Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Al-Shabaab Oo Askari Kenya Dhagax Ku Dishay

Kismaayo(RBC) Militryga dalka Kenya aya xaqiijiyay maanta oo khamiis ah, Al-Shabaab in ay dhagax ku dileen nin ay ku sheegeen in uu ahaa basaas, balse horrey ugu dagaalamaayay Al-Shabaab
Ninkan ayaa dhagax lagu dilay meel fagaaro ah oo ku taalo magaalada Kismaayo ee koonfurta Soomaaliya halkaas oo ay maamulaan Al-Shabaab oo hadda dagaalo ku la jirra ciidamada Kenya, kuwa AMISOM iyo Askarta dowlada KMG ah.
Wargeeska Daily Nation ee ka soo baxa dalka Kenya oo soo xiganaya Major Emmanuel Chirchir oo ah afhayeen u hadlay Miltaryga Kenya ayaa xaqiijiyay Al-Shabaab in ay dhagax ku dileen nin ay sheegeen in uu basaas u ahaan ciidamada Kenya ee ku sugan koonfurta Soomaaliya.
Warbaahinta soomaalida ayaa laga soo xigtay ninka dhagaxa lagu dilay in uu qirtay in uu ahaa basaas ka dib markii maxkamad ay lee yihiin Al-Shabaab ku heshay dambigaas
“Waa run in dhagax lagu dilay mid ka mid ah dadkeena kaas oo la soo bandhigay muuqaalkiisa ,” sidaas waxa u sheegay the Nation afhayeen u hadlay militaryga Kenya Major Emmanuel Chirchir .
Wargeeska ayaa shegay in boqolaal qof oo ah dadka deeganka in ay ka qeyb galeen oo ay goob u ahaayeen ninka lagu dilay dhagaxa “
Ninka la dilay ayaa la sheegay Al-Shabaab in ay ka qorteen magaalada Nairobi’s gaar ahaan deeganka Majengo sidaas waxa sheegay Mr. Chirchir .
Al-Shababa ayaa ku eedeeyay in uu soo hoggaamin jiray diyaaradaha dagaalka ee duqeeya saldhigyada ay ku lee yihiin Al-Shabaab magaalada Jilib.
Al-Shabaab ayaa sheegay in ay hayaan seddax kale oo ka tirsan ciidamada dalka Kenya kuwaas oo hadda ku xiran xabsi ku yaalo magaalada Kismaayo.
Warbixin ay sii deysay july sanadkii horre guddiga la socodka xayiraad hubka soomaaliya iyo Eritrea ee hoostaga QM waxa ay wariyeen in boqolaal dhalinyaro oo reer Kenya ay qorteen Al-Shabaab kuwaas oo hadda u dagaalama.
Al-Shabaab ayaa inta badan maamulasha Koonfurta iyo bartamah soomaaliya, waxana ay hadda dagaallo wajiyo badan kula jirtaa ciidamada dowlada KMG ah, AMISOM, iyo Ethiopia,
Al-Shabaab kuma cusba in dhagax ay ku disho dad ay sheegtay in ay yihiin basaas kuwaas oo la sheegaya dhinacyada ka soo horjeeda
RBC Radio
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Beesha Geri Koombe Oo Jigjiga Casuumad Ugu Samaysay Wafdiga Khaatumo State-(Sawiro)-

10 Weirdest and Worst Ads for Lawyers

January 30, 2012

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, lawyer ads are simply ridiculous. Whether it’s the overly eager lawyer who promises to "hammer" insurance companies that don’t pay, or the cynical divorce lawyer who can make you lose faith in humanity in 30 seconds, these ads run the gamut from awesomely bad to just plain weird. Check out the 10 weirdest and worst ads for lawyers.

