Somalia online

The Re-incarnation of SNM and Militia Mentality in Somaliland

2012-01-27T02:32:00.000-08:00

The Re-incarnation of SNM and Militia Mentality in Somaliland
By Nur H. Bahal
January 27, 2012

Nabad iyo Caano – an SNM slogan during the campaign

Since the inauguration of Kulmiye Party as the ruling party of Somaliland and Silanyo’s achievement of his long sought dream to manoeuvre himself into the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa, the reverberating undercurrents of rancour and grievances have progressively expanded to curb the peace and stability enjoyed by Somaliland. At the centre of the many premonitions about Kulmiye Party’s long dreaded policies is the reincarnation of unadulterated tribalism.

The party’s slogan tries to capture the imagination of its perspective voters through three simple words: Unity, Justice and Development – Midnimo, Caddaalad, Horumar. These are beautiful words but can be applied differentially across the spectrum of people in Somaliland. The practical execution of that slogan came to mean that some are more equal, deserve more justice and development than others just like the SNM slogan of the time meant peace and prosperity for “us” only. Silanyo’s government is a prime example of the preferential equality among the Isaq rather the equality of all of Somaliland people’s. But then even when it comes to the Isaq, some are still more equal then others – a perfect embodiment of the true nature of tribalism.

Kulmiye’s leadership promised to clean up corruption. However, it is widely understood today that what is being cleaned up is everyone but the supporters of Kulmiye. The multitudinous sub-rosa deals and favours bestowed upon the faithful financial supports of the President’s supporters and kinsmen speak volumes about the kind of cleanup he promised. Somaliland websites are replete with petitions from groups, cities and tribes all of which elucidate that it is time that Kulmiye party scratches the back of the stalwarts who financed its campaign. It all comes at the price but none is greater then the price of kinship.

Behind these underhanded deals presides a cabinet dominated by members from the Diaspora. The President’s much touted small government has two glaring flaws: it is mostly made of individuals from the Diaspora who lack pertinent knowledge of the social problems of their former home. Irrespective of their academic credentials, these, probably well meaning individuals, are disconnected from the practical problems of the society. Secondly, the unfiltered application of western policies regardless of the culture and ways prevalent in Somaliland creates distance between the society and the current cabinet. A perfect example is Kulmiye’s platform which is a carbon copy of the UK’s Labour Party platform. Granted that new ideas and ways are necessary to move a society forward, the blind application of these ideas into a system that does not relate to their society is a whole different cup of tea. Continued

Hogaamiyaha Kooxeedda Gooni goosatadda SNM oo Siyaasaddii iyo Dagaalkiiba lagaga Adkaaday,Ninkii Isaaq Xabad ugu nixi Waayay ma Dhulbahane ayuu uga Nixi

2012-01-27T01:33:00.001-08:00

Siilaanyo oo Gaadhi Dameer raba in Uu ku galo Magaaladda Buhuudle iyo Reer Buhuudle Oo ka diiday(Warning) digniin ah Ku Siiyay Sharci jabintaas:
Hogaamiyaha Kooxeedda Gooni goosatadda SNM oo Siyaasaddii iyo Dagaalkiiba lagaga Adkaaday :
BoocameOnline
“Soomaaliddu Waxay tiraahda Nin Cadhooday laga baddi” Waxaa Xaqiiqa ah in Siilaanyo Uu Ogaaday Siyaasadda Cusub Ee Degaanada SSC iyo Maamulkan Cusub Ee Khaatumo Soomaaliya inay Tahay Dhirbaaxaddii iyo Jabkii Siyaasadeed Ee Soo mara Jabhadda SNM ilaa iyo Intii ay Xoogga Ku Qabsadeen Goboladda Waqooyigga Soomaaliya.
Hadaba Siilaanyo Oo Shalayto Fariin Been Nabadeed Ku Baaqaqayay Ayaa Wuxuu la Soo Baxay Wajigiisii dhabta ahaa Ee Ahaa Issir Nacaybka iyo Soomali nacayb.

Ulajeedada Dagaaladdan:
Dagaalkan Foosha Xun Ee Xilligan Uu Kiciyay Siilaanyo Uma Muuqda Mid Marnaba u Keeni karo, Guul Siyaasadeed ama Wax Soomaaliland la Yiraahdo Wax ugu Hirgali karaan, Balse Waxaan Oran karnaa Waa Aargoosasho Qabiil iyo Naflacaarinimo.
Burburinta Maamulka Khaatumo;
Haddii ay SSC Dhashay Maamul Goboleedka Khaatumo Ee Soomaaliya, Siilaanyo, Miyuu Awooddi doonaa in Uu Burburiyo Maamul Goboleedka Khaatumo ? Haddii aan dib u eegno Siyaasaddii Ay Kula Dhaqmeen SSC, Waxay ahayd “ka dil hal doorka, nacaska iyo dibjirkana lacagsii” Waxaa laga Maarmaan in Dadka SSC in ay Ogaadaan Dagaalkani Yahay Mid Siddoo Kale la doonayo in Maamulka Cusub lagu Burburiyo, Waxaana laga Maarmaan Dad SSC ay ka Wada qayb qaatay Shirka Khaatumo, oo Wada Lahaa Go’aan Maamulka Khaatumo Cusub in ay Si Isku Mid ah U Wad Difaacaan Degaanka Iyo Maamulka.

Iskaashigga Siyaasadeed Ee Awdal,Khaatumo iyo Maakhir :
Waxaa Kale Oo Siilaanyo Wadnugu go’ay Markii ay Meel Walba oo ah Ha’adaha Ay Dawarsaddan Ee Caalamka laga dhigay Ashkato, Siddoo Kale Waxaa Maamil Walba God dheer ku Sii dhacaysa Ictiraafkii Ahaa Beenta ahaa God ku sii dhacaysa.

Ismaadaamin: Nin Isaaq U Nixi Waayay Dhulbahante Miyuu u Naxayaa?
Waxaa doonaayaa in dadka Degaanadda SSC ay Ogaadaan Dagaalka Siilaanyo in Uu Yahay Mid Ismiidaamin ah, “oo ah neef gowracan Geedkama Waabto”,Sidda ay Taariikhdu Digayso Siilaanyo Waa Ninki lahaa Fikir dadka badan ku Xasuuqmeen ee ahaa in Jabhadda SNM la Soo galiyo Magaalooyinka Shacabku Degaanaa Ee Hargaysa iyo Burco, Dagaalkaas oo ay Jabhaddii SNM Iyo Ciidanka Dowladda ay Ku Dhex dagaalmeen Magaalooyinkaas, Sababtaas oo ahayd Sababtii Shacab badan Uu ugu dhintay Dagaalka Magaalooyinkaas, Siddoo Kale Warbixintii Ay Human Rights ka Soo Saareen Ay Ku Eedeeyen Dhimashadda Shacabka SNM Iyo Ciidamaddii Dowladaba, Haddaba Waa Is Waydiin Mudan, Siilaanyo oo U Nixi Wayay Shacabkiisa, Miyuu ka naxayaa Maanta Shacabka Beesha Dhulbahante iyo Kuwa Uu Soo Marin Habaabiyay, jawaab Idinka ayaa leh..!!
Maxaa Xal ah:
Madaama Ninkani Siyaasaddii ka Foorarto oo uu Doonayo in Hab Dagaal-Aragagixo in uu ku Qabsaddo Degaanadda Kale Ee SSC uga dhiman, Waxaa Waajib in Dagaal kaga Nixin ah Meel Walba laga QaadoSiilaanyo Iyo Malayshiyaddiisa, oo aanan Weerarkoodda kaliya la sugan Ee Maal Walba Ay Ciidamadda Wadiniyiinta ah ka Weeraraan, Waxaa jirta Waxaa la Yiraahdo( Suprise Attack) oo Ay Caan ku Ahaayeen Ciidanka Aduunka Ugu Mintidsan Ee jabaanka,kaas oo kale Waa in Malayshiyaddan Meel Walba lagaga Qaado, Oo ay ka mid Magaalooyinka Maamulkan Cusub Samaystay oo ka mid tahay Lasanod ilaa Ceerigaabo, Si Ay Awoodiisa Ciidan Ee ku hayo Gobolka Cayn ay Ku Wiiqanto,Waxaan ka Codsanayna GollahaMadaxtooyadda Ee Dhinac Nugaalsha in Culays laga Saaro
Col: AL
Short URL: http://www.boocameonline.com/?p=24430

Taliye Ku Xigeenkii Ciidanka Itoobiya ee Hiiraan oo lagu dilay Weerarkii Beled Weyne.

