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

Sweden is moving to crack down on what officials describe as brazen online “murder adverts,” with the government proposing new rules that would force platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat to remove gang-linked recruitment posts within an hour or risk steep financial penalties. Authorities say criminal networks in Sweden are making growing use of social media to enlist people to carry out killings and other violent crimes, as the phenomenon known as “crime as a service” continues to spread. Those targeted for recruitment are…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — China has said it will provide equipment to help strengthen Somalia’s correctional facilities, following high-level talks in Mogadishu aimed at boosting prison security and improving services. The pledge came after Somali Correctional Service Commander Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud met with Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Wang Yu on Tuesday. Their discussions centered on expanding bilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on modernizing Somalia’s prison system and building the…

In a brazen display of coordination and power, an alliance of al-Qaida-linked militants and separatist rebels in Mali launched a series of simultaneous attacks, intensifying the threat of division within the West African nation. Over the weekend, the militants struck multiple targets, including the capital's airport and a desert town, causing chaos and highlighting vulnerabilities. Among those killed was Defense Minister Sadio Camara, whose death in a car bomb attack has created a significant power vacuum. This offensive…

by Timothy Cerullo Wednesday April 29, 2026 A Garissa-bound bus along the Thika Superhighway. Photo Wanjeri Passengers heading to and from Garissa were left in limbo on Wednesday after several bus companies abruptly suspended services along the Nairobi-Garissa Highway amid growing security fears. The disruption comes after reports of insecurity on the route, including an incident in which one bus was hit by stones and had its windscreen badly shattered yesterday. In a notice issued on Wednesday, April 29, Pacific Coach said…

Ed Sheeran has told fans he has spent the past month battling shingles, describing the illness as something he “wouldn’t recommend” as he shared a personal update on social media. The 35-year-old pop star also revealed he has shaved his head, saying the change was meant to “signify a fresh start”. The singer, behind chart hits including Lego House and Thinking Out Loud, shared the update in an Instagram post on Tuesday. In a carousel of images posted to his 48.7 million followers, Sheeran offered a glimpse into his recent…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Halimo stands at a dry water point in Somalia. Photo: CARE International Mogadishu (AX) — The war raging in the Middle East is now feeding another emergency far from the battlefield: Somalia’s hunger crisis is getting worse. Aid agencies and officials say the conflict is pushing up fuel and food prices, disrupting humanitarian supply lines, and deepening acute malnutrition among children. For pastoralist families, the first blow is being felt at the water point. Diesel prices are climbing, making…

Europe is heating up faster than any other continent, according to the European State of the Climate Report for 2025, which describes a region being reshaped by accelerating change. Across the Mediterranean, the Alps and up to the Arctic Circle, the shifts are no longer faint, slow-moving or far off on the horizon. The fallout is rippling through Europe’s environment, its economy and the ecosystems that support both. Hotter air, warming seas, vanishing ice, parched soils and ecosystems under strain are sending unmistakable…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Wednesday put its security sector under the microscope, as government officials and international partners gathered in Mogadishu for a senior-level review centered on reform, accountability and the long-term viability of the country’s armed forces. The session brought together federal government representatives, the World Bank and other international partners to take stock of progress and pinpoint the remaining weak spots in critical institutions. Discussions centered on…

James Comey is facing new criminal charges after a North Carolina grand jury indicted the former FBI director on allegations he threatened US President Donald Trump, reviving a legal fight that returns just five months after an earlier case against the longtime Trump critic was dismissed. The indictment centres on an Instagram post Mr Comey, 65, shared in May last year showing the numbers "86 47" arranged in seashells. In an interview with Fox News at the time, Mr Trump said "86" was slang for kill and that "47" referred to…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 A casual remark by Kenya’s president has ignited a transcontinental debate, after William Ruto was quoted as saying Kenyans “speak some of the best English in the world” and that Nigerians can require “a translator” when speaking English. Kenya's President William Ruto. / Reuters Are Kenyans better English speakers than Nigerians, or have national pride and online banter simply taken over? That question has dominated social media in recent days after remarks attributed to Kenyan President William…