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

A jury in New Mexico has ruled that Meta Platforms broke state law, concluding the tech giant misled users about safety on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and enabled child sexual exploitation on its services, according to the state attorney general’s lawsuit. After less than a day of deliberations, jurors determined Meta violated New Mexico’s consumer protection statute and ordered the company to pay $375 million in civil penalties. The verdict is the first jury decision on these types of claims against Meta, which is…

Iran Says Non-Hostile Ships Can Use Strait of Hormuz Amid War with US and Israel  TEHRAN — Signaling it does not intend to shutter one of the world’s busiest energy corridors, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said vessels that steer clear of hostilities will be permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, so long as they abide by Iranian safety rules and avoid actions Tehran views as aggressive.…

Thursday March 26, 2026 Nairobi (AX) — An intelligence-driven security operation near Kenya’s border with Somalia left two suspected al-Shabab militants dead and several others wounded, police said Tuesday, as authorities tightened precautions ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday period. The Counter Terrorism Policing Unit said officers from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted the operation on the outskirts of Sarira in Mandera County, days before Eid al-Fitr celebrations last week on Friday. According to a…

At least 15 Zimbabweans have been killed in the Russia-Ukraine war after being deceived into joining foreign militaries, a development officials say exposes a trafficking pipeline preying on job seekers. Information Minister Soda Zhemu said employment agencies tied to criminal syndicates are enticing Zimbabweans with promises of lucrative pay before steering them into foreign armed forces. Recruiters have leveraged social media and bogus job listings to hook applicants, he added, with victims later stripped of their…

A drone that Romanian authorities say was diverted by Ukrainian air defences crashed near a village after overnight Russian strikes on neighbouring Ukraine, officials reported. Romania, a NATO member and key supporter of Kyiv, has repeatedly experienced airspace violations and falling drone debris since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "At 00:44, a drone deflected by Ukrainian air defence entered national airspace for a distance of approximately four kilometres," the defence ministry said. "The…

Thursday March 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Tensions flared at Mogadishu’s Bakaara Market on Wednesday as hundreds of traders poured into the streets, accusing Somalia’s federal government of preparing to sell part of the market’s land to wealthy businessmen they say have close ties to those in power. The demonstrators blocked major roads leading into the sprawling market, denouncing what they described as an impending eviction that could wipe out their livelihoods. Many traders said the plan amounts to transferring public…

In a landmark decision, the United Nations General Assembly has formally acknowledged the enslavement of Africans during the transatlantic slave trade as an unparalleled crime against humanity. Proposed by Ghana, the resolution not only recognizes this profound injustice but also encourages member states to contemplate issuing apologies for their roles in the slave trade and to contribute to a reparations fund. Notably, the resolution does not specify a financial amount. It passed with a significant majority, garnering 123…

South Africa’s top cop, Fannie Masemola, has been summoned to court over a police health-services tender now at the center of a criminal investigation, thrusting the country’s law-enforcement leadership into fresh scrutiny. Masemola is due to appear on April 21 in relation to his alleged role in the awarding of a $21 million contract. The tender, issued in 2024 to businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s firm, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was intended to deliver health services to members of the police. Amid corruption…

President Donald Trump asserted that Iran is quietly engaged in negotiations and suggested Tehran's public denials stem from fears that negotiators could be killed by hardliners — or targeted by the United States. "They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly. But they're afraid to say it, because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," Mr Trump told a dinner for Republican members of Congress. "They're also afraid they'll be killed by us." His remarks came after Iranian Foreign…

Thursday March 26, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Drivers and businesses across North Western State of Somalia are facing fresh fuel price hikes after authorities on Wednesday rolled out new official pump rates, pointing to surging global oil prices and tighter supply conditions. The revised pricing sets gasoline at 12,500 North Western State of Somalia shillings per liter, while diesel will sell for 10,500 North Western State of Somalia shillings per liter. Officials said the new rates were agreed after consultations involving the…