2012-01-27T01:27:00.001-08:00

Written by Administrator on 26 January 2012.

Saxaafadda Islaamiga ah ayaa heshay qaar katirsan magacyada saraakiil Itoobiyaan ah oo dhawaan ku dhintay weerarkii Istish-haadiga ahaa ee ka dhacay magaalada Baladweyne.

Magaalada Jigjiga ee dhulka Soomaalida ee Itoobiya gumeysato ayaa lageeyay dhaawacyada saraakiil Itoobiyaan ah iyo meydadka ciidan badan oo ku waxyeeloobay camaliyaddii dhawaan ka dhacday Baladweyne.

Ku xigeenkii Taliyaha ciidanka Itoobiya ee magaalada Baladweyne iyo Gobolada dhexe ayaa laxaqiijiyay in uu ku dhintay weerarkii naftii hurnimo ee dhawaan ka dhacay Hiiraan.

Ninkan Gaalka ah ee dhintay darajadiisu waa Korneel waxaana lagu magacaabi jiray Torontos waxaa kale oo dhaawac halis ah gaaray madaxii saadka ciidanka Itoobiya ee Baladweyne.

Allaha ka aqbalee walaalkii weerarka Istish-haadiga ah ku fuliyay ciidanka Itoobiyaanka eea Baladweyne qabsaday ayaa waxbadan ka bedelay niyadda cadawga.

Somaliland oo Markii 2-aad ku fashilantay qabsashada Buuhoodle.

2012-01-27T01:26:00.001-08:00

Written by Administrator on 26 January 2012.

Ciidamada maamulka Somaliland ayaa maanta markale weerar kusoo qaaday degmada Buuhoodle ee gobolka Ceyn oo ay gacanta ku hayaan maleeshiya beeleed deegaanka ah.

Wararka ka imaanaya Buuhoodle ayaa xaqiijinaya in ciidanka Somaliland ay ku guul dareysteen qabsashada magaalada kadib markii ay iska caabin kala kulmeen dadka deegaanka.

Dagaalka oo ka dhacay duleedka Buuhoodle ayaa wejigii hore ee dagaalka lagusoo jebiyay maleeshiyaadka deegaanka balse gurmad ay heleen oo Dhabar jebin ku sameeyay ciidanka somaliland ayay ku guuleysteen in ay iska Eryaan ciidankii duulaanka kusoo qaaday.

Khasaara dhimasho iyo dhaawac ah ayaa lasoo sheegay in uu kala gaaray labada dhinac ee Buuhoodle ku dagaalamay, sarkaal u hadlay Jabhadda SSC ayaa sheegay in dhankooda ay iska difaaceen wax uu ugu yeeray Cadaw magac qabiil wata.

Maamulka Ashahaadda ladirirka Somaliland ayaa isna qiray in ciidankoodu weerar qaadeen balse waxay diideen in weerarkaasi looga gol-lahaa qabsashada magaalada Istiraatiijiga ah ee Buuhoodle

Bomb attacks in Musayyib and Kirkuk kill 13

2012-01-27T01:21:00.001-08:00

Three people were killed in an attack in the northern city of Kirkuk

Struggle for Iraq

Thirteen people have been killed in two separate bomb attacks in Iraq, officials have said.

Two brothers - both policeman - and at least eight of their relatives were reported to have been killed after insurgents bombed a house in Musayyib in the south of Baghdad.
Three people were also killed in Kirkuk in a separate bomb attack.
There has been a rise in attacks in Iraq since US troops left last month.
The Musayyib attack is said to have taken place at 0400 (0100 GMT), when several roadside bombs surrounding the house were detonated.
The dead police officers were named by AFP as Ahmed and Jihad Zuwaiyin. Six children are also believed to have been killed.
Many Shia Muslims live in the Musayyib area.
Previous bombs Four people were reported to be injured and six homes nearby were also damaged.
Police Brigadier General Adil Zain al-Abidine told AFP the attack in the northern city of Kirkuk was caused by a motorcycle bomb parked near a primary school in the city centre.
As well as the three fatalities, five others were also injured.
The violence has come amid a marked deterioration in Iraq's fragile political process.
On Tuesday, at least 13 people were killed and 62 wounded in four separate car bomb attacks in Shia districts of the capital, Baghdad.
Eight died when a bomb blew up close to day labourers waiting for jobs in Sadr City. Minutes later, a blast about 3km (1.9 miles) away killed another two.
Later, car bombs exploded in Shula and Hurriya, killing three.

Sudan and South Sudan leaders bid to defuse oil dispute

2012-01-27T01:20:00.001-08:00

South Sudan is an oil rich country but still has to use refineries and pipelines in Sudan

Sudan: Coping with divorce

The presidents of Sudan and South Sudan are to meet in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to discuss a dispute over transit fees for South Sudan's oil.

Since independence last July, South Sudan has been using Sudan's infrastructure to export its oil.
However, last week South Sudan said it was suspending oil production, accusing Sudan of "stealing" its oil.
Sudan says the south has not been paying transit fees and that it has taken the oil in lieu of payment.
The summit will bring together South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart - and old enemy - Omar al-Bashir.
'Oil war' A lot is riding on the summit as if South Sudan's threatened shutdown in oil production is completed, it would damage the already struggling economies of both countries, reports the BBC's James Copnall in Khartoum.
Some Sudanese newspapers are already calling the crisis the "oil war", he adds.
African Union mediators have said that Sudan and South Sudan are not far away from returning to actual conflict, he says.
On Wednesday the South Sudanese government announced a deal with Kenya to build an oil pipeline linking its oil fields to Kenya's Lamu port, potentially reducing its dependence on Sudan for exports.

Libyan detainees die after torture, says Amnesty International

2012-01-27T01:17:00.001-08:00

Rebels have reportedly been expelled from ex-Gaddafi stronghold Bani Walid

Libya Crisis

Several people have died after being tortured by militias in Libyan detention centres, human rights group Amnesty International has said.

It claimed to have seen patients in Tripoli, Misrata and Gheryan with open wounds to their head, limbs and back.
Meanwhile, charity Medecins Sans Frontieres has suspended operations in Misrata after treating 115 patients with torture-related wounds.
The UN says it is concerned about the conditions in which patients are held.
"The torture is being carried out by officially recognised military and security entities as well as by a multitude of armed militias operating outside any legal framework," a spokesman for London-based Amnesty said.
'Exploited' "After all the promises to get detention centres under control, it is horrifying to find that there has been no progress to stop the use of torture," Donatella Rovera, from the charity, said.

Medecins Sans Frontieres said it was being "exploited" as some patients were being brought to them between interrogation sessions.
"Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions," said general director Christopher Stokes.
More than 8,500 detainees, most of them accused of being loyal to former Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, are being held by militia groups in about 60 centres, according to UN human rights chief Navi Pillay.

