October 16, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

President Mohamud meets with IGAD Secretary General

16 Oct- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Somaliweyn Online- 185 words

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with a high level delegation led by the IGAD Secretary General Mahbub Moalim at his office in Villa Somalia yesterday. The President and IGAD Secretary General discussed a variety of issues including current affairs, the success of the political process, security improvement in the country and the role of regional bodies in assisting the Somali government.

Key Headlines

President Mohamud meets with IGAD Secretary General (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online)
Suspected al Shabaab militants shot dead Safaricom engineer in Northern Kenya (Radio Star)
Fire destroys main market at refugee camp in northern Kenya (Shabelle)
IDPs in Luq facing harsh living conditions say officials (Bar-Kulan)
Food insecurity still a problem (IRIN News)
WFP says working to address food urgent needs in Somalia (Global Times/Xinhua)

SOMALI MEDIA

President Mohamud meets with IGAD Secretary General

16 Oct- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Somaliweyn Online- 185 words

ASWJ’s ban on tinted car windows welcomed

16 Oct- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 134 words

Locals in central Somali region of Galgadud have welcomed Ahlu Sunna’s recent ban on tinted car window. They said the move will strengthen security in the region. Motorists and other civilians welcomed the ban, saying militant groups and gunmen, who have been killing innocent people and destroying property across the country use tinted car windows to deceive both security personnel and unsuspecting members of the public.

Suspected al Shabaab militants shot dead Safaricom engineer in Northern Knya

16 Oct- Source: Radio Star/Xinhua- 71 words

Suspected al Shabaab militants shot dead an engineer working for the Kenyan mobile phone firm, Safaricom, early Tuesday in the northern part of Kenya. The insurgents ambushed Patrobas Nyamboga as he was carrying out regular maintenance on Safaricom’s base stations in Kulan area, about 50 km from Liboi town near the border with Somalia. The divisional police commander, Abdalla Shariff, confirmed the incident saying no suspect had been arrested.

Fire destroys main market at refugee camp in northern Kenya

16 Oct- Source: Shabelle/Agencies- 419 words

A fire gutted down the main market at Hagadera refugee camp in Dadaab, destroying property worth millions of shillings in northernKenya, witnesses confirmed on Tuesday. The camp is among the biggest, hosting more than 80,000 refugees mainly from neighbouring Somalia.

IDPs in Luq facing harsh living conditions, say officials

16 Oct- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 140 words

Government officials in southwestern Somali town of Luq, Gedo region, say internally displaced persons in the area are facing life threatening living conditions, citing lack of food and healthcare. The area’s district commissioner Abdullahi Kuredow said people in IDP camps in the district are facing acute food shortage, hence risking their lives. He said many of them have no adequate food, clean water, a proper shelter as well as healthcare provision.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya Police launch search for fugitive Somali soldier

16 Oct- Source: Daily Nation/Africa Review- 164 words

Police have launched a manhunt for a Somalia soldier who escaped from Police custody in Kenya over the weekend. Khalid Ahmed Mohammed, 19, deserted duty and crossed to Kenya with an AK47 rifle loaded with 20 rounds of ammunitions.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Food insecurity still a problem

16 Oct- Source: Irin News- 779 words

Rising food costs, poor ‘Gu’ seasonal rains earlier in the year and continuing insecurity in parts of southern Somalia are affecting the nutritional status of vulnerable people there – a situation that could worsen in the coming months amid the risk of flooding, warn experts. In Mogadishu, the cost of a 50kg bag of wheat flour has gone up from US$22 to $36 in a month. “There is not enough supply of wheat flour in the markets because businesses are importing less flour due to storage [problems],” Fatima Hassan, a businesswoman, told IRIN. Wheat flour is the main ingredient used in making anjera, a typical Somali breakfast food.

WFP says working to address food urgent needs in Somalia

16 Oct- Source: Global Times/Xinhua- 664 words

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said Tuesday it’s working address immediate food needs in Somalia after some parts of the Horn of Africa nation emerged from famine in 2011. In a statement issued in Nairobi to mark the World Food Day, the UN agency said the number of communities who now have better access to vital water supplies through dams and wells built by WFP projects, has more than tripled since 2011.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Kenya must now come up with a clear roadmap on how to effectively engage in the stabilisation of Somalia following the capture of Kismayo. The first assignment is to help the newly inaugurated Somalia Federal Government to establish local administration in the port city so that security at the border remains stable.”

Kudos KDF but What Next After Fall of Kismayo?

16 Oct- Source: Capital FM Blog-955 Words

Intelligence reports point to high threats of imminent terror attacks in Kenya since the Kenya Defence Forces entered Kismayo port in Somalia. Islamic militants, al Shabaab have vowed to hit back at Kenya for its involvement in Somalia; a move that has rooted out al Shabaab from most of its stronghold with the takeover of Kismayo in late September. Kismayo was a significant source of revenue for the militants and its loss would be a serious blow to al Shabaab, a fact that may lead to guerrilla tactics being employed in an attempt to regain this economic hub.