Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Where do talks between the Future Council and the Federal Government stand? MOGADISHU — Somalia’s election negotiations have entered a decisive phase as members of the Future Council agreed to attend a unified session at Villa Somalia on Sunday, moving the standoff with the Federal Government into direct, high-level talks over the country’s electoral path. The shift comes after weeks of committee-level engagements and separate consultative meetings failed to unlock compromises on how to conduct the next polls. With the…

U.S. forces carried out an airstrike against an alleged narco‑trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Feb. 20, killing three people, U.S. Southern Command said in a statement posted on X the following day. “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” transiting “along known narco‑trafficking routes,” the command said. The post added that “three male narco‑terrorists were killed during this action.” Black‑and‑white video released with the…

Somalia to recruit 10,000 teachers, shift salaries to domestic revenue in education overhaul MOGADISHU — Somalia will hire 10,000 teachers over the next 45 months and pay their salaries entirely from domestic revenue, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Friday, framing the move as a cornerstone of state-building and economic independence. “For the first time in Somalia’s history, teachers’ salaries will be paid entirely from domestic revenue rather than external support,” Barre wrote on X. “This is not just politics,…

Viral photo shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leaving police custody after questioning over Epstein documents Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of Britain’s King Charles, was released from police custody after a day of questioning over allegations he sent confidential government documents to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A stark photograph of the former prince slumped in the back of a Range Rover as he left Aylsham police station in Norfolk went viral after it was published late yesterday. Thames…

Lisa Phillips, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, has called for a thorough investigation into any Irish links to the convicted U.S. sex offender’s network, telling RTÉ’s The Late Late Show that she is in Ireland to meet “some powerful leaders” and press for action. Phillips’ appeal comes a week after the Dáil was told that a witness statement contained in the so‑called Epstein files alleged a young girl was trafficked through Ireland “for politicians and notable men for the purposes of sex.” “There needs to be a thorough…

WFP warns Somalia food aid could halt by April without new funds, putting millions at risk The U.N. World Food Program warned Friday that its life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could grind to a halt as early as April unless fresh funding arrives, threatening to push millions deeper into hunger after years of failed rains and conflict. The agency said an estimated 4.4 million people in Somalia face crisis-level food insecurity, with nearly 1 million already enduring severe hunger. A sharp drop in…

Macron urges calm as France braces for rallies over killing of far-right activist Quentin Deranque French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm ahead of nationwide rallies planned in memory of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist whose killing last week, captured on video, has shocked France and inflamed political tensions ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Speaking at a farming trade fair in Paris, Macron urged “everyone to remain calm” before a high-security march in Lyon, where authorities expect…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has suspended several aircraft after inspections uncovered technical faults and non-compliance with international safety standards, escalating scrutiny of the country’s fast-growing aviation market following a Feb. 10 incident that stoked public concern. The regulator said the suspensions aim to strengthen flight safety oversight and restore passenger confidence after a Starsky Aviation plane experienced a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff from Mogadishu’s…

Trump says he is considering limited strike on Iran as talks crawl toward draft deal US President Donald Trump said he is weighing a limited military strike on Iran, escalating pressure on Tehran even as Iranian officials claimed a draft agreement with Washington to curb its nuclear program could be ready within days. Trump has repeatedly warned that “bad things” would happen if Iran does not strike a deal within a deadline he first set at 10 days and later extended to 15. Asked by a reporter whether he was contemplating a…

Somalia denies claims Türkiye is ‘unilaterally benefiting’ from oil, stresses sovereignty ahead of elections Somalia’s government has rejected online claims that Türkiye is reaping one-sided gains from the country’s natural resources, insisting a new energy partnership protects Somalia’s sovereignty and benefits its people as political tensions rise ahead of elections later this year. The Somali National News Agency said Friday that “allegations” circulating on social media about Türkiye’s exclusive benefit from Somali…