Analysis

Caroline Hawley BBC News

In a detention facility in Misrata late last year, I met a man with deep scars all over his back. He had been whipped with electric cables shortly after his capture, on simple suspicion of supporting Muammar al-Gaddafi. In another prison, in Tripoli, a former pilot showed me the results of electric shocks on his arm.
Libyan officials have repeatedly promised to tackle the abuses which, in October, Amnesty International warned were "staining" the record of the new Libya.
But the stain is spreading. The experience of Medecins Sans Frontieres in Misrata - and of Amnesty International - suggests that torture is becoming more entrenched. The government can no longer claim that it is the work of rogue militias, and international concern is growing.
This is not the new page for human rights that many had hoped for in Libya.

"The lack of oversight by the central authority creates an environment conducive to torture and ill treatment," she said.

"My staff have received alarming reports that this is happening in places of detention they have visited."
Fighting between armed groups is continuing in parts of Libya, three months after the official end of the revolution that ousted Col Gaddafi.
At least four people were killed in the town of Bani Walid on Monday but it is unclear whether the clashes were between rival militias or local militia and remnants of forces loyal to Col Gaddafi.
Libya's interim leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil has warned of the dangers of a civil war if militias are not disarmed.
As the country continues its transition from civil war to stable democracy, the government wants to replace the different armed groups with a national army and police.
Col Gaddafi was killed in his home town of Sirte in October 2011, some 42 years after seizing power in a bloodless coup.

Indigenous leaders criticise 'disrespect' to Gillard

2012-01-27T01:16:00.002-08:00

The BBC's Duncan Kennedy: "Ms Gillard was grabbed by her bodyguard, literally racing her along the ground"

Indigenous leaders in Australia have condemned "disrespect" shown to Prime Minister Julia Gillard at a protest.

She and opposition leader Tony Abbott had to be rescued by riot police after angry protesters surrounded them at a restaurant in Canberra on Thursday.
Ms Gillard, dragged by her bodyguard, stumbled and lost a shoe in a dramatic rush to her car.
Supporters of the city's Aboriginal Tent Embassy were apparently angered by comments Mr Abbott had made earlier.
He had questioned the relevance of the camp in a TV interview, in light of current plans to recognise indigenous people in the country's constitution. The protesters saw the remarks as suggesting that it was time for the camp to come down.
On Friday, a group of more than 200 activists marched on Parliament House, blocking a main road in the capital, chanting "always has been always will be Aboriginal land", Australian media reports.
Police retreated as the protesters approached and stopped outside the front door. Some in the group burnt the Australian flag to loud cheers. They marched away after about an hour.
Comments 'misinterpreted' Indigenous leaders expressed shock at the incident on Thursday and ''disrespect'' shown to the prime minister.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott says his comments have been "misinterpreted"

"While we need to acknowledge that there's a real anger, frustration and hurt that exists in some indigenous communities around Australia, we must not give in to aggressive and disrespectful actions ourselves," Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda told ABC radio.
Another indigenous leader, Warren Mundine, called for those responsible to ''feel the full force of the law''.
"No human being, let alone the prime minister of this country, should be treated in such a way," said the former president of the Australian Labor Party.
On Friday, Mr Abbott defended his comments as "perfectly reasonable" and said they were misinterpreted - he did not say the camp should be taken down.
''I never said that and I don't think that," he said. "I ask you please, I ask you very respectfully, judge me by what I said.''
The tent embassy was established in 1972 by four men as a protest against the prime minister of the time's refusal to acknowledge indigenous land rights.
Supporters had gathered for a three-day Corroborree for Sovereignty to mark the 40th anniversary.
About 200 angry protesters surrounded the Lobby restaurant, banging on the glass and chanting ''racist'' and ''shame''. Riot police were called to escort Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott out.
Speaking at an Australia Day function at her official residence after the incident, Ms Gillard said she was fine.
"I am made of pretty tough stuff and the police did a great job."
On Friday, Tent Embassy spokesman Mark McMurtrie hit out at police on ABC News Breakfast.
"The only violence you can see came from the police, so don't say it was a violent protest, it was a violent reaction to the protest," he said.
"We went there to ask her [the prime minister] and Mr Abbott to come down and speak to us, that's all we went there for. We went there [peacefully].''
An indigenous leader, Chris Graham of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, told ABC that ''an offer has also been made for the prime minister to come to the embassy to collect her shoe''.

Battered baby fighting for life in India hospital

2012-01-27T01:16:00.000-08:00

A battered two-year-old baby girl admitted to a hospital in the Indian capital, Delhi, by a teenage girl is in a critical condition.

Police have begun an investigation to find out how the baby came to be so severely assaulted.
Doctors say she has serious injuries, including human bite marks all over her body, broken arms and a partially smashed head.
The case has caused outrage in the city.
Doctors treating the baby at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences say they are "yet to come across this degree of abuse of such a small child".
"The baby is on a ventilator and is very sick. She is being constantly monitored by a team of doctors," Dr MC Misra of the hospital's trauma centre told reporters.
"She has suffered from three cardiac arrests, has bite injuries on her face, and her brain status is poor."
Doctors treating the baby say she has a "50% chance of survival" and they had never seen "such cruelty" inflicted on a baby.
A teenage girl brought the baby to the hospital last week but it is not clear whether she is the mother.

Iran border guards 'kill six Pakistanis' .

2012-01-27T01:14:00.001-08:00

At least six Pakistanis have been shot dead and two others wounded by Iranian border guards after they crossed the border, Pakistani officials say.

Officials say the incident occurred on Thursday on the Iranian side of the border close to Pakistan's south-western Balochistan province.
The wounded men and the corpses of the six others are yet to be handed over to the Pakistani authorities.
Reports say the men were livestock traders.
"Six of them were killed in firing by Iranian border forces and two others were wounded," local police official, Mujeebur Rehman, in the port town of Gwadar told the AFP news agency.
Earlier this month, Pakistani police detained three Iranian border guards after they allegedly crossed the border, and opened fire, killing one Pakistani man in a car they had been chasing.

Spain's unemployment total passes five million

2012-01-27T01:13:00.001-08:00

The jobless figures follow a day of protests across Spain against unemployment and austerity measures

Global Economy

Spain's unemployment figure passed the five million mark in the last quarter of 2011, official figures show.

The National Statistics Institute said 5.3 million people were out of work at the end of December, up from 4.9 million in the third quarter.
The rate rose from 21.5% in the third quarter to 22.8% - the highest rate in nearly 17 years.
Spain already has the highest jobless rate in the 17-nation eurozone and is expected to slide back into recession.
The figure is below the 5.4 million estimated by the Spanish finance minister on Thursday.
Spain's new ruling Popular Party conservative government has pledged labour reforms to try to halt further unemployment.
On Thursday, public service employees staged a series of demonstrations across Spain to protest against unemployment and increasing austerity measures.

Cocaine seized at UN headquarters in New York

2012-01-27T01:12:00.001-08:00

The cocaine arrived at the UN building's mailroom, police said

A bag containing 16kg (35.5lb) of cocaine was found at the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, police have said.

The drugs were in a bag printed with a version of the UN symbol which arrived at the organisation's mailroom, setting off a security alert.
Spokesman Paul Browne said they seemed to have been delivered by accident.
There was no name or address on the shipment sent from Mexico City through Cincinnati, he added.
The white bag raised suspicions when it was being scanned because a poor imitation of a UN logo had been stamped on it, apparently in an attempt to pass it off as official baggage.
Inside the bag, the drug was hidden in hollowed-out notebooks, UN undersecretary-general for safety and security, Gregory Starr, told reporters.
"In my humble opinion this was the work of narcotics traffickers that were trying to ship something into the United States and their plan must have gone wrong," Mr Starr was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told AP news agency that neither the UN nor anyone located at its headquarters was the intended recipient of the shipment.

