Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Yemen cancels defense pact with UAE, orders 24-hour troop withdrawal after alleged STC arms shipment Nationwide state of emergency declared for 90 days; 72-hour air and land ban on ports and border crossings Saudi-led coalition says it carried out a “limited” strike on two ships in Mukalla port Yemeni government backs move; UAE offers no immediate comment Yemen on Tuesday scrapped a joint defense agreement with the United Arab Emirates and ordered all Emirati forces to leave the country within 24 hours, escalating a rift…

Thieves drilled through a parking garage wall into a bank vault in western Germany over the Christmas holiday, smashing open more than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes and fleeing with an estimated 30 million euros in cash, gold and jewelry, authorities and the bank said. The heist at a Sparkasse branch in Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia state, unfolded while most businesses were shut for the Christmas break. Investigators suspect the burglars may have used the extended closure to spend days inside the underground vault…

UAE withdraws remaining forces from Yemen as tensions escalate in the south AXADLE, Somalia — The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it is ending its remaining military presence in Yemen, citing heightened security risks and shifting political and military dynamics in the country’s south. In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the decision was taken in light of “recent developments and their potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism tasks.” The ministry said the exit would be…

Turkey’s Erdogan denounces Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, vows support for Somalia’s unity ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday sharply rejected Israel’s decision to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia, calling the move illegal, unacceptable and a threat to stability in the Horn of Africa. Speaking at a joint news conference in Istanbul alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdogan said the Israeli action risks undercutting security gains achieved in…

Bondi Beach mass shooting suspects acted alone, Australian police say; nationwide gun crackdown announced SYDNEY — A father and son accused of killing 15 people in an Islamic State-inspired attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach acted alone and were not part of a broader terrorist cell, Australian police said, as the federal government moved to tighten gun laws and curb hate speech. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said investigators have found no evidence the pair — identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his…

Somalia asks U.N. Security Council to rebuke Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU — Somalia has asked the United Nations Security Council to condemn Israel’s formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia, calling the move a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a direct threat to regional stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In a letter sent to the council on Monday, Somalia said Israel’s decision last week to recognize the self-declared Republic of North Western State of…

Eurostar cancels all London–Europe trains as Channel Tunnel closes over power failure Eurostar has suspended all services between London and mainland Europe after a power failure and a failed LeShuttle train forced the closure of the Channel Tunnel on Saturday, the high-speed operator said, urging passengers not to travel to stations. “Due to a problem with the overhead power supply and a subsequent failed LeShuttle train the Channel tunnel is currently closed,” Eurostar said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this means we…

Somalia to take Israel’s ‘North Western State of Somalia’ recognition to U.N., warns of Red Sea militarization MOGADISHU — Somalia will bring Israel’s announcement recognizing the self-declared “North Western State of Somalia” to the U.N. Security Council, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said, calling the move illegal and warning it could enable military basing, heighten Red Sea security risks and undermine Africa’s borders. In an interview with Egypt’s AlQahera News, Barre thanked Cairo for backing Somalia’s sovereignty and…

Ukraine denies involvement in alleged drone attack on Putin residence as Kremlin lashes out, says incident will harden stance in peace talks Ukraine said there is no plausible evidence it launched a drone attack on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences, accusing Moscow of fabricating the claim to manipulate an emerging peace process, as the Kremlin warned the alleged incident would toughen Russia’s position in negotiations. “Almost a day passed and Russia still hasn’t provided any plausible evidence to its accusations of…

China fired missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets and navy vessels around Taiwan for a second straight day of live-fire drills designed to simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and strikes on maritime targets, Taiwan’s government said. The exercises, code-named “Justice Mission 2025,” drew condemnation from Taipei as “highly provocative and reckless.” Taiwan President Lai Ching-te issued his “strongest condemnation,” accusing Beijing of “deliberately undermining regional stability through military…