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MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police arrested a well-known female auto rickshaw driver after she joined protests over soaring fuel prices that choked key roads in the capital, lawmakers and colleagues said Thursday. The driver, identified as Sacdiyo Moalim and widely known as “Sacdiyo Bajaj,” was detained following a demonstration by Bajaj operators who rallied against steep increases in fuel costs and worsening economic conditions in Mogadishu. Authorities have not publicly explained the basis for her detention or said how…

Japan’s choice of a conservative woman to lead the ruling party reframes familiar dilemmas The Liberal Democratic Party’s selection of Sanae Takaichi as its leader — a 64‑year‑old conservative who could become Japan’s first female prime minister — is less a break with the past than a new turn in an old playbook. Her victory, against younger and more moderate rivals, signals the LDP’s attempt to recapture voters unsettled by inflation, stagnating wages and a rising appetite for parties that promise real change on immigration…

Somalia’s Skies Welcome a New Captain — and a Revival of Possibility At dawn in Mogadishu, when the ocean breeze carries the call to prayer over the runway and the heat hasn’t yet settled on the tarmac, a young captain strides toward her aircraft with the calm of routine and the knowledge that nothing about this is ordinary. Headset in hand, checklist tucked under her arm, Captain Yasmin Abdi Farah powers up the cockpit of a Maandeeq Air jet bound for Nairobi. A familiar route, yes—but the story it tells is new. Yasmin,…

Historic Leap: Somalia's First Female Military Cadets Graduate MOGADISHU, Somalia — In a groundbreaking ceremony that reverberated through the hallways of history, Somalia welcomed its first-ever female military cadets. This significant event marks not just a military milestone but a powerful cultural shift within a nation long-encumbered by traditional patriarchal constraints. The graduation at a Turkish-run military academy epitomizes the slow yet inexorable march toward gender equality in Somalia—a journey many hope…

In the homely setting of Rebecca Cheptegei's family in Kenya, the memories of her love for chickens linger on the walls, alongside a darker tale of violence and loss. Cheptegei, a celebrated athlete who once charmed her family with her laughter, tragically fell victim to femicide—an atrocious act deeply etched in the lives of Kenyan female athletes today. Rebecca's mother, Agnes, recalls her daughter's vibrant presence, "You always knew when she was home." However, beneath her joy lay a grim reality. In 2022, after…

Today, a massive turnout of tens of thousands is anticipated across the United States, rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris as she vies for the presidency. The annual Women’s March is set to unfold not only in Washington, D.C. but in various cities nationwide, taking place just three days prior to the pivotal U.S. Election. The slogan for this year’s event, “We Won’t Go Back!” resonates deeply, expressing a strong resistance against the possibility of another Donald Trump presidency and its potential ramifications…

Breaking Barriers: Lt. Col. Mwagandi Paves the Way as KDF’s First Female Guard of Honour Leader NAIROBI, Kenya - A seismic shift happened in Kenya on Sunday when Lt. Colonel Faith Mwagandi stepped into the spotlight as the trailblazer—Van Gogh with a paintbrush of valor—becoming the pioneer woman to craft a Guard of Honour for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at a prominent national celebration. Commanding the troops during the 61st Mashujaa Day gala in Kwale, lodged on Kenya’s sunlit southern coast, the KDF recognized this…

She’d been busting her hump with laundry, cleaning, and cooking, earning a humble $6-10 daily, just enough to keep her family afloat. After five long years, her gig was pulled from under her feet by her employers, citing financial strain. “We now lean on our neighbors’ generosity for food. When nothing turns up, we go to bed hungry,” Najmo explained. “We’ve got zilch. All we can do is pray to the Almighty for relief,” she sighed. She's drowning under $400 in back rent and facing eviction. Previous oustings from other homes…

Mogadishu (AX) — In the heart of Adado, Hawo Mahamud Farah, better known as Hawo Jookar, shattered barriers by steering a Bajaj (auto-rickshaw) through the town's lively streets. Not only did she face the grim realities of societal backlash and road hazards, but she did so to ensure a stable life for her five children, daring to defy entrenched gender expectations.

"The power of my hands" brings together 16 artists, only women and only from Portuguese-speaking or English-speaking countries, which are almost never shown in France. An original exhibition in more ways than one at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris. Painting, embroidery, photography or ceramics, neither evoke everyday life or the woman's history, intimate or more political issues. Odile Burluraux is one of the exhibitors' curators. “One of the goals of the exhibition is also to bring out what has been hidden,…