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

Iran has said that traffic through a major strait is still not back to normal, but details remain scarce. In a brief update, officials didn’t specify which waterway they were referring to—though disruptions in routes like the Strait of Hormuz often raise immediate concerns due to their global importance. There was also no explanation of what caused the situation or how long it might last. So far, there’s little clarity on how this could affect shipping or military movement in the region. The source of the statement…

Britain, Ukraine agree drone exports, new AI center Britain and Ukraine agreed to work together to sell drone technology abroad and deepen battlefield AI cooperation during Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London, according to a Downing Street statement. By Abdiwahab AhmedAxadle Times international–Monitoring Britain said it will combine Ukraine’s drone expertise with the United Kingdom’s manufacturing base under a new military‑industrial partnership aimed at boosting the supply of drones and ensuring artificial intelligence is…

Drones spark fire at U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Two booby-trapped drones landed inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad’s Green Zone early Tuesday, triggering explosions and a fire, a source from Iraq’s Interior Ministry told Xinhua. By Ali MusaAxadle Times international–Monitoring Tuesday March 17, 2026 Facilities inside the U.S. Embassy compound caught fire after the attack, with flames visible from outside the complex, according to the Interior Ministry source cited by Xinhua, who spoke on condition of anonymity.…

Kent students to get menB vaccine amid outbreak Students in university halls in Kent will be offered the meningitis B vaccine within days as officials move to contain an outbreak that has killed two young people, according to the UK Health Security Agency and Health Secretary Wes Streeting. By Abdiwahab AhmedAxadle Times international–Monitoring British Health Secretary Wes Streeting said most students would not already be vaccinated against menB and that jabs will begin in the next few days. He told MPs: This is an…

Somalia suspends Mogadishu–Baidoa flights amid Southwest rift Somalia’s federal government suspended civilian flights between Mogadishu and Baidoa on Tuesday as tensions with Southwest State escalated, local officials and sources said. Local sources said that as of Tuesday morning, commercial passenger aircraft were unable to land in Baidoa following the decision, with only United Nations and cargo flights permitted during the suspension. Officials in Southwest State condemned the measure and said travelers were left…

Cuba works to restore power after nationwide blackout Cuba began restoring electricity after a nationwide blackout, with officials saying about two-thirds of the island had power by morning as authorities investigated the cause and reported no immediate damage from a separate offshore quake. Cuba was working to bring electricity back online following a countrywide outage, the government said, without specifying the cause. As of this morning, about two-thirds of the country had power again, according to the government. There…

Iran asks FIFA to shift 2026 World Cup matches to Mexico Iran’s football federation is discussing with FIFA about moving its 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico over player safety concerns, federation president Mehdi Taj said. Taj said on Monday that Iran is seeking to relocate its group fixtures from U.S. venues to Mexico, citing security risks for the team. He posted the comments on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X account. “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the…

Activists challenge official assurances after study flags hormone-disrupting chemicals in menstrual products Activists say dismissing a University of the Free State finding does not equal proof of safety, urging clarity on possible risks in menstrual products. Activists said authorities’ assurances on menstrual product safety do not settle concerns raised by research from the University of the Free State that reported hormone-disrupting chemicals in some items. The University of the Free State, a South African public…

Cuba grid collapse leaves millions without power; 14 detained after unrest Cuba’s national grid collapsed, the country’s grid operator said, leaving about 10 million people without electricity as officials reported arrests after protesters stormed a Communist Party office. The grid operator said the national electric system had collapsed, plunging much of the island into blackout. The scale of the outage was not immediately detailed beyond an estimate of around 10 million people without power. The island of 9.6 million…

Zimbabwe civic group urges international bodies to block bid to extend presidency and Parliament terms The Defend the Constitution Platform called on international organisations to stop proposed constitutional changes that would extend the tenure of Zimbabwe’s presidency and Parliament, citing reports of intimidation and violence around the debate. The Defend the Constitution Platform has urged international organisations to block planned amendments to Zimbabwe’s constitution that would lengthen the terms of the presidency…