June 6, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

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Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, her Somalia counterpart Qamar Omar Ali plant trees to mark environment day

05 June- Source: Standard Media-199 Words

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and her Somalia counterpart First Lady Qamar Omar Ali on Wednesday planted tress at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County to mark this year’s World Environment Day.

During the occasion, the first ladies reaffirmed their commitment to environment conservation. The theme of this year’s world environment day celebrations is “Think.Eat.Save”.

“Think. Eat. Save” is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages everyone to reduce foodprint. 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted every year is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa according to UNDP.

The First Lady Margaret has been at the forefront in the campaign to create awareness for environmental conservation efforts in the country.

Key Headlines

Somali president dismissed allegations of ordering the withdrawal of Kenyan forces ( Jowhar Online)
Somali al Shabaab leader Abdikafi Mohamed Ali ‘captured’ ( BBC)
Egypt set to boost Somali National Army ( Africa Review)
Security operations against al Shabaab in Bossaso (Radio Bar-kulan)
Q&A: Somaliland leader Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo (Al Jazeera)
Suspicious fire guts Somali community center in London (AP-)
Ten killed in southwestern Somalia as joint forces clash with militants (Radio Garowe)
Bay region police aided with equipment (Radio Bar-kulan)
Somali-Canadians celebrate the birth of Jubaland State (Digital Journal)
University doctors treat 400 villagers in Galdogob (Radio Ergo)

SOMALI MEDIA

Al Shabaab kill several people on the outskirts of Jowhar town

05 Jun- Source: Radio Shabelle/ Jowhar Online-109 words

News reports from Jowhar town which is located at the lower Shabelle region confirmed that 5 civilians were shot dead at the western part of town by al Shabaab militants. Residents said that all the 5 people killed by the militant group were farmers. The reasons behind the killing have not yet been established. Government troops have been alerted at the region to provide security for the farmers living in town. The lower Shabelle administration has not yet released a statement about the killings.

Somali president dismissed allegations of ordering the withdrawal of Kenyan forces

05 Jun- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 137 words

The President of the Somali Federal government Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has dismissed allegation stating that he ordered the withdrawal of Kenya defense force under African Union mission command in country’s southern regions while speaking on sidelines of the African Union’s 50th anniversary of the continental organization in Addis Ababa. Speaking to the media, Somali president’s spokesman Eng. Abdirahman Yirisow said that the president has strongly dismissed the allegations, stating that some local media reported this baseless news. Eng. Yirisow added that such an issue is not possible and the Somali government cannot order such withdrawal. Kenya defense forces under AMISOM had played a significant role in liberating many parts of southern region of the war-torn country, forcing al Qaeda allied militant retreat from the southern port city of Kismayo.

Security operations against al Shabaab in Bossaso

05 Jun- Source: Radio Garowe/ al Shahid-97 words

Security operations continuous in the city of Bossaso, capital of Bari region, in the state of Puntland aimed to arrest members of al Shabaab is believed to be hiding in the city. The Minister of Security of Puntland Khalif Issa MUdan said in a statement to reporters that the security officers arrested number of suspects during the operations. He pointed out that the detainees are facing investigations and they will release of those who did not have any relation with al Shabaab group. Minister praised the role of the Bossaso residents in helping security authorities during operations.

Bay region police aided with equipment

05 Jun- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Raxanreeb Online- 97 words

The Somali police department has contributed police equipment such as police radio and microphone to Baidao police, capital of Bay region in southern Somalia. These equipment are usually used for long distance communication and will enable Bay region police amid massive security operation in the area. Speaking behave of the Somali police chief Abdihakin Dahir Said, Gen Abdikarin Hussein over handed the equipment to Bay region police command, hoping this will help police stabilize the region. Bay region police boss Col Mahad Abdirahmabn Dahir thanked the Somali police department for aiding the equipment to Bay region police.

University doctors treat 400 villagers in Galdogob

05 Jun- Source: Radio Ergo- 123 words

A team of doctors and nurses from the University of Mudug provided free medical treatment to more than 400 people living in villages in Galdogob district. The four day medical campaign last week was led by the university hospital director, Dr Mohamed Aden Hussein, and treated mainly women and children from Bursalah, Rigomane and Daresalam locations. Dr Mohamed told Radio Ergo that the ailments they dealt with mostly were malnutrition, skin diseases, diarrhoea, worms, infections, and anemia. He noted a high rate of malnutrition cases among the patients he saw. The villages involved have no health centres. The community of Bursalah has recently completed construction of a structure intended to be used as an outpatient clinic.