Berger & Green
If you like explosions and flying cars, then you’ll love Berger and Green’s wacky ad. He’ll help you "get what’s yours," if you’re not too scared to call after watching this.
Jim Adler
Personal injury lawyer, Jim Adler, is legendary in Texas, but his awesomely bad ads are famous all over. Adler, better known as "The Hammer," has a reputation for yelling and shaking his fist in commercials while using ridiculous phrases you can’t get out of your head.
Bruce Flint
When all else fails, rap about it! That’s what Dallas lawyer Bruce Flint did, and the rap video came out looking like a crappy version of Grand Theft Auto.
Denvil Crowe
Bald-headed actor? Check. Flaming background? Check. Tone-deaf singer? You got it! That about sums up this quality ad from attorney Denvil Crowe.
DivorceEZ
You know when an ad starts off with, "If you and your spouse hate each other like poison," it’s got to be good. This no-nonsense lawyer makes it "EZ" to get out of the "hellhole you call a marriage," all while sounding 100% jaded.
Brian Loncar
Here’s another personal injury lawyer overdramatizing a commercial for no apparent reason. He might be known as "The Strong Arm" in Texas, but here he just looks like a nutcase who crashes cars for the hell of it.
Bernstein & Maryanoff
This ad is almost as bad as the fit of Bernstein’s shirt. Before he sues any insurance company, we hope he takes down the tailor who let him walk out like that.
J. Michael Gallagher
If ruining your spouse’s holiday with divorce papers sounds delightful, then J. Michael Gallagher is here to take your call. And don’t just pick up the phone; fight over it like the miserable couple in this terrible ad.
Brown & Grouppen
This walking, talking trio of "good guys" is as cheesy as it gets. If only they had done a group high five before entering the sun-blinding courtroom.
Barry Glazer
Calling all urination victims! Attorney Barry Glazer is here to stop insurance companies from "urinating on your leg and tell you it’s raining." We don’t know what his urination obsession is all about, but it makes for an awesomely bad ad.

War hits Kenya’s bid to expand waters

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Kenya is currently listed number 35 in the UN Commission on Limits of the Continental Shelf list. The commission has only looked at applications of only 15 applicants. But sources say Kenya could overtake some earlier applicants who still have border disputes with their neighbours.

By FRED OLUOCH and MWAURA KIMANI (email the author)

Posted Sunday, January 29 2012 at 17:01

The lack of a boundary agreement between Kenya and Somalia and the continuing instability in the latter country is likely to delay Kenya’s quest to add 150 additional nautical miles to its territorial waters in the Indian Ocean.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a report to Treasury, says the bid is facing a challenge meeting international approval because of the above factors.

Tanzania is also seeking an extension of its territorial waters via an application made on January 18. In June 2008, Tanzania and Norway signed a two-year agreement to provide $4.6 million in funds for a Delineation of the Continental Shelf project.

Kenya’s application to acquire an additional 103,000 square kilometres in what is being billed as the second and last scramble for the world, seeks to delineate the outer limits of the country’s continental shelf outside the Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 nautical miles.

This would give Kenya the right to explore and exploit non-living and mineral resources on the seabed and sub-soil of the extended continental shelf adjacent to the EEZ in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Task Force on Delineation of Kenya’s Outer Continental Shelf now headed by Juster Nkoroi, deposited the application at the United Nations for approval in May 2009; The decision is expected to be made in 2014.

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This leaves Kenya with one year to meet the criteria for approval, a task that is now being complicated by the situation in Somalia — a key neighbour with which it must be in agreement with before it can get the extra sea territory.

Currently, Kenya does not have a maritime border agreement with Somalia, whereas one of the UN requirements is that countries that share the ocean must reach an agreement on the border issue.

Kenya has relied on the Statement of Understanding criteria in its submission to the UN.

Kenya and Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2009 granting each other, no objection in respect of submissions on the outer limits of the continental shelf to the UN Commission on Limits of the Continental Shelf.

But this MOU was strongly contested by Puntland, which argued that the TFG was selling the country’s resources. The TFG parliament also voted against the agreement soon after its signing.

Dr Muhamed Ali, a security expert on the Horn of Africa, argues that the ongoing war in Somalia and the absence of a legitimate government are likely to complicate Kenya’s application.

“The question is whether TFG — which is transitional in nature and does not enjoy the people’s mandate or have jurisdiction over the entire country — has the right to enter into major agreements with other countries,” he said. But, Defence Minister, Yusuf Haji maintained that TFG is a legitimate government with a seat in the UN and the African Union and that the Somalia issue is not likely to affect Kenya’s application.

“We are not taking part of Somali territory, even though it is accepted international standards that neighbours sharing the ocean must give consent. All our neighbours have given consent,” he said.

According to the roadmap, Somalia is scheduled to hold elections in August this year after writing a new constitution. But, that will depend on whether the African Union Mission in Somalia will have freed the entire country from the grip of Al Shabaab by then.