Saudi warns of Mideast nuclear race

2012-01-27T01:11:00.001-08:00

26/01/2012

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — An influential member of the Saudi royal family warned Wednesday that unless the Middle East becomes a nuclear weapon-free zone, a nuclear arms race is inevitable and could include his own country, Iraq, Egypt and even Turkey.
Prince Turki Al Faisal said the five permanent U.N. Security Council members should guarantee a nuclear security umbrella for Mideast countries that join a nuclear-free zone — and impose "military sanctions" against countries seen to be developing nuclear weapons.
"I think that's a better way of going at this issue of nuclear enrichment of uranium, or preventing Iran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction," the former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the U.S. and Britain said in an interview with The Associated Press. "If it goes that route, I think it's a much more equitable procedure than what has been happening in the last 10 years or so."
Turki said establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone "deserves everybody's attention and energy, more so than other activities which we see unfolding, whether it is redeployment of fleets in the area, whether Iranian or American or British or French, whether it is the sanctions efforts against Iran."
The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran, mainly targeting its defense and nuclear establishment, but Tehran has refused to suspend uranium enrichment and enter negotiations on its nuclear activities. It maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, aimed solely at producing nuclear energy, but the U.S. and many European nations believe Iran's goal is to produce nuclear weapons.
Turki's proposal could impose sanctions against Iran if there is evidence it is pursuing weapons of mass destruction, which include nuclear as well as chemical and biological weapons. But it could also put Israel under sanctions if it doesn't come clean on its suspected nuclear arsenal.
Israel is widely believed to have an arsenal of hundreds of nuclear weapons but has avoided confirming or denying their existence.
An Arab proposal for a weapons of mass destruction-free zone was initially endorsed by the 1995 conference reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, but never acted on.
In May 2010, the 189 member nations that are party to the NPT called for convening a conference in 2012. Last October, the U.N., U.S., Russia and Britain announced that Finland will host the conference this year.
Israel is not a party to the NPT and has long said a full Arab-Israeli peace must precede such weapons bans. But at the 2010 NPT review conference, the United States, Israel's most important ally, said it welcomed "practical measures" leading toward the goal of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.
It remains unclear, however, whether the U.S. or veteran Finnish diplomat Jaakko Laajava, who is serving as "facilitator" of this year's conference, can persuade Israel to attend.
Turki said his answer to American and British diplomats who say Israel won't accept a nuclear weapons-free zone is "So what?"
He said the five permanent members should make an announcement on the establishment of a Mideast zone free of weapons of mass destruction, or WMD, at this year's conference in Finland.
Turki cautioned, however, that actually establishing a WMD-free zone will take negotiations in which all the underlying issues in the region, from the establishment of a Palestinian state to the future of the Golan Heights, "will have to be dealt with to make the zone workable."
"So there are incentives there for everybody to be serious about establishing an overall peace so the zone can be put in place," he said.
Turki warned that if there is no WMD-free zone in the Mideast, "inevitably" there is going to be a nuclear arms race "and that's not going to be in the favor of anybody."
The Gulf States are committed not to acquire WMD, he said. "But we're not the only players in town. You have Turkey. You have Iraq which has a track record of wanting to go nuclear. You have Egypt. They had a very vibrant nuclear energy program from the 1960s. You have Syria. You have other players in the area that could open Pandora's box."
Asked whether Saudi Arabia would maintain its commitment against acquiring WMD, Turki said: "What I suggest for Saudi Arabia and for the other Gulf states ... is that we must study carefully all the options, including the option of acquiring weapons of mass destruction. We can't simply leave it for somebody else to decide for us.

UN council could vote on new Syria draft next week

2012-01-27T01:10:00.001-08:00

26/01/2012

Ant-Syrian regime protesters wave Syrian revolution flags and shout slogans during a demonstration against Syrian President Bashar Assad, at Bayada area in Homs province, central Syria. (AP)

A Syrian army defector, takes his position as he holds his launcher of a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG during a patrol in Homs province, central Syria. (AP)

Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Walid Moallem during a meeting with the General Mohammad Mustafa Ahmed al-Dabi , President of the Observer Mission of the Arab League in Damascus, Syria.(SANA)

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council could vote as early as next week on a Western-Arab draft resolution endorsing the Arab League's call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer powers to his deputy, council diplomats said on Wednesday.It remains unclear whether Russia - which together with China vetoed a European-drafted resolution in October that condemned Syria and threatened it with sanctions over its 10-month crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators - is prepared to wield its veto powers once again to block council action on Syria.
European and U.S. delegations have been working with Qatar and the Arab Security Council member, Morocco, on a new draft resolution. The text, obtained by Reuters, urges council support for a "political transition" in Syria, where government forces have killed thousands of demonstrators inspired by Arab Spring uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa.
"We hope to push forward with that in the Security Council quite quickly," a senior Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
The new draft will replace a Russian text, which Western diplomats say is too weak and no longer relevant in light of the Arab League call for Assad to hand power to his deputy.
Diplomats said they would like to put the new draft resolution to a vote next week. There is also a question of when Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby and Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who heads the organization's Syria committee, will brief the council, as the two requested in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
That letter, also obtained by Reuters, calls for a special ministerial level meeting of the 15-nation council on Syria.
One council diplomat said the League proposed holding that meeting on Feb. 8, though Western delegations would like to hold it sooner, using video conferencing technology if necessary.
"What we don't want to do is just do nothing in the Security Council until the eighth (of February)," the senior diplomat said. Another diplomat said the council would be discussing the timing of the Arab League briefing on Wednesday behind closed doors after consultations on Libya.
'POLITICAL TRANSITION'
The Arab League's new plan agreed to at the weekend calls on Assad to transfer power to his deputy and allow the formation of a unity government.
The draft resolution says the council "supports ... the League of Arab States' initiative ... to facilitate a political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system ... including through the transfer of power from the President and transparent and free elections under Arab and international supervision."
It makes no mention of sanctions and appears to fall short of making compliance with the Arab League plan legally binding. But it does ask Ban to report to the council every 15 days on Syria's compliance with the terms of the resolution, which would formally put it on the council's agenda.
Russia has repeatedly said it does not want Syria to become another Libya, where Moscow contends that NATO misused its Security Council mandate to protect civilians as a vehicle for "regime change."
But Western diplomats said that Russia might find it difficult to use its veto against a resolution that is simply intended to provide support for the Arab League.
Russia and China have expressed interest in having the head of an Arab League monitoring mission in Syria, Sudanese General Mohammed al-Dabi, brief the council as well. Dabi said the level of violence had fallen since the mission arrived in Syria in late December, an assertion contested by Assad's opponents.
Western diplomats, however, said there was no need to have Dabi brief the council and rejected the idea.
The fate of the League's 165-strong monitoring team was thrown into doubt on Tuesday when Gulf Arab states began withdrawing 55 of their monitors, saying they had failed to stem the violence.

