July 20, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Women discuss their role in the Federal Government

19 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 102 words

A one day Women’s conference was held in Garowe, where women from regions across Somalia discussed their role in the proposed new federal government. Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole officially opened the Women’s conference held at the Ministry of Women and Family affairs in Garowe, Puntland. Women officials from Galmudug, Himan and Heeb, Ahlu Sunna and Hiiraan region and officials from the UN were all in attendance to discuss women’s role in the new proposed constitution.

Key Headlines

Somalia’s political process ‘getting delayed’ (Al Jazeera)
Presidential candidate accuses president Sheikh Sharif (Shabelle)
Al Shabaab expel khat traders from Kismayo (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Death penalty on government soldiers (Radio Kulmiye)
Four wounded in Kenya grenade attack: police (AFP)

PRESS RELEASE

AMISOM calls on parties to ensure smooth process of ending Somalia’s transitional processes

19 Jul – Source: AMISOM – 167 words

Speaking during a Press Briefing in Mogadishu, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC), Honorable Wafula Wamunyinyi noted with satisfaction the firm commitment demonstrated by leaders of Transitional Federal Institutions to ensuring the implementation of tasks towards the end of the transition period and expressed his hope that such a momentum will be sustained until the end of the entire process comes to an end.

He said; “We have reached a very critical time in Somalia’s political history which is very crucial in determining the future of the country.

The transitional period must end on the 20th of next month. The selection of delegates for the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is almost complete and it is expected that the NCA will soon take place.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is appealing to all parties to cooperate with relevant authorities as they implement security measures to ensure safety of delegates and other participants during the upcoming National Constituent Assembly meeting.

SOMALI MEDIA

Al Shabaab expel khat traders from Kismayo

19 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 163 words

Al Shabaab militants in the port city of Kismayo have reportedly expelled four prominent khat traders in the city as part of their campaign against the commodity. The militants called for a crisis meeting with over 45 local khat traders in the city and after several hours of talks, the militant leaders in the meeting ordered four out of the 45 to leave the city within 24 hours, according to some of the victims who requested not to be named for security reasons.

Death penalty on government soldiers

19 Jul- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 79 words

Four ex-governmental soldiers have been shot to death after final verdict by the military court of the TFG. The court accused the four victims of killing an innocent civilian.

Presidential candidate accuses president Sheikh Sharif

19 Jul – Source: Shabelle – 125 words

Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, a presidential candidate for the upcoming elections of Somalia, said on Thursday that Somali president Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is using the national income for his election campaign to win the office in the second-term. Mr. Warsame declared that the Somali president misuses funds for the public in a bid to earn more supporters and buy votes to come first in the next election on August 20th.

Women discuss their role in the Federal Government

19 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 102 words

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somalia prepares for presidential elections

19 Jul- Source: Al Jazeera- 6:27 min

Somalia is in the process of electing its first government in 21 years. A vote must be held by August 20 when the mandate for the UN-backed transitional government ends. But there are doubts as to whether this deadline can be met. Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri reports from Mogadishu.

Somalia’s political process ‘getting delayed’

19 Jul – Source:Al Jazeera – 120 words
Tribal leaders in Somalia would have chosen members of constituent assembly by now, which would have backed a new constitution and appointed the parliament, to be followed by election of new president.
Tribal leaders say they won’t hand in the names until they are given more of a role in government, which means there won’t be new government by August 20, the date on which the mandate for the UN-backed transitional government ends.
Somalia has not seen an elected government in more than 20 years, and the International community is running out of patience as the temporary government has been funded for more than seven years now.

Yemen hands down jail sentences to Somali pirates

19 Jul – Source: Yemen Post – 202 words

Yemeni court handed down jail sentences to Somalis after convicting them of forming an illegal group and carrying out piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden, the 26 September website reported on Wednesday.

The specialized penal court in Mukallah, Hadramout, convicted Mahmoud Golid and Ahmed Dirih of kidnapping a Yemeni boat in the Yemeni territorial waters giving them a ten-year jail term each, according to the website. The second convict is still at large.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Four wounded in Kenya grenade attack: police

19 Jul – Source: AFP – 144 words

A grenade attack wounded four people in Kenya’s Wajir border region with war-torn Somalia, police said Thursday, the latest in string of attacks in the volatile region. Attackers in Wajir, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Somalia, hurled grenades into a restaurant and a shop late on Wednesday, said regional police chief Philip Tuimur. “We are looking for the attackers, none of them has been arrested,” he said. “Some of the people injured have been discharged from hospital.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Aid workers estimate there is a shortage of about Dh2 billion in the aid that is required. Governments, individuals and aid organisations must step in to bridge this gap. They will also be serving their own interests by giving the people of Somalia hope of a chance at a better future.”

The world must not tire of aiding Somalia

20 July- Source: Gulf News-232 Words

While it may seem that sometimes — no matter what we do — the suffering never ends, the world cannot give up trying to help the sick and starving in Somalia, and other countries, who are battling political instability and natural disasters. Although the famine in the east African country was declared over in February, dire conditions remain, with the threat of a new drought and continued conflict.