Axadle - Get real-time breaking headlines from the Horn of Africa, covering politics, culture, and more. Axadle keeps you informed with up-to-the-minute news

About 200,000 people have fled their homes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent days as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels press toward the strategic lakeside city of Uvira, the United Nations said, underscoring a dramatic escalation that comes days after a Washington ceremony heralding a path to peace. The UN said at least 74 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the latest wave of fighting and 83 others were hospitalized with wounds. It warned the new M23 offensive “has a destabilizing potential for the whole…

Somali army retakes villages in Hiiraan as al-Shabaab withdraws; forces advance toward Jilib BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — The Somali National Army has retaken several villages in western Hiiraan after al-Shabaab fighters pulled back ahead of an anticipated military push, officials said, tightening government control in the central region without significant clashes. Military commanders said units moved into areas around the El-Adde settlement after militants vacated forward positions, allowing government forces to assume control…

Jules Kounde’s towering brace turned a tense night Barcelona’s way, lifting the Catalans to a 2-1 comeback win over Eintracht Frankfurt and shoring up their UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign. The French defender headed in twice within three second-half minutes at Montjuic, rescuing Barcelona after Ansgar Knauff’s 21st-minute strike had put Eintracht ahead against the run of play. The victory nudges Barcelona to 13th in the 36-team league table—still short of the top-eight cutoff for direct passage to the round…

KYIV — Ukraine and its European partners will soon present the United States with “refined documents” for a potential peace plan to end Russia’s war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as diplomatic pressure builds for a deal and leaders claim the talks are inching closer to a breakthrough. Zelensky said new components of a proposal hammered out with British, French and German leaders in London are ready for U.S. review. Kyiv is also seeking robust, long-term security guarantees to deter any future Russian attack as part of…

Beledweyne (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Monday it carried out a targeted raid with international partners in the Hiiraan region that killed seven al-Shabaab militants and destroyed a truck loaded with ammunition. In a statement, the agency said the pre-planned operation struck Biyo Madobe, a village under the Jicibow area of Hiiraan, part of a broader campaign to dismantle critical al-Shabaab positions and supply lines in central Somalia. NISA said the truck the militants were…

Ireland’s prime minister rejected Donald Trump’s latest broadside against the European Union, after the U.S. president described the bloc as “weak” and accused member states of letting Ukraine fight “until they drop.” Speaking in Dublin, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, “Europe is strong, not weak,” pointing to the EU’s pandemic response and ongoing work on defense and security as evidence of resilience. “New challenges” have emerged on defense and security, Martin said, but he added he was “confident” they would be overcome.…

A Historic Peace Agreement Between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda After three decades of violence, proxy wars, and relentless political maneuvering, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a peace agreement that is being heralded as historic. Yet, in the Great Lakes region—a landscape marked by the tumult of conflict and fragility—optimism walks a delicate line alongside skepticism. As the ink dries on this pivotal document, questions linger: Will this truly signal the dawn of durable…

BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Traditional leaders in North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region said Tuesday they have handed security responsibilities in Borama back to the police, moving to restore order after days of unrest that left at least 20 people dead and more wounded. The elders announced the decision after a closed-door meeting in the regional capital, reversing an earlier directive that had ordered all security forces — including police and army units — to withdraw from the city amid escalating…

Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader slated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, will not attend today’s ceremony in Oslo, the director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute said, adding that her current whereabouts are unknown. The event at Oslo City Hall is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. local time (12 p.m. Irish time) in the presence of Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja, along with several Latin American leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei and Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa. Machado had been…

Australia bans social media for under-16s, ordering platforms to block access or face multimillion-dollar fines, in a first-of-its-kind move the government says will help families “take back control.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the landmark law, calling it a decisive step against the influence of powerful technology companies and an overdue safeguard for children. “This is Australia showing enough is enough,” he said, describing the measure as “one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has…