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Latest Somalia News
Iman and David Bowie 'have fun'
Angelina Jolie praised for refugee work
Denmark signs deal on Somali pirate trials
Copenhagen - Denmark said Monday it has signed a deal with Kenya to try four suspected Somali pirates held since January on a Danish naval vessel.
21 Filipino sailors abducted by suspected Somali pirates off Yemen
Manila - A group of 21 Filipino sailors have been seized by Somali pirates off Yemen in the latest kidnapping on the seas of Africa and the Middle East, the Philippine government said Friday.
Britain's Hague visits Somalia for talks on security, piracy
London - British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Thursday travelled to Somalia for talks on security ahead of a conference in London aimed at bringing stability to the war-torn country, the Foreign Office in London said.
Monti asks Somali premier to help free Italian ship held by pirates
Rome - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Wednesday asked his Somali counterpart, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, to help secure the release of an Italian tanker hijacked by pirates in December.
German prosecutors push for lengthy jail terms for Somali pirates
Hamburg - German prosecutors recommended jail sentences Wednesday ranging from four to 11 and a half years for ten Somali pirates standing trial for hijacking a German vessel in 2010.
Somali al-Shabaab says it has killed, captured Kenyan officials
Nairobi - Somali insurgent group al-Shabaab on Thursday said it had killed seven Kenyan police and government employees and kidnapped an unknown number of officials from a town in northern Kenya.
No breakthrough imminent in effort to free abducted Danish crew
Copenhagen - A Danish shipping company Thursday expressed regret that a six-man crew abducted from one of its vessels was still held hostage a year later, adding that negotiations with the alleged Somali pirates so far had been 'fruitless.'
Denmark frees hostages, detains suspected pirates off Somalia
Copenhagen - A Danish naval vessel has freed 14 hostages and detained 25 suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia, the navy said Sunday.
Five killed in grenade attack in northern Kenya
Johannesburg - A grenade attack at a bar in eastern Kenya during celebrations for New Year's has left five people dead and injured 26, local media reported Sunday.
Oxfam urges US bank to reverse decision on Somalia transfers
New York - A decision by a US bank to stop money transfer services to Somalia in compliance with US anti-terrorism laws threatens thousands of impoverished Somalis who rely on financial help from relatives abroad, aid group Oxfam said on Friday.
UN tightens sanctions against Eritrea for supporting terrorism
New York - The United Nations has tightened sanctions against several Eritrean individuals and institutions for harbouring terrorists active in neighbouring Somalia.
Latest bomb attack kills one in Kenya refugee camp
Nairobi - An explosion at Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex, the latest in a series of attacks in the East African nation, has killed one and injured three, the Kenyan Red Cross said Monday.
LEAD: One freed, five face jail in French Somali piracy case
Paris - Five Somalis face prison time on piracy charges after a French court Wednesday found them guilty of taking a French couple hostage aboard their yacht in 2008.
Ruling awaited in French trial of Somali 'pirates'
Paris - A French jury was due to rule Wednesday on the fate of six suspected Somali pirates, who were put on trial in Paris on charges of taking a French couple hostage aboard their yacht in 2008.
UN: Cholera cases reported in Kenya's Dadaab refugee camps
New York - About 60 cholera cases, including 10 confirmed in laboratory tests, have been detected in Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex, where security conditions have worsened, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday.
LEAD: Six Somali suspected pirates go on trial in France
Paris - Six suspected Somali pirates went on trial in France on Tuesday for the kidnapping of a French couple off the coast of Somalia in September 2008.
Six Somali suspected pirates go on trial in France
Paris - Six suspected Somali pirates went on trial in France on Tuesday for the kidnapping of a French couple off the coast of Somalia in September 2008, France Info radio reported.
Kenya jails man behind grenade attacks after lightening trial
Johannesburg - A Nairobi court handed down a life sentence on Friday to a man who confessed to carrying out a lethal grenade attack in the Kenyan capital this week in the name of the Islamist militia al-Shabaab.
Kenya pushes deeper in Somalia, Nairobi on alert
Johannesburg - Kenyan troops have seized three towns in southern Somalia that were previously held by al-Shabaab fighters, as officials on Tuesday pledged to push on and rescue four kidnapped Europeans.
