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

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal parliament on Wednesday approved a revised constitution, formally ending more than a decade under a provisional charter and marking a significant step in the country’s turbulent state-building project. In a rare joint sitting of the House of the People and the Upper House, 223 lawmakers voted in favor of the amended text — 186 members of the lower house and 37 senators — with no votes recorded against. The tally reflected an opposition boycott rather than unanimity across the political…

Land Disputes in Liberia: A Growing Crisis Officials from the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) have issued a grave warning that unresolved land disputes across the country could spiral into widespread conflict. This statement was made during a recent hearing before lawmakers regarding the alarming surge in land-related tensions affecting various communities. LLA Vice Chairperson Joe K. Williams emphasized that the current disputes represent "only a fraction" of what may unfold if the government does not take swift and…

Each morning in Lviv’s historic Lychakiv Cemetery, the newest section fills with quiet footsteps. Among the mourners is Olga Smolynets, who arrives daily to visit the grave of her son, Ostap. The site has become a ledger of the war’s cost, a place where Ukraine’s recent history is etched into wood for now, and soon into stone. More than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen and servicewomen killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion are buried here, their resting places forming a stark geography of loss at one of Eastern Europe’s most…

Every morning, Olga Smolynets walks past rows of fresh graves in Lviv’s historic Lychakiv Cemetery and stops at her son’s resting place. She comes every day, she says, to sit with his memory. For Smolynets—and for thousands of families across Ukraine—the cemetery has become a map of grief etched into the landscape of a war with no clear end. More than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen and servicewomen who have been killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion are buried at Lychakiv. Last December, the current military…

Somali ministers from Puntland State resign after parliament approves constitutional overhaul MOGADISHU, Somalia — Two Somali federal state ministers from Puntland State resigned Wednesday in protest after lawmakers approved a revised national constitution, escalating a standoff between Mogadishu and regional leaders. Aynaashe Yusuf Hussein, state minister for labor and social affairs, and Ismail Buraale, state minister for petroleum and minerals, announced they were stepping down from their cabinet posts shortly after a…

Russia accused Ukraine of using naval drones to attack and sink a Russian liquefied natural gas carrier off Libya, an incident that, if confirmed, would mark the first known strike by Kyiv on a Russian LNG vessel. Libya’s port authority said the Arctic Metagaz tanker suffered “sudden explosions followed by a massive fire,” leading to its complete sinking overnight. The vessel went down roughly 130 nautical miles north of Sirte, within Libya’s search-and-rescue zone, the authority said. Russia’s Transport Ministry said the…

Ireland charters Oman flight to repatriate citizens as airlines add Dubai–Dublin services amid Middle East airspace shutdown Ireland will repatriate up to 280 citizens stranded across the Middle East on a government-chartered flight from Oman in the coming days, as commercial carriers add limited services and thousands of travelers race to leave the region following days of US-Israeli strikes on Iran that have effectively shut down much of the region’s airspace. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee called the Oman charter…

Macky Sall Nominated by Burundi for UN Secretary-General Position Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has received a formal nomination from Burundi to succeed UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term is set to conclude in 2026. This nomination comes at a time when the composition of the UN Security Council is particularly favorable for Sall, as it currently includes three African nations: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Somalia. Supporters of Sall have highlighted his commitment to advocacy…

Zimbabwe imposes immediate, indefinite ban on export of lithium concentrates Zimbabwe announced an immediate and indefinite ban on the export of lithium concentrates and other unprocessed ores on Wednesday, saying mining companies rushed to ship raw lithium ahead of a planned 2027 restriction and that large volumes of the mineral have been illegally stockpiled outside the country. Mines Minister Polite Kambamura said the decision followed reports that some firms accelerated extraction and exports instead of investing in…

UAE, Qatar say they downed waves of Iranian missiles and drones as Tehran’s cross-border campaign entered a fifth day on Tuesday, while Iran’s opaque succession process quickened after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Israel expanded strikes across Iran and Lebanon. The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence said its air defenses “successfully engaged” three ballistic missiles and detected 129 drones, intercepting 121 while eight fell on Emirati territory. Qatar’s military said it intercepted all 10 drones…