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

ROME — Six members of Italy’s police and coastguard went on trial Tuesday over the 2023 shipwreck off the Calabrian coast that killed at least 94 migrants, including 35 children, in one of the country’s deadliest maritime disasters in a decade. The case, heard in the southern city of Crotone, centers on allegations that authorities failed to mount a timely search-and-rescue operation for a wooden boat that had sailed from Turkey carrying people from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Syria. Around 80 survived when the vessel…

Military Government Dissolves Political Parties, Citing Unity and Stability The military-led government has taken the drastic step of dissolving all political parties by decree, effectively terminating their ability to operate, even internally. This bold move, announced by Interior Minister Emile Zerbo, is portrayed as a necessary action aimed at addressing the proliferation of political factions that, according to officials, have led to abuses, aggravated societal divisions, and ultimately weakened the nation's social…

Arkia awaits renewal to fly over Somalia, warns of possible reroute for Thailand flights MOGADISHU — Israeli carrier Arkia says it has not yet received renewed authorization to cross Somali airspace for February, a delay that could force the airline to reroute its Thailand services if approval does not arrive in time. In a statement Thursday, Arkia said the matter stems from routine international aviation procedures that require periodic renewal of overflight permits. “As of now, Arkia has not yet received the renewal of the…

MOGADISHU — Israeli carrier Arkia says it has not yet received renewed authorization to fly over Somali airspace when its current permit expires at the end of January, a delay that could force the airline to reroute Tel Aviv–Thailand services if clearance is not granted in time. In a statement Thursday, Arkia linked the issue to routine international procedures requiring periodic renewal of overflight permits. “As of now, Arkia has not yet received the renewal of the periodic permit for air transit over Somalia for…

BRUSSELS — Denmark’s foreign minister said Tuesday he is “more optimistic” after technical talks with the United States on Greenland began in Washington, the first senior-level engagement since tensions flared over the Arctic territory. Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters on the sidelines of an EU meeting that Danish, Greenlandic and U.S. officials held “the very first meeting at senior official level in Washington yesterday regarding the Greenlandic issue.” “It went well in a very constructive atmosphere and tone, and new…

President Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Iran even as the United States dispatches another warship to the Middle East, signaling a dual track of pressure and potential diplomacy amid a volatile regional standoff. “I am planning on it, yeah,” Trump told reporters when asked about possible discussions with Tehran. “We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them.” He did not elaborate on timing, scope or who might lead any U.S. outreach. The…

In Minneapolis, confrontations between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and protesters have become a pressure point for something older and deeper than a dispute over deportations. For Somali Americans in Minnesota — home to more than 100,000 people of Somali descent — the scenes on the streets are the latest chapter in a generational experience of displacement, stigmatization and resilience. Across a tightly connected global diaspora, the anxiety is acute, but so is the resolve. Over much of his second term,…

Minneapolis — Federal authorities have arrested 16 people in Minnesota on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers amid protests tied to U.S. immigration enforcement operations, including a Somali American woman who went viral for describing her identity as “bananas and rice,” officials said. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests Wednesday as federal agents stepped up enforcement efforts in Minneapolis following days of unrest. The Justice Department said the individuals were charged…

Israel transferred the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza in what officials said was the final exchange under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire with Hamas, days after the country recovered the remains of its last Israeli hostage. The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, said the bodies were received and taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it helped facilitate the handover. Under the terms of the cease-fire struck in October, Israel agreed to…

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Scuffles and shouting erupted during a joint session of Somalia’s parliament on Wednesday after the speaker moved to advance a package of constitutional amendments that opposition lawmakers said would extend political mandates, forcing the session’s abrupt suspension. The confrontation underscored the high stakes surrounding long-delayed efforts to finalize Somalia’s provisional constitution. The country has operated under the temporary charter since 2012, and repeated attempts to…