According to Patrick Wamoto, Political and Diplomatic Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya nevertheless has a strong case.

“We will deal with the issues as they arise. But the application remains a strong one, having been developed with the help of countries like Norway,” he said. Kenya has already secured a maritime agreement with Tanzania, its neighbour to the south.

The submission is estimated to have cost Kenya about $8.9 million.

Other challenges facing Kenya’s application include the fact that the country is yet to enact comprehensive laws to deal with environmental protection in the exploitation of marine resources. Proper domestication of international and regional treaties that enhance good ocean management and governance is lacking.

Kenya’s existing laws are relics of the colonial era, except for the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999, which is more comprehensive and responsive to recent environmental challenges facing the country.

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Kenya, like any other coastal state, faces a myriad environmental challenges and impacts due to rapid development and socio-economic activity in its coastal and marine areas.

These activities are mostly associated with industry, tourism, agriculture, fishing and more recently oil exploration in the offshore area. There is no comprehensive policy on ocean governance.

Extension of Kenya’s Exclusive Economic Zone could increase the chances of Kenya striking oil offshore.

US citizens seek refuge at Cairo embassy

Protesters in Tahrir Square 27 January 2012

Critics say the investigation into NGOs is an attempt to silence critics of the crackdown on street unrest

A group of US citizens has taken refuge at the US embassy in Cairo amid an Egyptian crackdown on foreign-funded pro-democracy groups.

Egypt's ruling military council has accused foreign groups of funding street protests against them.
At least 10 foreigners, including six Americans, are barred from leaving Egypt while they are investigated.
They include the son of US Transport Secretary Ray LaHood, but it is unclear whether he is in the embassy.
The US confirmed that a "handful" of citizens were staying in the embassy while waiting for permission to leave the country.
But state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said there was no expectation that they were trying to avoid legal processes.
She said it was "a unique situation" but that there were no concerns for the Americans' safety.
"They approached the embassy staff and the decision was made to invite them as guests," she said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the US had made its concern and disappointment clear to the Egyptian authorities and was working with them to resolve the issue.
Aid jeopardy The imposition of the travel ban followed a raid by the Egyptian authorities in December on democracy groups that receive foreign funding. The groups were alleged to lack the proper permits to operate and are now the subject of a criminal investigation.

Sam Lahood, left, watches as his father Ray is sworn in as Transportation Secretary in January 2009

Sam LaHood, left, was working for the International Republican Institute

The organisations affected include the International Republican Institute - where Sam LaHood was working - and its sister group, the National Democratic Institute.
Both of the bodies, which receive US public funding and have links with the Republican and Democratic parties, had monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.
Cairo's action was widely considered to be an attack on free speech and an attempt by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' (SCAF) to silence critics of its attempt to put down ongoing street protests.
In a weekend call to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged him lift the travel ban, the Pentagon said.
Washington has warned it could review US aid to Egypt's military, about $1.3bn (£826m) annually, unless it respects non-governmental groups.
US President Barack Obama raised the issue with the field marshal earlier this month during a call, when he also discussed Egypt's request for a $3.2bn loan from the IMF.

African Union: Commission chair vote ends in deadlock

Delegates at the AU summit in Addis Ababa on 29 January 2012

China has built a new headquarters for the African Union

A vote to choose a new chairman for the secretariat of the African Union has ended in deadlock - despite three rounds of voting.

No clear winner emerged between incumbent Jean Ping, of Gabon, and South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The vote has now been deferred until the next AU summit in Malawi in July.
A BBC correspondent says Mr Ping will now remain in office until then.
Earlier reports had stated that deputy chairman Erastus Mwencha of Kenya would take over the post until fresh elections.
Mrs Zuma, the former wife of President Jacob Zuma and one of South Africa's longest-serving government ministers, was challenging to become the first woman to head the 54-nation bloc's executive council.
Mr Ping, who has been the chairman of the African Union Commission since 2008, was running for a second term.
The BBC's Noel Mwakugu in Addis Ababa says Mr Ping was challenged after coming under immense criticism from African leaders for the way in which he responded to the Libyan crisis.
Our correspondent says there are behind-the-scene mutterings that Mr Ping was not fully behind an African Union ceasefire plan and the mediation mission led by President Zuma of South Africa.
Both Nato and Libya's then rebels rejected the AU plan, on the grounds it did not call on Mr Gaddafi to step down.
It is the first summit since the death of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi, who played a key role in the formation of the African Union.
Delegates are meeting over the next two days in the new $200m (£127m) AU headquarters, funded and built by China, which was officially opened on Saturday.

