September 12, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali Parliament Speaker announces reconciliation conference

11 Sept- Source: Garowe Online/Radio Mogadishu/SNTV – 152 words

Federal Parliament Speaker Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari on Thursday announced that a reconciliation conference would be held for southwest state communities amid deeply embedded political division. Speaking at a well organized event in Bay regional capital of Baidoa, Speaker jawari said the conference will kick off in Baidoa on Sunday next week in the presence of politicians, clan elders and key representatives of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions. “On Sunday [14th of September], Somali government officials will launch a reconciliation conference here in Baidoa to put an end to prevailing differences among the inhabitants of southwestern regions,” noted Jawari. “The chief aim of reconciliation gathering is to let political and community leaders forgive each other and reach consensus on standing dispute”.

Key Headlines

Somali Parliament Speaker announces reconciliation conference (Garowe Online)
Residents of Jalalaqsi town need urgent humanitarian aid (Radio Bar-kulan)
Kenya appoints new intelligence chief amid rising al Shabaab threat (Reuters)
Porters stage protest at Mogadishu seaport (Radio Goobjoog)
ISIS targeting Somali Minnesotans (Kare)
Jubba forces detain two men for planting bomb on busy road in Kismayo (RBC)
East Africa Bloc Seeks Global Community’s Help For Drought-Hit Somalia (Bernama News)
New health project launched for mothers and children in Mudug (Radio Bar-kulan)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali Parliament Speaker announces reconciliation conference

11 Sept- Source: Garowe Online/Radio Mogadishu/SNTV – 152 words

Residents of Jalalaqsi town need urgent humanitarian aid

11 Sept – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mogadishu – 142 words

Local administration of Jalalaqsi district in Hiran region has expressed deep concerns over the living conditions of residents of the town and its environs. Jalalaqsi district commissioner Mohamed Ahmed Geni who spoke to Bar-kulan said that the residents are in great need of assistance as the town lacks essential services such as health services and education. Geni said the residents of Jalalaqsi town and its surrounding areas are affected by serious drought and called for an urgent aid aid for the affected communities in the region. He stated to have so far delivered some aid food to the residents but believes that will never be enough. Geni finally called on the federal government and the international relief agencies to provide food aid to the hundreds of families affected by the drought in Hiran region.

Porters stage protest at Mogadishu seaport

11 Sept – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Dalsan – 122 words

Hundreds of porters with placards gathered at the main gate of Mogadishu seaport on Thursday, accusing a Turkish company that manages the sea port of interfering with their work in the sea port and undermining their livelihood. The protesters with loud speaker were chanting slogans against the Turkish company that manages the sea port and called on the federal government to immediately intervene. One of the protesters told Radio Goobjoog that if the company’s interference persist many labourers will become jobless. Mogadishu airport and sea port are managed by two Turkish owned companies, FAVORI and Al-Bayrak respectively.

Jubba forces detain two men for planting bomb on busy road in Kismayo

11 Sept – Source: Radio RBC/Jubba Land News – 147 words

Jubba interim administration security forces have detained two men who were caught planting a bomb on a road in Kismayo, the regional capital of Lower Jubba and the Jubba administration center. The administration security forces have told the press that the two men were caught in the act. “They are under the security forces custody and will be brought before court of law,” said Abdinasir, Jubba interim security officer. The men are suspected to be members of the Somalia’s al Qaeda affiliated militants operating some parts of the country. Kismayo, the center of Jubba Interim has recently experienced calm.

New health project launched for mothers and children in Mudug

11 Sept – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 166 words

Puntland’s Ministry of Health and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have today launched a joint project designed to improve the lives of mothers and children in Mudug region. The new project is free of charge and is designed for families with little financial income who are unable to balance living expenses and health needs for mothers and children. Local officials and representatives from UNICEF and Puntland’s Ministry of Health all attended a colorful ceremony held in Galkayo, the provincial capital of Mudug region to launch the new project. Abdinasir Sheikh Ibrahim, the chief coordinator of Puntland’s Ministry of Health who spoke at the launching ceremony said the first phase of the new project will address the needs of the rural communities in the region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

War-torn Somalia faces starvation

11 Sept – Source: NTV Uganda/ The East African – 502 words

Somalia is staring at a fresh food crisis due to delayed rains, rising food prices and persistent conflict. The fragile food security situation in the Horn of Africa country is expected to deteriorate in the next few months. A population of close to three million people is staring at starvation, according to the United Nations. Speaking while releasing the Somalia Food Security Results, Phillipe Lazarrini, the UN’s humanitarian chief for Somalia, said: “It is terrible to think that with almost 2.9 million people in need in Somalia, the aid appeal is only 30 per cent funded with $658 million still needed to end 2014.” “The situation today is worse than 2010, the year before the last famine. We raised the alarm three months ago and have since raised early response mechanisms. So far we haven’t seen the response we need and this is making the situation dire.”

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

East Africa Bloc Seeks Global Community’s Help For Drought-Hit Somalia

11 Sept – Source: Bernama – 162 words

An east Africa’s bloc on Thursday appealed to the international community to assist more than one million Somalians currently facing a food shortage, Xinhua news agency reported. The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has hailed measures undertaken by the Somali government to mitigate the devastating effects of the drought in the country. “IGAD appeals to the international community to promptly assist the Somali government to overcome the challenges of drought before it becomes a famine,” said the statement received in Nairobi.

ISIS targeting Somali Minnesotans

11 Sept – Source: Kare – 409 words

About seven years after Somali Minnesotans started to see dozens of young men volunteer for a war across the globe, the community is struggling with the latest effort to recruit their young adults. And this time, it’s an effort being waged by a different terrorist organization from a different region. According to the FBI, a “handful” of Somali men and women have volunteered to join the terrorist organization ISIS and their fighting efforts in Syria. Local leaders say the number of people is estimated to be at least 10. “Even one person it impacts all the families and communities. It’s unacceptable,” said Hashi Shafi, Executive Director of the Somali Action Alliance.

Kenya appoints new intelligence chief amid rising al Shabaab threat

11 Sept – Source: Reuters – 316 words

Kenya on Thursday swore in a new intelligence chief who it hopes will tackle the rising threat from al Shabaab militants in neighbouring Somalia bent on retaliation after U.S. missiles last week killed their leader and co-founder Ahmed Godane. Major-General Philip Kameru’s appointment as the new director general of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service comes nearly a year after al Shabaab gunmen killed 67 people in an attack on Nairobi shopping mall. Kenyan security bosses were lambasted by the public for failing to prevent the four-day siege and Kameru’s predecessor, retired Major-General Michael Gichangi, resigned in August under pressure over a rise in attacks blamed on al Shabaab.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Al Shabaab is far from defeated. But the US strategy of targeted attacks on specific individuals, combined with financial and logistical support to allies sharing a common interest in defeating the group, has been an effective model. It’s little wonder Obama is seeking to replicate it in the fight against the Islamic State.”

Targeted strikes have worked in Somalia. But are they a lesson for Syria?

11 Sept – Source: Globa lPost – 727 words

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday night announced an expanded campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, declaring the US “won’t hesitate” to extend airstrikes against the group inside Syrian borders. “This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven,” Obama said. Obama also announced increased support for moderate Syrian rebels fighting the terror group inside Syria, in the form of weapons and training. The president says his plan to “eradicate” the Islamic State will be modeled on what the US has been doing for years in Somalia and Yemen. In his words, the “strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines” has been successful in breaking down the groups and limiting violent attacks. Let’s take a look at how the campaign in Somalia has worked, and what lessons it might hold for Syria and Iraq.