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MOGADISHU, Somalia — U.S. Africa Command has intensified airstrikes in Somalia, pushing the annual tally to 109 and signaling a stepped-up campaign against al-Shabaab and ISIS militants in coordination with state forces in Puntland State and Jubaland. AFRICOM said multiple operations between Nov. 26 and Nov. 28 struck ISIS positions in the rugged Calmiskaad mountains of Puntland State, roughly 37 miles from Bosaso, the region’s commercial hub. The mountainous redoubt has long provided militants with cover and access to…

MOGADISHU — The man at the center of a viral deportation saga stepped into Mogadishu last month to cheers, ululations and a crush of cellphone cameras. For many Somalis online, Mahad Maxamud — a TikTok creator with a following now exceeding 450,000 — returned a folk hero. For others, he was the face of a bruising fight over truth, power and the politics of migration. In late October, the official White House account on X labeled Maxamud a “criminal illegal scumbag,” alleging he helped kidnap two French intelligence officers…

Nigerian Air Force Clarifies C-130 Landing in Burkina Faso Amid Controversy The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that the landing of its C-130 aircraft in Burkina Faso was a precautionary measure due to safety concerns stemming from a "technical issue" encountered during its operations. This clarification follows reports suggesting that the aircraft’s landing had sparked tensions between Nigeria and the Burkinabe government, raising accusations of airspace violations. The incident occurred on Monday and quickly…

Malawi is facing an acute sugar shortage that has pushed traders and consumers to camp outside distribution sites overnight in hopes of securing supplies, heightening public anger and putting pressure on President Peter Mutharika’s administration to act. Traders outside the offices of the principal sugar distributor in the central town of Nkhotakota say long lines and overnight vigils have become routine as supplies run low. Some vendors accused big businesses of hoarding sugar to force an artificial shortfall that drives…

Paramount Skydance has launched a hostile $108.4 billion bid for Warner Bros Discovery, moving to upend Netflix’s newly struck agreement and escalate one of the decade’s most consequential battles for Hollywood’s crown jewels. The move arrives days after Netflix emerged from a weeks-long bidding war with a $72 billion equity deal for Warner Bros Discovery’s TV, film and streaming assets — an offer valued at $82.7 billion including debt and carrying a $5.8 billion break-up fee from Netflix. The streaming giant’s bid, already…

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…

Djibouti music icon Fuaad Ahmed ‘Ilkacase’ dies after long illness; funeral draws officials, artists DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti — Fuaad Ahmed Gadhle, the towering Djiboutian singer and actor known on stage as Ilkacase and celebrated for a career that spanned more than four decades, died this week in Djibouti City after a prolonged illness. He was buried Monday night, with senior officials, artists and residents in attendance, according to family and colleagues. Ahmed’s health had been in decline for years and he recently…

DOHA, Qatar — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud used the Doha Forum to argue Somalia is moving from crisis response to an assertive phase of state-building, urging partners to align aid and security programs with the country’s plans as Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye signaled fresh commitments. Chairing a roundtable titled “State-Building in Somalia: Coordinated Strategies to Sustain Progress,” Mohamud said Somali institutions are increasingly capable of setting and executing priorities — from national security and…

Benin Foils Attempted Coup with Regional Support Amid a surge of military takeovers in West Africa, Benin successfully thwarted an attempted coup with assistance from regional allies. The president assured stability despite an early morning crisis. President Patrice Talon confirmed the situation is under control. Nigerian forces provided critical support to counter the coup. A troubling pattern of coups has developed in West Africa. Swift Response to Crisis On Sunday, Benin experienced a coup attempt when…

Lithuania declares state of emergency over Belarus-linked ‘smuggler balloons’ disrupting airspace VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania’s government on Monday declared a state of emergency in response to waves of weather balloons drifting in from Belarus and disrupting air traffic near the capital, a move it says is necessary to counter what it calls a hybrid operation by Minsk. The measure, which would grant additional powers to the armed forces to work alongside police and border guards to intercept the devices, has been sent to…