November 8, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

UN extends AU force in Somalia for 4 months

07 Nov- Source: AP- 136 words

The U.N. Security Council has extended the mandate of the African Union force in Somalia for four months and agreed to provide financial support for 50 additional civilians to deploy to areas recently liberated from Islamist rebels. The council’s unanimous approval Wednesday for the continuation of the 17,731-strong force masked differences among members about U.N. financial support for the mission. Members disagree on whether it should include money for AU maritime operations, and on Somalia’s request for partial lifting of an arms embargo. Britain and South Africa stressed the resolution’s importance as Somalia’s new government tries to extend its power after two decades of war and its rout of al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab extremists from its strongholds. Somalia expressed regret that the council didn’t extend the mandate and U.N. logistics support for a year.

Key Headlines

Car bomb kills 2 injuries 3 in Mogadishu ( Mogadishu/SONNA)
Disabled persons in Beledweyne receive financial aid (Bar-kulan)
Somali soldier shot dead driver in Mogadishu (Shabelle)
Turkish Firm meets Somaliland President over oil deal (Somalilandpress)
Security Council divided over Somalia arms embargo (Daily Nation/AFP)
UN extends AU force in Somalia for 4 months (AP)

SOMALI MEDIA

Car bomb kills 2, injuries 3 in Mogadishu

07 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SONNA/Universal TV- 91 words

A car laden with explosives has exploded at the parking of a mosque near the house of the Somali parliament in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, killing two persons and injuring three others. Witness confirmed that two men were killed including a policeman while security forces are still investigating the case. The car bomb attack came as members of the Somali federal parliament held their ordinary session at their house near Isbaheysiga mosque.

Somali soldier shot dead driver in Mogadishu

07 Nov- Source: Shabelle- 105 words

Armed man dressed in government army uniform has shot and killed a driver in Mogadishu, the latest in a string of killings in the capital over the last few months. According to the witnesses the incident occurred at Banadir junction, a busy intersection in the heart of Mogadishu, when a soldier opened fire on a vehicle transporting dozens of passengers. “The driver was shot dead on Wednesday noon after refusing to pay illegal money demanded by the soldier,” a witness confirmed to Shabelle Radio by phone. The killer managed to escape from the scene before security forces reached area, reports said.

Disabled persons in Beledweyne receive financial aid

07 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 94 words

Over 800 physically disabled persons in central Somali town of Beledweyne on Wednesday received financial aid from community members abroad. The money amounting to $11,700 was donated by natives of Hiiran region who live in U.S, Uganda and UK and channeled through local elders in the area for distribution. Mohamed Abdi Rahoy, an elder who distributed the money told Bar-kulan that each beneficiaries received Somsh 400,000 amounting to about $20.

Turkish Firm meets Somaliland President over oil deal

07 Nov- Somalilandpress/VOA/Horn Cable TV- 166 words

A Turkish company says it will explore oil in the breakaway republic of Somaliland beginning next year. Tony Hayward, the CEO of Genel Energy, met with Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo in Hargeisa on Tuesday to finalize the deal. Speaking to reporters, Hayward outlined the company’s plans.

UN charcoal ban in Somalia should be upheld, says Somali envoy

07 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/VOA Somali Service/Radio Mogadishu-103 words

Somali envoy to Kenya Mohamed Ali Nur has urged the international community to uphold the UN ban on charcoal export from Somalia. The ambassador said Somali government is committed to upholding the ban despite reports that tones of charcoal are now being exported from Kismayo seaport. He said the government has already set up a taskforce to look into the reported violation of the ban and will soon submit its recommendations to the government for further actions. Despite the ban, reports say large consignments of charcoal are being exported the Kismayo in defiance of the ban.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali-bound military truck drivers demand security escort

07 Nov- Source: Star (Kenya)- 339 words

Close to 50 truck drivers contracted to transport military artillery to Somali threatened to abandon the artillery at Mtwapa unless they are accorded security.
The drivers and turn-boys protested the “lack of attention” by the government. “We don’t know if the government is aware that we are taking this consignment to Somalia. What if something happens to us there?” they posed. Last week, military spokesman Bogita Ongeri confirmed that the trucks, most of them of make M900 and of 1987 model belonging to Sierra Leone, are being taken to Somalia for African Union mission.

Security Council divided over Somalia arms embargo

08 Nov- Source: Daily Nation/AFP- 314 words

The UN Security Council on Wednesday renewed the mandate of an African peacekeeping force in Somalia for just four months amid a dispute over an arms embargo against the strife-torn country. A 17,000-strong African Union force is propping up the new Somali government, which was warned of the lingering threat from Islamist militants on Wednesday by a deadly car bomb outside the parliament in Mogadishu. UN mandates for such forces are generally extended for a year but there are a number of disputes over Somalia, diplomats said. These include an African Union demand to ease a two decade old arms embargo against Somalia, the role of Ethiopian troops in the country and whether the country should be allowed to sell stocks of charcoal.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

UN extends AU force in Somalia for 4 months

07 Nov- Source: AP- 136 words

Uganda Demands UN Retract Congo Accusation

07 Nov- Source: VOA- 409 words

Ugandan officials met this week with members of the U.N. Security Council, refuting a U.N. report that accused Uganda of supporting rebels in Congo, and threatening to pull Ugandan peacekeepers out of Somalia. The Ugandan government is optimistic about the results. A Ugandan delegation spoke with members of the United Nations Security Council on Monday and threatened to pull out of regional peacekeeping missions unless the U.N. retracts a report Uganda has called “malicious.”

SOCIALMEDIA

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

“Today, Turkey and Somalia are cozying up in the honeymoon period; whether their relationship will stand the test of time is yet to be seen.”

Turkey’s Love Affair with Somalia

07 Nov- Source: Council on Foreign Relations Blog-568 Words

Turkey and Somalia are the geopolitical realm’s newest couple, and things are getting serious. Turkey has unleashed a charm offensive in Africa, and Somalia specifically. After the last members of the al-Shebab terrorist group were chased out of Mogadishu in August 2011, Ankara flooded the city with some five hundred development and aid workers. Turkish prime minister ErdoÄŸan was the first non-African leader to enter the city limits of Mogadishu since the country collapsed in 1991; Turkish Airlines was also the first major carrier to fly into Mogadishu in twenty years. Since then Turkey has given some U.S. $51 million to Somalia. These overtures have stirred up serious emotions in the country.