January 19, 2015 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali PM dissolves Cabinet

17 Jan – Source: VOA – 384 Words

Somalia’s prime minister has dissolved his Cabinet, just hours before it was to face a confidence vote in parliament. Federal lawmakers agreed to wait another 14 days before formation of a new government. Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake appointed his 60-man Cabinet less than a week ago, but he dissolved the full Council of MinistersSaturday, just before his choices were due to face a confidence vote in Somalia’s federal parliament.
Some opposition to Sharmake’s Cabinet was expected, but he did not discuss the background of his decision. He asked parliament to grant him an extra 14 days, so he could form a “competent and inclusive” government, and that was quickly given.A large majority of parliament members currently in the capital approved Sharmake’s request. Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari read out the vote tally.

Key Headlines

IGAD delegation due to reach Kismayo (Radio Goobjoog)
International renewable energy conference opens in Dubai (Radio Bar-kulan)
Prominent cleric gunned down in Baidoa (Garowe Online)
Elders concerned about the arrest of Hamar-Weyne district commissioner (Radio Goobjoog)
Somali musicians console family of Kuluc (Radio Bar-kulan)
Food and water shortage threatens the lives of Raage-Elle residents (Radio Goobjoog)
KDF kills Shabaab attackers in Lamu (Star Kenya)
Terrorists are now more blood-thirsty and indiscriminate (Daily Nation)
Somali PM dissolves Cabinet (VOA)
Toronto Police team with other forces to help Somali community (Torontosun)
Health worker’s journey fuels work with Somali families (saint cloud times)
Foreign shipping vessels foil pirate attacks off Somalia coast: IMB (Coastweek.com)

SOMALI MEDIA

IGAD delegation due to reach Kismayo

18 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 89 Words

A delegation from IGAD is expected to arrive at Kismayu soon, announced the Interim Jubba Administration. This comes as a list of the new MPs of that regional state would be released on the 20th of this month. The leaders of the Jubba administration explained the reason behind the arrival of these delegates as observation over the ongoing processes of selecting the new parliamentarians of Jubbaland. Elders, intellectuals and politicians from Lower Juba, Middle Jubba, and Gedo regions are arriving in Kismayo to attend the nomination ceremony.

International renewable energy conference opens in Dubai

17 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 88 Words

More than 174 countries are attending a conference on renewable energy that opened in Dubai on Saturday.The two-day conference was organized by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).The Somali delegation to the conference is led by the Director of Somali Energy, which falls under the federal natural resources ministry. Professor Abdirahman Sid Ahmed told Bar-Kulan that they have requested the members to help improve renewable energy in Somalia. Increase of renewable energy across the globe was the main agenda of the 50th international forum.

Prominent cleric gunned down in Baidoa

18 Jan – Source:Garowe Online – 119 Words

A prominent cleric aligned with the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’a paramilitary group was shot and killed in Bay, regional capital of Baidoa, on Saturday evening.According to security officials, the late Sharif Siidkey, chairman of Bay’s Ahlu Sunnah clerics, was gunned down on his way home from a nearby mosque. Southwest State security forces immediately arrived at the scene of the shooting, arresting a dozen in subsequent search operations. Baidoa police station officials say suspects are being screened over the incident. Two days ago, two assailants armed with pistols killed Qur’an teacher in Baidoa– nobody claimed responsibility for the killing, but Ahlu Sunnah militias are battling Al Shabaab fighters in central Somalia.

Elders concerned about the arrest of Hamar-Weyne district commissioner

18 Jan – Source:Radio Goobjoog – 129 Words

Elders in the Hamar-Weyn district, Benadir region, expressed their apprehension over the arrest of District Commissioner Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir, after he was accused mismanaging food aid distributed in his district.The elders, who met in Hamar-Weyne district, stated jointly that they believed he was innocent of the allegations, and described him as a hardworking and patriotic person. Mr. Abdikadir, who was released on Sunday, told the media that government security forces apprehended him without probing the case, which violated his rights as a citizen.This comes after food aid intended for disbales people living in Hamar-Weyne was seen on sale in some Mogadishu markets.

