Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump used a rare prime-time address from the White House to promise an economic boom and blame Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for stubbornly high prices, even as fresh polling shows voters increasingly sour on his handling of the economy at the close of his first year back in power. “Eleven months ago I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” said Trump, 79, casting his stewardship as a course correction from the Biden era. He insisted that gas and grocery prices that have strained household…

Sydney — Hundreds of mourners overflowed a Bondi synagogue Tuesday to remember two rabbis killed in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah festival shootings as kind, curious men devoted to their families, faith and community. Funerals were held for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, 39, who were shot dead during Sunday’s “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration organized by Chabad of Bondi. Rabbi Schlanger’s service took place a few blocks from the beachfront where the attack occurred; Rabbi Levitan, a father of four, was buried…

Brazil’s Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that could dramatically reduce the prison term of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, convicted of plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, setting up an expected presidential veto and a fresh clash with Congress. The measure, which changes how sentences are calculated for certain crimes, passed the upper chamber 48-25 after clearing the lower house last week. It now goes to President Lula, who has vowed to reject it, saying Bolsonaro “must…

BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Somali intelligence forces, backed by international partners, carried out a planned operation in the Tardo area of central Hiiraan region on Tuesday afternoon, killing up to nine Al-Shabaab fighters and destroying an illegal checkpoint, authorities said. In a statement released Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the strike targeted a roadblock allegedly operated by the militant group to extort money from public transport vehicles using the route. “The operation…

Ghislaine Maxwell has asked a U.S. federal judge to throw out her sex trafficking conviction and free her from a 20-year sentence, arguing in a habeas corpus petition that “substantial new evidence” and constitutional violations undermined the fairness of her 2021 trial. Filed in Manhattan federal court, the petition asserts that material that could have led to Maxwell’s acquittal was withheld while false evidence reached the jury, resulting in what her lawyers describe as a “complete miscarriage of justice.” In the filing,…

Escalating Food Insecurity in Afghanistan as Winter Approaches Afghanistan is grappling with a worsening food crisis this winter, with over 17 million people facing acute food insecurity. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) highlights alarming new figures indicating a dramatic increase in hunger and malnutrition across the nation. 17 million Afghans are currently dealing with food insecurity. This represents a rise of three million from last year’s figures. Child malnutrition is expected to affect…

Somali university group warns against using schools as polling stations Union cites student safety, disruption to learning and political neutrality as key risks in election planning MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Union of Somali Universities on Tuesday urged authorities to drop plans to use schools, institutes and university campuses as polling stations in upcoming elections, warning the move could jeopardize student safety, disrupt learning and erode the political neutrality of education. In a statement, the union called on the…

FC Barcelona needed patience and precision to find a way past third-tier CD Guadalajara, grinding out a 2-0 away win to book a place in the Copa del Rey fourth round on Tuesday night. The holders met stubborn resistance before Andreas Christensen’s deflected header in the 77th minute relieved the pressure, and Marcus Rashford sealed the result with a late strike from Lamine Yamal’s unerring service. Hansi Flick signaled intent with a strong lineup, handing starts to Rashford and the electric Yamal. Barcelona controlled…

GABORONE — Botswana has urged farmers and other stakeholders along its border with South Africa to be on high alert after an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) was reported in Limpopo Province, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement. The ministry called on livestock owners and the public to report any signs of the viral disease — including drooling and ulcers in the mouth, on the muzzle or on the hooves — to the nearest veterinary office or to the Botswana Police Service. “Reports of suspect animals should…

KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubbaland’s interior minister warned Wednesday that Somalia is slipping into a national crisis under what he called poor federal leadership, escalating tensions ahead of a political conference in the port city of Kismayo that organizers say is designed to redirect the country’s trajectory. Interior Minister Mohamed Hussein Oogle said expectations placed in President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration have not materialized and that the course charted by federal authorities no longer reflects realities…