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

Mogadishu, 2 April 2026 – In a joint operation that dealt a significant blow to Al-Shabaab’s leadership, African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops alongside Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) captured a senior militant commander in Lower Shabelle. The suspect, identified as Salaad Cusmaan Macalin, also known as "Sahm,” was apprehended on Thursday on the north-western outskirts of Mubarak. Salaad, aged 40, serves as a battalion commander within Al-Shabaab. He is originally from Burhakaba,…

Fears are mounting for a 30-year-old man held in Iran after his family said the case against him could end in execution, despite what they describe as glaring contradictions in the allegations. Peyvand Naimi has remained in custody since early January, when he was arrested during anti-government protests. In an interview with RTÉ's News at One, his Dublin-based cousin, Sama Sabet, said he has endured torture, mock executions and sustained pressure to admit to crimes he denies. "On 8 January 2026...he was arrested by the…

Rachel Savage and agenciesFriday April 3, 2026 A deportation flight from the United States has touched down in Uganda, underscoring Donald Trump’s drive to send migrants to countries where they have no roots, no family and, in many cases, no clear future. The people removed from the US will remain in the east African country as “a transition phase for potential onward transmission to other countries”, an unnamed senior Ugandan government official told Reuters. The Uganda Law Society, which has denounced the arrivals, said 12…

Somalia has officially re-entered the world of ship registration this week, as the Federal Government’s Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport (MPTS) logged the Somali-flagged vessel Guney (IMO No. 8230417) — a move aimed at rebuilding national control over the country’s maritime domain and jump-starting its blue economy. The registration effort is designed to tighten how vessels flying the Somali flag are identified, regulated and managed, and it represents the first such flagging since the central government’s collapse…

As Easter approaches, countries across Africa are ramping up plans for a weekend defined by faith, family, and heavy travel, with leaders using the moment to press safety and security messages nationwide. In Mozambique, immigration authorities expect close to 400,000 people to cross the nation’s borders during the Easter period—about 17,000 more than last year. To cope with the uptick, officials are tightening procedures and staffing to keep checkpoints moving smoothly. In Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has arrived in…

Russia unleashed nearly 500 missiles and drones on Ukraine in a wave of attacks that officials said killed at least six people, as Moscow pressed ahead with a growing pattern of daytime strikes. Since the start of its invasion, Russia has pounded Ukraine from the air, with most barrages typically launched after dark. In recent weeks, however, those assaults have increasingly come in daylight hours. "Terrorist Russia strikes in broad daylight deliberately - to maximise civilian casualties and damage," Ukraine's Foreign…

Friday April 3, 2026 The African Union (AU) on Friday praised the China-Pakistan five-point initiative aimed at easing the current peace and stability crisis in the Gulf and Middle East. In a statement, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the plan “constitutes a timely and constructive contribution to ongoing international efforts to de-escalate tensions and advance a political and diplomatic pathway.” He said the initiative’s “emphasis on an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians,…

Friday April 3, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Baidoa on Friday for his first trip to the Southwest regional capital since the installation of an interim administration and the latest political turmoil in the state. In a statement, Villa Somalia said the visit is intended to speed up the delivery of social services, push forward peace and reconciliation efforts, reinforce governance and support preparations for Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote elections. The president is expected…

Five Guys, Whataburger and Other High-Calorie Cheeseburgers Five fast-food cheeseburgers are among the highest in calories, saturated fat and sodium based on company-provided nutrition information. Fast-food cheeseburgers can vary widely by chain and menu item, but several popular options clock in at high levels of calories, saturated fat and sodium in nutrition listings provided by the restaurants. Five Guys Five Guys’ customizable menu includes a cheeseburger with about 980 calories, 55g of fat, about 26g of…

One year after setting off sweeping trade fights around the world, US President Donald Trump has opened a new front: medicines and metals. In two fresh orders, he moved to tighten pressure on foreign-made pharmaceuticals and rework tariffs on industrial materials central to manufacturing. The twin measures are aimed at pushing drugmakers to expand production in the United States, while also taking aim at companies US officials say have been "artificially manipulating" metals prices. Under the revised metals policy, finished…