December 20, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Government forces clash with Al Shabaab in Bay region

19 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 83 words

Reports from Bay region indicate that at least two people have been killed and three others injured after government forces clashed with Al Shabaab fighters in the outskirts of Uforow district. Eyewitnesses in the area told Bar-kulan that they have seen at least three injured Al Shabaab fighters in the town on Thursday afternoon. Those who died in the clashes are said to be from the warring sides and no civilian casualties were reported.

Key Headlines

Security beefed up in Bossaso port city ahead of Puntland elections (Radio Garowe)
Somaliland leader receives Saudi Business delegates (Somaliland Informer/SLNTV)
Four die of unidentified disease in Bay (Radio Ergo)
Kenya: Terror suspect denied medical relief (Star- Kenya)
Somali pirates have life sentences upheld by Federal Supreme Court (National (UAE)
White widow terror cell helped Rigby killer (Telegraph)

SOMALI MEDIA

Government forces clash with Al Shabaab in Bay region

19 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 83 words

Security beefed up in Bossaso port city ahead of Puntland elections

19 Dec- Source: Radio Garowe- 183 words

Puntland security forces have beefed up their presence in the Gulf of Adan Port City of Bossaso of northern Somalia following deadly suicide bombing that targeted Puntland forces. Speaking to Radio Garowe, Bari region governor Abdisamad Mohamed Galan said “Despite bombing and grenade attack, the security situation remains tight and calm,” adding that police forces are carrying out tough measures to ensure the stability of the town and the region more generally. Galan commended the security forces for being ready to safeguard the public interest by combating the organized crimes and terror acts. “Sometimes, the anti -peace elements attempt to incite violence but security forces are committed to deterring and foiling such security threats,” said Galan who declared that the culprits will face the justice soon. The Governor told that there is a big decline in crimes as the security situation has been improving for the past three years: “The security plan seems crucial, I can say tremendous efforts were put in place , although the enemy is still trying to cause instability”.

Somaliland leader receives Saudi Business delegates

19 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer/SLNTV- 98 words

Somaliland president Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo received at his office in the presidential palace business firm delegation representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as reported by the local media. The Saudi business delegation that paid visit t the country struck a deal with the government to invest the country. Somaliland’s state minister of commerce Mr. Bashir Abdi Harir spoke the press after the meeting between Somaliland president and the Saudi business delegation ended. The Saudi business delegates handed equipment to the port of Berbera authority. They are expected to invest in education, health, and water.

Four die of unidentified disease in Bay

19 Dec- Source: Radio Ergo- 168 words

At least four people have died from an unidentified disease in three remote villages between Gedo’s Bardhere and Bay’s Dinsor town in the past two weeks. The disease has also infected 26 other patients, among them children. A medical officer, Nur Abdi, who visited Koromey, Abaq-yarer and Waney villages a week ago said the area had no medical centre and the patients had no access to a doctor. “There are several other people who are suffering symptoms, but have not reported to anyone,” Nur Abdi, based in Shonqolow in Bardhere, told Radio Ergo’s local reporter. Abdi said the symptoms shown by patients were similar to malaria and polio. Patients had high fever, fainting and paralysis in parts of the upper and lower body. Some had been given malaria medicine with no improvement. Abdi said he thought the disease may be linked to poor sanitation, dirty water and the lack of vaccination in the area over the past four years. He said he feared others may be at risk.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya: Terror suspect denied medical relief

19 Dec- Source: Star- Kenya- 261 words

A Mombasa court has rejected a terror suspect’s request to seek medical attention. Senior resident magistrate Stephen Riech said he could not issue that orders unless Swaleh Abdi’s family identifies a specific doctor who must report to the court. Riech said he will only issue the orders after the doctor has been identified for security reasons. Abdi, through his lawyer Chacha Mwita, requested to be allowed to seek medical attention from a private hospital since the doctors are on strike. The court heard that between January 7, 2011 and the time of his arrest, Abdi has been actively involved in Al shabaab activities including recruiting and facilitating transportation of Kenya youth to Somali.

Somali pirates have life sentences upheld by Federal Supreme Court

19 Dec- Source: National (UAE)- 303 words

Ten Somali pirates who were sentenced to life imprisonment have had their appeal rejected by the Federal Supreme Court. Previously, the Federal Court of First Instance had sentenced them to 25 years in jail each for hijacking the UAE ship MV Arrilah in April 2011. The 37,000-tonne bulk oil carrier, owned by two subsidiaries of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, was taken as it sailed through the Arabian Sea, en route from Australia to Jebel Ali in Dubai. Armed with sub-machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades, the pirates approached the vessel aboard two skiffs, scaled barbed-wire defences and opened fire on the crew.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

White widow terror cell helped Rigby killer

19 Dec- Source:Telegraph. 563 words

White widow Samantha Lewthwaite’s Kenyan terror cell helped Michael Adebolajo as he tried to cross into Somalia to join al-Qaeda in 2010, the Telegraph can disclose. It is the first time the African connections between two of Britain’s most notorious Muslim converts can be revealed, and confirms Kenya as a key destination for home-grown extremists wanting to learn the tools of terrorism. It also further highlights how Britain missed opportunities to watch Adebolajo more closely three years ago after diplomats, acting on orders from London, pushed for his release saying he was not suspected of links to fundamentalist groups.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“ We need to stop pleasing everyone. This is so because as Bill Cosby argued, “The key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Do the country a favor by discouraging tribal influence on the system.”

Somalia: The Roadblocks PM Abdiwali Must Avoid

19 Dec- Source: Raxanreeb- 661 words
History was, and still is, the best teacher. The lesson it disseminates to human being is painful, sore, but relevant for those who are willing to learn. For some, indeed, it is a cozy teacher because it always strives to communicate real waves of what is than what ought to be. In the virtual classes that history teaches, emotional inferences that human teachers feel about their students are totally taken out of the context. In other words, history gives us the reality while our professors give us emotionalized philosophies that are hard to apply in the real world.
Today, with the aid of history, let us underscore the political pitfalls that drove last administrations the wrong path. Moreover, as they say that a problem well-defined is like a problem half-solved, the idea is to rewind our memory and see our mistakes through fresh lenses. From our recent mistakes, we can drive some hard-to-come-by lessons and avoid them once and for all.