Two Britons held by Kenyan anti-terrorism unit at Somali border
London - Two British Muslims are being questioned by Kenyan police after they were caught trying to cross the border into Somalia, the Press Association in London reported Tuesday.
Al-Shabaab threatens Kenyan troops in Somalia
Mogadishu/Johannesburg - Islamist militia Al-Shabaab vowed Monday to fight Kenyan troops who have entered Somalia to search for four European women who have been kidnapped.
AU peacekeeping official: Al-Shabaab at their 'weakest'
Johannesburg - Islamist militia al-Shabaab is at the 'weakest' point in its history, a spokesman for the African Union peacekeepers in Somalia (AMISOM) told dpa on Monday.
Al-Shabaab threatens Kenyan troops
Mogadishu/Johannesburg - Islamist militia Al-Shabaab vowed Monday to fight Kenyan troops who have entered Somalia to search for four European women who have been kidnapped.
Five Kenyan soldiers die in helicopter crash
Johannesburg - Five Kenyan soldiers died in a helicopter crash in the north of the country, the defence ministry confirmed on Monday, but denied the aircraft was taken down by Somali militants.
Kenyan troops operate in Somalia after Europeans abducted
Johannesburg - Kenyan troops moved over the border into Somalia Sunday, after top Kenyan ministers pledged soldiers would hunt down gunmen suspected of kidnapping four Europeans in recent weeks, including two humanitarian aid workers.
Report: Kenyan troops cross into Somalia after abductions
Johannesburg - Kenyan troops were operating inside Somalia on Sunday, local media reported, in an apparent effort to capture militants accused of kidnapping four foreigners in recent weeks, including two aid workers.
Kenya threatens to cross border to fight al-Shabaab inside Somalia
Johannesburg - Kenya has threatened to send its troops into neighbouring Somalia to fight al-Shabaab, amid reports on Sunday that its soldiers were preparing for cross-border attacks against the Islamist militia.
UN scales back relief work in Dadaab after kidnappings
Johannesburg - The United Nations on Friday stopped much of its humanitarian relief work in Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp, following the kidnapping of two Spanish medics.
Aid groups wary as hunt for kidnapped doctors in Kenya continues
Johannesburg - Two Spanish medics kidnapped from the Dadaab refugee camp were still missing on Friday, as aid groups said there were now increased concerns about working in the area.
Two Spanish aid workers kidnapped from Kenya refugee camp
Johannesburg - Two female Spanish aid workers with medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were kidnapped on Thursday near the Dadaab refugee complex in northern Kenya by suspected Somali Islamist militants.
Aid workers kidnapped in Kenya are Spaniards
Madrid - The two aid workers kidnapped in Kenya on Thursday are Spaniards, the Foreign Ministry said in Madrid.
Two aid workers kidnapped from Kenya refugee camp
Johannesburg - Two international aid workers with medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were kidnapped on Thursday near the Dadaab refugee complex in northern Kenya by suspected Somali Islamist militants.
Doctors group MSF says its aid workers were kidnapped
Johannesburg - Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres confirmed that two of its international staff went missing on Thursday in the world's largest refugee camp in Kenya.
Report: Four aid workers kidnapped near Kenyan border with Somalia
Johannesburg - Four humanitarian aid workers were kidnapped near Kenya's northern border with Somalia, Kenyan television reported on Thursday.
Kenya beefs ups security near Somali border
Johannesburg - Kenya has established six patrol bases near the country's border with Somalia, the Nation newspaper in Nairobi reported on Monday, after two tourists were kidnapped from the region in the past month.
Report: Kenyan tourism suffering after French woman kidnapped
Johannesburg - Kenya's tourism industry is suffering as a result of the kidnapping of a French woman from a resort island over the weekend, the Nairobi-based Standard newspaper reported on Wednesday.
German navy tankers restricted to home waters by labour dispute
Kiel, Germany - The German navy's fleet tankers, which are crewed by civilian sailors, are unable to supply its warships operating off the Somali coast because of a labour dispute, according to a defence report obtained Wednesday.
INTERVIEW: Dutch nurse spends holidays in a Somali refugee camp
Addis Ababa - Roos Ament took her vacation days and traveled to Ethiopia, but studiously avoided spending her time lazily enjoying the country's natural beauty and instead headed for Dollo Ado, a sprawling refugee camp on the Somali border.
