Kevin Rudd in Somalia, Video

Australia Adds to Pleas of Aid for Somalia Sunday, July 24th, 2011 at 7:30 pm UTC Posted 1 minute ago Australia has joined a growing international chorus of pleas for aid to the famine-struck Horn of Africa. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said failure by the international community to provide aid would mean the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Somalis, mostly children. Rudd was in Somalia to appeal to the world to help avoid a catastrophe. Last week, the United Nations declared a famine in southern Somalia's Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions, and said nearly half of Somalia's population needs urgent aid. The World Health Organization said five more regions in southern Somalia are on the brink of famine. Relief groups are searching for ways to deliver life-saving aid inside the country to save lives and prevent the mass exodus of Somalis to overcrowded camps in neighboring countries. Earlier this month, the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab said it would allow international aid workers into the country, after previously banning them. But last week the group changed its mind. A spokesman accused the U.N. of exaggerating the crisis for political reasons. Overall, the Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in six decades. The U.N. has said more than 11 million people are in need of food aid.

Australia minister pleads for food aid for Somalia By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press – 8 hours ago DOLO, Somalia (AP) — Somalia's famine will be five times worse by Christmas unless the international community increases its food aid, Australia's foreign minister said Sunday during a visit to Somalia, even as the international Red Cross distributed 400 tons of food into hard-to-reach areas of southern Somalia. Kevin Rudd was in Somalia's famine-struck area of Dolo to appeal to the world to help avoid a catastrophe. During his visit hundreds of women with small children in tow massed around a World Food Program sign-up table in hopes of qualifying for food aid. Rudd talked with internal refugees who have had little to eat in recent days. World Food Program's Executive Director Josette Sheeran said Sunday the program will open new feeding sites in and around Dolo by the end of the week. She said it is critical that WFP gets new funding to fight the three-pronged catastrophe of drought, conflict and high food prices. WFP estimates more than 11.3 million people need aid across drought-hit regions in East Africa. The U.S. last week announced it was giving an additional $28 million in emergency funding on top of the $431 million in assistance already given this year. Rudd suggested that the U.S. and European countries need to do more to avoid a massive number of deaths, despite the financial hardships those regions are experiencing. "The reason we do it is it's part of who we are," Rudd said. "Part of America's great standing around the world since World War II is it's combination of hard power and soft power. ... U.S. aid given around the world helps their standing in the world. It's part of the American greatness that we've seen." The U.N. is set to greatly expand the areas in southern Somalia classified as famine, and because seasonal rains — if they take place — are still months away, officials say the situation is going to get much worse in coming weeks and months, one reason Rudd is pushing for countries to boost their aid donations. "Six months from now will be too late. It's as simple as that. Act now. Christmas is too late. This is an avoidable catastrophe if urgent action is taken today," Rudd said. The U.N. fears tens of thousands of people already have died in the famine in Somalia. Mothers are being forced to leave behind their weak children to die as they walk for days attempting to reach refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. A report by the United Nations refugee agency said that 18,432 Somalis had arrived at the Dollo Ado camp in Ethiopia this month and 13,000 tents are needed to meet the shelter needs of the influx of refugees. The camp now has nearly 114,500 Somali refugees. The drought has created a triangle of hunger where the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia meet. Earlier this week the U.N. said the southern Somali regions of Bakool and Lower Shabelle are suffering from famine. Sheeran said Saturday that the famine areas are expanding. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday that it had managed to distribute 400 tons of food aid to needy Somalis in the southern region of Gedo. Gedo lies next to the famine stricken zones of Bakool and Lower Shabelle. Yves Van Loo, the ICRC spokesman for the Somali delegation, said that 24,000 people or about 4,000 families received food rations, which consists of rice beans and oil that are meant last them for one month. He said ICRC has been operating for 20 years in Somalia and had not pulled out. "We have been present in Somalia for the last 20 years and we have never had any problem with any authorities," he said. Somalia has been mired in conflict since 1991 when longtime dictator Siad Barre was overthrown by warlords who then turned on each other. Currently, Islamist militants are attempting to overthrow a weak U.N.-backed government. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militia, the most dangerous militant group in the country, has exacerbated the drought crisis saying that it will prevent international aid workers from operating in the territories it controls in southern Somalia. Al-Shabab signaled in early July that it would accept aid groups it had previously banned, but changed course on Thursday. The group denies a famine is taking place, disputing the U.N.'s view that tens of thousands of people have already died. The renewed threat from al-Shabab means only a handful of agencies will be able to respond to the hunger crisis in militant-controlled areas of southern Somalia. And the largest provider of food aid — the U.N. World Food Program — isn't among those being allowed inside. (This version CORRECTS Adds quote on U.S. assistance and details of Rudd's prediction. Corrects sequence of the name Van Loo Yves to Yves Van Loo in the 13th paragraph.) Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

^or the person who paid 4.5 billion for this yatch, can afford his own Island. Must be an Arab Shiekh , obsessed with gold.

*Blessed;735665 wrote: Hindidu are so submissive. It annoys the hell out of me.. Maybe it is survial instinct, if they fight back, they lose bread.

