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

Trump weighs strikes on Iran as Vance rules out long Middle East war WASHINGTON — Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday that while the White House is considering targeted military strikes in Iran — focused on nuclear facilities and long-range missile sites — President Donald J. Trump and senior officials still prefer a diplomatic path to ease tensions. In an interview with The Washington Post, Vance stressed that even if the administration authorizes limited action, the United States will not be drawn into an open-ended…

Paediatric HIV cure research is yielding cautious optimism: very early antiretroviral therapy (ART) can, in some children, produce periods of ART-free remission — a state in which the virus remains undetectable without ongoing medication — but it has not delivered full viral eradication, researchers say. The long quest for a cure has been complicated by HIV’s capacity to mutate and hide in long-lived viral reservoirs, a challenge that has confounded scientists for more than four decades, reports Sethi Ncube for allAfrica.…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro urged Somalilanders to close ranks on Thursday as regional opposition intensifies to Israel’s recognition of the territory, calling unity essential to defend “nationhood and statehood” amid mounting diplomatic pressure across the Horn of Africa. “There are many conflicts going on around North Western State of Somalia. We have not harmed anyone, we have not taken anything from anyone,” Irro said in a speech in Hargeisa. “What is needed is…

Oman says U.S.-Iran nuclear talks make ‘significant progress’ as military buildup intensifies Technical talks planned in Vienna next week; move could avert threatened U.S. strikes, but gaps remain on missiles and sanctions Oman said the United States and Iran made significant progress in talks aimed at resolving a longstanding nuclear dispute and averting new U.S. strikes, as Washington expands its military footprint across the Middle East. Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X that the two sides…

GENEVA — Oman said the United States and Iran made “significant progress” in talks aimed at breaking a longstanding nuclear impasse and averting potential new U.S. strikes, as both sides agreed to reconvene within a week and send technical teams to Vienna. Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating the diplomacy, said on X, formerly Twitter, that negotiations in Switzerland ended with “creative and positive ideas” on the table and a plan to resume discussions soon after consultations in both capitals.…

Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 HARGEISA (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro on Thursday called for an immediate end to clan fighting in the Waqdaria and Shidan areas of Lasqoray district in the Sanaag region, urging all sides to respect the sanctity of Ramadan as casualties mounted in days of escalating tension. “I call on those who have been killing each other to stop the fighting, because the blood of Islam is forbidden,” Irro said, framing the appeal in religious terms and stressing…

Bill Clinton is set to face questioning by a Republican-led House panel over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats press the committee to also demand sworn testimony from former President Donald Trump about his own connections to the late financier. The former president features repeatedly in recently disclosed Justice Department files related to Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14 and died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking…

Denmark’s Frederiksen calls March 24 election amid U.S.-Greenland tensions COPENHAGEN — Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday called a general election for March 24, 2026, seeking a renewed mandate as Denmark navigates strained ties with the United States over Greenland and a hardening security environment shaped by Russia. Under Denmark’s constitution, an election had to be called within four years of the last vote, held Nov. 1, 2022. “Whether I will continue to be your prime minister depends on how strong a mandate…

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday called a general election for March 24, setting up a high-stakes vote framed by security concerns, fraught ties with the United States over Greenland and ongoing tensions with Russia. “Whether I will continue to be your prime minister depends on how strong a mandate you give the Social Democrats in the parliamentary election to be held on March 24, 2026,” Frederiksen said as she outlined her platform, which includes reforming the retirement age and introducing a wealth…

UNITED NATIONS — Somalia’s hunger crisis is accelerating, with 6.5 million people — about a third of the country — projected to face crisis levels of food insecurity through March, United Nations officials warned Thursday, citing a new assessment that shows sharp deterioration since January. Speaking to reporters via video link from UN headquarters, World Food Programme Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response Ross Smith said the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for Somalia, released…