Somali musicians console family of Kuluc

18 Jan – Source:Radio Bar-Kulan – 80 Words

The Association of Somali Musicians has sent their condolences to the family of Mohamed Ahmed Kuluc, who died on Saturday in Hargeisa.The association has described the late Kuluc as a patriotic musician who loved his country.The chairman of the Somali Musician Association, Mohamud Abdullahi Isse (Sangub), has sent heartfelt condolences to the family left behind by the musician saying “Kuluc was a patriotic Somali who loved his country; we want to send our sincere condolences to the family left behind.”

Food and water shortage threatens the lives of Raage-Elle residents

18 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 109 Words

Elders and resident in Rage-Elle are showing concern over the livelihood situation in the locality. Abdullahi Mohamed Aamini, an elder in that area, contacted to Goobjoog FM and stated that families were affected by acute shortages of food and water, adding that they are desperate for emergency help. “The water sources especially wells have broken down mechanically, and that made the lives of the locals difficult, driving most them to move to other areas in search of water,” he said. He called upon the government, well-wishers and humanitarian aid agencies to give a helping hand to Raage-Elle residents facing the worst humanitarian conditions.

REGIONAL MEDIA

KDF kills Shabaab attackers in Lamu

17 Jan – Source:Star Kenya- 151 Words

The Kenya Defence Forces yesterday said eight al Shabaab militants were killed in Wednesday’s ambush in Lamu, near the Kenya-Somalia border. Military spokesman Col. David Obonyo said five gunmen were killed in the initial shootout, while three others were traced and killed inside Boni Forest in Basuba area.

Obonyo said the eight had no identification.“After the foiled attack, our forces pursued the assailants to the forest and killed three more. It’s unfortunate that we lost one soldier during the ambush,” he said. Obonyo said some suspected al Shabaab members escaped with bullet wounds during the gunfight. He said more officers have been deployed to comb the forest.The insurgents had ambushed the KDF, operating under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops on their routine to military base in Ras Kamboni.Three wounded soldiers were airlifted to a private hospital in Mombasa, Obonyo told the Star on the phone yesterday

Terrorists are now more blood-thirsty and indiscriminate

17 Jan – Source: Daily Nation – 1181 Words

When one of the men who directed the US embassy bombing in Nairobi was being interrogated by American detectives in the second week of August 1998, he issued this outburst after being asked why Al-Qaeda had chosen to attack Kenya.“We have a plan to attack the US but we’re not ready yet,” said Mohammed Al-‘Owhali, a native of Saudi Arabia who was caught in Eastleigh days after the blast. Residents had reported seeing a stranger with bloody wounds in the area.

He added: “We need to hit you in a couple of places so you won’t see what is going on inside. The big attack is coming. There is nothing you can do to stop it.” Al-‘Owhali was, of course, referring to the September 11 attacks in New York, which occurred three years after the Kenya bombing.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali PM dissolves Cabinet

17 Jan – Source: VOA – 384 Words

Some opposition to Sharmake’s Cabinet was expected, but he did not discuss the background of his decision. He asked parliament to grant him an extra 14 days, so he could form a “competent and inclusive” government, and that was quickly given.A large majority of parliament members currently in the capital approved Sharmake’s request. Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari read out the vote tally.

Toronto Police team with other forces to help Somali community

17 Jan – Source:Toronto Sun – 478 Words

Two Somali police officers from Minneapolis got to north Etobicoke this week in an ongoing exchange program with Toronto Police.The U.S. city faces similar violence in its Somali community and they’ve been partnering with their Toronto counterparts to trade strategies to address these hurdles. “They learn from us and it was an opportunity for us to learn from them,” said Abdiwahab Ali, one of the Minneapolis police officers.

