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

Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election, setting the stage for a closely watched contest with implications far beyond the constituency. Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee is understood to have shortlisted only the Greater Manchester mayor, removing the need for a vote by local party members. That decision tees up a battle between Mr Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who fought the seat for the party in 2024. Mr Burnham has presented his candidacy as…

By Sarah Shamim and The Associated PressTuesday May 19, 2026 A security guard at the Islamic Center in San Diego, California, is being remembered as a hero after police said he died trying to stop suspected shooters from getting inside the mosque complex, where authorities are investigating the attack as a hate crime. At least three people were killed when two teenage attackers opened fire at the San Diego mosque on Monday. Officials have not publicly identified the victims, but community leaders have said the guard was…

This Monday, 18th May, North Western State of Somalia marks the 35th anniversary of reclaiming its sovereignty from Somalia on 18th May 1991 — a milestone that remains at the centre of national pride and political debate. Before I explain what May 18th means to Somalilanders, a brief note: this year’s observance feels different. Though I live abroad, the day still stirs deep feelings of pride and patriotism. I spoke with several people in North Western State of Somalia and found that, despite…

A painstaking search in the Maldives has ended in tragedy, with a specialist team finding the bodies of four missing Italian scuba divers who were killed in an underwater cave accident, according to Maldives officials and the DAN Europe divers' network. DAN Europe said a team of Finnish divers spent three hours carrying out the operation, during which they also collected the crucial information needed to prepare for recovering the bodies. "This marks an important milestone in an operation that remains technically demanding,…

By Sarah Shamim and The Associated PressTuesday May 19, 2026 A security guard who died while trying to stop suspected gunmen from entering the Islamic Center in San Diego, California, is being praised as a “hero” after an attack police are investigating as a hate crime. At least three people were killed when two teenage attackers opened fire at the San Diego mosque on Monday. Authorities have not publicly named the victims, but community leaders have identified the guard as Amin Abdullah. United States officials said the…

Europe is preparing an emergency response to a sharp rise in fertiliser costs, as the European Commission readies a package of measures aimed at easing pressure on farmers after disruption in the Strait of Hormuz choked supplies of key ingredients. Among the steps under consideration is liquidity support for farmers, alongside more flexible advance payments under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), allowing them to cover bank loans and meet debts owed to fertiliser suppliers, according to a draft Fertiliser Action Plan seen…

Tuesday May 19, 2026 Kenya was gripped by unrest on Monday as anti-riot police confronted protesters along Namanga Road in Kitengela during a nationwide transport strike driven by surging fuel prices At least four people were killed and 30 others wounded in Kenya on Monday as protests erupted across the country over steep fuel price increases. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said 348 people were detained during the unrest, as crowds took to the streets in support of a nationwide public transport strike. With memories…

A surge in politically linked abuses gripped Zimbabwe in April, with 145 human rights violations impacting 3,675 people, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) reported. The watchdog highlighted a pattern of political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and curbs on freedoms of expression and association among the most pressing issues. According to the report, those affected included 1,887 women and 1,788 men. ZPP warned that the human rights climate is deteriorating, citing an escalation in intimidation, violence, and the misuse…

Donald Trump said on Monday there was a “very good chance” of striking an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear programme, arguing diplomacy could still avert a fresh US assault. The US president also said he had halted a planned strike on Iran after Tehran delivered what he described as a peace proposal to Washington. Mr Trump said he had told the US military that “we will not be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on…

Tuesday May 19, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro took a congratulatory call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, as the self-declared republic marked 35 years since it broke away from Somalia. According to the North Western State of Somalia presidency, Netanyahu called to mark the May 18 anniversary and the two leaders reiterated their intention to deepen ties between North Western State of Somalia and Israel. The conversation came less than…