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

by Quincy Thomas Thursday May 28, 2026 Shamso Ahmed Hassan and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf Federal prosecutors say two Minnesota women played a central role in a sprawling fraud tied to the state’s autism Medicaid program, in a case they describe as one of the largest of its kind. Shamso Ahmed Hassan, 55, and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, 25, allegedly submitted more than $46 million in fraudulent claims and laundered $21 million of those proceeds, according to court filings and statements from prosecutors. Authorities allege that from May…

A widening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has drawn urgent promises of help from global and regional health leaders, with Africa CDC saying it intends to deliver a vaccine and treatment for the Bundibugyo strain before the year is out. "What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will make sure that we have a vaccine and medicine against Bundibugyo," its Director-General Jean Kaseya said. At the same time, the head of the World Health Organization vowed to use "everything in…

By Anthony Bettin, Adam DuxterThursday May 28, 2026 Muhammad Omar U.S. Attorney's Office A Minnesota man facing charges in what federal officials describe as a sprawling Medicaid fraud case has been ordered held as a flight risk, underscoring the scale and seriousness of the alleged scheme that siphoned more than $90 million from taxpayers. At an arraignment and detention hearing Wednesday, a judge ruled that Muhammad Omar, 32, of Roseville, Minnesota, must remain in custody while his case moves forward. Omar and a partner,…

Amid escalating tensions in Burkina Faso, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a stark warning against the suppression of student voices, emphasizing that stifling dissent will not address the nation’s deepening security and governance challenges. This alert comes on the heels of a government decision to suspend the General Union of Burkina Students (UGEB), the largest student organization in the country, signaling a troubling trend of crackdowns on civil liberties. Founded as one of Burkina Faso's longest-standing and most…

Somalia: Rift Deepens Between President and Intelligence Chief Over Galmudug Election MOGADISHU, Somalia — A widening clash between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Mahad Salad has raised alarm over the risk of unrest in central Galmudug, according to people familiar with the talks. What began as a round of political consultations in Mogadishu has now soured into a breakdown in negotiations over who should lead Galmudug ahead of the regional presidential…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOThursday May 28, 2026 Education leaders, special school representatives, parents, human rights activists and advocates for children with special needs in Tana River have warned that current funding levels for special schools are too low to meet the rising demands of learners living with disabilities. Speaking at a forum held in a Garissa hotel, the stakeholders said special needs institutions are grappling with persistent problems rooted in underfunding. They pointed to shortages of teachers, a lack of…

Somalia sits on a strategically important stretch of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, close to one of the world’s busiest chokepoints. The country’s maritime space influences how goods move between Europe, Asia and Africa—and how shipping security in the region is managed. This explainer outlines why Somalia matters to global trade routes, what has shaped maritime activity over time, and key facts that help explain the geography of shipping in the Horn of Africa. Somalia’s location: a gateway to major sea lanes…

Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is bracing for what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls a "catastrophic collision of disease and conflict," as a rapidly advancing Ebola outbreak outstrips efforts to contain it in a region already scarred by armed groups, displacement and severe hunger. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Ituri province is unfolding in conditions that undermine basic public health measures, with insecurity, assaults on clinics and…

Ebola’s latest surge in the Democratic Republic of Congo is proving deadly, but early figures suggest it has so far killed a smaller share of patients than many previous outbreaks, according to a World Health Organization update. Since officials declared the outbreak in the DRC in mid-May, the World Health Organization has logged more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed Ebola cases across the central African nation. Of those, 10 deaths have been confirmed as caused by Ebola, while another 223 are suspected to have been linked…

Despite significant advancements, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to fly under the radar of global health initiatives. To date, 61 nations have successfully eradicated at least one NTD, showcasing what sustained dedication can achieve. However, the fallout from neglecting these diseases is dire: children lose vital educational opportunities, while adults struggle to maintain employment, directly impacting household income and overall quality of life. Furthermore, stigma and discrimination thrust individuals into…