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

NASA has laid out an ambitious blueprint for its first Moon base, sketching a path that could put people living and working on the lunar surface within six years. The outpost would rise at the Moon’s south pole and, over time, could grow into a network of sites stretching across hundreds of square miles. Under the plan, the base would be built in phases, gradually adding the systems and infrastructure needed to support a lasting human foothold. Agency officials say the effort is aimed at opening the door to fresh scientific…

After decades spent out of sight, Daniela Klette has been handed a 13-year prison sentence by a German court for a string of armed robberies carried out between 1999 and 2016, in a case that revives one of the country’s darkest chapters of political violence. Klette, 67, was arrested in 2024 after evading authorities for more than 30 years. Investigators found her living in Berlin under an assumed name after an investigative journalist tracked her down with the help of facial recognition software. The Red Army Faction, born…

With a sweeping new warning, Israel’s military has told residents across a broad stretch of southern Lebanon to head north, declaring the area a combat zone and signaling that the confrontation with Hezbollah is entering a more dangerous phase. The announcement pointed to a fresh escalation after more than 120 strikes hit Lebanon yesterday, even though a ceasefire was announced on 16 April. "We advise residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate to the north of the Zahrani River, as all areas south of the river are considered a…

Baidoa, Somalia (Horn Observer) — A local reporter was detained in Baidoa on Thursday after posting about an alleged robbery of women who sell khat by security personnel, an arrest that has alarmed press freedom advocates. The journalist, identified as Abdirahman Jakataa and known to work with multiple outlets, shared the account on Facebook on May 25. Authorities summoned him to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters yesterday in connection with the report he published on Gacal Media detailing the…

MOGADISHU — A widening political feud is taking shape inside Somalia’s federal leadership, with a struggle over Galmudug’s next president exposing fault lines around President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s inner circle. Sources familiar with the talks told Axadle that shortly after returning from Djibouti, where he attended the inauguration ceremony of President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President Hassan Sheikh privately urged one of his close political allies — a businessman described as holding substantial influence over revenues…

Brazzaville is signaling it’s set to deliver. On Sunday, African Development Bank Group President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah assessed final arrangements by joint Congolese and other technical teams gearing up to host the institution’s 61st Annual Meetings, which kick off Monday in the Congolese capital. More on the AfDB AllAfrica page.

Ireland is moving to outlaw imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled out widening the measure to cover services, saying such a step is “not implementable”. The legislation, designed to ban the import of goods from those settlements, cleared Cabinet this morning and the Government intends to have it signed into law within weeks. Speaking to reporters ahead of the Cabinet meeting, Mr Martin said extending the bill to services could carry consequences for…

By Faisal AliWednesday May 27, 2026 A flower-decked swing at Lido Beach offered a cheerful backdrop for young women marking Eid in Mogadishu, where the holiday brought a rare, bright pause from the city’s harsher realities. Mogadishu, Somalia- Across the Muslim world, Eid al-Adha — the Festival of Sacrifice — was observed on Wednesday, closing out the Hajj pilgrimage season with prayer, family gatherings and acts of charity. The holiday is the second major celebration in the Islamic calendar, coming after Eid al-Fitr, which…

Israel says it has killed Hamas's newly installed armed wing commander in Gaza, only days after killing his predecessor, as it ramps up military pressure in the enclave and broadens its campaign in Lebanon. The Israeli military said Mohammad Odeh was killed in an operation in Gaza tomorrow. Hamas has not issued an official statement, though a message from Odeh's family said he was killed alongside his wife and son. Gaza health officials said six people were killed in the same Israeli strike, including at least one woman, and…

Wednesday May 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s political standoff has entered another waiting period, but mediators say the effort to bring the federal government and opposition back to the table is still alive. On Tuesday, traditional elders involved in the process met with leaders of the Somali Future Council, saying the talks have been slowed by logistical and procedural hurdles rather than derailed. Garaad Jamac Garaad Ali, who is part of the mediation team, said the main setback has been the incomplete formation of…