Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a move that could reshape access to mobile technology in Somalia, Hormuud Telecom on Tuesday unveiled a new partnership with Get-Phone to introduce the country’s first structured smartphone financing plan. The program is designed to reach millions of low-income Somalis who have long been priced out of internet-enabled handsets, tackling what company officials described as the “affordability gap” that remains the biggest obstacle to digital inclusion. That challenge persists even…

Health officials are tracing dozens of travelers after a cruise passenger infected with hantavirus died following a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, deepening concern over an outbreak aboard the MV Hondius. There were 82 passengers and six crew on the 25 April flight, according to South African carrier Airlink. Among them was a Dutch woman whose husband had died from the virus on the ship and whose condition "deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg", the WHO said in a statement. She had disembarked in Saint…

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati spoke by phone with Somali Foreign Minister Abdelsalam Abdi Ali on Tuesday to assess developments in Somalia and discuss ways to deepen cooperation between the two countries. During the call, Abdel-Aati welcomed the steady progress in Egypt-Somalia ties and reiterated Cairo’s backing for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also firmly rejected any unilateral actions that would encroach on Somali sovereignty, condemning Israel’s recognition…

Somalia: Hormuud Telecom, Get-Phone Launch Somalia’s Largest Smartphone Financing Program to Bridge Digital Divide MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s biggest telecom operator has teamed up with Get-Phone in a bid to put smartphones within reach of millions who have so far been priced out of the country’s digital economy. Hormuud Telecom said Tuesday that the partnership will introduce Somalia’s first formal smartphone financing program, a move designed to narrow the affordability gap that still keeps many low-income Somalis…

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Pilgrims beginning Hajj 2025 (Saudi Press Agency). RIYADH — With the Hajj season approaching, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has announced that vaccinations must be received no later than 10 days before the pilgrimage begins. The ministry said immunization remains the first line of protection for pilgrims, helping them carry out the rites in safety and good health while supporting the body’s immune response and lowering the chance of illness. The recommended vaccines include meningococcal (meningitis),…

A deadly car attack tore through central Leipzig, leaving two people dead and about 20 others injured after a vehicle sped into a crowd in the eastern German city’s historic heart. Police arrested the driver — a 33-year-old German man — at the scene, but officials said they had not yet determined what drove him to carry out the attack. The incident adds to a disturbing string of car-ramming attacks that have rattled Germany in recent years, including assaults in Berlin, Munich and, in 2024, at a Christmas market in…

Tuesday May 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council has said it is prepared to take part in President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s proposed national dialogue, but only if the government accepts a set of conditions centered on the country’s disputed electoral process. In a formal letter released Tuesday, the Council said any meaningful talks with the Federal Government would require what it described as “genuine political integrity,” and it set out two main demands. First, the group urged the…

Sudan has taken decisive diplomatic action by recalling its ambassador to Ethiopia, escalating tensions after accusing Ethiopia and the UAE of involvement in a drone strike on Khartoum’s airport. The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem during a press briefing in the capital. "The recall of our ambassador is due to the Emirati-Ethiopian drone aggression against Khartoum airport," Salem stated. He emphasized that the airport is a civilian hub and such an attack contravenes international law.…

In a stark warning about the state of Liberia's democracy, former President George M. Weah has leveled serious accusations against President Joseph Boakai's administration, claiming it is systematically undermining the rule of law. In a recent meeting with Nicola Clase, Chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, Weah outlined a series of alleged violations perpetrated by the current government. Among these, he pointed to an outright disregard for Supreme Court rulings, incidents of police brutality, and what he…

Botswana’s struggle to contain foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is tightening the screws on the national economy and rural livelihoods, with beef exports taking a major hit and access to the European Union market lost, Agriculture Minister Edwin Dikoloti said. "In Botswana, many households depend on cattle for income and food; therefore, any disruption affects entire communities," the minister said. He added that the government is shifting its approach to deepen collaboration with partners, notably the private sector and…