Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Thursday April 30, 2026 Atletico Madrid and Arsenal will head to London with everything still hanging in the balance after a tense 1-1 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal at the Metropolitano on Wednesday night. Both sides scored from the penalty spot, but Arsenal were left furious after a late VAR review wiped out what appeared to be a strong case for a second spot-kick that could have swung the tie their way. Atletico named Ademola Lookman on the left and Jan Oblak in goal, while Johnny Cardoso…

TikTok has won a crucial reprieve in its battle over European user data, after the Supreme Court here confirmed the company may continue transferring data from the European Union to China while it pursues an appeal against a regulator’s order to stop the practice over privacy concerns. The platform’s lead EU privacy watchdog, the Irish Data Protection Commission, imposed a €530m fine on the short-video app last May and directed it to suspend data transfers to China unless its processing was brought into ⁠compliance within…

Mohamed Gabobe in Mogadishu and Rachel SavageThursday April 30, 2026 The motor vessel Sward was hijacked on Sunday. Photograph: EU naval force Operation ATALANTA A fresh wave of hijackings off Somalia has jolted one of the world’s most sensitive shipping corridors, with three vessels seized in a week and memories of the country’s pirate era suddenly back in focus. The merchant vessel Sward was captured on 26 April, just one day after a dhow was taken. Those incidents came after the 21 April hijacking of Honour 25, a motor…

Britain has moved to bolster protection for Jewish communities after a fresh attack in north London sharpened fears over antisemitism and security, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer promising immediate support and urging the country to stand together. Under fire from British Jews who say ministers have too often failed to keep them safe, Mr Starmer said funding for synagogues and other community sites would be increased at once, while stressing that the response cannot rest on security measures alone and that the country…

Bamako, Mali’s sprawling capital and a West African commercial centre of more than three million people, is facing a tightening siege as Islamist militants step up a partial blockade days after the defence minister was assassinated there. "Our army isn't capable of protecting us. How are we going to get back home?" a mother-of-two told the BBC after being unable to return to Bamako following a visit to her parents outside the city. She was among dozens left stranded for nearly a day on the Bamako-Kéniéba highway, one…

By Ahmed Abdi Hussein Thursday April 30, 2026 Somalia has one of the strongest livestock sectors in the region, yet the country still sells much of that wealth through an outdated system that leaves producers with little power and limited returns. From the country’s wide rangelands come millions of goats and sheep raised under pastoral systems refined over generations. The animals are hardy, naturally grazed, and well matched to global demand. They have long supported livelihoods and played a central role in the…

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, declared that Tehran will defend its "nuclear and missile capabilities" as core national assets, striking a combative note as Washington presses for a broader agreement to shore up a fragile ceasefire. The intervention comes as US President Donald Trump pushes for an expanded deal aimed at reinforcing the uneasy truce that followed the war. Since assuming power after his father was killed at the outset of the conflict, Mr Khamenei has consistently projected defiance, and his…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOThursday April 30, 2026 Somali football does not need more slogans. It needs the basics: a dependable calendar, a league that actually works and a structure that gives the sport some rhythm. By every outward sign, the game ought to be on the rise. A promising crop of young talent is breaking through, Somali referees are beginning to appear on continental and international assignments, and more coaches are collecting formal licences. Even the country’s youth sides have shown flashes of real potential. Yet…

Thursday April 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Wednesday brought together intelligence chiefs from East African Community member states for a two-day conference in Mogadishu aimed at deepening cooperation and confronting shared security threats across the region. The April 29–30 gathering was opened by Somali National Army Commander Ibrahim Mohamed Mahmoud, who underscored the need for tightly coordinated intelligence work in the face of shifting and interconnected challenges. Participants are reviewing the regional…

LIV Golf wasted little time charting its next move after confirmation that Saudi financial support for the breakaway circuit will come to an end, unveiling a new board and opening the door to fresh long-term investors. Reports earlier this week said Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) would stop its backing — worth more than $1bn a year since 2022 — after the league's 2026 season. Without naming PIF directly, LIV said on Thursday it was making a "transition from a foundational launch phase to a diversified,…