“It all goes back to trust and confidence in policing. Somalis [in Minneapolis] don’t trust the police based on their negative perceptions from back home, they see them as very corrupted. We hired 11 Somali officers – so that made a big difference. That’s one of the lessons Toronto has learned from us.Toronto Police spent roughly $500,000 to employ six officers of Somali background in 23 Division as part of a Somali Liaison Unit, a renewable two-year project as a way to build trust in the predominantly Somali community and to engage youth, Deputy Chief Peter Sloly said at a policing conference at Woodbine Banquet Hall Saturday.

Health worker’s journey fuels work with Somali families

17 Jan – Source: Saint Cloud Times – 1247 Words

Amina Ahmed remembers well leaving Kenya for the U.S. in 2005.”That was one of the hardest things, leaving my dad behind. … I still have that picture of walking through the gate. … I was thinking, ‘This is the last time I’m going to see him, ever,’ ” said Ahmed, a 24-year-old Somali woman.She got off the plane in Iowa in December.”That was the first time in my life I’ve ever seen snow. I saw it on TV. I didn’t realize how cold it was,” she said. “I’m wearing a small sweater. … And the cold, it just hits me. ‘Whoa. What is this? Am I in a freezer?’ “Her family made a home in St. Cloud. Several years later, Ahmed reunited with her father in Africa.

“For a good minute I did not recognize my father. He was standing there smiling at me, and I’m over here like, ‘Where’s my father? Where’s my dad?’ … It took a minute for it to just kind of register. … My dad is not the person that cries because he’s been through way more than I’ve been through. And we just cried,” she said. Eventually, her father was able to join the family in St. Cloud. Ahmed graduated from Apollo High School and later St. Cloud State University, with a degree in community health. She is completing a certification as a community health worker.

Foreign shipping vessels foil pirate attacks off Somalia coast: IMB

18 Jan – Source: Coastweek.com- 393 Words

A global maritime body said on Wednesday that combined efforts by foreign navies have helped in thwarting piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia. International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in its 2014 report on piracy that the number of Somali pirate attacks continues to remain low with 11 incidents reported including two vessels fired upon.”From January 1 to December 31, 2014, the IMB PRC has received reports of 11 incidents including two incidents in which vessels were fired upon,” IMB warned in the report.

It said the combined efforts of the navies in the region, along with the increased hardening of vessels and Best Management Practices (BMP4) compliance, employment of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP), and the stabilizing factor of the central government within Somalia have resulted in the huge drop in attacks.”As the IMB PRC continues to monitor the situation in the region, it cautions ship owners and Masters against complacency. Somali pirates still have the capability and capacity to carry out attacks,” the anti-piracy watchdog cautioned.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“MP Abdirahman Hosh Jibril and Fowsiya Yusuf Haji Adam, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and now an MP, spoke up against the new cabinet made up of president’s men who, according to Hosh, are planning to prepare Somalia for a new dictatorship in 2016.”

Somalia: Dissolution of New Blood Government

18 Jan – Source: Radio RBC – 406 Words

The tortuous negotiations that preceded the formation of new Somali cabinet was one of the facts the UN Representative Nicholas Kay pointed out to appeal to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to spare the former Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh a parliamentary vote of confidence last year. It looks like Ambassador Nicholas Kay foresaw that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud would feel politically triumphant and handpick members of new cabinet once his rival had lost a parliamentary vote of confidence. The inclusion of Abdikarim Guled, former Minister of Interior and National Security, in the cabinet was enough to discredit the cabinet line-up. His tenure is remembered for the highest rate of Al Shabaab infiltration in Somali Federal Government institutions, and a daring attack on the Somali presidency by the militant group. When he resigned almost a year ago he had been praised for taking responsibility for major security breaches in the capital.

Mohamed Omar Arteh Qalib, the son a former Prime Minister Omar Arteh Qalib, was appointed a Deputy Prime Minister in the new government. Qalib was a senior adviser to Somaliland Ministry of Interior under President Dahir Riyale Kahin but was sharing information about President Riyale with Chargé d’Affaires at the American Embassy in Kenya, thanks to WikiLeaks. His appointment has angered northerners who know Qalib formed a political association “Damal” that lost in Somaliland local elections in 2012.