UN warns Somali death rates on the rise at Ethiopia refugee camp
Johannesburg/Geneva - Death rates of Somalia refugees at a camp in Ethiopia are on the rise, the United Nations reported on Tuesday, blaming malnutrition and measles for the spike.
Skirmishes continue in Mogadishu as UN airlift set to bring in aid
Mogadishu - Small firefights were reported overnight in the Somali capital, while the United Nations said it was to airlift on Monday more aid to Mogadishu, for the first time since Islamist fighters withdrew from the city.
Somali refugees carry mental, physical scars of al-Shabaab
Dadaab, Kenya - Almost every refugee from the famine in Somalia has an al-Shabaab story: Some bear the physical scars of gunshots and amputated limbs. Others carry deep psychological wounds from witnessing fathers and sons killed or husbands abducted.
UN warns of measles outbreaks for Somalis in Ethiopia camps
Addis Ababa - An 'alarming' measles outbreak was reported by the United Nations on Saturday at Somali refugee camps in Ethiopia, in the latest blow for those fleeing drought and famine.
EU gives extra 175 million euros to build up Somalia over long term
Brussels - The European Union said Friday that it will provide Somalia with another 175 million euros (248 million dollars) in development aid as part of a bid to bolster the country, which is currently facing a drought-induced famine.
UN aid convoy looted in Mogadishu, 'casualties' reported
Eds: Updates with attack on convoy =
UN warns half of Somali children reaching camps are malnourished
Johannesburg/Nairobi - Nearly half of the Somali children fleeing the war and drought in their country and arriving in refugee camps in neighbouring Kenya suffer from malnutrition, the United Nations said on Friday.
UN declares famine in three more areas of Somalia
Johannesburg/Nairobi - The United Nations on Wednesday declared a famine in three more areas of Somalia and warned the situation would worsen in the coming months.
UN: Worrying increase in Somali child deaths at Kenya camps
Johannesburg - Child mortality rates among Somali refugees in Kenya are on the rise and there are 'alarmingly high rates' of malnutrition, according to a new United Nations report released Wednesday.
US to speed aid to Somalia with easing of terror rules
Washington - The United States will ease its anti-terrorism regulations to allow humanitarian groups to bring aid into Somalia without running afoul of the law, officials said Tuesday.
Famine likely to spread in East Africa, UN warns
Johannesburg/Nairobi - Famine and drought conditions will spread further across East Africa, with Somalia's situation set to deteriorate and experts spotting worrying trends in Uganda, United Nations officials warned on Tuesday.
Suicide bomber kills soldiers in Somalia as refugee exodus keeps up
Mogadishu - Two African Union peacekeepers were killed in a suicide attack carried out by Islamists in the Somali capital Mogadishu, a spokesman confirmed Tuesday, as more refugees from the war-torn country are fleeing a devastating drought to neighbouring Kenya.
UN calls for massive response as famine spreads in Somalia
New York - The famine in two southern regions of Somalia is spreading to other parts of the country, the United Nations said Monday while renewing an appeal for an additional 1.4 billion dollars to assist the victims.
Red Cross makes large aid drop in al-Shabaab controlled areas
Johannesburg/Nairobi - The International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday shipped a large amount of food into drought-stricken areas of Somalia under the control of the Islamist al-Shabaab militia.
UN sends more aid via airlift to drought-stricken Somalia
Johannesburg/Nairobi - Two United Nations' airlifts landed safely in Somalia, the World Food Programme (WFP) said Friday, but the security situation in the capital was deteriorating amid renewed fighting between government forces and Islamist militants.
Donations pick up, but more aid needed in East Africa
Nairobi/Johannesburg - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday said it was seeing a surge in donations to help people suffering from drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, as it continued to scale up relief operations.
UN sees surge in donations, but more food aid needed in East Africa
Nairobi/Johannesburg - The United Nations World Food Programme on Thursday said it was seeing a surge in donations to help people suffering from drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, as it continued to scale up relief operations.
First UN emergency aid airlift lands in Somalia
Johannesburg/Nairobi - The UN World Food Programme's first airlift of emergency aid to drought-stricken Somalia arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday, amid warnings that the number of children suffering from malnutrition was growing.
Prevention is key, EU commissioner says after Somali trip
Brussels - The world does not invest enough in preparing for natural disasters, the European Union's commissioner for humanitarian aid said Wednesday, following a 'heartbreaking' trip to the drought and famine-plagued Horn of Africa.
