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

In a groundbreaking move for regional connectivity, the Republic of Congo has declared that, starting January 1, 2027, all African citizens will enjoy visa-free entry into the country. This initiative aims to simplify cross-border travel and enhance regional integration across the continent. This new policy is set to facilitate travel for various purposes, including business, tourism, education, and cultural exchanges. It embodies the Republic of Congo's commitment to the African Union's broader integration agenda and…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has put the National Assembly on notice: if lawmakers push ahead with an impeachment process over his conduct in the Phala Phala saga, he says he will be “compelled” to ask the Western Cape High Court for an interdict to stop it. The warning revives a controversy that has dogged Ramaphosa since 2022, when an independent panel concluded he might have committed serious misconduct linked to the theft of large sums of cash that had been hidden in a sofa at his private farm. Ramaphosa has repeatedly…

Wednesday May 27, 2026 Bosaso (AX) — Grief and anger swept through Buruc in Somalia’s Bari region on Tuesday as residents gathered for the mass burial of a pregnant woman and her three children, who were killed in an airstrike in the Haysimo mountains of Qandala district, according to officials and local residents. Puntland State military officials said the strike struck a rural family in the area. Local accounts said the mother and two of her children died at the scene, while a third child later succumbed to wounds. The…

Europe is sweltering under an unusually early blast of heat, with forecasters warning that a powerful "heat dome" is driving temperatures far beyond what is typical for this point in the year. The surge came after a record-setting Monday, when France registered its hottest May day ever recorded, according to the national weather agency, while the UK also hit unprecedented highs. Meteorologists say the spike is being fuelled by a mass of hot air from northern Africa, trapped beneath a high-pressure system over western Europe…

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 26, 2026 — An International Rescue Committee (IRC) alert warns that a fast-moving Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC risks becoming the deadliest on record unless the international community acts immediately. In a Watchlist Flash Alert issued today, the IRC highlights three stark dangers: the epidemic is outpacing the response; persistent conflict and displacement are raising the chance of cross-border spread; and deep cuts to global aid have left health systems in eastern DRC far…

Days before turning 80, US President Donald Trump has undergone his annual medical examination, a routine presidential event unfolding against renewed scrutiny of his health. Mr Trump, the oldest person ever sworn in as president, has frequently contrasted his own physical and mental stamina with that of his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. Still, his latest medical and dental evaluation at Walter Reed Military Hospital outside Washington comes as questions linger over reports that he has seemed drowsy in meetings and over…

A year after thieves pulled off a stunning robbery at the Louvre and vanished with jewellery valued at about $100 million (€88 million), the audacious crime is now heading to the big screen, according to a publisher. French filmmaker Romain Gavras — whose credits include the 2025 Hollywood film Sacrifice starring Anya Taylor-Joy, as well as music videos, most recently a hypnotic schoolboy choreography for GENER8ION — will take inspiration from the investigative book Main basse sur le Louvre (A grab at the Louvre). Flammarion…

Israel’s military has reportedly pushed deeper into southern Lebanon, with Israeli media saying troops have begun ground operations beyond the so-called "Yellow Line" — an area extending about 10km inside Lebanese territory. Until now, Israeli forces had been operating within the self-declared "Yellow Line", where they have carried out widespread demolitions even though a ceasefire has been in place since 17 April. "The IDF has begun ground operations north of the Yellow Line in southern Lebanon," Israel's Kan public…

Toby MannTuesday May 26, 2026 A US-AF F-35 Lightning II fighter jet pictured in April 2026 The United States said it carried out fresh strikes in southern Iran, hitting missile positions and boats it said were trying to lay mines, in the latest sign that tensions remain high despite talk of a ceasefire. US Central Command said the operation was conducted in "self-defense" and aimed "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces". Capt Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson, said the military "continues to…

BP has removed Irish chairman Albert Manifold with immediate effect, saying today that the decision followed concerns over governance standards, oversight and conduct, just months after he was brought in to help steer a strategic reset. His exit, after roughly eight months in the role, adds to a turbulent period for the oil major, which has been rocked by scandal and repeated upheaval at the top. Less than three years ago, former BP chief executive Bernard Looney was dismissed after misleading the board about personal…