Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has called on Iran to stop meddling in Bahrain and the wider Gulf, issuing a blunt warning after weeks of escalating military tension in the region. In remarks published by the state-run Bahrain News Agency, the king condemned the recent strikes as “heinous aggression” that he said was aimed squarely at the safety and stability of the Bahraini people. He added that the strain the kingdom has endured had “exposed many faces” that had previously concealed their real…

Saturday May 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali pilgrims have begun their journey to the holy sites as the first Hajj flights from Mogadishu and Hargeisa touched down in Saudi Arabia, signaling the opening of this year’s pilgrimage season for nationals from the Horn of Africa. According to Somali officials, the initial flights arrived Friday at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport with 432 pilgrims on board. Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow Ali oversaw the launch ceremony in Mogadishu,…

Ireland’s Taoiseach has denounced the Israeli military’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters earlier this week, calling the operation unacceptable. Speaking in Athlone, Micheál Martin said the incident could not go unanswered. "I want to condemn the seizure of the flotilla in what appears to be international waters, it's not acceptable. "I think the international community have to call it out and we will be raising it at European level. It is understood that seven Irish citizens, among the 175…

Iran put two men to death on Saturday after convicting them of spying for Israel, according to the judiciary, marking the latest in a series of executions carried out in recent weeks.  "Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh were hanged for the crime of intelligence cooperation and espionage in favor of the Zionist regime," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. It was not immediately clear when the two men were arrested. Mizan said Karimpour was convicted of the capital offence of "moharebeh," or waging war against God,…

Writer Charles KingSaturday May 2, 2026 Charles King, the UK ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia, takes readers inside the routines and risks that define one of the world’s most challenging diplomatic assignments. In most capitals, the day begins with an alarm clock. In Mogadishu, my mornings lately have often started instead with the thunder of an F-16 fighter jet overhead. From there, it is a two-minute walk from my armoured pod to the chancery — a brief crossing under Somalia’s fierce sun that is a world away…

Is Coffee Healthy on an Empty Stomach? For many Americans, coffee comes before breakfast—but medical guidance suggests its effects can be more intense when the stomach is empty. According to the latest National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report released by the National Coffee Association (NCA), 66 percent of American adults drink coffee every day. For some, that means having coffee before eating any food. Dr. Brunilda Nazario, MD, chief medical editor, Medical Affairs, at WebMD, said coffee’s impact depends on multiple…

A planned drawdown of 5,000 US troops from Germany has sharpened a warning already echoing across Europe: the continent can no longer afford to leave its security primarily in Washington’s hands. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Europeans must assume greater responsibility for their own defence after the Pentagon confirmed it would reduce the American military presence in Germany. "Germany is on the right track" in this regard, Mr Pistorius said, citing the expansion of the Bundeswehr, faster and broader weapons…

By Awes Hagi Yusuf AhmedSaturday May 2, 2026 Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks with journalists about security policy at Villa Somalia, the presidential palace and main office, on April 22, 2025, in central Mogadishu, Somalia. In world affairs, where a nation sits can matter almost as much as what it says. For years, Somalia was mostly a topic of debate in international security circles, not a power helping to steer them. That is beginning to change, and the implications are both practical and symbolic.…

Saturday May 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rejected Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab’s move to dismiss district commissioners in parts of the capital, saying the decision has no legal basis. In a statement, the commission said the Banadir Region’s local councils were duly elected in the December 25, 2025 polls and formally took office on April 2, 2026, after being sworn in. The electoral body said the Federal Constitution and the National Electoral Law…

Hollywood's top honors are drawing a hard line on artificial intelligence: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says AI-generated actors will not qualify for an Oscar as it rolls out tougher rules on the technology's use. Among the changes, the Academy made clear that only flesh-and-blood performers — not AI-created doubles or avatars — can contend for the industry's biggest awards. It also said scripts must be written by a human being, not produced by a chatbot. "In the Acting category, only roles credited in the…