Official: UN loading planes for aid airlift to Mogadishu
Johannesburg/Nairobi - The World Food Programme is expecting to send its first airlift of urgently needed humanitarian aid to drought-stricken Somalia within the coming hours, an official told the German Press Agency dpa on Wednesday.
UN to airlift aid to Somalia as refugee exodus continues
Addis Ababa/Johannesburg - The World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to fly in urgently needed aid to Somalia, while the UN said on Tuesday it was still facing a massive funding shortfall in the Horn of Africa.
UN prepares to airlift aid to Somalia
Addis Ababa/Johannesburg - The World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to fly in urgently needed aid to Somalia, an official from the United Nations agency told the German Press Agency dpa on Tuesday.
Somali drought refugees: 'Hunger is hunger'
Dolo Odo, Ethiopia - Arriving by plane at Dolo Odo, where southern Ethiopia meets Somalia, the red African earth stretches as far as the eye can see, interrupted only by occasional acacia trees and dried-up shrubs.
World Food Programme urges more food aid for Somalia
Nairobi - The United Nations intends to boost aid to famine-stricken Somalia, the director of the World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, told journalists in Nairobi on Sunday.
UN: Around 4,000 people fleeing Somalia every day
Geneva - Around 4,000 people are fleeing Somalia every day in order to escape violence and hunger, the United Nations reported Tuesday.
UNICEF: 500,000 children in eastern Africa threatened by drought
Nairobi - Some 500,000 children in the Horn of Africa are facing death by starvation because of drought, the UN childrens' fund UNICEF said Sunday, demanding that aid for the region to be stepped up immediately.
Germany doubles Horn of Africa drought relief after criticism
Berlin - Berlin more than doubled its relief aid Saturday for people fleeing drought in the Horn of Africa, one day after United Nations figures showed Germany had contributed only a fraction of the aid given by countries such as Japan and Canada.
Kenya to open another refugee camp in the face of drought
Addis Ababa - The government of Kenya announced Friday it will open another refugee camp on its border with Somalia to help those fleeing conflict and a severe drought.
UN considers resumption of food aid in rebel-controlled Somalia
Rome - The growing severity of food shortages in Somalia because of drought has prompted the World Food Programme (WFP) to consider the resumption of aid activities in parts of the country controlled by Islamist insurgents, the United Nations agency said Wednesday.
Somali pirates release 22 hostages after ransom paid
New Delhi - A crew of 22 sailors held captive by Somali pirates for more than 10 months have been released after a ransom of more than 2 million dollars was paid, news reports said Tuesday.
South Africa opens probe into suspected terrorist's passport
Johannesburg - South Africa opened an investigation into allegations that a suspected Islamist terrorist was using a passport from the country, local media reported Tuesday.
Crew of hijacked Singapore vessel believed to be unharmed
Singapore - All 25 crew of a Singapore-registered chemical tanker hijacked off Africa were believed to be unharmed and safe, the ship management company said Thursday.
Spain sentences two Somali pirates to 439 years in prison
Madrid - Spain's National Court on Tuesday sentenced two Somalis to 439 years in prison each and ordered them to pay damages for their involvement in the hijacking of a Spanish fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean in October 2009.
Kenyan police warn of terror attack
Nairobi - Kenya's police force has said it has intelligence a Somali insurgent group could be planning a bomb attack in areas of high-population concentration over Easter.
South Korean ship crew found safe after apparent attack
Seoul - The 20 crew of a South Korean freighter were found safe Thursday after locking themselves in a safe room during an apparent pirate attack, the shipping company said.
Pirates suspected of hijacking South Korean ship off Somalia
Seoul - Pirates appeared to have hijacked a South Korean freighter with a crew of 20 in the Indian Ocean, a Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said Thursday.
Somali pirates take ransom, but refuse to free Indian hostages
New Delhi - Somali pirates released a hijacked ship after taking a multimillion dollar ransom, but kept back seven members from the 15-member all-Indian crew, news reports said Sunday.
Court frees two Somali men over terror plans
Stockholm - Two Somalis were freed Wednesday by a Swedish appeal court from charges they were planning a terror attack in Somalia.
