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

Thursday June 11, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was blocked from taking part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, has now been handed one of European football’s biggest officiating assignments: the UEFA Super Cup in August, UEFA said. Artan will oversee the Aug. 12 meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, according to the European governing body. “Referee announced for 2026 #SuperCup! We’re pleased to share that Somali referee…

For many African migrants in South Africa, daily life had become so punishing that returning home felt like the only viable option — a reality underscored by one of the returnees who thanked the Nigerian government and the individuals who helped make the journey back possible. The returnee said conditions in South Africa had grown unbearable for many African migrants, prompting appreciation for those who facilitated their return to Nigeria. Responding to questions about the legal status of Nigerians living in South Africa,…

People tend to drift left without even realizing it, according to an international study that found a consistent human habit of turning anti-clockwise while walking. Researchers say the pattern shows up in enclosed settings including supermarkets, museums and empty rooms, where people appear to favor moving leftward as they navigate space. The first round of research took place in Spain, where the behavior was initially suspected to reflect a cultural trait. But when researchers in Japan repeated the experiment, they arrived…

Thursday June 11, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe, newly elected president of Somalia’s Southwest State, formally assumed office on Thursday in a handover ceremony held at the presidential palace in Baidoa. He succeeds Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, who had been serving as interim leader of the regional administration. The ceremony brought together federal and Southwest State officials, representatives of government agencies, politicians, traditional elders and other dignitaries. Jibril transferred official…

By: Joshua FreemanThursday June 11, 2026 Mayor Olivia Chow speaks at an event on May 19, 2026. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says a Somali referee barred from entering the United States for World Cup duties would be welcome in Toronto instead, adding a new Canadian voice to a growing debate over the decision. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that a Somali national scheduled to referee at the World Cup was found inadmissible for entry into the U.S. “During processing, the traveller underwent additional inspection, a…

With inflation climbing past 4% and political pressure mounting, US President Donald Trump struck a strikingly defiant note, telling reporters he “loved” inflation while again insisting prices would fall once the Iran war comes to an end. Pressed on fresh US government figures showing consumer inflation in May rose at its fastest rate in three years — and asked whether that surge could hurt his fellow Republicans only months before November’s midterm election — Mr Trump replied: “I love the inflation.” The president went on…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Friday described the reported denial of entry to the United States for Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan as “unfortunate,” while making clear that football’s world governing body has no power to override decisions made by governments or security agencies. At a press conference, Infantino said FIFA was handling the matter through dialogue and diplomatic channels after reports surfaced that the internationally recognised Somali referee had been blocked from entering…

By: Joshua FreemanThursday June 11, 2026 Mayor Olivia Chow appears at an event on May 19, 2026. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says a Somali referee blocked from entering the United States for World Cup duties would be welcome to officiate in Toronto instead. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that a Somali national who had planned to referee at the World Cup was found inadmissible to the U.S. “During processing, the traveller underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers…

A late-night assault ripped through an informal settlement near Johannesburg, where gunmen opened fire and killed 12 people, South African police said. The attack unfolded shortly before midnight in a poor community of corrugated-metal shacks near an area occupied by illegal miners, according to police. Police spokeswoman said about 10 assailants were driven to the Jumpers settlement, dropped off, and then swept into the area. "The suspects allegedly entered the informal settlement through both entrances and moved through…

In a bid to fortify the frontline against Ebola, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) will set up joint medical camps on the Congolese side of their shared border, a move intended to strengthen the response and speed treatment for suspected patients. President Yoweri Museveni announced the plan in an address on the Ebola situation, saying the effort is designed to bring healthcare closer to affected communities and deter risky cross-border travel that can accelerate transmission. He emphasized that…