Obama confirms Pakistan drone strikes

President Obama: "They have been very precise, precision strikes against al-Qaeda and their affiliates"

US President Barack Obama has confirmed that unmanned drones regularly strike suspected militants in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Mr Obama called the strikes a "targeted focused effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists".
The US does not routinely speak publicly about drone operations.
Mr Obama made his comments during an hour-long video "hangout" on Google's social network, Google+, which was also streamed live on YouTube.
More than 130,000 questions were submitted before the hangout began, and six people were invited to join the president online for the event. They were able to ask questions and seek follow-up answers from Mr Obama.
The event ended a week of social media engagement in the wake of Mr Obama's State of the Union address on 24 January.
Obama administration officials, including Vice-President Joe Biden, held Twitter "office hours" last week.
Covert war Asked about the use of drone strikes, which have increased in intensity during his presidency, he said "a lot of these strikes have been in the Fata", or Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

DRONES IN PAKISTAN

The use of unmanned drones, operated remotely from the US, to target militants in Pakistan's tribal areas began under President George W Bush
Attacks more than doubled under the Obama administration
According to an estimate by the New America Foundation there were 118 drone attacks in 2010 and 70 in 2011
Thousands of people have been killed by the strikes - civilians as well as militants, causing outrage in Pakistan
One of the deadliest attacks was in March 2011 when 40 were killed, many believed to be civilians at a tribal meeting
Top militants believed killed by drones include former Pakistani Taliban head Baitullah Mehsud and al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri

The strikes target "al-Qaeda suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Mr Obama added.

"For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones we're already engaging in."
Few details are known about the covert US drone operation, which is run by the CIA and targets al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in the mountainous areas along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
They often cause outrage in Pakistan, where many assert that the strikes cause indiscriminate civilian deaths and injuries.
Anti-American feeling flared in Pakistan in the wake of the US special operations mission that killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
Hanging out While Mr Obama has participated in virtual town halls before on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, the event on Monday marked his first use of the Google social site, which was launched in mid-2011.
He is not the first US politician to "hangout", though: presidential hopefuls Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney held their own virtual events on Google in 2011.
Questions submitted to the hangout were voted on by participants but ultimately selected by Google's staff.
The president asked Jennifer Weddel, one of the video chat participants to send him her husband's resume.
Mrs Weddel's husband had been out of work for three years, despite having a background as an engineer.
Mr Obama said with high-tech work in demand, her husband "should be able to find something right away".
During the event, Mr Obama answered questions on the anti-piracy bills that have stalled in Congress, visas for highly-skilled workers when unemployment in the US remains high and the consolidation of government agencies.
In a previous town hall-style event hosted by Facebook, the White House was criticised for ignoring one of most popular questions: Mr Obama's stance on legalising marijuana.
He did not answer questions on drug policy in Monday's event.

Spanair collapses, stranding 20,000 people

Hundreds of flights were cancelled after the company stopped operating on Friday

Spain's fourth-largest airline Spanair has collapsed, leaving more than 20,000 passengers stranded across Europe and Africa.

The Barcelona-based firm stopped operating on Friday and more than 200 flights were abruptly cancelled.
The Spanish government is taking legal action and said Spanair could be fined 9m euros (£7.6m; $11.9m) over the collapse.
In 2010, Spanair reported an operating loss of 115m euros.
The collapse comes after Qatar Airways stopped takeover talks, ending the prospect of further financing, and also reflects weak demand for air travel in Spain.
In 2008 a Spanair plane was involved in Spain's worst aviation disaster in 25 years, when it crashed on takeoff as it tried to leave Madrid's Barajas airport, killing 154 people. The aircraft's wing flaps were incorrectly positioned and a warning system failed to alert the pilots.
Ryanair's 'opportunity'
The airline was seen as a flagship of the regional government of Catalonia, which had helped it stay afloat with more than 150m euros of subsidies.
The government refused to provide more funding on Friday.
Low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet had challenged the legality of the subsidies to the European Commission.
On Monday, Ryanair said it was examining opportunities in Spain following the collapse of Spanair. "We certainly see it as an opportunity to expand our base," it said.
Spanair's collapse could lead to the loss of 4,000 jobs.
The airline was once owned by Scandinavia's SAS Airlines, which still has an 11% stake in the firm.
SAS said that the bankruptcy of Spanair would lead to write-downs of 1.7bn kronor (£160m) for the full year 2011.