Ten killed in southwestern Somalia as joint forces clash with militants

04 Jun – Source: Radio Garowe – 247 words

At least 10 people died after al Shabaab and Somali government forces backed by AU forces clashed on Monday [3 June] evening, 27 km outside of Baydhabo [southwestern Somalia]. According to local sources, al Shabaab fighters ambushed the allied forces near Gof Guduud outside of Baydhabo, the capital of Bay Region. There was heavy fighting that went on for hours, local sources said. There were casualties on both sides as witnesses told media that they saw dead bodies of al Shabaab and allied forces. Al Shabaab spokesman Shaykh Abdiaziz Abu-Musab stated that they [al Shabaab] killed AMISOM [African Union mission in Somalia] and Somali government forces in the ambush. “We conducted an ambush that led to the killings of Somali government and Amisom forces and our fighters returned after completing the mission,” said Abu-Musab.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Egypt set to boost Somali National Army

05 Jun- Source: Africa Review- 296 words

Egypt has held talks with Somalia on the rehabilitation of the latter’s military facilities. The Commander of the Somali Coast Guard Force, Admiral Farah Ahmed Omar Qare, told the media that two Egyptian generals had visited the country to study the ways rehabilitate the Somali National Army (SNA) facilities. The Egyptian generals arrived at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport on Tuesday and were received by Somali military officials. The Egyptian officials, who briefed the media, outlined their country’s commitment to assisting in the rebuilding of the war-ravaged infrastructure.

Q&A: Somaliland leader Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo

05 Jun- Source: Al Jazeera- 192 words

Somaliland, a self-declared republic inside Somalia, celebrated 22 years of “independence” last month. Somalia has recently again called for unity, but Somaliland’s leader says his region is doing better than other parts of Somalia. Sitting on the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland is officially regarded as an autonomous region of Somalia. The two were, however, separate until 1960. During a civil war in the 1980s, 40,000 people from Somaliland were killed, and nearly half a million fled. Somaliland, which is more tribally homogeneous than the rest of Somalia, has been striving for international recognition since it broke away in 1991. Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri spoke with Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo, Somaliland’s president, about the challenges the area faces.

Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, her Somalia counterpart Qamar Omar Ali plant trees to mark environment day

05 June- Source: Standard Media-199 Words

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and her Somalia counterpart First Lady Qamar Omar Ali on Wednesday planted tress at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County to mark this year’s World Environment Day.

During the occasion, the first ladies reaffirmed their commitment to environment conservation. The theme of this year’s world environment day celebrations is “Think.Eat.Save”.

The First Lady Margaret has been at the forefront in the campaign to create awareness for environmental conservation efforts in the country.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali al Shabaab leader Abdikafi Mohamed Ali ‘captured’

05 Jun- Source: BBC- 340 words

The head of the Islamist militant group al Shabaab in Somalia’s north-eastern region of Puntland has been captured, an official has told the BBC. Puntland’s Security Minister, Khalif Isse, said Abdikafi Mohamed Ali was wounded in a raid at a militant safe house in the port city of Bossaso. A soldier was killed in the operation and the city is in lockdown as the hunt continues for other militants, he said.

Somali-Canadians celebrate the birth of Jubaland State

05 Jun- Source: Digital Journal- 1272 words

In a massive show of support for the newly-created Jubaland State, thousands of Somali-Canadians converged at the Sheraton Hotel at Toronto’s West End in the evening of Saturday, June 1st to celebrate the birth of Somalia’s newest regional state. Event participants with roots in all regions of Somalia traveled from across Southern Ontario and as far away as New York and Minneapolis to join Somali-Canadians from Toronto and the wider GTA area in the night-long festivities. According to event organizers, the colourful ceremony brought together an estimated 3500 people from all walks of life including Somali elders, professionals, Federal government politicians, community/business leaders, the youth and an impressive list of North-American-based Somali artists.

Suspicious fire guts Somali community center in London

05 Jun- Source: AP- 138 words

Counter-terrorism officers are investigating a suspicious fire at a Somali community center in north London where graffiti spelling out the name of a far-right group was left on the building. The Metropolitan Police said officers and fire services were called early Wednesday morning to a fire at the Somali Bravanese Welfare Association.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Although the idea to market her hot sauce came in a flash, Abdi had been preparing-in one way or another-all her life for this. From hawking vegetables on the streets of Mogadishu as a girl to foraging for food from garbage in Utanga as a young mother to cleaning nursing homes in Minneapolis as a new immigrant, Abdi forged ahead toward a brighter future.”

Persistence, patience and prayers: Sadia’s Gourmet Sauces, born of suffering, bring a spicy taste of Somalia to Minnesota palates

05 June- Source: TC Daily Planet-911 Words

In today’s challenging economic climate, keeping a small business alive is no small feat. But for Korad Abdi, known as “Sadia,” founder and CEO of Sadia’s Gourmet Sauces, it is barely a bump on the bumpy road of her life. Rather, it is the prize for years of persistence, patience and prayers. It is, she said, “my dream come true.” Abdi, who left her native Somalia while still a teenager in 1991, has weathered problems much greater than those that plague a start-up business in a troubled economy. She has overcome war; separation from her family; the premature death of her father; the threat of rape; mental and physical abuse; and life in a refugee camp. Not only has she survived, she has triumphed.