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

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State’s newly elected House of Representatives members were sworn in on Saturday in Baidoa, a ceremony that unfolded against the backdrop of intense fighting between federal government forces and troops loyal to former regional President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Southwest State’s interim leader, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, attended the event alongside federal government officials, traditional elders and other dignitaries. The new lawmakers formally took the oath of office,…

5 Chain Restaurant Cheeseburgers With More Calories Than Dinner Some chain cheeseburgers can exceed 1,600 calories, including one menu item listed at 1,870 calories. Bacon and cheese-heavy burgers at several restaurant chains can push well beyond a typical dinner’s calorie range, according to calorie and sodium figures shown in the restaurants’ online menu descriptions cited in the content below. Texas Roadhouse Bacon Cheeseburger: Texas Roadhouse lists its Bacon Cheeseburger at 980 calories and 2,410 mg of sodium. The…

IPI calls on the international community to intensify pressure on the Somali government to ensure accountability for attacks against journalists The International Press Institute’s global network has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in attacks, arrests, intimidation and harassment targeting journalists across Somalia, with May 2026 standing out as a particularly volatile month. IPI is urging diplomats and international partners to press Somali authorities to make the protection of journalists and…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — An emergency security meeting was convened in Baidoa on Saturday by commanders of the Somali National Army’s 60th Division, hours after fierce clashes erupted between federal government forces and troops aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The session was aimed at tightening security in the city, improving coordination among security agencies and forestalling any fresh attacks following the morning confrontation. Military officials said…

A dramatic cave rescue in Laos gathered pace this morning as Thai rescuers said four more men had been brought out alive after 10 days trapped in a semi-submerged cavern. The breakthrough came ‌hours ⁠after another man was pulled from the flooded cave last night, though two others are still missing. Lee Kian Lie, a Malaysian rescue diver, said the four were freed after crews pumped water out of the cavern. Video recorded by Mr Lee at the scene showed teams working beneath a makeshift tent as they tended to four people on…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A delegation of senior Somali politicians and former legislators has returned to Mogadishu after several days of closed-door talks in Dhuusamareeb with Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Kaariye “Qoorqoor,” according to people familiar with the discussions. The group, made up largely of political figures from the Galmudug region, had been shuttling messages between regional and federal players as part of a wider effort to ease tensions and build a path toward agreement, the sources said. One of the central…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOSunday May 31, 2026 Officials from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) inspecting the Wajir Airport/STEPHEN ASTARIKO Work on major aviation upgrades in Garissa and Wajir is gathering pace, with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) using a weekend inspection to take stock of projects meant to ease travel and boost commerce across Northern Kenya. KAA Managing Director Moses Wekesa led the tour on Saturday alongside General Manager for Operations and Safety Dr Simon Peter and General Manager for Engineering…

A sharper warning from Washington echoed through Singapore on Saturday as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian allies to spend more on their militaries, arguing that only a stronger regional front can check China’s rising power and stop any slide toward dominance. Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s leading gathering of defence ministers, military officials and diplomats, Mr Hegseth said the region needs a more capable and more self-reliant network of partners to deter aggression and keep the strategic…

By: Nima Dahir Saturday May 30, 2026 A new study by sociologist Nima Dahir explores how the press influences public ideas about belonging, identity and difference in Black neighborhoods. In “A Harlem Divided: Media, Blackness, and Difference in Le Petit Sénégal,” Dahir turns attention to Le Petit Sénégal, or Little Senegal, the West African enclave in Central Harlem. Dahir reviewed newspaper coverage spanning 1930 to 2025, drawing comparisons between mainstream publications and Black-owned media. The research shows…

Somalia’s federal government has floated a plan to channel an expected opposition protest into designated parts of Mogadishu, according to security sources, as tensions mount ahead of a major anti-government rally scheduled for next week. MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has proposed assigning specific locations in Mogadishu for opposition groups to hold demonstrations, according to security sources, as political tensions rise ahead of a planned anti-government rally next week. The proposal was recently…