UN: 54 Somalis drowned when boat to Yemen capsized
Geneva - The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday that 54 Somalis had drowned while trying to flee their war- torn country for the relative safety of Yemen.
Somali pirate sentenced to 33 years in prison
New York - Somali detainee Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, portrayed as a modern-day pirate, was sentenced Wednesday to 33 years and nine months in prison for hijacking a US vessel in 2009 off the coast of Somalia.
Suspected Somali pirates face possible death penalty in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur - Seven Somali nationals suspected of trying to hijack a chemical tanker were Friday charged in a Malaysian court with attempted armed robbery with the intention to cause death or harm.
Somali pirates release South Korean fishing vessel
Seoul - Somali pirates have released a South Korean fishing boat with 43 crew members, after four months in captivity, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Wednesday.
Eight Somali immigrants suffocate to death in lorry
Maputo Eight illegal immigrants from Somalia have been found dead in the back of a lorry in Mozambique, apparently from asphyxiation, daily newspaper Noticias reported Friday.
Somali pirates kill two Sri Lankan fishermen, take three hostage
Colombo - Two Sri Lankan fishermen were killed and three taken hostage by Somali pirates after their vessel went adrift, the Ministry of Fisheries said Monday.
Suspected Somali pirates arrive in Malaysia to face charges
Kuala Lumpur - Seven Somali nationals suspected of attempting to hijack a Malaysian chemical tanker were in detention in Malaysia Monday, awaiting charges.
Somali pirate says 'sorry' to captain in German trial
Hamburg - An alleged Somali pirate apologised Wednesday to a German sea captain for hijacking his freighter last year.
Pirates seize Thai ship in Indian Ocean, says EU naval force
Brussels - Pirates early Saturday seized the MV Thor Nexus general cargo ship in the Indian Ocean with its crew of 27 Thai nationals, the European Union's Atalanta mission reported.
Three guilty of planning attack on Australian barracks
Sydney - Three Australians were found guilty Thursday of a plot to arm themselves with automatic weapons and kill as many soldiers as they could in a suicide attack on a Sydney Army barracks.
Spain to try two suspected Somali pirates
Madrid - Spain's National Court will try two Somalis suspected of participating in the hijacking of a Spanish fishing vessel in October 2009, the court confirmed Friday.
Two Somali-born men convicted for terror plans
Stockholm - A Swedish court Wednesday sentenced two Somali- born men to four years each in prison for planning a terror attack in the troubled African country.
Hamburg piracy trial to remain open to public
Hamburg - The trial of ten Somalis charged with piracy over the seizure of a German freighter in the Gulf of Aden is to remain open to the public in the German city of Hamburg, the presiding judge ruled Wednesday.
Ugandan court sets free 18 suspects in World Cup bombings
Kampala - A court in the Ugandan capital Kampala Tuesday dismissed charges against 18 suspects in the July bombings that killed more than 70 World Cup fans who were watching a televised match.
Pirates attack German owned ship off Horn of Africa
Haren, Germany - Pirates seized a German freighter off the Horn of Africa but apparently left the vessel after the crew took safety in a secure room, the owners said Friday.
First Somali piracy case opens in German court (Roundup)
Berlin - Ten Somalis went on trial in Hamburg on Monday, charged with piracy over the seizure of a German freighter in the Gulf of Aden last April, in the first trial of its kind in Germany.
First Somali piracy case opens in German court (1st Lead)
Berlin - Ten Somalis went on trial in Hamburg on Monday, charged with piracy in the seizure of a German freighter in the Gulf of Aden last April, in the first German trial of its kind.
First Somali piracy case opens in German court
Berlin - Ten Somalis went on trial in Hamburg on Monday, charged with piracy in the seizure of a German freighter in the Gulf of Aden last April, in the first German trial of its kind.
Spanish prosecutors seek 220 years for suspected pirates (Roundup)
Madrid - Spanish prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of 220 years for two Somalis charged with participating in the hijacking of a Spanish fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean in October 2009, judicial sources said Monday.
Spanish prosecutors seek 220-year sentences for suspected pirates
Madrid - Spanish prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of 220 years for two Somalis charged with participating in the hijacking of a Spanish fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean in October 2009, judicial sources said Monday.
Two Somali-born men charged with terror plans
Stockholm - Two Somali-born men were Friday charged in a Swedish court on suspicion of planning a terror attack.
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