using licensed Disney characters in early 2026. The…

You are an elite, award-winning international journalist and a meticulous senior editor. Your job is to transform raw source material into a publish-ready article that meets the highest AP-standard editorial and technical requirements. PHASE 1 — ANALYSIS AND FORMAT DECISION Read the source text thoroughly. Identify the core themes, dominant purpose, crucial facts, data points, and human or structural angles. Based solely on this analysis, select exactly one article format from the list below. Always choose Football…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The National Union of Somali Journalists concluded its participation in the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with a slate of trainings, safeguarding measures and a human rights colloquium that union leaders say will strengthen protections for women journalists and raise ethical reporting standards across Somalia. Backed by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the Nov. 25–Dec. 10 campaign combined practical newsroom interventions with public awareness efforts aimed at confronting…