Sudan to treat southerners as foreigners from April

2012-01-27T01:09:00.000-08:00

Publish Date: Jan 27, 2012

KHARTOUM - Sudan will treat South Sudanese as foreigners from April, state media said on Thursday, adding to uncertainty over the fate of 700,000 southerners living in the north six months after independence.
South Sudan became Africa's newest nation in July after a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war of the mainly Muslim north and the South where most follow Christian and traditional beliefs.
More than 350,000 southerners have gone home since October 2010 after living in the north for decades but some 700,000 southerners still live in the north, according to the United Nations.
Sudan's cabinet said it would treat southerners as foreigners from April 8, state news agency SUNA said. They would have to get residency or work permits after that, officials have said.
The United Nations has warned southerners will face legal uncertainties in the north because Juba has not yet opened an embassy that can issue passports.
Not all southerners will have left by April. Many say they want to go home but others hope to stay since they have jobs and fear unemployment in the poverty-stricken south.
(Reporting by Ulf Laessing)

Arms from Libya could reach Boko Haram, al Qaeda -UN

2012-01-27T01:08:00.001-08:00

Publish Date: Jan 27, 2012

UNITED NATIONS - The Libyan civil war may have given militant groups in Africa's Sahel region like Boko Haram and al Qaeda access to large weapons caches, according to a U.N. report released on Thursday.
The report on the impact of the Libyan civil war on countries of the Sahel region that straddle the Sahara - including Nigeria, Niger and Chad - also says some national authorities believe the Islamist sect Boko Haram has increasing links to al Qaeda's North African wing. Boko Haram killed more than 500 people last year and more than 250 this year in Nigeria.
The U.N. Security Council met to discuss the report, which was prepared by a U.N. assessment team that met with officials from countries in the region. The discussion highlighted the deep divisions between Western powers and Russia over NATO's intervention in the North African oil-producing state.
"The governments of the countries visited indicated that, in spite of efforts to control their borders, large quantities of weapons and ammunition from Libyan stockpiles were smuggled into the Sahel region," the report said.
Such weapons include "rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns with anti-aircraft visors, automatic rifles, ammunition, grenades, explosives (Semtex), and light anti-aircraft artillery (light calibre bi-tubes) mounted on vehicles," it said.
More advanced weapons such as surface-to-air-missiles and man-portable air defense systems, known as MANPADS, also may have reached groups in the region, the report said.
U.N. special envoy to Libya Ian Martin, however, has told the Security Council that Libya's missing stocks of MANPADS have largely remained inside the country.
The report said some countries believe weapons have been smuggled into the Sahel by former fighters in Libya - Libyan army regulars and mercenaries who fought on behalf of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was ousted and killed by rebels.
Some of the countries told the assessment team that they had registered an increase in arms trade across West Africa.
"Some of the weapons may be hidden in the desert and could be sold to terrorist groups like al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Boko Haram or other criminal organizations," the U.N. report said.
'Uncontroalled spread of weapons'
Lynn Pascoe, U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs, told the Security Council that the new Libyan government insists many of the problems related to weapons and the Sahel originated when Gaddafi was still in power.
"Some of the problems are directly related to the fall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya but the nation's interlocutors emphasize that most of the problems are long-standing ones," he said.
British, French and U.S. envoys echoed the Libyan view that the problems existed long before the civil war.
Russia, which has criticized the toppling of Gaddafi and accused NATO of using a U.N. mandate to protect civilians in Libya as a springboard for regime change, said the U.N. report highlighted problems unleashed by NATO's intervention in Libya.
Russian envoy Alexander Pankin said the U.N. report confirmed that the "real consequences of the Libyan crisis, the real scope of which is only beginning to come to light, are a serious threat to security and stability in the entire region."
He said Moscow was especially concerned about "the uncontrolled spread of weapons in Libya and beyond its border."
The U.N. report said Nigeria was not the only country worried about the activities of Boko Haram. It said the group also was in Niger, adding that some governments believed Boko Haram members from Nigeria and Chad had received training at al Qaeda training camps in Mali in 2011.
"Although Boko Haram has concentrated its terrorist acts inside Nigeria, seven of its members were arrested while transiting through the Niger to Mali," it said, adding that they possessed documents about explosives manufacturing, propaganda leaflets and contact details for known al Qaeda members.
Links between al Qaeda and Boko Haram have become "a growing source of concern for the countries of the region," it said. (Reporting By Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Bill Trott)

Kabaka's baby: Real mother unveiled

2012-01-27T01:07:00.000-08:00

Publish Date: Jan 27, 2012

Rose Namisango Nansikombi and her husband on her wedding day"On the evening of Tuesday January 24, 2012, I authorised the publication of a photograph of a woman, who the editorial team believed at the time to be the mother of the recently revealed Prince Richard Ssemakookiro of Buganda.

"I have every reason to believe that the team exercised sufficient editorial measures in its work. This picture was published in our newspapers and television channels on Wednesday January 25, 2012.It has since been disclosed that the picture is not that of Ssemakookiro’s mother. Clearly, we got it wrong.

"I apologise to our audi-ences across the country for the mistake and regret any inconvenience caused to the woman in the picture. This was an error of judgement for which I take full respon-sibility,” Vision Group’s CEO, Robert Kabushenga, said in a statement yesterday.

"Meanwhile, a woman, who identified herself as Barbara Patience Kirabo, on Thursday called a press conference at which she claimed that it was her photograph New Vision published on Wednesday in relation to Rose Nansikombi, the mother of Kabaka’s baby Prince Richard Ssemakookiro.

But Kirabo, who said she is 20 years old and a mother of one, said she was not Nan-sikombi, the mother of Prince Ssemakookiro.In another development, Nansikombi’s family sources yesterday availed New Vision her photograph that was taken in 1999 when she was a girl. The sources said Nansikombi is also known as Namisango

The silence over gay footballers

2012-01-27T01:04:00.001-08:00

In today's Magazine

There are currently around 5,000 professional footballers in Britain, but none are openly gay. Amal Fashanu, niece of Justin Fashanu, asks why no gay player has followed in her uncle's boots in nearly 25 years.

My late uncle, Justin Fashanu remains the only professional footballer in Britain ever to come out publicly as gay.
Justin broke into football as a teenage prodigy at Norwich. In 1980 he won the BBC's goal of the season award for an incredible strike against Liverpool. I still feel a surge of family pride every time I watch it.
It's the casual celebration which always gets me. That was Justin. Effortlessly talented, effortlessly stylish, if a touch cocky.
But what I learned about Justin is that, sadly, "that goal" marked the high point of his career.
He was catapulted to fame, when Nottingham Forest paid a million pound-transfer fee to Norwich. But it was largely downhill from there.
Forest's manager, the famous Brian Clough - or in my family the infamous - took a disliking to Justin.
In his autobiography, Clough recounts the confrontation he had with Justin over rumours about frequenting gay clubs in Nottingham:
"'Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?' I asked him. 'A baker's, I suppose.' 'Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?' 'A butcher's.' 'So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?'"
Those were the typical attitudes Justin faced in his profession, and very little had changed by the time he took the momentous decision to come out publicly a decade later in 1990.

Justin Fashanu

Justin Fashanu was brought up by foster parents and the children's charity Barnardo's
Signed to Norwich City at the age of 14, by his late teens he had risen to the first team
In the early 1980s, he was a rising star at Norwich City and scored a famous goal against Liverpool
At Norwich he made it to the England B team
In 1981 he became the first black player to command a £1m transfer fee
Came out as gay in 1990
Accused of sexual assault in 1998 while in US
Took his own life soon afterwards

These prejudices he had to endure saddened, rather than shocked, me. But what I did find surprising was the slow pace of change within football since my uncle's courageous step into the limelight.

I learned Justin was no angel, but he genuinely believed he was setting an example to other players facing discrimination. Sadly, it's an example no other gay player has felt able to follow in nearly 25 years.
Why? Several reasons, I discovered. Matt Lucas, comedian, avid Arsenal supporter and one of Britain's best known gay football fans, shocked me with his description of the homophobia still prevalent on the terraces.
But I learned it's not simply a case of the terraces frightening a gay player from coming forward. Max Clifford, the celebrity PR guru, pinpointed the role of agents and their perception that an openly gay player would be a weak commodity in the transfer market.
"If by their star coming out, it's going to affect their earnings, then they won't want them to do it," says Clifford.
Clifford also told me he had been approached by gay and bisexual Premiership players, terrified that their sexuality would come out and petrified that this would mean the end of their careers.

