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

BEIRUT — Israel ordered residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate north of the Zahrani River on Tuesday, signaling a major expansion of the conflict with Hezbollah and a potential deepening of Israel’s de facto control across the border. The evacuation directive, delivered in Arabic by an Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, spokesperson, would push civilians roughly 40 kilometers from Israel’s frontier and extend an Israeli-controlled zone to about 12% of Lebanon, according to the order’s parameters. The directive follows days of…

Horn of Africa leaders warn of economic impact from Middle East conflict DJIBOUTI, March 12 — Leaders of Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could spill into the Horn of Africa’s economies and stability after holding trilateral talks in Djibouti on Wednesday. Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh hosted Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for discussions centered on regional security and the potential economic fallout as global oil…

FBI warned California law enforcement of potential Iranian drone attacks before U.S. strikes, as Trump, Newsom play down imminent threat The FBI warned law enforcement agencies last month that Tehran could attempt surprise drone attacks in California if the United States struck Iran, according to a security bulletin seen by Reuters. The alert surfaced publicly Wednesday as U.S. and Israeli bombardments of Iran, which began Feb. 28, drove the conflict into a 12th day and rattled energy markets. The confidential bulletin,…

Authorities said an unidentified gunman was killed after exchanging fire with security during an attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, a northwest suburb of Detroit, prompting a massive law enforcement response and precautionary lockdowns across Jewish institutions. Police said no other injuries were immediately apparent. Investigators were still working to confirm the suspect’s death and determine whether anyone else was involved. “Security saw him, engaged him in gunfire,” Sheriff Bouchard said. “Nobody…

You are an elite, award-winning international journalist and a meticulous senior editor. Your job is to transform raw source material into a publish-ready article that meets the highest AP-standard editorial and technical requirements. PHASE 1 — ANALYSIS AND FORMAT DECISION Read the source text thoroughly. Identify the core themes, dominant purpose, crucial facts, data points, and human or structural angles. Based solely on this analysis, select exactly one article format from the list below. Always choose Football…

Dubai — Citigroup and Standard Chartered have told staff in Dubai to leave their offices and work from home as Gulf lenders step up precautions after Iran threatened to strike regional banking interests linked to the United States and Israel, according to people familiar and a staff memo. Citigroup instructed employees at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and in the Oud Metha neighborhood to evacuate and work remotely until further notice, a memo reviewed by Reuters showed. A Citi spokesperson said the bank is…

Six years after Cyclone Idai tore through central Mozambique, the port city of Beira still carries the imprint of that storm in both brick and belief. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 500 people in Mozambique and left thousands more homeless; in the past decade alone, 10 cyclones have claimed more than a thousand lives across the country. For many residents, the memory of Idai is not only a ledger of loss but a constant lens through which the next weather warning is viewed. Reporting by Sean Christie for the Bhekisisa…

Human Rights Watch Calls for Protection of Civilians Amid Rising Violence in Burkina Faso Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a strong plea to all parties entangled in the conflict in Burkina Faso, urging them to adhere to international law, specifically the Geneva Conventions. These conventions prohibit summary executions, attacks on civilians, and sexual violence. This appeal comes on the heels of harrowing reports indicating that militants have killed at least 38 civilians, abducted nine women, and destroyed property in…

Hormuud Salaam Foundation pledges $700,000 for Somalia drought relief MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation said it is committing $700,000 in emergency aid to families hit by severe drought across south-central Somalia, aiming to deliver water, food and other essentials as conditions deteriorate. The foundation — the humanitarian arm of Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank — said the funding will target communities facing worsening shortages after months of below-average rainfall that have dried traditional…

Trump’s matching-shoes push reaches his Cabinet; Rubio photographed in pair appearing too big Florsheim Oxfords reportedly gifted by the president become an unofficial uniform inside the West Wing WASHINGTON — One day after The Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump has been urging his presidential Cabinet to wear the same style of Florsheim dress shoes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was photographed Tuesday in a pair that appeared to be roughly two sizes too large. The $145 Florsheim Oxfords — a classic,…