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

Policewoman killed, 15 wounded in Lviv explosions local authorities call ‘act of terror’; Kyiv rattled by predawn blasts LVIV, Ukraine — A 23-year-old policewoman was killed and at least 15 people were wounded in a pair of explosions that struck central Lviv overnight, an incident local authorities on Sunday called an “act of terror.” Hours later, a separate wave of predawn blasts shook Kyiv amid warnings of a ballistic missile attack. The Lviv regional prosecutor’s office said the blasts occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m.,…

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said he expects to finalize a draft counterproposal within days after talks with the United States this week, even as President Donald Trump said he is considering limited military strikes if Tehran fails to accept a deal within 10 to 15 days. Two U.S. officials told Reuters that military planning on Iran has reached an advanced stage, with options that include targeting specific individuals and, if ordered by Trump, exploring steps toward leadership change in Tehran. The high-stakes…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia plans to recruit 12,000 government-employed teachers by the end of 2026, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Saturday, framing the effort as the centerpiece of a drive to rebuild a long-fragile education system and place it on a domestically financed footing. Barre said his administration has already recruited and deployed 6,000 trained teachers in less than two years, a dramatic shift from the roughly 900 teachers on the federal payroll when the government took office. “In just two years, we…

Analysis: Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine faces its hardest winter as U.S.-brokered talks inch forward and Moscow hardens demands Four years after Russia launched its full-scale assault by land, sea and air, Ukraine enters a fifth year of war under punishing pressure: nightly missile and drone attacks on power stations, a slow-moving battlefield that chews through men and machines, and a diplomatic track that shows glimmers of structure but scant substance. A U.S.-led initiative that began a year ago…

Somalia government-opposition talks stall over election agenda dispute MOGADISHU, Somalia — A high-level meeting between leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council was suspended on its second day after both sides failed to agree on which electoral issues should take priority, officials and participants said. The talks, convened to ease political tensions and set a clear path for Somalia’s next elections, broke down over the agenda itself. Government representatives pressed to advance their…

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for calm ahead of nationwide rallies planned in memory of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist whose killing last week has jolted France and inflamed already raw political tensions. Authorities are bracing for potential clashes between extremist groups, particularly in Lyon, where a large march is set to proceed under heavy security despite the city’s Green mayor urging the state to ban it. Police expect 2,000 to 3,000 participants and anticipate…

Where do talks between the Future Council and the Federal Government stand? MOGADISHU — Somalia’s election negotiations have entered a decisive phase as members of the Future Council agreed to attend a unified session at Villa Somalia on Sunday, moving the standoff with the Federal Government into direct, high-level talks over the country’s electoral path. The shift comes after weeks of committee-level engagements and separate consultative meetings failed to unlock compromises on how to conduct the next polls. With the…

U.S. forces carried out an airstrike against an alleged narco‑trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Feb. 20, killing three people, U.S. Southern Command said in a statement posted on X the following day. “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” transiting “along known narco‑trafficking routes,” the command said. The post added that “three male narco‑terrorists were killed during this action.” Black‑and‑white video released with the…

Somalia to recruit 10,000 teachers, shift salaries to domestic revenue in education overhaul MOGADISHU — Somalia will hire 10,000 teachers over the next 45 months and pay their salaries entirely from domestic revenue, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Friday, framing the move as a cornerstone of state-building and economic independence. “For the first time in Somalia’s history, teachers’ salaries will be paid entirely from domestic revenue rather than external support,” Barre wrote on X. “This is not just politics,…

Viral photo shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leaving police custody after questioning over Epstein documents Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of Britain’s King Charles, was released from police custody after a day of questioning over allegations he sent confidential government documents to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A stark photograph of the former prince slumped in the back of a Range Rover as he left Aylsham police station in Norfolk went viral after it was published late yesterday. Thames…