President

Sunday April 5, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met Sunday with traditional elders in Baidoa, stepping into the center of a delicate push to calm tensions and reinforce governance in Southwest State after recent political unrest. According to Villa Somalia, the talks centered on community reconciliation, support for Somalia’s democratization drive, the worsening drought and wider state-building efforts. The meeting comes days after federal authorities assumed control of Baidoa and installed an…

Friday April 3, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Baidoa on Friday for his first trip to the Southwest regional capital since the installation of an interim administration and the latest political turmoil in the state. In a statement, Villa Somalia said the visit is intended to speed up the delivery of social services, push forward peace and reconciliation efforts, reinforce governance and support preparations for Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote elections. The president is expected…

WASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday removed sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, according to an entry on the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control website. The move is a significant indication that Washington now treats Rodríguez as a legitimate authority in Venezuela. The U.S. has already formally recognized her as the country’s head of state in legal and diplomatic settings. Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sanctions relief…

In 2026, Somalia's political debate is increasingly focused on how President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is managing three linked challenges: a major constitutional transition, preparations for elections in the run-up to 2026, and the pressure of fighting al-Shabaab while maintaining governance in Mogadishu. Much of the year's attention has turned to talks between the presidency, opposition figures, and the National Consultative Council, as well as disputes in parliament over proposed constitutional amendments and the timing of…

A significant shake-up is underway in the Nigerian government, sparked by a decisive ultimatum from President Bola Tinubu. This mandate compelled public officials eyeing a run in the 2027 general elections to step down from their positions. Among the notable resignations are at least three cabinet ministers, including the pivotal Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Transport, along with several other influential political figures. This directive is firmly rooted in existing electoral regulations, which prohibit those holding…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has unveiled a broad shake-up of his cabinet, regional governors and senior officials, carrying out his first major government overhaul in more than two years. The decree, released Tuesday by the Puntland State Presidency, names a 43-member cabinet covering major ministries including justice, interior, health, planning, information and fisheries. The reshuffle appears aimed at tightening governance and adjusting the administration’s political…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen stepped down Monday, just hours after federal government troops and armed groups aligned with regional opposition leaders entered Baidoa following fierce fighting that killed at least two people and injured 25 others. “Effective today, March 30, 2026, I, Mr. Abdicasiis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, resign as President of the Southwest State,” Laftagareen said in a post on his official Facebook page, offering no explanation for…

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday held talks with ambassadors and representatives of international organizations at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. According to the presidency, the discussions centered on the government’s record in security, counterterrorism operations, preparations for direct elections, response to drought conditions and efforts to bolster national unity. President Mohamud updated the diplomats on gains made through cooperation between the…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Federal government troops, supported by armed groups allied with opposition figures in Southwest State, pushed into Baidoa on Monday after fierce clashes with the Southwest regional administration. Witnesses said heavy gunfire rattled the town’s outskirts earlier in the day as the two sides fought over control of strategic sites in the interim administrative capital. The scale of the casualties remains uncertain, and neither camp has issued official numbers. Footage circulating on social…

Algeria declared three days of national mourning after announcing the death of former president Liamine Zeroual, who died at 84 following a serious illness. Born in Batna in 1941, Zeroual fought with the National Liberation Army during Algeria’s struggle for independence from France. He later steered a transitional government through the country's brutal civil war and organised the first multi-party presidential election in 1995, emerging as its victor. In 1998 he left office before his term concluded, clearing the way for…