Monday, 30 January 2012

Cabdi Tahliil Oo Muqdisho Lagu Dhaawacay

Written by Administrator

Monday, 30 January 2012 19:52

Iska hor imaad u dhexeeyey Ciidamo ka wada tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya oo geystay khasaaro isugu jira dhimasho iyo dhaawac ayaa wuxuu ka dhacay Xaafadda Ex-fiyoore Degmada Wardhiigleey ee gobolka Banaadir.

Wariyeheenna Nuur Shariif Shaacir oo ku sugan nawaaxiga halka uu iska hor imaadku ka dhacay ayaa waxa uu soo sheegayaa in iska hor imaadkaasi uu u dhexeeyey Ciidmo ka wada tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya uuna ku dhaawacmay Fanaanka weyn ee Cabdi Tahliil Warsame.

Waxa uuna iska hor’imaadku ka dambeeyey kaddib markii ismaandhaaf uu soo kala dhex Ciidamada israsaaseeyey kaa oo ku qotomay is qab qabsi dhanka guriyaha ah kaddib markii Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya ay shaacisay in laga boxo guryaha Dowladda.

hal ruux ayaa geeriyooday oo ka mid ahaa Askarta israsaaseyntu dhexmartay waxaana uu dhaawac fudud ka soo gaaray Fanaanka weyn ee Cabdi Tahliil Warsame.

Fanaanka ayaa xilliga uu dhaawacmayey waxa uu ku sugnaa sida wararku ay sheegayaan meel aan ka gogeyn goobta israsaaseyntu ka dhacday ee Ex-fiyoore oo ah goob hooy u ah Fanaaniin iyo abwaaniin ka tirsan Hobolada kala duwa ee Soomaaliyeed.

Durba diiba waxaa goobta soo gaaray masuuliyiin iyo Ciidamo ka tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya oo uu ka mid yahay Taliyaha Ciidamada booliska Gobolka Banaadir Maxamed Xasan Maalin waxa ayna kala dhex galeen Ciidankii israsaaseyey.

Xaaladda ayaa haatan waxa ay tahay mid deggan waxaana caadi ku soo laabtay isku socodka dadka iyo ganacsiga oo intii israsaaseyntu socotay hakad galay balse durbadiiba dib u bilowday Xaaladduna haatan waa mid hagaagsan.

Badweyn+Shjacabkamedia

Shacabkamedia:Runta-Kama-Xishoono

Email:Shacabkamedia@live.com

Ciidamadii Ugu Badnaa Ee Ethiopia oo Wata Taangiyo oo Soo Gaaray Degmada Luuq (Faahfaahin)

Muqdisho (RBC) Ciidamadii ugu badnaa ee wadanka Ethiopia oo shalay ka soo gudbay soohdinta Doolow ayaa maanta soo gaaray degmada Luuq ee gobolka Gedo.

Ciidamadan oo aan tiradooda la cadeyn karin laakiin dadka deegaanka ay ku tilmaameen kuwii ugu badnaa ayaa wata taangiyo iyo madaafiicda culus ee baabuurta lagu jiido. Waxayna maanta ciidamadaasi fariisimo kala durugsan ka sameysteen duleedka degmada Luuq.

Dad ku sugan degmada Luuq oo aan rabin in magacooda aan faafino amaanka dartiis ayaa Raxanreeb u sheegay in saraakiisha ciidamada Ethiopia maanta ay kulan la qaateen saraakiil ciidan oo Soomaali ah kuwaasoo degmada Luuq ka tegey. Mana cada waxa ay ka wada hadleen labada dhinac.

Waxay dadka noo sheegeen in ciidamada oo wata hubka noocyadiisa kala duwan ay iyagoo lugeynaya maanta duhurkii degeen duleedka degmada Doolow.

