Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Uganda to withdraw troops from Somalia after 19 years, reshaping AU mission and security calculus Monday January 26, 2026 MOGADISHU — Uganda has announced plans to pull its troops out of Somalia after nearly two decades of continuous peacekeeping, a move that could alter the balance of security in a country still battling Al-Shabab and test the resilience of the African Union mission. In a brief statement posted on X on Sunday, Uganda’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said the country’s…

EU opens DSA probe into X’s Grok over sexual deepfakes, potential child abuse images The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence tool embedded in X, over its role in the spread of sexually explicit images, including potential child sexual abuse material. The action, taken under the EU’s Digital Services Act, follows public outcry over sexually manipulated images circulating on the platform. “Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of…

Southern African Development Community emergency response teams have arrived in Mozambique after heavy rains caused deadly floods that have submerged entire villages and left large areas inaccessible, officials said. The teams were deployed following the Mozambican government's Red Alert declaration on Jan. 16, and are concentrating on the worst-hit districts of Gaza Province, where floodwaters have reached levels that local authorities say are unprecedented. Roads, public facilities and other critical infrastructure have…

Tokyo court orders North Korea to pay €440,000 to victims of ‘paradise on Earth’ repatriation scheme Tokyo — A Japanese court has ordered North Korea to pay €440,000 in damages to four plaintiffs who say they were lured to the country by a propaganda campaign promising a “paradise on Earth,” in a rare legal rebuke that rights advocates called historic. The Tokyo District Court ruled Monday that the four had “most of their lives taken away” and awarded each at least 20 million yen (about €110,000) in compensation. The case…

IShowspeed’s African Tour: "Speed Does Africa" Challenges Stereotypes Popular streamer Darren Watkins Jr., known as IShowspeed, is on an exciting African tour titled "Speed Does Africa." The journey has taken him through several countries across the continent, where he has engaged deeply with local cultures, connected with fans, and shared everyday experiences from Africa with his vast global audience. This tour has not only entertained but has also effectively challenged long-standing stereotypes about the continent.…

MOGADISHU — Twenty-four Somali children returned home after receiving life-saving heart surgeries at Niguarda Hospital in Milan, a milestone in Somalia–Italy medical cooperation showcased at an appreciation ceremony in the capital on Saturday. The patients were treated under a program coordinated by the Hormuud Salaam Foundation, which convened Somali officials, Italian clinicians and diplomats, and partner organizations to recognize those who helped deliver specialized pediatric cardiac care not available in Somalia.…

HILO, Hawaii — Kilauea volcano put on another dramatic display yesterday, sending lava and smoke high into the air as molten rock spilled from its openings during a fresh burst of activity, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The eruption, which began at approximately 11:10 a.m. local time (9:10 p.m. Irish time), marked Kilauea’s 41st eruptive episode in an ongoing sequence, the USGS said. At its most intense, lava fountains surged nearly 480 meters above the crater, producing a fiery column visible across the summit…

Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo, capitalizing on two second-half errors in heavy rain at Camp Nou and capped by a spectacular acrobatic finish from Lamine Yamal. Monday January 26, 2026 An acrobatic Lamine Yamal strike makes it 3-0 to Barcelona against Real Oviedo. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters The victory lifts Barcelona to 52 points, one ahead of Real Madrid, with Atlético Madrid third on 44. It also underscored the growing influence of 18-year-old Yamal and the…

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Alex Honnold on Tuesday became the first person to free solo climb Taipei 101, scaling the 508-meter, 101-story skyscraper without ropes, a harness or a safety net in a live-streamed feat that drew hundreds of spectators on the streets below and millions more on Netflix. The 40-year-old American climber, famed for his 2017 ropeless ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite, moved deliberately up the building’s southeast face for about an hour and a half before topping out and rappelling to the ground, where he…

Nelson Chamisa, the former leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change, has announced his return to frontline politics in Zimbabwe, issuing a sweeping indictment of the country’s governance and calling for a “fresh start” to address what he described as a worsening political, economic and social crisis. In a lengthy statement released Friday, Chamisa accused the current administration of presiding over a legitimacy crisis marked by disputed elections, rigged polls, corruption, state capture and political intolerance. He…