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

Tuesday May 19, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s electoral commission on Monday put off the election of the speaker of Southwest State’s House of Representatives, saying it must first wait for the Supreme Court to review the region’s election results. The vote for speaker had been set for May 18, 2026. In a statement, the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission said it would not proceed with forming the new regional assembly leadership until the court had issued its decision. “Although the election schedule…

A deadly shooting rampage in southern Turkey left six people dead and eight wounded, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as media reports said police had launched a manhunt for the attacker. In a televised statement, Mr Erdoğan confirmed the death toll and offered "God's mercy" to those killed, but gave no additional details about the attack, which took place near the city of Mersin. Turkey's Anadolu state news agency and the Sabah newspaper identified the suspect as a 37-year-old man believed to have first shot dead his…

Somalia Presidency Moves Toward Parliamentary Session as Mandate Fight Escalates MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s presidency is preparing to call the lower house of parliament into session after elections in Baidoa conclude, with Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur “Madobe” expected to run for the presidency of the South West regional administration, informed sources said Tuesday. The proposed sitting would open the door for lawmakers to choose a new speaker of the House of the People within 30 days, even as opposition voices…

Elon Musk’s courtroom challenge to OpenAI ended in defeat after a US jury found the artificial intelligence company not liable for claims that it had abandoned its founding mission of serving humanity rather than profit. Delivering a unanimous verdict in federal court in Oakland, California, jurors concluded that Mr Musk filed the case too late. Their deliberations lasted for less than two hours. The closely watched trial had been framed as a pivotal test for OpenAI and for the broader AI industry, raising larger questions…

An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has triggered an urgent scramble by medical teams, after a delayed diagnosis and rapid spread raised fears among health officials. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern yesterday, warning that the risk of wider cross-border transmission had increased after two cases were confirmed in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda. In recent weeks, the outbreak is believed to have killed about 80…

Facing mounting pressure over a war that has rattled global oil markets, US President ⁠Donald Trump said he has halted a planned strike on Iran to leave room for negotiations, after Tehran delivered a fresh peace proposal to Washington. Mr Trump said he had ordered the US military to stand down for now, writing that "we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an…

With diplomacy losing momentum and the war now more than two months old, US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, declaring that the "clock is ticking" on efforts to secure an end to the conflict. Writing on social media, Mr Trump warned Iran's leadership that failure to move swiftly toward a peace agreement would bring consequences, saying the country would be left with nothing if no deal was reached. The message followed a conversation between the US President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…

The World Health Organization on Sunday sounded its highest international alarm over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, declaring it a public health emergency of international concern. The agency said the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not qualify as a pandemic emergency. Even so, it warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further spread. The Department of Foreign Affairs has long maintained a "Do Not Travel" advisory for…

Monday May 18, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Cabinet on Sunday examined a roadmap for putting the country’s new federal constitution into effect from 2026 to 2029, even as the government pushed ahead with reforms that prominent opposition figures have rejected. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre chaired the meeting in Mogadishu, where ministers discussed constitutional implementation, one-person, one-vote elections, government regulations, international agreements and the approval of national policy measures. The Ministry of…

At least six Irish citizens, including Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, were aboard an aid flotilla detained by Israel, according to organisers. They said the vessels were intercepted about 70 nautical miles off Cyprus. The Global Sumud Flotilla said contact has been lost with the boats that were stopped. The group has shared videos of Dr Connolly and five others that appear to have been recorded before their detention. "I am deeply honoured to be part of this flotilla - the largest one so far."…