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

Epstein files trigger global fallout as royals, diplomats and Olympic chief face scrutiny The release by U.S. authorities of a new cache of files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has set off a wave of repercussions across Europe and the United States, drawing in royals, senior diplomats, a top Olympic organizer and prominent political figures. None of the individuals named has been accused of wrongdoing. In Norway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, whose name appears at least 1,000 times in the newly released…

U.S. says Somalia policy unchanged after Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia Mogadishu (AX) — The United States on Monday reiterated that its policy on Somalia remains unchanged, reaffirming support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Israel moved to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state late last year. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the BBC that Washington maintains a “good working relationship” with North Western State of Somalia and other Somali…

QUINDALUP, Australia — A 13-year-old boy swam for four hours through rising swells off Western Australia to raise the alarm for his family, a feat rescuers called “superhuman” after his mother and two younger siblings were found alive offshore. The ordeal unfolded Friday afternoon near the tourist town of Quindalup, where a family outing in kayaks and on paddleboards turned into a fight for survival. The boy, identified by local media as Austin Appelbee, set out with his mother and two siblings when the wind and waves built…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkish F-16 fighter jets conducted test flights over Mogadishu on Wednesday morning, signaling an expanded military footprint by Ankara in Somalia, according to people familiar with the deployment and local media reports. At least three F-16s arrived in Somalia last Wednesday as part of Turkey’s broadened security support to the Horn of Africa nation, the sources said. The flights were described as tests intended to assess the aircrafts’ readiness and capabilities for future operations while reinforcing…

Tallinn’s Slava Ukrainia restaurant was meant as a refuge for people displaced by the war next door. One winter morning, it became a crime scene. CCTV captured two men outside: one filming, the other setting the blaze that would gut the Ukrainian-themed eatery. Within weeks, a cross-border investigation had tracked the suspects — Moldovan nationals — to Italy. By summer, an Estonian court had convicted one of arson in the interests of a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors said he worked for Russia’s military…

Somalia’s minister of endowments and religious affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, visited the King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex in Madinah on Tuesday to review Saudi Arabia’s efforts to print, translate and disseminate the Holy Qur’an worldwide. During the visit, Sheikh Mukhtar received a detailed briefing on the complex’s mandates and specialized production lines, including its work across editions of varying sizes and recitations, as well as translations of the meanings of the Qur’an into multiple languages. Officials…

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken over his artificial intelligence company xAI in a merger aimed at deploying space-based data centers, fusing the rocket maker’s launch capabilities with xAI’s AI systems to meet surging demand for computing power. In an announcement, Musk called the combined effort “the most ambitious, vertically integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth,” positioning the deal as a response to strains emerging in Big Tech’s breakneck AI buildout. The plan centers on a new constellation of satellites…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Irro is attending the World Governments Summit in Dubai for the second consecutive year, joining global leaders as they debate the future of governance, technological innovation and public policy. Irro’s participation comes as relations between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates face renewed strain. Somalia has said it canceled agreements with Abu Dhabi following claims by Israel that it had recognized North Western State of Somalia as an…

Trump threatens Insurrection Act to quell Minneapolis protests after immigration crackdown shootings MINNEAPOLIS — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minnesota, aiming to quell persistent protests over a federal immigration crackdown that has roiled the Twin Cities after two shootings involving immigration officers this month. The warning came a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who authorities say was attacked with a shovel and broom…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State authorities on Tuesday executed a woman convicted of murdering a 14-year-old girl after the victim’s family chose retributive justice under Islamic law, a rare application of the death penalty against a woman in the semi-autonomous region. Officials said the execution was carried out in Galkacyo, a divided city in central Somalia, after courts found Hodan Mohamud guilty of killing Sabirin Saylaan Abdille, a minor who had been working as a domestic helper. Judges ruled that Sabirin died as…