Illaa hadda ciidankan Ethiopian-ka ayaan sameyn wax dhaqdhaqaaq ah, waxaana warar hordhac ah ay sheegayaan in ciidamada Ethiopian-ka ay ku wajahan yihiin gobolada Baay iyo Bakool oo ay maamusho Xarakada Al-Shabaab.

Ciidamo fara badan oo Ethiopian ah ayaa hore ugu sugnaa gobolada Gedo iyo Hiiraan oo ay kula dagaalameen ciidamada Al-Shabaab. Sidoo kale tan iyo 2009 markii ay Ethiopian-ka ka bexeen Soomaaliya waxay had iyo jeer soo geli jireen dalka marka ay rabaan, hase yeeshee ciidanka cusub ee maanta soo gaaray degmada Luuq ayaa ah kii ugu badnaa ee Ethiopia mar kaliya degmada Luuq keento. Waxayna u muuqdaan inay qeyb ka yihiin duulaanka ka dhanka ah Al-Shabaab ee ay wada wadaan DKMG, Kenya iyo Ethiopia kaasoo ka socda gobolada koonfurta Soomaaliya.

Warbixin labo toddobaad ka hor ay shaacisay Shabakadan Raxanreeb ayaa tilmaameysay qorshe loo dejiyey ciidamada Ethiopia inay ku qabtaan gobolada Baay iyo Bakool ugu dambeyn dhamaadka bisha Febraayo ee fooda nagoo soo heysa.

Soo gelitaanka ciidanka Ethiopia

Soo gelida ciidamada Ethiopia waxay hadda ku soo beegantay iyadoo magaalada Addis Ababa ee xarunta Ethiopia uu ku sugan yahay madaxweynaha DKMG ah Shariif Sheekh Axmed oo ka qeybgalaya shir madaxeedka Midowga Afrika.

Toddobaadkan gudihiisa ayaa madaxda wadamada xubnaha ka ah urur goboleedka IGAD oo shirkoodii 20aad ku yeeshay Addis Ababa waxay amaan u soo jeediyeen ciidamada Ethiopia oo Al-Shabaab ka saaray Beledweyne, inkastoo ciidamada Kenya lagu dhaliilay inaysan illaa hadda dhaafin degmooyinka soohdinta saaran tan iyo markii ay soo galeen bishii Oktoobar 2011.

DKMG ah ee Soomaaliya ayaa horey u cadeysay inay ciidamada Ethiopia ka codsadeen inay magaalooyinka ay joogaan Al-Shabaab ay dawlada u qabtaan.

RBC Radio
Xafiiska wararka Muqdisho

A group of US citizens has taken refuge at the US embassy in Cairo amid an Egyptian crackdown on foreign-funded pro-democracy groups.

US citizens seek refuge at Cairo embassy

Critics say the investigation into NGOs is an attempt to silence critics of the crackdown on street unrest

Egypt's ruling military council has accused foreign groups of funding street protests against them.

At least 10 foreigners, including six Americans, are barred from leaving Egypt while they are investigated.

They include the son of US Transport Secretary Ray LaHood, but it is unclear whether he is in the embassy.

The US confirmed that a "handful" of citizens were staying in the embassy while waiting for permission to leave the country.

But state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said there was no expectation that they were trying to avoid legal processes.

She said it was "a unique situation" but that there were no concerns for the Americans' safety.

"They approached the embassy staff and the decision was made to invite them as guests," she said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the US had made its concern and disappointment clear to the Egyptian authorities and was working with them to resolve the issue.

Aid jeopardy

The imposition of the travel ban followed a raid by the Egyptian authorities in December on democracy groups that receive foreign funding. The groups were alleged to lack the proper permits to operate and are now the subject of a criminal investigation.

Sam LaHood, left, was working for the International Republican Institute

The organisations affected include the International Republican Institute - where Sam LaHood was working - and its sister group, the National Democratic Institute.

Both of the bodies, which receive US public funding and have links with the Republican and Democratic parties, had monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.

Cairo's action was widely considered to be an attack on free speech and an attempt by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' (SCAF) to silence critics of its attempt to put down ongoing street protests.

In a weekend call to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged him lift the travel ban, the Pentagon said.

Washington has warned it could review US aid to Egypt's military, about $1.3bn (£826m) annually, unless it respects non-governmental groups.

US President Barack Obama raised the issue with the field marshal earlier this month during a call, when he also discussed Egypt's request for a $3.2bn loan from the IMF.