This club is getting popular! http://www.3news.co.nz/Burqa-issue-splits-Islamic-activists/tabid/367/articleID/219587/Default.aspx#video

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/inpictures/2011/07/2011781567358646.html

Horn of Africa Drought

WAR DEG DEG AH: Kooxda Maxamed Siciid Atam iyo Maamulka Puntland oo shir uga furmaya deegaanka Af-Urur. Written by Maxamed Xassan Boosaaso (SPR): Wararka naga soo gaaraya deegaanka Galbeedka Gobolka Bari ayaa sheegaya in ay halkaasi maanta uga furmeen shir ay isugu imanayaan qaar kamid ah maamulka Puntland iyo qaar kamid ah masuuliyiinta sarsare ee kooxda Sh. Atam. Arintan ayaa waxay imanaysaa kadib markii uu madaxweyne Faroole uu saxaafada u sheegey in kooxda Atam ay heshiis la galayaan isla markaana ay diyaar u yihiin inay cafis u fidiyaan isagoo ugu baaqey kooxdan in ay dib ugu soo noqdaan shacabkooda reer Puntland. Hadalka Faroole ayaa ka duwanaa hadaladiisii hore isagoo sheegi jirey in ay kooxdaasi yihiin argagixiso ka timid koonfurta Soomaaliya iyo dalalka Carabta, haatana ku sheegey in ay yihiin dad u dhashey deegaanada Puntland. Wada hadalkan ayaa wuxuu ka furmayaa maanta magaalada Af-Urur oo xigta Laamiga isla markaana ay gacanta ku hayaan kooxda Sheekh Atam, halkaasoo ay gogol u fidinayaan qaar kamid ah maamulka Puntland oo ay ku jiraan wasiiro iyo taliyaha ciidamada Darwiishta Puntland ee Siciid Dheere. Galabnimadii Shalay ayaa waxaa magaalada Dhahar ka ambabaxay Gudoomiyaha kooxda Maxamed Siciid Ata moo lagu magacaabo C/raxmaan Qadaafi. SIdoo kale waxaa shirkaasi ka soo qeyb gali doona Kaarshe Cismaan oo u qaabilsan dagaal galinta ciidanka ka dagaalama galbeedka Bari, sidoo kale waxaa shirkaasi kasoo qeyb gali doona Yaasiin Kilwe oo ah gudoomiye kuxigeenka ciidanka galbeedka Bari. Wararka naga soo gaaraya deegaanka Galgala oo ah halka u ah saldhiga ugu weyn Sh. Atam ayaa waxay sheegayaan in ay jiraan hadalo hordhac ah oo ay ku xireen maamulka Puntland hadii uu wada hadal dhacayo. Waxaana ka mid ah qodobo dhowr ah oo lasoo gaarsiiyey idaacada SPR oo ay kamid yihiin: In wadada Galbeed Bari in ay maamulka PL ay furaan taasoo aada ilaa iyo Laasqoray. In dadka beeralayda ah loo furo ganacsigooda iyo suuq geynta Boosaaso. In xabad joojin la sameeyo isla markaana dadkii barakacayaasha ahaa dib u dejin loo sameeyo. Si kastaba ha ahaatee shirkan ayaa ah mid aan la shaacin isla markaana aan loo ogolaan saxaafada ayaa waxaa la rajaynayaa in uu si wanaagsan ku dhamaado. Lasoco wixii ka soo baxa www.spr.fm

Pirate's dream catch!

$4.5bn yacht world's most expensive Covered in 100,000kg of gold, platinum Even comes with T-Rex dinosaur bone Flashy: World's most outrageous yachts Interactive guide: Find your perfect cruise NOW that's how you bling up a yacht. A gold-plated super-yacht that is claimed to be worth a staggering £3 billion ($4.5 billion) has taken the title of the most expensive in the world. UK designer Stuart Hughes claims that the 30-metre long History Supreme yacht is adorned with 100,000 kilograms of gold and platinum that covers more than half its surface and even comes with a statue made from the bone of a T-Rex dinosaur. The base of the yacht as well as the deck, dining areas, rails and anchor are wrapped in solid gold and the sleeping areas are covered in platinum. There is also a wall feature in the master bedroom that is made from meteoric stone and an aquarium made from 68kg of 24 carat gold. Also on board is a luxury liquor bottle featuring an 18.5ct diamond, one of the world’s rarest. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. Related Coverage Pictures: Most outrageous yachts End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. travel adventure promo Designed by jeweller Stuart Hughes, the “mammoth” project took over three years to complete. The vessel even outshines Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s $450 million yacht Eclipse, which has its own missile defence system and a submarine. It is claimed the History Supreme was completed in Malaysia two weeks ago for an anonymous businessman Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/holiday-ideas/bn-gold-plated-superyacht-the-history-supreme-wows/story-e6frfqf9-1226098872900#ixzz1SmxFunXY

Taleexi;735319 wrote: Lots of injustices in that country. Where do they stand , compare to Somalis?

what a farce!

^Oodweyne, were you looking forward to be appointed? Next time mate, , so please let the new Minister handle duties for his country, and his family affairs is his privacy. As For Gaas, one of his ministers is already taken by Shabaab, what a bad move, by appointing the minister who was still in Shabaab territory.

It is not secret that Atom from the start wanted a peace deal, but Faroole chose war, and it was a milking cow for Faroole and his team, to label Atom and his militia terrorist, and get assistance from US, Atom is a force, and Faroole realizes that now, can not eliminate him, and all his people, which if this news is true, peace is the only way out!

Very funny, Foxy, you should be comedian! As for Muslims running back to Muslim countries, Have not seen many of them. so negligible!

Bad move by Gaas, for appointing her, while she was still in dangerous territory

Great read, thanks Nasir

Gabadha ma bahashii (bidaar) ragga lagu ogaa baa gashay?

Eebe ha sahlo

Can not do even a basic telco regulations, and you call this a country!

As long as it is somewhere in the country, will do!

Thanks,

Good luck with the new team, hope they succeed in their tasks.