November 2, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali traders want UN to lift charcoal trade ban

01Nov- Source: Huffingtonpost/AP/Washington Post-132 words

Thousands of sacks of dark charcoal sit atop one another in Somalia’s southern port city of Kismayo, signs of an industry once worth some $25 million dollar a year to the Islamist extremist rebels who controlled the region. The good news is that al-Shabab militants can no longer fund their insurgency through the illegal export of the charcoal. Kenyan troops last month invaded Kismayo and forced out the insurgents, putting a halt to the export of charcoal, a trade the U.N. banned earlier this year in an effort to cut the militants’ profits.

Key Headlines

Somalia calls for the lifting of arms embargo (Radio Risaala)
Annadif to lead AU Somalia mission (Daily Nation)
Disabled persons in Beledweyne receive financial aid (Bar-Kulan)
FIFA promotes football in Somalia (Daily Monitor)
Mass Kismayo arrests of ‘Islamist supporters’ (BBC)

SOMALI MEDIA

Over a hundred arrested in Kismayo swoop

01 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/ Dhanaan Online 119 words

More than a hundred people were Thursday arrested and weapons recovered in a crackdown in the port city of Kismayo, officials say. The crackdown followed a spate of attacks in city with the latest taking place two nights ago when a hand grenade was hurled at a soldier in the city, injuring eight of them. During the operation, soldiers made door to door search and the area’s telecommunication lines cut off from the early hours of the day.

Somalia calls for the lifting of arms embargo

01 Nov- Source:Radio Risaala- 91 words

Somalia has requested from the United Nations a lift of the arms embargo that it imposed on Somalia. The Somali Government wants to be allowed to import military hardware so as to be able to maintain and to equip its army. Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mahamoud asked the United Nations Security Council to consider lifting the embargo since Somalia now had a fully functioning and recognized government.

Disabled persons in Beledweyne receive financial aid

01 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 143 words

Disabled persons in central Somali town of Beledweyne on Thursday received a financial aid from natives of the region who are now living in the UK. The aid amounting to $10,000 was channeled through local businessmen who later delivered it to the intended people. Noor Omar Ali, area branch manager of the Mustaqbal remittance company who distributed the money said over 600 disabled persons benefited from the grant, with each person receiving a total of Som Sh 400,000 which equivalent to about $20.

Launch of a Policy Brief on Women’s Rights within the Provisional Somali Constitution

01 Nov- Source: Hiiraan Online- 569 words

IIDA Women’s Development Organization launched a policy brief report detailing how Somali women’s two decades of struggles have been crystalized in the Provisional Constitution. The Launch was done within the IIDA Godir centre compound in Mogadishu. This IIDA initiative was supported by Somali Women Agenda (SWA), Somali Technical Partnership (STEP) Programme and Centre for Constitutionalism, Human Rights and Democratization Somalia (CCHD).

REGIONAL MEDIA

Annadif to lead AU Somalia mission

01 Nov- Source: Daily Nation- 289 words

The Africa Union has appointed a new head for its mission in Somalia. Mr Mahamat Saleh Annadif, from Chad, is also the commission’s new special representative to the war-torn country. The new head of AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) will oversee the ongoing peace activities spearheaded by forces from Eastern African states including Kenya.

Eritrean envoy in Kenya calls for regional peace, stability

01 Nov- Source: NTV- 88 words

(Presenter)Now, the Eritrean government that has been accused of supporting [Islamist] Al-Shabab in Somalia is now pushing to rejoin the regional body IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development]. Eritrea maintains that it does not back the extremist group as alleged by Kenya and other countries. Eritrean Ambassador to Kenya Beyene Russom says the accusations are unfounded.

FIFA promotes football in Somalia

01 NOV- Source: Daily Monitor/Africa Review- 1471 words

Officials of Somali Football Federation (SFF) have left Mogadishu to Adado town, 550 kilometres north of the city to offer football refereeing and coaching skills to 30 people. The town is the capital of the Himan and Heb Regional State. The training that started on Tuesday ends tomorrow.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Mass Kismayo arrests of ‘Islamist supporters’

01 Nov- Source:BBC- 214 words

Nearly 400 people have been arrested in a major security operation in the Somali port city of Kismayo, officials there have told the BBC. African Union troops, the Somali army and a pro-government militia gained control of the strategic port last month from al-Qaeda-aligned militants. A militia spokesman told the BBC those arrested were believed to be supporters of the Islamist al-Shabab group. Since al-Shabab’s withdrawal there have been frequent bombings in the city. In the latest attack on Tuesday, four civilians were killed when a bomb exploded in the town centre outside a restaurant.

Somali traders want UN to lift charcoal trade ban

01Nov- Source: Huffingtonpost/AP-132 words

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Conceptually, the abridging mechanism that would take us from where we are now to where we want to go is the actual materialization of the transitional tasks that have been collecting dust throughout the transitional period. These tasks are so crucial for the reclamation of Somalia from its current dicey predicament without which the very continuity of Somalia as a nation-state would become in serious peril.”

The Dawning of a New Era for Somalia: Contemplating the Prospects

01 Nov- Source: Wardheernews-2463 Words

Most observers of Somalia would readily tell you that – with the coming of the new government – Somalia has now taken the road towards a new era of governance, continuity and renaissance. Similarly Somalis everywhere are of the opinion that the rebirth of a new Somalia is finally within reach. One cannot miss the sheer size of the renewed hope that is so pervasive among the population of Mogadishu these days. For example they would tell you that the transition period is now over and that the new government of Somalia is officially a fully recognized government by the international community; paving the way for a better bilateral cooperation and interaction with the world. They would also invariably point out that the new Constitution augurs for a new era of legality and good governance for Somalia.