'Footballers are afraid to come out,' says Max Clifford

Joey Barton, Queen's Park Rangers outspoken captain, feels close to the issue as his father's youngest brother initially hid his homosexuality. Barton highlighted "archaic figures" in management positions as an obstacle to gay players.
Former basketball star turned gay rights campaigner John Amaechi went even further.
"Football is clearly not that comfortable with women in board rooms. They're clearly not that comfortable with black people in management positions. And so, when it comes to gay people, that just blows their mind," said Amaechi.

Find out more

Britain's Gay Footballers will be broadcast on Monday 30 January at 21:00 GMT on BBC Three

Or catch up later via iPlayer

But there were some definite chinks of light. I encountered determined campaigners for change, like the Gay Football Supporters' Network, which has been trying to fight homophobia in the game for many years.

Other organisations, like Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card and the Professional Footballers' Association, have also added homophobia to their anti-discrimination agenda in recent times.
The Football Association, the game's main governing body and so often the target for criticism over its shortcomings and failings, are about to launch a four-year plan aimed at encouraging more gay players to participate at grassroots level.
Barton was adamant that within the next 10 years there will be an openly gay footballer in the professional game.
However, I was left with the overwhelming feeling that progress has moved at a snail's pace since Justin's era. As someone from a different generation, who works in fashion with gay colleagues on a regular basis, I found this particularly hard to comprehend.
As well as being a great eye opener here, my research allowed me to close a very difficult chapter in my family life, which has always bothered me. By the time Justin came out publicly, his relationship with my dad, John Fashanu had broken down.
My dad was upset that Justin had not at least consulted him before taking this step. When Justin later took his own life in 1998, following unfounded allegations of sexual assault in the US, it was shattering for my dad and family.

John Fashanu (r) played for Wimbledon and Aston Villa

I think as a 10-year-old my family, rightly, tried to protect me. But I was deeply upset by watching a documentary about Justin's life made shortly after he killed himself and discovering how my dad reacted in the media to Justin coming out.
He said his brother would have to "suffer the consequences" and that he "wouldn't like to play or even get changed in the vicinity of him". I also heard for the first time the message that Justin left in which he said he felt abandoned and alone.
Reliving that terrible time just made me wish I had been old enough back then to be there for Justin. I'm not saying I could have changed everything but I think he only needed that one family member or someone close to help. He shouldn't have ever felt alone and I think that's what most distressed me.
I spoke to my dad about his reaction at the time and asked him whether he would now have changed any of his actions.
"I'm not homophobic and I never had been, but at the time I was certainly cross with my brother," said my dad.
"I sleep at night wondering all the time, could I have done more and I keep coming up with the answer, yes I could have done more. Does that console me? No. We've cried for nearly two decades for Justin, it's enough."
I think I've come to realise myself that maybe Justin wasn't the perfect person that I had painted when I was 10 years old, and maybe he did do some things that upset our family. But having said that I still don't excuse my dad for disowning his brother publicly.
My uncle's death and this family episode were tragic. But this should never disguise that Justin was proud to be who he was and proud to have been a pioneer.

Irene Lawless death in Llanllwni: man charged with rape and murder

2012-01-27T01:03:00.001-08:00

Irene Lawless was described as 'well liked and independent'

Police investigating the death of a Carmarthenshire woman at her home have charged a man with her rape and murder.

The body of grandmother Irene Lawless, 67, was found in Llanllwni on Monday.
Darren Martin Jackson, 26, from Kent, was arrested on Tuesday, and will appear at Llanelli magistrates court later on Friday.
Two other men arrested in connection with assisting an offender have been released on bail. Dyfed-Powys Police are urging witnesses to come forward.
Dyfed-Powys Police said: "Police can confirm they have charged Darren Martin Jackson, 26, with the murder and rape of Irene Lawless.
"Det Supt Pam Kelly would like to thank the small community of Llanllwni for their patience and support during this investigation."
Ms Lawless, who lived alone, was described locally as a "well-liked and independent lady".
She had lived on the Bryndulais estate for many years.
Her son Jason described her as "a loving mother and grandmother, a really peaceful person who loved the garden, animals and her paintings

Stockport headless murder victim named as John Grainger

2012-01-27T01:01:00.001-08:00

John Grainger was 32 and lived in Stockport

A man found decapitated in Stockport has been identified as police continue to question two men arrested on suspicion of murder.

The burnt body of John Grainger, 32, from Stockport, was discovered by fire crews tackling a blaze at 05:10 GMT on Thursday. His head was found nearby.
The men being held had been arrested on suspicion of possessing shotgun cartridges before the body was found.
Police said post mortem tests to establish cause of death were ongoing.
Mr Grainger's body was found in Wellington Street by firefighters on a verge opposite the Gala Casino, not far from Stockport Magistrates' Court.
Supt Pete Matthews from Greater Manchester Police said: "Our thoughts are with John's family at this tragic time, as they try to come to terms with the loss of their loved one.
"We have a team of dedicated detectives who are working hard to establish the exact circumstances surrounding John's death, so we can provide his family with some much-needed answers.
"We will be continuing with our inquiries and speaking to local residents.

The crime scene close to Stockport Magistrates' Court was cordoned off

"We also have extra officers in the area to offer reassurance and assist with the investigation.
"People in the community are in shock at what has happened and I would encourage anyone with any information to contact the police."
Mr Matthews had earlier said police were "keeping an open mind and looking at every line of inquiry".
The two arrested men are aged 29 and 31.
Police have said they do not believe the death was gang-related.

aime Winstone warns people about oral sex cancer risk

2012-01-27T00:29:00.001-08:00

Jaime Winstone on why she's highlighting the HPV vaccine

Actress Jaime Winstone is warning young people about the risk of getting cancer through oral sex and is promoting a vaccine which can prevent it.

In a new BBC Three documentary the 25-year-old looks at the issue and what young people can do to make themselves safer.
The latest figures from the National Cancer Intelligence Network suggest there are around 800 cases of human papillomavirus (HPV) related oral cancer a year in the UK, with the majority of cases diagnosed in men.
Newsbeat asked Professor Margaret Stanley from the department of pathology at the University of Cambridge about the facts behind HPV and oral cancer.

What is HPV?

HPV is a very common virus. There are more than 100 types.
The virus lives on our skin or in skin like areas so it can be found in the mouth, genital areas and anus.
Lots of people are infected with HPV, including the strains which can cause cancer, and often our immune systems will just naturally protect us from the virus and prevent it from developing into something more serious.
However, some people have immune systems which for whatever reason can't treat the virus and this can lead to it changing cells in the body which in turn may lead cancer.

What is HPV related oral cancer?

HPV related oral cancer affects the throat and is often diagnosed in the tongue or tonsils.

How can you get it?

HPV can be passed by skin to skin and genital contact.
It is most often passed during vaginal and anal sex. However, as HPV can live in your mouth, anus and genital areas it can be passed through oral sex.
There are two types or strains of HPV which are most likely to cause cancer - HPV-16 and HPV-18.
HPV-16 is thought to be responsible for around 60% of cervical cancers, 80% of cancers in the anus and 60% of oral cancers.
Doctors cannot control the virus and can't predict if people will get the virus.
However, if you have a lot of sexual partners you are more likely to be infected with HPV and if your immune system cannot naturally get rid of the virus it can put you at risk.

How do you prevent it?

By having the HPV vaccine or changing your sexual behaviour.
Realistically doctors acknowledge that people will have oral sex.
If you have a normal amount of partners the risk of HPV developing into something like cancer would not be as high as someone who had an extremely large number of partners.

