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

In a decisive move, the House of Representatives has greenlit President Bola Tinubu's proposal for a substantial external loan totaling $6 billion, primarily designed to address fiscal deficits and support critical infrastructure initiatives. This approval facilitates the federal government’s ability to secure financing from international lenders based in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The comprehensive financial package encompasses a significant $5 billion Total Return Swap arrangement with First Abu…

Years after the Fishrot fraud and corruption scandal first rattled Namibia, government-appointed curators say their bid to trace, seize and administer assets tied to the case is being stalled on multiple fronts. Appointed in 2024, the curators report running into legal and institutional obstacles at home and abroad, while also voicing frustration over local banks’ slow or absent replies, cancelled engagements with the accused, and gaps in critical records — all of which have dragged out their work. Back in 2020, The…

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested the end of the war with Iran may be coming into view, as Washington signalled room for direct contact with Tehran's leadership and indicated the conflict could wind down even without a formal agreement. The comments highlighted the administration's evolving — and at times conflicting — messaging over when and under what conditions a war that has killed thousands, engulfed the region and triggered severe energy disruption might be brought to a close. "We'll…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has unveiled a broad shake-up of his cabinet, regional governors and senior officials, carrying out his first major government overhaul in more than two years. The decree, released Tuesday by the Puntland State Presidency, names a 43-member cabinet covering major ministries including justice, interior, health, planning, information and fisheries. The reshuffle appears aimed at tightening governance and adjusting the administration’s political…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 Yasin Ahmed (left) inspects the dried-up wells /Asia Yusuf/Ergo Residents of Taleh in Somalia’s northern Sool region are running out of choices after two shallow wells that once served the area went dry, forcing families to depend on costly water deliveries brought in by truck from elsewhere. For many low-income households, the price is simply out of reach. At the same time, food stocks are dwindling and debts are piling up. Yasin Ahmed Isse’s family of 10 now survives by asking neighbours for small…

The US Supreme Court has struck down a Colorado ban on "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ minors, handing a major victory to a Christian therapist who argued the restriction violated her free speech rights. The case centred on a 2019 Colorado law barring licensed practitioners from providing "conversion therapy" to patients under 18. Supporters of the practice say it can alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ people. Major medical groups, including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical…

A wolf roaming through a shopping centre in Germany bit a woman in Hamburg, marking what officials say is the first attack of its kind in modern times. The animal entered the complex in Hamburg’s Altona district on Tuesday evening, the city’s deputy mayor, Katharina Fegebank, said. She added that the wolf had already been seen several times in different parts of Hamburg over the past few days. The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) said the incident is the first such case since wolves started returning to Germany…

Tiger Woods told investigators he had been looking down at his phone and failed to notice that the truck ahead had slowed before his vehicle rolled over in Florida last week, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained Tuesday. The affidavit says Woods had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket, and officers described him as lethargic and slow, with bloodshot, glassy eyes, "sweating profusely" and pupils that were "extremely dilated". During the criminal DUI investigation, when asked whether he had taken any prescription…

The energy shock triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran is “probably the worst ever”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said, warning that the fallout could outstrip even the supply crisis of the 1970s. Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country on 28 February. Mr Martin made the remarks after talks with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Helsinki, before heading to Warsaw for a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The discussions are part of a wider round of…

Four men appeared in a Harare courtroom accused of running a trafficking ring that sent Zimbabweans to Russia, where victims were allegedly coerced into fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. Prosecutors say the suspects worked with a Russian national to recruit five people by advertising bogus firefighting jobs. Authorities allege the group targeted recruits on Facebook, Telegram, and WhatsApp, arranging travel to Russia before confiscating the victims’ documents on arrival. Instead of the promised emergency work, the…