English News

President Trump Says He's 'Concerned' About Missing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi

(ANKARA) — A week after dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul for some routine paperwork, the mystery over his disappearance remains unresolved: Turkish officials allege he was killed in the compound; the Saudis say he left the building unharmed. The…

Google+ shutting down after private data leak

The US internet giant said it will "sunset" the Google+ social network for consumers that failed to gain meaningful traction after being launched in 2011 as a challenge to Facebook. A Google spokesperson cited "significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ that…

Reflections on the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council

At the start of the UN Human Rights Council's 39thsession (HRC39), DefendDefenders' Executive Director Hassan Shirewelcomedthe new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. This followed aletter, endorsed by more than 750 human rights organisations, including DefendDefenders,…

Britain cautions against hasty exit of AU troops from Somalia

Harriett Baldwin, visiting British minister for Africa, instead called for a conditions-based, gradual withdrawal of the troops, based on the strength of the Somali security forces. "As you know, the UK has been consistent in saying that in terms of transition to both the Somali National Army and…

Nurmagomedov on UFC McGregor brawl: 'He talked about my religion'

One of the biggest fights in mixed martial arts history descended into a chaotic mass brawl, followed by arrests, after Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov retained his UFC lightweight title with a submission victory over Irishman Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. Violent scenes occurred inside and outside the cage…

Islamic State a threat seven years after we went to Somalia

October 2018 marks seven years since the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) crossed the border into Southern Somalia on October 16, 2011 in pursuit of the al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab group, which had kidnapped foreign tourists and aid workers inside Kenya. KDF will most likely be back home by 2020 when the…

Why is it so hard for Africans to visit other African countries?

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote has said he needs 38 visas to travel within the continent on his Nigerian passport. Many European nationals, meanwhile, waltz into most Africans countries visa-free. African nations were supposed to scrap visa requirements for all African citizens by 2018. It was…

Turkish officials say Saudi writer killed

Holding a picture of missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, Tawakkol Karman, of Yemen the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for 2011, talks to members of the media near the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Friday, Oct. 5, 2018. Khashoggi, a 59-year-old veteran journalist who has lived in self-imposed exile…

From popular leader to dictator, the rise and fall of former Somalia president, Siad Barre

The coup was led by Siad Barre, the leader of the Supreme Revolutionary Council and Somalia's president from 1969-1991. Barre was born on this day around the 1910s (his exact birth year is still unknown although many believe he was born in 1919) in the Ogaden region of the Ethiopian Empire. His…

U.S. withdraws from international accords, says U.N. world court 'politicized'

he U.S. national security adviser John Bolton slammed the highest United Nations tribunal as "politicized and ineffective" as he announced that the United States would review all international agreements that could expose it to binding decisions by the ICJ. Earlier on Wednesday the ICJ handed…

189 Islamist suspects stand trial in Mozambique

The trial opened in a tent serving as an improvised courthouse inside a jail in Pemba, the provincial capital, with Mozambicans, Tanzanians, Congolese, Somalis and Burundians among the defendants, of whom 42 are women. Over the last year, more than 50 people have been killed in gun, grenade and knife…

International community calls for end to Hergeisa and Mogadishu hostilities

The international community wants talks between the leadership in Hergeisa (Somaliland) and Mogadishu (Somalia) to re-open dialogue to end the cold war between them. Somaliland government has stated they are ready for a fresh round of talks after the Netherlands and Danish envoys to Kenya (and Somalia)…

U.S. would destroy banned Russian warheads if necessary: NATO envoy

U.S. ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomat solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if Russian development of the medium-range system continued. "At that point, we would be looking at the capability to take out a (Russian) missile…

EU vows continued support for Somalia after convoy bombing

The European Union (EU) has pledged that the trade bloc will remain committed to supporting the Somali people and government in rebuilding their country in spite of Monday's attack on its convoy in the Somali capital. Three people said to be civilians were killed on Monday after a car laden with…

Press Release :- Presentation on the findings of the Somalia Confidence Index Survey: "One year later: What the Somalis think about the President and his Government.

Ipsos Limited and Farsight Africa Research recently conducted a Confidence Index Survey on Somali Citizens. The survey covered 6 regions and sought to assess the economic and security perceptions of the Federal Government of Somalia and its institutions.

NUSOJ Condemns 6-month jail sentence against a TV and radio reporter in Dhuusamareeb.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns in strongest terms possible the 6-month jail sentence handed today to Mohamed Abdiwali Tohow a radio and TV reporter in Dhuusamareeb, by the Galmudug authorities, terming it "outrageous and the harshest punishment" given to a journalist…

Press Release NUSOJ and VIKES open labour rights training in Galkayo, Galmudug for 25 journalists with the support and funding the EU.

Galkayo, 30 September 2018 - The National Union of Somalia Journalists (NUSOJ) and the Finnish Foundation for Media and Development (VIKES) on Saturday opened a two days labour rights training for 25 journalists in Galkayo, Galmudug State of Somalia which is part of an ongoing NUSOJ and VIKES led trainings…

Somali journalist in Mogadishu faces death threats, calls for action to save him

A Somali journalist, Munasar Mohamed, based in the Somali capital Mogadishu, said he had been receiving threatening phone calls and text messages since the past few days. Mohamed says the callers, apparently a group of men from a family involved in the killing of Ahmad Mukhtar, a father of 12 kids,…

Denmark shuts links to Sweden and Germany as police hunt three in black Volvo

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish police briefly shut bridges and ferry links to Sweden and Germany on Friday as they widened their hunt for three people and a black Volvo in connection with a serious crime - a kidnapping according to Sweden's Aftonbladet newspaper - to include the whole country.

Former Ethiopia's Somali region president seeks pardon

The former president for Ethiopia's Somali region who was arrested on suspicion of gross human rights violations as well as instigating ethnic and religious violence has asked Ethiopia's new prime minister to pardon him. Security forces arrested Abdi Mohamed Omer, widely known as Abdi Iley a…

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