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

Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin has denounced what he called the “shocking” apparent assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump overnight. Speaking in Cork, Mr Martin said the scenes were “very serious and very shocking” to witness. “There can be absolutely no place for violence in politics, and our thoughts are with the police officer, the agent who was injured, and with everyone affected by an event of this nature.” Mr Martin said there was mounting evidence of rising political violence around the world, adding…

Sunday April 26, 2026 FC Barcelona tightened its grip on the La Liga race on Saturday, grinding out a 2-0 victory at Getafe to stretch its lead over Real Madrid to 11 points with just 18 still on offer. For long spells, the match offered little in the way of clear chances. That changed in first-half stoppage time, when Fermin Lopez pierced the Getafe back line and finished past David Soria to break the deadlock. Barcelona then managed the contest with composure after the interval against a Getafe side that had lost much of…

Watch: Trump says the shooter was a 'sick person' US

MOGADISHU, April 26 - Somalia’s upper chamber speaker has returned to the political spotlight with a blistering attack on state institutions, accusing them of widespread disregard for the law as the country edges toward a critical electoral moment. Senator Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, a seasoned and influential figure in Somali politics, said he had been away from public duties while recovering from health-related problems. His reappearance comes as tensions intensify between federal leaders and opposition figures over…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — U.S. authorities say they have arrested a Somali national facing passport fraud allegations and suspected of ties to a 2012 piracy case, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The man, identified as Said Jama Ahmed, was detained near the U.S.-Canada border after an off-duty Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer noticed him, officials said in a statement on Friday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Ahmed on the evening of April 14, 2026, several miles south…

Four decades after Reactor 4 exploded at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster is once again shadowed by danger. At 01:23am on 26 April 1986, an explosion tore through the reactor during a failed safety test, blasting apart the roof and sending a vast cloud of radioactive material into the atmosphere. Radiation spread west and north across Europe for days, while neighbouring Belarus absorbed the heaviest share of the fallout. Soviet authorities waited 36 hours…

LUUQ, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has sent Turkish-trained elite Gorgor, or “Eagle,” commandos to the strategic district of Luuq in the Gedo region, a move that underscores a sharper military push in an area long marked by security concerns and political disputes. Security officials said the first plane carrying the specialized troops touched down in Luuq early Sunday, with more flights expected in the coming days to increase the number of forces on the ground. The deployment comes on the heels of the arrival of…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali met with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, in Muscat on Saturday for talks aimed at broadening bilateral ties and deepening cooperation in several priority areas. The discussions, held at the Omani Foreign Ministry headquarters, came during Abdisalam’s official visit to Oman and centered on shared interests spanning diplomacy, development and regional security. The two ministers also reviewed developments in the Horn…

BAIDOA, Somalia — Aden Madobe, Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, landed in Baidoa on Sunday, setting the stage for a closely watched push to capture the South West State presidency, with what is widely seen as support from Villa Somalia. Madobe, a seasoned politician and senior member of the Justice and Social Partnership (JSP) party, was greeted by local officials in the heavily secured regional capital. Although he has not publicly announced his candidacy, his arrival is being read by political observers as a clear…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s trade minister, Jamal Mohamed Hassan, has accused Puntland State security forces of firing on civilians in Badhan, in the Sanaag region, during unrest tied to a planned visit by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni. In a statement, Jamal denounced what he called “unacceptable” violence, saying troops used live ammunition against residents who had opposed Deni’s trip to the town earlier this week. No deaths or injuries have been officially confirmed. “The act of…