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

Somalia sets Sept. 9 restart for voter registration in push toward one-person, one-vote Somalia’s electoral clock will start ticking again next week. The country’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced Saturday that voter registration for long-promised one-person, one-vote elections will resume on Sept. 9 and run through Sept. 30 — a narrow window with outsized stakes for a nation attempting to exit decades of indirect, clan-based politics. What’s new Commission Chairman Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan…

Anthropic settlement is a turning point in the AI-versus-authors fight — but the larger battle is only beginning The tentative deal announced this week, in which Anthropic has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to resolve a U.S. class action alleging that the company trained its Claude models on pirated books, marks one of the clearest commercial reckonings so far between generative-AI companies and the creators whose work fuels them. On its face the settlement is startling: the filing says it covers roughly 500,000…

EU slaps Google with €2.95 billion fine — a test of whether Europe can actually tame Big Tech BRUSSELS — In a decisive move that underscores Europe’s determination to reshape the digital economy, regulators on Friday fined Google €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion), ruling that the U.S. search giant abused its dominance in online advertising by steering business to its own services and squeezing rivals, publishers and advertisers. The European Commission said the practice — centered on Google’s AdX exchange and DFP ad server —…

England grind past Andorra as style questions linger ahead of Serbia test The cheers at Villa Park were more relieved than rapturous. England beat Andorra 2-0 on Saturday in Birmingham, a result that keeps Thomas Tuchel’s side perfect in World Cup qualifying. Yet the manner of it—a labored first half, a breakthrough via an own goal, and a second from a set of impeccable delivery and timing—left a near-40,000 crowd murmuring about whether this team is edging toward pragmatism over panache. On a night when England had 83% of…

Milan Mourns a Quiet Revolutionary: Giorgio Armani’s Coffin Lies in State Under a gray Milan sky, a steady line formed outside the Armani Theatre on Saturday as hundreds came to pay respects to Giorgio Armani, the man who reimagined elegance for the late 20th century and made Milan a global fashion capital. His coffin, draped simply, was placed on display for two days of public viewing ahead of a private funeral Monday for the Italian designer who died at 91. A private man, public figure Armani’s death was announced with…

Tragedy in Darfur: Landslides Devastate Communities Amidst Ongoing Strife In the remote, rugged mountains of Sudan’s western Darfur region, life can be unforgiving. Last week, the village of Tarasin became the epicenter of this harsh reality. Three catastrophic landslides obliterated the village, leaving behind a trail of devastation that claimed at least 373 lives, with fears that the death toll could rise to over 1,000. "The people lost everything," Francesco Lanino, operations director at Save the Children, told…

Kenyan man indicted in U.S. child-nutrition fraud probe as investigators trace money to Nairobi real estate

Egypt’s Troops Prepare to Join Somalia Mission, Recasting the Horn’s Security Equation The Egyptian flag will soon fly alongside others on the front lines of Somalia’s long war with al-Shabab. After a week of site visits and quiet consultations in Mogadishu, an Egyptian military team has wrapped up an assessment that clears the way for Cairo’s first troop deployment to the African Union Support Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM. On paper, it’s a straightforward move—one more nation committing forces to an African Union effort…

High-rise in Gaza city razed as Israel presses for tactical offensive; civilians urged to flee south An Israeli strike levelled a roughly 15-storey residential tower in Gaza city on Thursday, the second such collapse in as many days, as the Israeli military intensified warnings for residents to head south toward a so-called “humanitarian zone” ahead of a planned ground offensive. Video circulated by Israeli officials showed the building buckling and disintegrating into a cloud of dust and concrete. Israel’s defence…

Peanut Butter Perfection: Choosing the Right Kind for Your Health Peanut butter: a spread that's as versatile as it is delicious. From slathering on toast to blending into smoothies, it offers a creamy, nutty flavor that enhances a plethora of dishes. But not all peanut butters are created equal. With a growing list of brands adding sugar, oils, and preservatives, it can be challenging to find the healthiest options. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best, all-natural peanut butters that will elevate your snacking and…