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

Myanmar’s pro-military party claims landslide in first phase of junta-run election Myanmar’s dominant pro-military party said it secured an overwhelming win in the first phase of voting in a junta-organized election, a result that, if confirmed, would deepen the military’s hold on power after a 2021 coup. A senior official from the Union Solidarity and Development Party told AFP the party won 82 lower house seats in townships where counting was complete, out of 102 at stake in the first round. The tally implies the USDP…

Kosovo’s Kurti vows swift government formation after party wins half the vote, aiming to end year-long stalemate Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he will move quickly to form a new government after his Vetevendosje party took roughly half the vote in Sunday’s election, raising prospects of an end to the political deadlock that has hobbled parliament and stalled major international funding. With 99% of ballots counted, Vetevendosje led with 49.3% of the vote. Kurti told reporters at party headquarters that once results…

21 nations condemn Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warn of destabilizing precedent Representatives of 21 Arab, Islamic and African countries have condemned Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, calling the move a violation of international law that risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In a joint statement released by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers said Israel’s decision sets a “serious precedent” and threatens…

Somalia’s child-protection reckoning after a teenager’s killing — and a rare death sentence The killing of 14-year-old orphan Saabirin Saylaan in Galkayo has jolted Somalia into a painful examination of how the state, communities and families protect — and fail — their children. A court in Puntland State convicted caregiver Hodan Mohamud Diiriye, 34, of murder and sentenced her to death, an exceptional punishment in a child-abuse case that underscores both the scale of public outrage and the fragility of Somalia’s protective…

U.N. Security Council Convenes Amid Global Reaction to Israel's Recognition of North Western State of Somalia As international tensions heighten, the U.N. Security Council is set to meet following Israel's unprecedented recognition of North Western State of Somalia's independence. The move has sparked widespread concern and condemnation across various global regions. Israel is the first country to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. 21 predominantly Muslim countries have issued a…

Bulgaria will adopt the euro on Jan. 1, retiring the lev and joining the eurozone as its 21st member in a move that promises deeper integration with the European Union and a seat at the European Central Bank’s rate-setting table. The long-awaited shift, two years after Croatia’s entry, will extend the common currency to more than 350 million people. Authorities say Bulgaria met the formal entry criteria this year, including targets on inflation, budget deficit, long-term borrowing costs and exchange-rate stability. The…

MOGADISHU — Yemen’s Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi warned Monday that any Israeli presence in North Western State of Somalia would be treated as a military target, escalating tensions days after Israel announced it would recognize the self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa. “We consider any Israeli presence in North Western State of Somalia a military target for our armed forces, as it constitutes aggression against Somalia and Yemen, and a threat to the security of the region,” al-Houthi said, according to a…

China launches live-fire drills around Taiwan after U.S. arms sale, warns against “external” interference China has begun live-fire military exercises around Taiwan, hours after announcing “major” joint drills in surrounding waters and airspace, as Beijing steps up pressure on the self-governed island and warns foreign backers to stay out. The People’s Liberation Army said it is deploying destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles for exercises that include live-fire training on maritime targets to…

Trump says Ukraine peace talks ‘very close’ as Donbas remains sticking point MAR-A-LAGO, Fla. — President Donald Trump said he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a framework to end the war in Ukraine, while acknowledging the fate of the disputed Donbas region remains a key unresolved issue. Speaking at a joint news conference after talks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, both leaders reported progress on two of the most contentious items in negotiations — long-term security…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened leaders from several federal member states and the Banadir regional administration on Sunday in Mogadishu, following Israel’s steps toward recognizing North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, according to the president’s office. In a closed-door briefing, Hassan Sheikh told the assembled leaders that the Israeli move violated Somalia’s territorial integrity and statehood. He said the federal government was pursuing a coordinated response grounded in…