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

Middle East unrest grounds flights as Dubai shutdown and airspace closures strand thousands of Irish passengers Thousands of Irish holidaymakers are among the hundreds of thousands of air passengers stranded worldwide after unrest in the Middle East triggered sweeping flight cancellations and airspace closures. Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest international hub and a key transit point for Irish travelers heading to Asia and Australia — is in a third consecutive day of disruption, rippling through schedules…

BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and multiple areas across Lebanon on Monday after Hezbollah said it launched rockets and drones at a military base near Haifa in northern Israel, calling the operation retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement, the Iran-aligned Lebanese group said the attack was “in defence of Lebanon and its people” and “in response to the repeated Israeli aggressions.” “The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the…

Gaza faces fuel and food crunch as Israel shuts border crossings after Iran strikes UN warns hospitals and water systems at risk within days; Israel says food stocks sufficient Gaza is rapidly running out of fuel and could soon see shortages of basic foods after Israel closed all border crossings to the enclave, officials said, following Israeli air strikes on Iran conducted with the United States. Israel’s military shut the crossings on Saturday, saying they could not be operated safely during wartime conditions.…

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that ongoing military operations against Iran will not become an “endless war,” describing a campaign focused on destroying Tehran’s missiles, navy and security infrastructure while U.S. commanders warned the effort will take time and carry a human toll. “We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically,” Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.” He emphasized the mission is not an attempt to build…

Somalia’s political crossroads: constitutional overhaul, airspace disputes and a shrinking clock MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s fragile federal project is entering a decisive stretch where every move carries legal and political consequences. Pressure is mounting over a proposed constitutional overhaul, a breakdown in elite negotiations, an escalating dispute over control of airspace and airports, and enduring grievances about land governance in Mogadishu — all as the presidency faces a narrowing window to build consensus…

Rwanda Battles Alarming Rise in Illicit Alcohol Consumption Rwandan authorities are raising the alarm over a surge in illicit alcohol consumption that has claimed over a dozen lives and left hundreds more facing severe health crises, including permanent vision loss. Police report that the Eastern Province is the hardest hit, where local brews are frequently contaminated with methanol—a toxic industrial chemical. The Rwanda Standards Bureau has taken significant measures by dismantling illegal production sites and…

Airspace closures across the Middle East have triggered sweeping flight cancellations and global knock-on delays, as pressure mounts on the region’s key aviation hubs in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Dublin Airport said all services between Ireland and the Middle East scheduled for today are canceled, with 5,000 to 6,000 passengers affected so far, underscoring how the disruption is rippling through long-haul travel networks. Gulf gateways are central to east–west traffic linking Europe with Asia and Australia. Twenty-three…

ST. CLOUD, Minnesota — When Abdi Daisane first resettled in the United States in 2009, he called family overseas to describe a freedom that felt radical after years in a Kenyan refugee camp: no one demanded to see his papers. In Minnesota, he didn’t live at a checkpoint. Seventeen years later, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents surged into Minnesota in recent months, that assurance unraveled. Daisane, who owns Blooming Kids Child Center in St. Cloud and is running for an open state House seat, found himself…

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria's (FAAN) newly launched cashless payment system has triggered massive congestion at the country's major airports, leaving motorists and travelers stranded for hours. The policy, which took effect on March 1, aims to curb revenue leakages but has instead resulted in significant delays and frustration. Heavy gridlock was reported at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as drivers scrambled to obtain the new toll payment…

Ukraine says U.S.-brokered talks with Russia have not been canceled despite weekend strikes on Iran that President Volodymyr Zelensky linked to the United States and Israel, though Kyiv is weighing a change of venue from Abu Dhabi to Turkey or Switzerland. Zelensky told reporters the meeting, tentatively set for March 5-6 in the United Arab Emirates capital, remains on the calendar but may be relocated “due to the ongoing hostilities.” He added, “If there are difficulties with Abu Dhabi because of missiles and drones, then I…