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

An Irish doctor detained after Israeli forces intercepted a protest flotilla this week says she was held in conditions she likened to a “horror of a concentration camp”. Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, was among 14 Irish citizens and 430 activists detained by Israeli authorities after the vessels were stopped at sea on Monday. The group had been travelling with the Global Sumud Flotilla, an effort aimed at breaching the blockade of the Palestinian territory and bringing aid to people in Gaza.…

Somalia’s diaspora—Somali citizens and families living abroad—has long played a role in the country’s public life. In recent years, that influence has become more visible in discussions about elections, governance, and political debate. From financial support sent home to advocacy in host countries and input through media and civic groups, diaspora ties can shape how political actors communicate, how campaigns mobilize voters, and how communities discuss national issues. This explainer outlines how that influence works,…

Friday May 22, 2026 Ankara (AX) — Somalia and Turkey moved to deepen their partnership on rebuilding roads, expanding housing and strengthening urban development on Thursday, as Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing Minister Ayub Ismail Yusuf held talks in Ankara with Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu. The meeting took place at Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and brought together senior officials, engineers and technical advisers from both countries. The…

In the heart of Sudan’s ongoing turmoil, a mother tenderly cradled her infant son, Yasser, his smile and sparkling eyes offering no hint of the harrowing trauma she survived. Nesma, a 26-year-old university graduate, endured a brutal assault at the hands of paramilitary fighters in Khartoum two years prior, a memory still vivid. "I remember their faces," Nesma recounted to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Yasser is one of many children born to rape survivors amid the brutal conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid…

Tennessee stopped the planned execution of death row inmate Tony Carruthers after medical staff could not secure the intravenous access needed to carry it out, officials said. Carruthers, 57, had been set to die by lethal injection at a Nashville prison for the 1994 killings of Delois Anderson, her son Marcellos Anderson and Frederick Tucker. According to the Tennessee Department of Corrections, medical personnel successfully placed a primary IV line for the lethal drugs but were unable to locate a suitable vein for the…

Kitty HollandFriday May 22, 2026 Court conducting age inquiry over asylum seeker charged with murder of Vadym Davydenko (17) Dublin District Court is conducting an age inquiry, applied for by Tusla, regarding the Somali national. Photograph: Tusla stock image Disturbing accounts of a young asylum seeker’s route to Ireland were laid before Dublin District Court on Thursday in a case that has gripped attention since the killing of Ukrainian teenager Vadym Davydenko in Tusla accommodation last year. The court is now carrying…

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a tense situation unfolded when protesters set fire to Ebola treatment tents following a dispute over the burial of a suspected victim. The incident highlights the difficulties faced by authorities in managing safe burial practices crucial to preventing the virus's spread. In the Ituri province town of Rwampara, tensions flared as police resorted to firing warning shots and tear gas to disperse a crowd angered by the refusal to release the body of a popular local footballer for…

A drone strike in the Russian-occupied Lugansk region hit a college dormitory overnight, killing six people and injuring dozens more, according to Russian officials, in an attack the Kremlin swiftly denounced as terrorism. Up to 15 others remain missing, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in televised remarks, calling the strike a "terrorist" act. Mr Putin said he had instructed the defence ministry to prepare a response, but gave no further details. Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, is almost بالكامل under Russian occupation,…

The Oyo State Police have categorically refuted claims of a successful rescue of the victims, emphasizing the need for community tranquility as they intensify their pursuit of the kidnappers. This alarming incident, involving the mass abduction of students and teachers, unfolded on May 15 when armed assailants stormed several educational institutions. Authorities caution that the circulation of misinformation exacerbates anxiety and misallocates vital security resources that are essential for ongoing rescue efforts.

Ali Al ShoukFriday May 22, 2026 Livestock costs are on the rise at Dubai's Al Qusais market ahead of Eid Al Adha. Chris Whiteoak / The National Dubai’s livestock traders are heading into Eid Al Adha with brisk business — and sharply higher prices — as families prepare for the holiday’s traditional sacrificial feast amid heavy demand and disruption linked to the Iran war. Vendors in Al Qusais said animal prices have climbed by as much as 40 per cent before the festival, a jump they attribute largely to higher shipping costs…