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

Ireland tracks 24,400 citizens in Gulf as charter flight readies departure from Oman; Middle East flight disruptions persist Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said 24,400 Irish citizens have registered their presence in the Gulf region as the government accelerates repatriation efforts amid a sixth straight day of air travel disruption linked to the war involving Iran. Speaking in the Dáil and to RTÉ News, McEntee said registrations are rising daily and that about 80% of travelers on direct Dubai–Dublin flights last…

Museveni joins Salaam Bank to launch Uganda’s first Islamic insurance company KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday inaugurated Tamini General Insurance alongside Salaam Bank, unveiling Uganda’s first Shari’ah-compliant insurer and marking a new chapter for Islamic finance in the country. The launch at Millennium Park in Kampala coincided with an iftar dinner attended by senior government officials and leaders of the Muslim community. Tamini General Insurance, a subsidiary of Salaam Group, will operate on…

Suspected drone strike kills at least four children in southern Djibouti Thursday March 5, 2026 DJIBOUTI — At least four children were killed in a suspected drone strike in southern Djibouti, authorities and a local human rights group said Tuesday. The explosion occurred in the Dikhil region of Afar, according to Public Prosecutor Hassan Mohamed Hassan. In a statement, Hassan said a team has been dispatched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blast and determine its cause. The Djiboutian League for Human Rights…

Trump replaces Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin amid fallout over immigration crackdown President Donald Trump said he will replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a major staffing shift that roils the administration’s hardline immigration agenda after a year of public backlash and political blowback. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, “Highly Respected” and said he will become secretary of the Department of Homeland…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has named Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, a senior Villa Somalia post the government cast as part of a wider push to modernize public administration and elevate youth participation in decision-making. The appointment was announced Thursday in a presidential decree. The move follows a recent reshuffle at the presidency after Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman, who previously held the deputy director general role, was appointed Somalia’s…

Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appoints Zakariye Yusuf Hussein deputy director general at Villa Somalia in youth-focused reform move MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday appointed Zakariye Yusuf Hussein as deputy director general of the Presidential Palace, known as Villa Somalia, in a decree presented by the presidency as part of efforts to promote youth participation in governance and modernize public administration. The leadership change follows the reassignment of Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman,…

Iran warned that any invasion would be a “disaster” for its enemies, according to a live update. The statement, presented without further detail, did not specify who delivered the warning, what prompted it, or whether it was tied to an imminent military development. The single-word characterization — “disaster” — signals a stark deterrent message, suggesting Iran intends to frame any hostile entry onto its territory or against its interests as likely to trigger severe consequences. Without additional context, however, it…

Tunji Disu Sworn in as Nigeria's New Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has officially taken office as the new Inspector-General of Police, succeeding his predecessor who stepped down in February under circumstances widely believed to have been influenced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Although an official statement attributed the resignation to "pressing family considerations," political analysts speculate that it was part of a broader reshuffle requested by the president. The presidency has expressed optimism…

Mogadishu’s constitutional limbo has defined Somalia’s federal transition for more than a decade. With the adoption of Article 63 in the amended constitution, lawmakers have drawn a new map for the capital and the wider Benadir Region—one that elevates local representation while keeping national authorities firmly in charge of security and other strategic levers. It is a hybrid that resists easy labels, neither a full Federal Member State nor a city simply run from the center. The decision settles years of debate over…

Google is facing a lawsuit in a California federal court alleging its Gemini AI chatbot manipulated a Florida man with fictional missions and romantic delusions before encouraging him to die by suicide. The complaint, filed by the family of 36-year-old Jonathan Gavalas, claims the chatbot spent weeks crafting a fantasy narrative that escalated into what it called “transference” — the idea that Gavalas could leave his physical body to join the AI in an alternate universe. Gavalas, an executive at his father’s debt relief firm…