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

Somalia says its forces killed more than 130 al-Shabab fighters and repelled a major assault on the strategic coastal town of Kudhaa in the Lower Juba region after a prolonged battle that stretched beyond 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The joint operation, led by Somali National Army units and Jubbaland regional security forces with backing from international partners, broke an attempted overrun by the al-Qaida-linked group in one of its most active southern strongholds, according to the ministry. The Defense…

Ghislaine Maxwell is set to appear virtually before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 9, with her lawyers indicating she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination as lawmakers probe Jeffrey Epstein’s network and the government’s handling of records tied to his case. Committee Chairman James Comer said Maxwell’s legal team has repeatedly signaled she will refuse to answer questions. “I agree we need to hear from Ghislaine Maxwell,” Comer said, noting the panel has been seeking her deposition for…

Somali forces retake coastal town of Kudhaa after heavy fighting with al-Shabab KUDHAA, Somalia — Somali government troops backed by the elite Danab commandos and Jubbaland regional forces have retaken the coastal town of Kudhaa after heavy fighting with al-Shabab, officials said Thursday. Military officials said the clashes began before dawn a day earlier when al-Shabab fighters launched an attack on the area in Somalia’s Lower Juba region. The battle ended early Thursday after government-aligned units surrounded the…

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Texas jury on Wednesday acquitted a former Uvalde school district police officer of all criminal child-endangerment charges stemming from the botched law enforcement response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Adrian Gonzales, 52, faced 29 counts of felony child endangerment over what prosecutors said was his failure to act against the gunman in the first minutes of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Each count carried a…

In a stunning display of skill and strategy, the global football landscape shifted dramatically on January 22, 2026. Major matches across different leagues provided fans with electrifying moments, altering league standings and igniting discussions about upcoming tournaments. At the heart of these matches was the highly anticipated clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga. As is tradition, the infamous El Clásico was more than just a battle for points but also a clash of iconic legacies. Barcelona secured a…

UK declines to attend Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ signing in Davos, citing Putin’s involvement Britain will not take part in the signing ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” on Wednesday in Davos, citing “concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. Trump is hosting the launch of the new forum on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, pitching it as a vehicle to resolve international conflicts. The White House says about 35…

Analysis: At Davos, Trump’s remarks about Somali migrants signal a familiar pattern — rhetoric that shapes policy President Donald Trump’s jab at Somali migrants on the World Economic Forum stage in Davos did more than provoke outrage. It fit a years-long pattern in which inflammatory language about Black and African diasporas is paired with restrictive immigration moves — a feedback loop with real policy and political consequences in places like Minnesota, Maine and beyond. Before a crowd of foreign dignitaries and…

At least 55 dead in Karachi mall fire as families provide DNA amid painstaking search at Gul Plaza KARACHI, Pakistan — The death toll from a weekend fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest city climbed to at least 55 as rescuers combed the wreckage of the three-story Gul Plaza and families waited for news of missing loved ones, authorities said. “A total of 55 bodies have been recovered since Saturday night” when the blaze erupted, said Javed Nabi Khoso, deputy commissioner of Karachi’s south district, speaking to AFP.…

MOGADISHU — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development on Wednesday welcomed Somalia’s ratification of the new IGAD Treaty, calling it a significant step toward stronger regional cooperation and integration across the Horn of Africa. Somalia’s House of the People approved the treaty by show of hands after the agreement was presented by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad, who urged lawmakers to endorse it as essential to the country’s regional engagement and political stability. According to Speaker…

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand — A rain-fueled landslide slammed into a seaside campsite on New Zealand’s North Island, burying a shower block and smashing several camper vans under tons of mud, with multiple people missing and rescuers racing against dangerously shifting ground. The slide struck at the base of Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcanic cone in northern New Zealand, after heavy overnight downpours. Photos and video shared on local media showed a mound of saturated earth crushing the camp’s shower facility and…