News In English

THE INTERVIEW: UK ambassador to Somalia on new role and state building

Waagacusub.com- You recently presented your credentials to President Mohamed Farmaajo. What was the focus of your discussions with him and what are some of your priority areas as you take up the new role?

Christchurch Attack suspect Brenton Tarrant appears in court

Waagacusub.com- The main suspect of killing 49 people in shootings at two mosques in New Zealand on Friday has appeared in court on a single murder charge.

Sh3.3 billion for 10km barbed wire fence on Kenya-Somalia border

Waagacusub.com- A security fence project along the Kenya-Somali border conceived to keep out al-shaabab militants turned into a cash cow, gobbling over Sh3.3 billion for a 10 kilometre stretch, according to a report tabled in the National Assembly. The revelations, which have outraged lawmakers, tells…

Pakistan Opens Up Visa On Arrival; But Keeps India, Somalia in Negative List

Waagacusub.com- During his address, the prime minister said Pakistan does not face security issues now and now the country has to provide better conditions for investment. "Next year Pakistan Premier League matches will be held in Pakistan," he said. The PM said that the new visa policies depict…

France promise "respectful partnership" with East African states

Waagacusub.com- French president Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday promised "respectful partnership" with regional states when he held talks with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi. Mr Macron's visit was the first ever by a French leader to the East African nation and came after…

EU, UK and Germany resume support for S. West police

Waagacusub.com- The UK, Germany and EU have resumed support to the South West state police following a suspension late December amid deadly clashes which killed about ten civilians, the new UK ambassador to Somalia Ben Fender has said.

Qatari diplomat called his Somali driver a 'black slave' and 'dog', tribunal hears

Waagacusub.com- A Qatari diplomat called his driver a "dog", "donkey" and a "black slave" during a campaign of physical and racial abuse while working at the country's embassy in London, a tribunal has heard. Abdullah Ali Al-Ansari, a diplomat who is currently employed as…

President Farmaajo to deliver keynote address in Africa Now conference

Waagacusub.com- President Mohamed Farmaajo will deliver the keynote closing statement in the ongoing 'Africa Now' conference in Kampala, Uganda. According to the schedule of the two days conference which concludes today, President Farmaajo who is among five heads of states in attendance will…

Ethiopia seeks foreign help to read black boxes

Waagacusub.com- Ethiopian Airlines said on Wednesday it would send the black boxes from its crashed Boeing 737 MAX abroad, while a Norwegian airline sought compensation from the U.S. planemaker after two thirds of that model were grounded globally.

Somali army kills 8 al-Shabaab militants

Waagacusub.com- Somali special forces killed eight al-Shabaab militants overnight in the country's Lower Shabelle region, state media said Tuesday.

China-Somalia fishing deal may revive sea piracy

Waagacusub.com- The deal has made local fishermen vulnerable to poverty as Chinese fishing companies are likely to outcompete them and also trigger another round of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

As China prevails, France's Macron shuffles his cards in Djibouti

Waagacusub.com- French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday sought to reassert the importance of France in its former colony Djibouti with Paris increasingly fearing China's muscular role in Africa as it expands economic and military influence across the continent.

U.S. embassy in Somalia announces grant for female journalists

Waagacusub.com- The U.S. embassy in Somalia has announced a $5,000 grant for women journalists' organisations in Somalia.

U.S. Airstrikes kill hundreds in Somalia as shadowy conflict ramps up

Waagacusub.com- The American military has escalated a battle against the Shabab, an extremist group affiliated with Al Qaeda, in Somalia even as President Trump seeks to scale back operations against similar Islamist insurgencies elsewhere in the world, from Syria and Afghanistan to West Africa.

KENYA: Man seeking routes to Somalia depressed, police say

Waagacusub.com- A Mandera law court has released a suspected Al-Shabaab spy on Monday over lack of evidence. Mr Backstone Agaro,53, who was charged before senior resident magistrate Duncan Mtai was arrested on March 6 after alighting at 10 pm from a bus from Nairobi.

Ethiopia Airlines crash: All 157 people on plane confirmed dead

Waagacusub.com- All 157 people on board an Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed this morning are confirmed to have been killed in the tragedy. Flight ET302 came down six minutes after it took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city. It was en-route to Nairobi.

President Museveni vows to withdraw his troops from Somalia

Waagacusub.com- President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has threatened to withdraw his country's forces from the peacekeeping mission in Somalia if the United Nations insists on reducing the number of troops on the mission. Due to declining and irregular funding, the UN Security Council, in Resolution…

THE INTERVIEW: U.S ambassador to Somalia on return to Mogadishu, engagement with Somalia

Waagacusub.com- Q. You have been in office for a couple of months now as the new ambassador to Somalia. What are the key priority areas you have identified and have you addressed any?

Is Kenya seeking out-of-court settlement on spat with Somalia?

Waagacusub.com- Kenya is reaching out to neighbors and international community to find an amicable solution to the maritime dispute with Somalia.

Trump revokes Obama rule on reporting drone strike deaths

Waagacusub.com- President Donald Trump has revoked a policy set by his predecessor requiring US intelligence officials to publish the number of civilians killed in drone strikes outside of war zones.