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

Saturday March 21, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Marking Eid al-Fitr in the capital, North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro prayed alongside hundreds of worshippers in Hargeisa on Friday morning, then used his Eid remarks to urge economic restraint and a renewed push for peace in areas rattled by recent clan clashes. After the prayer, Irro cautioned that conflicts in the Middle East are upending global trade and key shipping routes, warning that the disruption could spill over into food and fuel…

The meningitis outbreak centered in Kent in the UK has grown to 34 linked cases — up from 29 — as hundreds of students lined up for a third straight day to be vaccinated. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in an update this morning that 23 cases have been confirmed, with a further 11 cases that "remain under investigation". More than 400 people — students and others eligible — queued outside the University of Kent campus clinic for meningitis jabs at the start of the weekend. NHS Kent and Medway reported that 5,794…

A sudden policy shift from Washington is sending ripples through global energy markets, as the Trump administration moves to counter surging oil prices amid escalating conflict with Iran. The United States on Friday issued a 30-day waiver allowing the purchase of Iranian oil at sea, a step officials say is aimed at easing supply pressures driven by nearly three weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure could release roughly 140 million barrels of oil into global…

Europe’s hunt for an economic reset has stretched across two turbulent years, ever since the abrupt end of cheap Russian oil and gas collided with a steady slide in competitiveness against the United States and China. Each time a fix seemed within reach, President Donald Trump shifted the terms of debate—first with his Liberation Day tariffs, and now with the Iran War. Yet, in a twist, the very disarray Mr Trump provokes has jolted into motion reforms long stalled by member-state pushback. Chief among them is “EU Inc,”…

Saturday March 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Marking Eid al-Fitr on Friday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud prayed alongside Somali Armed Forces units in Gendershe, the coastal Lower Shabelle town recently wrested back from al-Shabab. He was accompanied by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) director, top cabinet members, the Somali National Army commander and the national police chief, sharing the holiday with frontline soldiers. In remarks after the prayer, Hassan Sheikh said his government will move…

Israel pounded Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, with a pre-dawn wave of strikes targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, the military said, after it had called on residents in several areas to evacuate. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on 2 March to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel has struck targets across Lebanon and deployed ground forces in the country’s south. In a short statement, the army said its forces were…

Helsinki – In a milestone for Somalia’s ties with the Nordic country, Somalia's Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Abdikarim Ahmed Mohamed, has officially presented his credentials to Alexander Stubb, a development that the Somali community in Finland has greeted with enthusiasm, the Finnish Somali Media Network (SSMV) reported. Officials say the ambassador’s presence in Finland should make it easier for Somali nationals to access consular services, removing persistent obstacles many have faced when seeking assistance…

In a watershed for LGBT rights in Poland, the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) has ruled that same-sex marriages performed in other EU member states must be recognised — a striking shift in a traditionally Catholic nation. The decision, delivered in line with a ruling by the EU’s top court, drew applause in the courtroom as longtime activists and same-sex couples gathered to celebrate. The case centred on Jakub Cupriak-Trojan and his husband, Mateusz Trojan, who married in Berlin in 2018. After the couple relocated to…

Invoking one of the most consequential ambushes in modern history, US President Donald Trump defended the war he launched against Tehran by comparing American strikes on Iran to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor during talks in Washington with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. "We wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?" Mr Trump replied when a journalist asked why he had not told allies about his war plans. "You believe in surprise, I think much more so…

Early this morning, the Israeli military said it launched a barrage of strikes on Beirut aimed at the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, hours after urging residents in several districts to evacuate. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on 2 March, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel has carried out strikes across Lebanon and sent ground troops into the country's south. In a brief statement this morning, the Israeli…