sparks

World Environment Day 2024 in Garowe: Reflecting on a City in Need of Tree Planting Efforts June 5th rings in World Environment Day, urging us to safeguard Earth. For 2024, the spotlight's on fixing up land, fending off desert creep, and toughening up against droughts. These issues spell life or death for our world’s ecosystems, myriad species, and people’s jobs. Each of us—people, communities, nations—must own up to the task of revamping land, halting desert spread, and boosting dryness defenses.…

In a recent call, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed various topics, including combating terrorism and the future plans of the Somali government post-ATMIS forces. The conversation also touched on the security and stability of the Horn of Africa and the important role played by the United Nations Office in Somalia (UNSOM). UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed James Swan on May 14 to lead UNSOM. Swan, a seasoned diplomat with years of experience, previously…

Real Madrid's goalie Courtois is dropped from Belgium's Euro 2024 squad due to prior issues with coach Tedesco, replacing him with Casteels, Kaminski, and Sels as shot-stoppers. Courtois got injured before and is expected to star in Champions League final. Courtois had a disagreement causing him to exit last June, leading to his absence from Euro 2024. Witsel, who previously retired, is back on Belgium's squad. The team's campaign starts on June 17th, facing Slovakia. The 25-man squad includes Casteels, Kaminski, Sels,…

Samuel Lino feels that Atletico Madrid's win over Real Sociedad on the final day of the season was crucial. The team emerged victorious with a 2-0 score at Reale Arena. Lino scored early, and Reinildo secured the points later. Despite finishing fourth in LaLiga, this season marked Atleti's third year without a trophy, trailing champions Real Madrid by at least 18 points. The team also faced defeats to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey. Lino, with his fourth direct goal…

At the UN General Assembly, Somalia surprised everyone by not voting on a resolution to recognize July 11 as the day to remember the Srebrenica genocide. People are curious about Somalia's decision to abstain from the vote. The resolution passed with 84 countries in favor, but Somalia, Morocco, and Israel did not vote. Instead, 19 countries opposed the resolution, and 68 countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan, chose to abstain. The Srebrenica genocide is a tragic event in European history, and the global…

Today's update reveals the seizure of a fishing boat by armed pirates off the coast of Somalia. Neptune P2P Group warns of escalating piracy incidents, with two pirate groups operating near Socotra and Eyl. The ship's tracking system is currently inactive. Neptune P2P Group predicts an increase in pirate attacks due to their profitability. They estimate pirates are expanding their operations up to 1000nm off the Somali coast. Atalanta reports two pirate groups active in the Socotra area and 500nm east of the island. Last…

A European naval force apprehended six suspected pirates after they attacked an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, possibly part of a surge in piracy originating from Somalia.The assault on the Marshall Islands-flagged Chrystal Arctic occurred amid Yemen's Houthi rebels' attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. These attacks have disrupted commercial traffic through the area towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.The pirates fired on the tanker from a vessel carrying weapons and ladders, armed…

The Indian Navy heroically saved the MV RUEN in the waters off Somalia on March 16, 2024. A European naval squad captured six suspected pirates who attacked an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden. These incidents are part of a rising trend in piracy activities originating from Somalia. The pirates assaulted the Chrystal Arctic, a ship sailing under the Marshall Islands' flag, with firearms and ladders. They carried rifles and grenades, according to Ambrey, a private security company. A skirmish ensued between the pirates and the…

In a surprising turn of events, Lim Hyun-taek, the head of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), has stirred up a debate with an image he shared on Facebook that some are criticizing as racist. The photo depicted the 2008 graduates of Benadir University in Somalia—marking a pivotal moment as the nation's first medical graduates in more than twenty years—accompanied by the caption "Coming Soon." This social media post has ignited a larger discussion around the South Korean government's proposal to permit foreign medical…

Somalia's PM engages in high-level discussions with Kenya's vice president in Nairobi. At the bidding of the Deputy President of Kenya, Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of Somalia, paid an official visit to Kenya from May 6 to May 8, 2024. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and PM Hamza Abdi Barre met in Nairobi on May 7, 2024, engaging in talks focused on various bilateral, regional, and international matters of shared importance. During the talks, both leaders acknowledged the strong historical ties between their nations…