Can you get a vaccine?

The government vaccinates young women aged 12 to 13 against HPV.
The vaccine involves three injections over six months and can be given to people before they get infected.
Professor Stanley thinks the vaccine should be available to both men and women as many doctors believe the vaccine will offer protect to both sexes from HPV related cancers.
However, in the documentary David Salisbury, Director of Immunisation, said the government had no current plans to extend the scheme.
He asked whether there was enough evidence to suggest that vaccinating thousands of boys a year would be cost effective.
The vaccine is available for men or older women but you would have to pay for it privately.

Does the vaccine protect you from getting it?

The way the vaccine works is that it builds a person's immunity to the two main cancer causing strains, HPV-16 and HPV-18.
Both strains can be prevented by having the HPV vaccine. The vaccine means the virus can not get into cells and change them.

Is there a cure?

No. You can only prevent HPV related oral cancer by either by having the vaccine or by changing your sexual behaviour.
However, doctors say HPV related oral cancers respond better to treatment than any other types of cancer in the throat, head and neck.
Jaime Winstone decided to take part in the film after a close friend died from colon cancer, which made her want to find out more about different types of cancer and how young people can protect themselves better.

Autism: Brainwaves 'show risk from age of six months'

2012-01-27T00:28:00.001-08:00

By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

Spotting autism earlier can help with treatment, it is believed

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, according to an international team of researchers.

A study published in Current Biology identified differences in infants' brainwaves from as early as six months.
Behavioural symptoms of autism typically develop between a child's first and second birthdays.
Autism charities said identifying the disorder at an earlier stage could help with treatment.
It is thought that one in every 100 children has an autism spectrum disorder in the UK. It affects more boys than girls. While there is no "cure", education and behavioural programmes can help.
One of the researchers, Prof Mark Johnson from Birkbeck College, University of London, told the BBC: "The prevailing view is that if we are able to intervene before the onset of full symptoms, such as a training programme, at least in some cases we can maybe alleviate full symptoms."

“Start Quote

Ultimately, the earlier we can identify autism and provide early intervention, the better the outcomes will be”

Christine Swabey Autistica

His team looked for the earliest signs of autism in 104 children aged between six and 10 months. Half were known to be at risk of the disorder because they had on older sibling who had been diagnosed with autism. The rest were low risk.

Older children with autism can show a lack of eye contact, so the babies were shown pictures of people's faces that switched between looking at or away from the baby.
Sensors attached to the scalp looked for differences in brain activity.
In low-risk babies, or high-risk babies that did not develop autism, there was a large difference in the brainwaves when looking at each type of image.
There was a much smaller difference in the brainwaves of babies who developed autism.
'Very effective' Prof Johnson said: "It is important to note it is not a 100% predictor. We had babies who flagged up warning signs who did not develop autism."

Autism symptoms

Repetitive behaviour and resistance to changes in routine
Obsessions with particular objects or routines
Poor co-ordination
Difficulties with fine movement control (especially in Asperger syndrome)
Absence of normal facial expression and body language
Lack of eye contact
Tendency to spend time alone, with very few friends
Lack of imaginative play

BBC Health: Autism

There were also babies who did develop autism who had low-risk brainwaves. The test would need to be more accurate before it was used routinely.

Prof Tony Charman, Centre for Research in Autism and Education at the Institute of Education, said: "Differences in the use of eye gaze to regulate social interaction are already a well-recognised early feature in many children with autism from the second year of life.
"Future studies will be required to determine whether measurements of brain function such as those used in our study might one day play a role in helping to identify children at an even earlier age."
Christine Swabey from the charity Autistica said: "The hope is that this important research will lead to improved identification and access to services for future generations.
"Ultimately, the earlier we can identify autism and provide early intervention, the better the outcomes will be."
Dr Georgina Gomez-de-la-Cuesta from the National Autistic Society said: "Further research to investigate these differences will eventually lead to earlier recognition of the condition.
"Early intervention is very effective in supporting those with autism, so recognition in infancy can only be beneficial in helping individuals with autism reach their full potential.
"However, this important research is still in its early stages, and larger studies looking at several early markers of autism will be necessary before a robust clinical diagnosis could be possible at such a young age."

London 2012: Olympic Village handed over to organisers

2012-01-27T00:27:00.000-08:00

The BBC's Tim Muffett had a look inside the athletes' apartments

London 2012 organisers are to take control of the Olympic Village site in a ceremony marking six months until the start of the Games.

The village's 2,818 flats will now be fitted out to cater for 16,000 athletes and officials from 200 countries.
As well as 64,000 bed sheets, the village will need 11,000 sofas, 170,000 coat hangers and 5,000 toilet brushes.
Later on Friday, organisers are to reveal the first details of the Games' opening and closing ceremonies.
Games organisers Locog have put together a creative team of British talent to oversee the events, with Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle as artistic director for the Olympics opening ceremony and Take That's creative director Kim Gavin as artistic director for the Olympic and Paralympic closing ceremonies.
Mr Boyle and the opening ceremony's executive producer Stephen Daldry are expected to talk about the task of putting on a show with a 20,000 strong cast.
Meanwhile, Martin Green, Locog's Head of Ceremonies, has told the BBC it was not the organisers' intention to keep details of the ceremony a closely kept secret.
60,000 meals "We want the country to be engaged with it," he told BBC East's London 2012 correspondent Shaun Peel.
"We want them to come along on the journey."
Friday's event will mark the handover of control of the Olympic Village - based on the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London - to Locog from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Details of the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies are to be revealed before the Games

John Nicholson, from the ODA, said the overall project involved 62 buildings, 3,000 apartments, a polyclinic and a school.
"The idea is to try and ensure that we're combining the requirements of the athletes during the Games with the requirements of the local community in the legacy after the Games," he told the BBC.
The village will serve up to 60,000 meals each day from a 24-hour restaurant with 5,000 seats and food carts dotted around the site.
It is expected to get through 25,000 loaves of bread, 232 tonnes of potatoes, 75,000 litres of milk and more than 330 tonnes of fruit and vegetables during the Games.
Its main social area - the Village Plaza - will have shops and services for athletes and guests including a cafe, general store, bank, beauty & grooming salon, internet lounge, London 2012 shop and entertainment centre.
More volunteers needed The ODA said the project - which started in June 2008 - involved:

Building apartments with courtyards, gardens and balconies in 11 residential plots, as well as landscaping throughout the village
Building the Chobham Academy, an education campus with places for 1,800 students and a state-of-the-art health clinic
Providing work for more than 16,500 people

After the Games the village will be turned into a part-affordable housing and part private-owned community known as East Village.
Locog chairman Seb Coe said the Olympic Village would provide athletes "with a home-from-home as they prepare for one of the biggest sporting moments of their lives".

London 2012 - One extraordinary year

The BBC's home of 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, culture, torch relay, video and audio

It is estimated London 2012's opening and closing ceremonies will be watched by four billion TV viewers, which advertising industry experts say is worth up to £5bn in airtime exposure.

Locog said last month more than 10,000 would-be performers had auditioned for the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies and called for more - particularly male - performers to come forward.
They said dancers, actors, percussionists and general all-round performers would have a role in the ceremonies, and that previous performance experience was not required.
Mr Green - who choreographed the montage at the close of Beijing 2008 featuring David Beckham, Leona Lewis, guitarist Jimmy Page and a double decker bus - is charged with delivering the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as all the medal ceremonies and the torch relay.
He said some of the content of the show would be revealed over the coming months, but some surprises would be kept for the night.

