July 27, 2012 | Morning Headlines.
UK troops in Somalia ‘aiding Africa Union force’
26 Jul – Source: BBC – 109 words
The UK has established a small military presence in Somalia, the British Ministry of Defence has confirmed. A team of 10 military advisers is based at the headquarters of the African Union force in the capital, Mogadishu. They do not have a combat role; their job is to help the AU with planning, communications and medical support. But a BBC correspondent says some of the advisers have been seen in Afgoye, a strategic town west of the capital recently taken from Islamist militants.
Key Headlines
- National Constituency Assembly enters second day in Mogadishu (Bar-Kulan/Shabelle)
- Mogadishu residents took to the streets in support of the new constitution (Radio Mogadishu/Somalia Report)
- UK Minister for Africa welcomes Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group report (Raxanreeb)
- Kenyan army clashes with al Shabaab in southern Somalia (Shabelle)
- 180 police officers to receive training in Beledweyne (Bar-Kulan)
- UAE stresses full support to counter piracy off the Coast of Somalia (Emirates News Agency)
- Somalia constitution allows abortion to save mom (AP)
SOMALI MEDIA
National Constituency Assembly enters second day in Mogadishu
26 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan/Shabelle – 75 words
Somalia’s National Constituency Assembly entered its second day yesterday in Mogadishu where the 825-member assembly will ratify the country’s new constitution. The Constituent Assembly began meeting on Wednesday, after the gathering was postponed three times this month. The assembly includes a broad range of regional delegates who will discuss and possibly amend a draft measure. Delegates attending were given copies of the draft constitution in order for them to read before voting for it.
Mogadishu residents took to the streets in support of the new constitution
26 Jul- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Somalia Report-55 words
A large demonstration organized by the civil society organization in support of the opening of National Constitutional Assembly took place in Mogadishu on Thursday. Hundreds of people demonstrated along the Mogadishu streets and the demonstrators demanded to end the 12-year transitional period. The demonstrators also requested fair elections to be held in Somalia on August.
UK Minister for Africa welcomes Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group report
26 Jul – Source: Raxanreeb/Radio Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online – 364 words
UK Minister for Africa welcomes the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group report, and emphasises the need to make further progress in promoting transparency in Somalia and in ensuring the Transition is completed on time. Speaking yesterday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham said: “I welcome the Somalia & Eritrea Monitoring Group (SEMG) report. The evidence compiled by the group is thorough and well researched.
Kenyan army clashes with al Shabaab in southern Somalia
26 Jul – Source: Shabelle – 86 words
Fighting continued early Thursday between Somali and Kenyan military on one side and al Shabaab fighters on the other in Somalia’s southern Lower Jubba region, reports said. Recent reports from local sources in the region say heavy artillery and gunfire was heard in villages near Badade town.
180 police officers to receive training in Beledweyne
26 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan – 93 words
A hundred and eighty Somali police yesterday started a 26-day long training in Beledweyne town. The officers were selected to receive special training in order secure the city and tackle insecurity in the area. The area Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Ali Abdi Mahad said the officers will be in charge of all security matters once they complete their trainings.
Bogus Kenyan doctors to be deported from Puntland
26 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 88 words
Three Kenyan nationals who claimed to be doctors were identified and will be deported after health officials found out that the three were illegally working in Puntland. The Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the three Kenyan nationals were handed over to security officials after they were made aware that they were carrying false qualifications and were not authorized to work in Puntland.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Bomb scare in Nairobi
26 Jul – Source: Daily Nation – 97 words
Police have forced open an abandoned briefcase at a busy bus stage in Nairobi suspected to have contained a bomb. Bomb experts were called in at the GPO stage on Kenyatta Avenue after Nairobi residents spotted the briefcase. The officers from the Bomb Disposal Unit used sniffer dogs to detect the presence of a bomb. The briefcase was moved to the car park opposite the stage and forcibly opened. It contents included a bible, books and pens.
UAE stresses full support to counter piracy off the Coast of Somalia
26 Jul – Source: Emirates News Agency – 504 words
The United Arab Emirates has stressed its full support to develop the capacity of Somali national forces, especially its coast guard following the end of the transitional period in August with the aim of countering piracy off the Coast of Somalia. Abdulkhaleq Bin-Dhaaer Al-Yafei, Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of UAE to the United Nations announced this yesterday before the 12th Plenary Meeting of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia at the UN headquarters here in New York.
KDF primary in Kismayo attack in August
26 Jul – Source: Strategic intelligence News – 93 words
The Kenya Defense Forces KDF, will be the primary players in the taking of the beleaguered port city of Kismayo and the last stronghold of the al Qaeda affiliated al Shabaab militants active in Somalia. Strategic Intelligence gathered intelligence that confirms KDF/Kenya army will be the primary AMISOM player to engage in both covert and military operations aimed at dislodging the Islamist militants from the port city. K
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UK troops in Somalia ‘aiding Africa Union force’
26 Jul – Source: BBC – 109 words
The UK has established a small military presence in Somalia, the British Ministry of Defence has confirmed. A team of 10 military advisers is based at the headquarters of the African Union force in the capital, Mogadishu. They do not have a combat role; their job is to help the AU with planning, communications and medical support. But a BBC correspondent says some of the advisers have been seen in Afgoye, a strategic town west of the capital recently taken from Islamist militants.
Somalia constitution allows abortion to save mom
26 Jul- Source: AP- 1266 words
Somali leaders are debating a new constitution that protects the right to have an abortion to save the life of the mother, and an international law group says the draft guarantees more fundamental rights than the U.S. Constitution.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / ANALYSIS / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The problem of youth disaffection and radicalization requires in-depth social science research based on interviews, focus groups, and first-hand engagement with Somali-American youth and others members of the Somali community.”
A New Threat: Radicalized Somali-American Youth
26 July- Source: Harowo-1525 Words
The past several years have seen heightened concerns about Somali-American youth from across the diaspora being recruited by the foreign group al Shabaab. The recruits pose an especially dangerous threat to US national security because they hold American passports and thus enjoy more freedom of travel and civil liberties than non-citizens.