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

Steven Spielberg gave CinemaCon in Las Vegas an early jolt with new footage from his upcoming sci-fi feature Disclosure Day, telling the audience there is “more truth than fiction” behind the film’s premise. The Oscar-winning filmmaker introduced the project during Universal’s presentation at the annual convention of cinema owners and industry executives. With Disclosure Day, Spielberg returns once again to alien-themed storytelling, almost 50 years after Close Encounters of the Third Kind first brought his fascination with…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Thursday sharply criticized Israel’s appointment of an ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, saying the decision infringes on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Israel’s move to name an ambassador to the self-declared breakaway region in northern Somalia amounted to “a direct breach of Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” and ran counter to international law, including the…

Opposition politician Julius Malema has been handed a five-year prison term for firing a rifle into the air during a 2018 political rally. The opposition leader was found guilty last year on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place, linked to the 2018 incident at a stadium in the Eastern Cape province. His lawyer said he would appeal the ruling.

South African Firebrand Politician Julius Malema Jailed for Gun-Law Violation CAPE TOWN - South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after a court found he fired a rifle into the air at a political rally in 2018. The ruling closes a case tied to an Economic Freedom Fighters celebration held that year. What was the case against Malema? Malema was convicted in October of illegally possessing a firearm and discharging it in a public place. Prosecutors said he fired the rifle into…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali airstrikes hit the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group across several regions, killing 54 fighters and wounding several others, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. In a statement, the ministry said the operations took place in Hiiraan, Lower Shabelle, Bay and Lower Jubba, where the military had been tracking what it described as important militant positions over recent days. The government said the targets were identified after surveillance indicated a rise in militant activity.…

Nigerian officials have formally withdrawn terrorism financing allegations against former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami and his son. Malami, who held office from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, now faces a narrowed set of charges related to the illegal possession of firearms. According to the revised charge sheet, authorities reportedly discovered firearms and live ammunition at Malami's home in Birnin Kebbi, located in northwestern Nigeria. During a recent court appearance, both Malami and his…

Panic tore through a school in تركيا’s southern Kahramanmaras province when a 13-year-old opened fire, killing nine people and wounding 13 in an attack that sent students scrambling for safety and leaping from windows, officials said. It was the country’s second school shooting in two days. The assault took place in Kahramanmaras province in the south, a region in a country where mass school shootings have historically been rare. "We regret to report nine deaths (...) and 13 wounded. Six of them are currently in intensive…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Israel has taken a significant new step in its outreach to North Western State of Somalia, naming its first ambassador to the self-governing territory after formally recognizing it as an independent state earlier this year. Israel’s public broadcaster reported Wednesday that Michael Lotem, an experienced diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Kenya, will represent Israel in North Western State of Somalia. His appointment comes after Israel’s December decision to recognize…

As Sudan's civil war enters its third year, claiming tens of thousands of lives and forcing millions to flee, an international aid conference in Berlin has pledged over $1.5 billion for humanitarian relief, German officials announced on Wednesday. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking on the eve of the donor meeting, expressed optimism, referencing a previous conference in London that had garnered a billion dollars. "We are on track for more," he told Deutschlandfunk, noting an uptick in pledges. At the…

A possible diplomatic opening has emerged in one of the region’s longest-running fault lines, with US President Donald Trump saying leaders of Israel and Lebanon are expected to speak after a high-level face-to-face meeting in Washington on Tuesday — the first such negotiation since 1993. "Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Mr Trump wrote, offering no further details and not specifying who would…