Dr. Dixood Oo Ku Taliyey In Shirka London Lala taggo Cajalada ka Hadlaysa Xasuuqii Siyaad Barre

2012-01-26T15:44:00.001-08:00

“haddii aad ragganimo leedahay oo ay daacad ka tahay Somaliland gooni u goosadkeeda, waxa aad waydiisan kartaa ictiraaf dawlada imanaya”Dr Cumar Cilmi Dixood.

Hargeysa (Waaheen) – La Taliyaha gaarka ah ee Madaxwaynaha Somaliland Dr Cumar Cilmi Dixood, ayaa ka hadlay shirka bisha dambe dawlada Ingiriisku Soomalida ugu qabanayso London, kaasi oo Somaliland lagu casuumay.

Dr Dixood waxa uu sheegay inay muhiim tahay in Somaliland ka qayb-gasho shirka London, isaga oo tilmaamay in ugu yaraan faa’idada laga heli karo shirkaasi ay tahay wufuuda caalamiga ah ee ka qayb-galaysa oo lala kulmo.

La taliyaha gaarka ah ee Madaxwayne Axmed Siilaanyo Dr Dixood oo u waramay Hadhwanaagnews.com ayaa sidoo kale sheegay in Somaliland tahay qaran jira isla-markaana xaq u leh inuu helo wixii dadkiisu u soo halgameen “Somaliland waa dal jira, waa dal hore u jiray iminka jiraya, waa dal halgan dheer soo galay, waana dal horena u cadaystay in uu la dagaalamay Maxamed Siyaad Barre, dadkaasina in ay helaan wixii ay u dagaalameen ayaa qasab ah, dadkii dalkaasi u soo dagaalamay waxa qasab in ah ay helaan wixii ay u soo dagaalameen”ayuu yidhi waxaanu intaa ku daray isaga oo sharaxaya waxa ugu jira Somaliland ka qaybgalka shirka London “Shirkaasi haddii aynu ka qayb galno waxa aan qabaa in aynu faa’iido kala soo noqonayno, marka aad ugu yar tahay dawladdaha halkaasi isugu imanaya, haddii aad ragganimo leedahay oo ay daacad ka tahay Somaliland gooni u goosadkeeda, waxa aad waydiisan kartaa ictiraaf, waayo mudadii aynu soo jirnay dawladdo badan ayaanu ka dhabqinay balamo ay dad kale la lahaayeen”ayuu yidhi waxaanu intaa raaciyey in isagu la socdo in Somaliland shirkaasi inay ka hadasho la qorsheeyay “Anigu waxa aan qabaa in aynu shirkaasi ka hadli karno, waayo aniga way ii sheegeen, waxaanay igu yidhaahdeen waanu idin dhagaysanaynaa”

Dr Dixood waxa uu ku taliyey in madaxda Somaliland ee shirka London ka qayb-galaysaa ay shirkaasi tusto dhibka reer Somaliland ka soo gaadhay midowgii koonfurta “Halkaas waxa laga daarayaa cajalado si fiican oo wadaax ah uga hadlaya xasuuqii ka dhacay dalka, waxaana la odhanayaa ma waxa aad doonaysaan in aad nagu celisaan dadkii sidaasi noo xasuuqay” ayuu yidhi Dr Dixood.

Short URL: http://waaheen.com/?p=28893

Only Turkey is showing solidarity with Somalia's people

2012-01-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

EU and American delegates to a conference on Somalia's future could learn from Turkey's direct assistance to those in need

Osman Jama Ali and Mohamed Sharif Mohamud
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 January 2012 15.01 GMT
Article history
Thousands of Somalis have ended up in camps because of famine, piracy and the influence of insurgents like al-Shabab. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images
The British government is holding a conference on the future of Somalianext month. In the last 20 years the east African country has suffered enormously – in the collapse of law and order, natural and human-made calamities, the displacements of its citizens, the rise of piracy and the spread of insurgent movements and seditious militias. These have not only threatened the survival of the nation but also dampened the morale of the people and their sense of national pride.
Today, Somalia is enduring the region's worst famine and drought for 60 years, threatening 750,000 lives. This human tragedy has spurred the conscience of the world and there has been an influx of international aid agencies, especially those of the United Nations, despite huge obstacles including harassment by the al-Shabab insurgent movement.
This intervention has saved many lives. But long-term, foreign-sponsored formulas for solving crises have ended in failure, largely because they deliberately ignore the main aspirations of the Somali people, for national sovereignty, territorial integrity and their right to self-determination.
Alongside this, one country, Turkey, has responded in a unique manner, demonstrating solidarity with the people of Somalia in their hour of distress. Last August, amid a tense security situation, prime ministerRecep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by his wife and children and a large delegation of ministers and civil servants, landed in the capital Mogadishu. He was the first foreign head of government to have visited the city in 20 years.
The Somali people wholeheartedly appreciate this act of bravery and nobility. This can be gauged from the hundreds of boys born after the visit who have been named "Erdogan", and girls who have been named "Istanbul". His example inspired so many across the region, and high-level delegations followed, such as the visit of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia and the foreign minister of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi.
Two days before his visit, the Turkish prime minister had called a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (representing 40 countries), in Istanbul. He persuaded them to allocate $500m to famine relief in Somalia. This was in addition to approximately $280m donated by the Turkish people. Subsequently he used his speech to the UN general assembly last September to draw attention to the trauma that has been suffered by the Somalis, and appealed to their sense of humanity and responsibility.
In the Turkish magazine Foreign Policy, Erdogan commented that Somalia had been abandoned by the international community, and that this did not serve the cause of peace and stability. He outlined how Turkey would contribute towards the rehabilitation of Somalia and appealed for UN agencies serving our country, currently located in Nairobi, to be transferred to Mogadishu.
It was the right call at the right time, because there is now no security problem in Mogadishu, since the insurgents have been expelled from the capital by the Africa Union troops with the support of the Somali people. To prove the point, the Turkish embassy has been opened and a large community of Turkish experts and technicians are living in Mogadishu.
In the capital, they are constructing government and parliament buildings and a new 400-bed hospital, asphalting the road between Mogadishu airport and the city centre and providing garbage trucks and a waste-disposal facility. They are also contributing to agricultural and livestock development, and constructing wells, vital to the eradication of drought and famine. Turkey's deputy prime minister, Beşir Atalay, flew in recently to inaugurate the expansion of Mogadishu airport.
American and EU aid to Somalia is primarily focused on financing theAfrican Union forces, as well as covering the essential running costs of the government and transitional institutions. So far, nothing has been provided for initiatives to satisfy the basic needs of the people and bolster its governance. Their current strategy, which mainly concentrates on the war against terrorism and piracy – such as this week's US raid to free western hostages – does not enable the population to reap the dividends of peace.
What can be learned from the Turkish initiative is that when you provide sincere assistance directly and immediately to those who are most in need, you gain the hearts and minds of the people. Next month's London conference on Somalia should strongly support both the efforts to deal with terrorism and piracy and the urgent humanitarian and development programmes needed to restore peace and stability in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.
Source:- Guardian

Somalia online

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Hogaamiyaha Kooxeedda Gooni goosatadda SNM oo Siyaasaddii iyo Dagaalkiiba lagaga Adkaaday,Ninkii Isaaq Xabad ugu nixi Waayay ma Dhulbahane ayuu uga Nixi

Taliye Ku Xigeenkii Ciidanka Itoobiya ee Hiiraan oo lagu dilay Weerarkii Beled Weyne.

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Dr. Dixood Oo Ku Taliyey In Shirka London Lala taggo Cajalada ka Hadlaysa Xasuuqii Siyaad Barre

Only Turkey is showing solidarity with Somalia's people

The Re-incarnation of SNM and Militia Mentality in Somaliland
By Nur H. Bahal
January 27, 2012