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

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump convened the inaugural meeting of his newly formed “Board of Peace” on Thursday in Washington, bringing together international figures to discuss the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the shape of a possible stabilization mission. The session focused on shoring up the truce and coordinating a reconstruction drive for Gaza. Trump said participating members collectively pledged $7 billion for rebuilding and that the United States would contribute an additional $10 billion, calling the…

U.S. threats against Iran intensified after a second round of indirect nuclear talks ended without a breakthrough, as Tehran and Moscow announced joint naval drills in the Sea of Oman aimed at deterring any “unilateral action” and safeguarding maritime traffic. The twin moves underscored a rapid military buildup around the Strait of Hormuz and raised fears of a wider regional conflict. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that “Iran would be very wise to make a deal” with President Donald Trump,…

UN probe: RSF’s El-Fasher assault bears ‘hallmarks of genocide,’ as rights mission urges urgent civilian protection The United Nations’ independent fact-finding mission on Sudan has concluded that the Rapid Support Forces’ siege and October capture of El-Fasher in Darfur bore the “hallmarks of genocide,” documenting ethnic massacres, widespread rape and mass detentions over what survivors called “three days of absolute horror.” In findings presented to the UN Security Council, the mission said the scale, coordination and…

Macron tells Meloni to stop ‘commenting on what is happening in other people’s countries’ after fatal beating of far-right activist in Lyon French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to refrain from weighing in on France’s internal affairs after she expressed shock over the fatal beating of a 23-year-old far-right activist in Lyon, a killing that has intensified political tensions ahead of key votes. “Let everyone stay in their own lane,” Macron said in New Delhi during an official visit…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya moved Wednesday to ease refinancing pressures, launching tender offers to buy back up to $500 million of outstanding Eurobonds and preparing a new dual-tranche dollar issue aimed at extending the country’s debt maturities. In a regulatory notice, the government said it would repurchase up to $350 million of its 8% bond due in 2032 and up to $150 million of its 7.25% bond maturing in 2028, amounts inclusive of accrued interest. The tender offer closes Feb. 25. To fund the buybacks, Kenya plans to issue…

South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in prison for insurrection over 2024 martial law move SEOUL — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection when he declared martial law in December 2024, a dramatic coda to a crisis that rattled the country’s democracy and revived memories of past military rule. Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon said Yoon deployed troops to the National Assembly in an effort to silence political opponents who had…

Analysis: U.S.-backed airpower reshapes Somalia’s fight with al-Shabab — but can gains hold as peacekeepers depart? Somalia’s government says a combination of U.S.-supported airstrikes and newly expanded ground operations has shifted the momentum in its long war with al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab. Officials tout battlefield gains, especially the retaking of territory long held by the militants and strikes on leadership nodes and bomb-making networks. The turn comes as African Union peacekeepers draw down and Somali forces assume…

Prince Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office tied to alleged sharing of UK trade envoy secrets with Jeffrey Epstein Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after documents from the latest Jeffrey Epstein files appeared to show he shared confidential government information while serving as a British trade envoy, according to people familiar with the matter. His unceremonious detention on his 66th birthday followed a complaint by…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The first phase of high-stakes talks between Somalia’s Future Council and the federal government concluded Thursday in Mogadishu, signaling a cautious push toward election consensus as negotiators seek to reduce political uncertainty ahead of the country’s next polls. Held at Villa Somalia, the meeting centered on the structure and scope of upcoming elections — a critical question that has shaped political negotiations for months. Officials said both sides recognized the urgency of striking a…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday rejected Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, warning that the move risks escalating tensions in an already volatile Horn of Africa. “The Horn of Africa should not be the battlefield of foreign forces,” Erdogan said during a joint news conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa. “We believe that countries of the region should address their problems by themselves.” North Western State…