Somalia's al-Shabab militants ban Red Cross aid work

Red Cross plane outside Mogadishu, Somalia (file image)

The ICRC was one of the few aid agencies still operating in war-torn Somalia

East Africa hunger crisis

Somalia's al-Shabab militants have banned the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from operating in parts of the country it controls.

The Islamist group said the ICRC had falsely accused them of blocking aid and had been handing out unfit food.

Al-Shabab controls large parts of south and central Somalia, which is suffering its worst drought in decades.

The ICRC, one of the few aid agencies operating there, said it had not heard about the ban.

The agency had suspended food distribution earlier this month saying militants had blocked supply routes, but it was still providing emergency care and water programmes.

Al-Shabab had already halted the work of several aid agencies working in the famine-hit region, including some from the UN. It accused them of exaggerating the scale of the problems for political reasons, and trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

In a statement, it said the ICRC had "repeatedly betrayed the trust conferred on it by the local population and, in recent weeks, falsely accused the mujahideen [al-Shabab fighters] of hindering food distribution".

The group said 70% of food it had inspected in ICRC warehouses was unfit for human consumption, and that it had since destroyed nearly 2,000 tonnes of "expired" rations.

Somalia is said to be one of the world's most dangerous places for aid workers to operate. It has not had a functioning central government for more than 20 years and has been wracked by fighting between various militias.

The UN-backed government runs only a few areas, including the capital, Mogadishu, which al-Shabab withdrew from in August.

The UN says the areas worst affected by famine are in the southern and central areas, which are under the control of the al-Qaeda linked group.

In recent weeks, al-Shabab has lost ground to both Kenyan and Ethiopian forces, which have moved onto Somali territory.

Sani Abacha aide to hang for Nigeria killing

Sani Abacha was accused of stealing billions of dollars during his five years in power

Nigeria - Troubled Giant

A close aide to former Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha has been sentenced to hang for killing the wife of politician Moshood Abiola in 1996.

Major Hamza al-Mustapha has been in detention since 1999 over the killing.

Mr Abiola is widely believed to have won the 1993 election, which was annulled by Nigeria's junta. His wife Kudirat was shot dead in 1996.

Abacha and Abiola both died in 1998, paving the way for the end of decades of military rule the following year.

Mustapha, Abacha's security chief, had denied the charge.

After declaring himself the victor of the 1993 election, Mr Abiola was arrested and charged with treason.

He was in prison when his wife was killed.

Abacha seized power shortly after the 1993 elections were annulled and went on to become one of Nigeria's most notorious military rulers, accused of stealing billions of dollars from the oil-rich nation.

After Abacha died, Abiola was due to be released from prison when he too died in his cell while meeting US diplomats.

A team of international pathologists says he died of natural causes but many of his supporters continued to blamed the military authorities.

Israel tops cyber-readiness poll but China lags behind

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By Dave LeeTechnology Reporter

A child holds an Israeli flag during a tennis match

Israel handles over 1,000 attacks every minute, government advisors said

Israel, Finland and Sweden are seen as leading the way in "cyber-readiness", according to a major new security report.

The McAfee-backed cyberdefence survey deemed China, Brazil and Mexico as being among the least able to defend themselves against emerging attacks.

The rank is based on leading experts' perception of a nation's defences.

The report concluded that greater sharing of information globally is necessary to keep ahead of threats.

It also suggests giving more power to law enforcement to fight cross-border crime.

The UK, with a grading of four out of five, ranks favourably in the survey - along with the USA, Germany, Spain and France.

'Subjective view'

The rankings are based on the perceived quality of a country's cyber-readiness - the ability to cope with a range of threats and attacks.

"The subjectiveness of the report is its biggest strength," explained Raj Samani, McAfee's chief technology officer.

"What it does is give the perception of cyber-readiness by those individuals who kind of understand and work in cyber security on a day-in, day-out basis."

McAfee infographic showing country cyber-readiness

A five-point scale was used to rank countries - none of which achieved a perfect rating. Graphic provided by McAfee

A good score depends on having basic measures like adequate firewalls and antivirus protection, and more complex matters including well-informed governance and education.

Sweden, Finland and Israel all impressed the report's experts - despite the fact that the latter receives reportedly over 1,000 cyber attacks every minute.

Isaac Ben-Israel, senior security advisor to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is quoted in the report as saying: "The hacktivist group Anonymous carries out lots of attacks but they don't cause much damage. The real threat is from states and major crime organisations."

He added that the country has set up a cyber-taskforce responsible for assessing threats to key infrastructure such power production and water supplies.

'Enhancing co-operation'

At the other end of the security scale, Mexico ranked as least prepared to cope with the cyber threat - a situation which is blamed on the country's authorities needing to overwhelmingly focus on the country's gang and drugs problems.

China is regarded by some Western observers as an aggressor in cyberspace.

But one expert Peiran Wang said the country was itself vulnerable because it lacked a joined up strategy.

Mexico's drug problems means available resource is put into real world policing - and not on cybercrime

"The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of State Security and even the military are involved and they don't communicate well," said Peiran Wang, a visiting scholar at Brussels' Free University.

In the UK, the report praised a £650m investment programme in cyber security.

However, the Home Office's plans were criticised by information security expert Peter Sommer.

"A great deal depends on co-operation from the private sector, which controls about 80% of the critical national infrastructure.

"Over half of the new funding will go to the 'secret vote', the intelligence agencies, where value for money will be difficult to investigate. I would have preferred more emphasis on public education - helping potential victims help themselves."

Cybercrime fighters

Among the report's conclusions is the recommendation that greater efforts be made to improve cross-border law enforcement.

"Cybercriminals route their connection through multiple different countries," said Mr Samani.

"If criminals are particularly clever, they go through countries where they know there isn't any co-operation."

In the UK, millions has been pledged by foreign secretary William Hague to fight cyber issues

"The bad guys share information - we need to do the same as well."

Dr Joss Wright from the Oxford Internet Institute welcomed the report's findings. However, he had serious doubts over the feasibility of its suggestions.

"They're recommendations that people have been saying for maybe 10 years," he told the BBC.

"I would love to see good information sharing - but when you're talking about national security, there's a culture of not sharing.

"They're not suddenly going to change 70, 100, 1000 years of military thinking."

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

OPINION

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Monday, 30 January 2012

Iska hor imaad u dhexeeyey Ciidamo ka wada tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya oo geystay khasaaro isugu jira dhimasho iyo dhaawac ayaa wuxuu ka dhacay Xaafadda Ex-fiyoore Degmada Wardhiigleey ee gobolka Banaadir.

Wariyeheenna Nuur Shariif Shaacir oo ku sugan nawaaxiga halka uu iska hor imaadku ka dhacay ayaa waxa uu soo sheegayaa in iska hor imaadkaasi uu u dhexeeyey Ciidmo ka wada tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya uuna ku dhaawacmay Fanaanka weyn ee Cabdi Tahliil Warsame.

Waxa uuna iska hor’imaadku ka dambeeyey kaddib markii ismaandhaaf uu soo kala dhex Ciidamada israsaaseeyey kaa oo ku qotomay is qab qabsi dhanka guriyaha ah kaddib markii Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya ay shaacisay in laga boxo guryaha Dowladda.

hal ruux ayaa geeriyooday oo ka mid ahaa Askarta israsaaseyntu dhexmartay waxaana uu dhaawac fudud ka soo gaaray Fanaanka weyn ee Cabdi Tahliil Warsame.

Fanaanka ayaa xilliga uu dhaawacmayey waxa uu ku sugnaa sida wararku ay sheegayaan meel aan ka gogeyn goobta israsaaseyntu ka dhacday ee Ex-fiyoore oo ah goob hooy u ah Fanaaniin iyo abwaaniin ka tirsan Hobolada kala duwa ee Soomaaliyeed.

Durba diiba waxaa goobta soo gaaray masuuliyiin iyo Ciidamo ka tirsan Dowladda KMG Soomaaliya oo uu ka mid yahay Taliyaha Ciidamada booliska Gobolka Banaadir Maxamed Xasan Maalin waxa ayna kala dhex galeen Ciidankii israsaaseyey.

Xaaladda ayaa haatan waxa ay tahay mid deggan waxaana caadi ku soo laabtay isku socodka dadka iyo ganacsiga oo intii israsaaseyntu socotay hakad galay balse durbadiiba dib u bilowday Xaaladduna haatan waa mid hagaagsan.

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