As the United States begins to deepen ties with moderate Syrian rebels to combat the extremist group ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, a key component of its coalition appears to have struck a non-aggression pact with the group. According to Agence France-Presse, ISIS and a number of moderate and hard-line rebel groups have agreed not to fight each other so that they can focus on taking down the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Other sources say the signatories include a major U.S. ally linked to the Free Syrian Army. Moreover, the leader of the Free Syrian Army said Saturday that the group would not take part in U.S. plans for destroying the Islamic State until it got assurances on toppling Assad. The deal between ISIS and the moderate Syrian groups casts doubt over President Barack Obama's freshly announced strategy to arm and train the groups against ISIS. The AFP report cited information from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based group monitoring the Syrian civil war, which said parties to the agreement "promise not to attack each other because they consider the principal enemy to be the Nussayri regime." The term Nussayri refers to the Alawite ethnic group that Assad and many of his supporters belong to. AFP said the agreement was signed in a suburb of the Syrian capital, where ISIS has a strong presence. Charles Lister, a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Doha Center, cited a report from the anti-regime Orient Net website to suggest on Twitter that the signatories of the ceasefire include a U.S.-backed coalition called the Syrian Revolutionary Front. According to the U.K.-based outlet Middle East Eye, that same Orient Net report says the ceasefire between groups described in the U.S. as "moderate rebels" and the Islamic State was mediated by the al-Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. As recently as March, the Syrian Revolutionary Front and its leader were described in Foreign Policy as "the West's best fighting chance against Syria's Islamist armies." As of that report, the group controlled 25,000 fighters and its leader had close ties with the Western-friendly Syrian National Coalition. Its leader initially won Western favor by successfully fighting ISIS in northern Syria. "He proved his mettle in a sense and that's what endeared him to the Americans," said Joshua Landis, a prominent Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. "The Americans are looking for people who can actually fight. That's been their problem: they've gone with people who are moderate but they don't know to fight. This guy appears to be both moderate and he knows how to fight." The Orient Net report on the ceasefire identified the Syrian Revolutionary Front as part of the Free Syrian Army, the loose array of non-jihadist rebel brigades that the U.S. has directly supported since last year. Obama asked Congress to approve $500 million to train and equip "vetted" Syrian rebels this summer. He repeated his request in his address Wednesday about ISIS. Despite its reputation as a palatable ally, the U.S.-backed Syrian Revolutionary Front has previously said that its chief goal is not to stop the rise of extremists, but to topple Assad. In April, its leader told The Independent, "It’s clear that I’m not fighting against al-Qa’ida. This is a problem outside of Syria’s border, so it’s not our problem. I don’t have a problem with anyone who fights against the regime inside Syria." The prospect of a group once supported by the U.S. now sitting down with ISIS raises fundamental questions about U.S. strategy in Syria. Why support Syrians who have a very different, clearly stated goal and who will act as they see fit to achieve it? What assurance does the administration have that fighters it trains and arms in Syria won't ally with ISIS if it seems like the most effective anti-Assad force? The White House argues that its ability to spotlight and support reliable rebel groups has been heightened by improved and expanded intelligence. In an interview with The Huffington Post before news of the pact broke, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes expressed confidence in U.S. allies in the region. "We have been working with the Syrian opposition now for a couple of years, providing them assistance, non-lethal at first but then we [now] provide them with some military assistance, so we know them better today than we did a year, two years ago," Rhodes said. "There are people who have been vetted who we have relationships with, who we deliver assistance to, so we're not starting from scratch." Many of those groups, the administration acknowledges, have not passed a vetting process, which explains the delay in expanding assistance. But the news that the Syrian Revolutionary Front, a major player in the moderate coalition, has now chosen to stop fighting ISIS may inspire other groups, either already vetted or still waiting for aid, to determine that a deal with the extremist group is worthwhile. Given reports that Assad avoided fighting ISIS in order to crush the moderate rebels -- his calculus being that the West would eventually combat the extremists, as it is now doing -- potential U.S. partners may decide that instead of being prey to both extremists and the government, they should settle one battle. "These guys are all starved for arms," Landis said. "They don’t want to go get themselves killed by fighting ISIS until they figure out where Obama is." That turns a conflict that the White House hopes is three-sided -- with radical Sunnis, moderate Sunnis and Assad all battling each other -- into a sectarian, two-sided war of Sunnis against Assad. Reports already suggest that Syrians who entered the civil war opposing Assad are now turning to ISIS as their best bet for a different kind of government. Rhodes warned that a wrong move by the U.S. may lead to that precise perception and reality. "If we were to try to run a play with Assad, we would ensure that they" -- all Sunni rebel groups -- "were turned against us, and in fact we would be taking sides in a sectarian war against one side. We need a Sunni partner in these countries," he said. "That's why we need this inclusive government [in Iraq] and that's why we need a Sunni opposition partner in Syria." This news suggests that partners will be hard to find. Lister said the pact is a product of failed U.S.-led Western policy in Syria. "This underlines serious frustration w. lack of US-backing to [Free Syrian Army] opposition in fight vs Assad," he tweeted. If true, Landis said, the news of a ceasefire proves Washington does not know who it can support or trust within the fractured country. "We don't know who the moderates are," Landis said. Describing a recent interview in which a Free Syrian Army commander told an Arab outlet that the U.S. wanted to make Syrian rebels "slaves," he added, "These guys are supposed to be our buddies?" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/12/isis-deal-syria_n_5814128.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

I don't get it. Based on my demographic standing; by sheer dint of my position within the tech press; as someone who grew up with the first Macintosh in his house and a subscription to Macworld, I should be standing and applauding and ferociously tweeting my awe and amazement at the unveiling of Apple Watch. Yet, I am not. Apple did not save wearables, as many thought it would. Apple caved to the incredibly high bar of expectations set by the public. Apple unveiled something, at best, lukewarm. At most, it's prettier than the smartwatches that've come before, and that's likely its greatest innovation. My stance on the smartwatch as a viable mobile accessory is unambiguous; I've argued my case before. As a category, it needs to replace -- needs to completely replace our need for a cellphone. Otherwise, it's just one more thing to remember to charge throughout our busy days. To date, there's nothing any of these thinly veiled, proof-of-concept, wrist-worn devices can do that the smartphone already in your hand can't. Apple, I once thought, would prove me wrong. It would be the one to come along and actually make the strongest argument for wearables by analyzing the use cases and delivering that missing core functionality intuitively. Apple's perfectionism would be the hallelujah wearables so desperately needed. http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/09/apple-watch-much-ado-about-nothing/

Can anyone show me this town in the map?

lol@bufkedi. If the guy is punishing Al-Shabab, why are they getting rid of him?

The "NO" group will narrowly win, in my prediction.

I expected it. There is no fair election process in these terrorist's dark world. It is not much different from a feared dictator stepping down to make way for his family member to take over. If you are an Al-Shabab suicide bomber, you basically are dying for Godane and his family to stay in power and enjoy the taxes extorted from the poor farmers. I pity anyone who thinks joining Godane's terror dynasty is a ticket to glory.

Godane was worse than Cayroow who was also killed by the Americans. This new person could be 10X worse than Godane. But one thing is for sure, Alshabab lost a larger than life figure. it is hard to replace ruthless murderer Godane if you are Al-Qeida. The new appointee may be open to negotiations with the Government. Godane did not see that as an option.

An Indian teenager is marred off to a dog.

They are playing the trick on us I guess.

Walaaahi badda Somalia waa loo tashaday. Thugs, warlords, thieves, murderers, cheats, pirates, rapists, and everyone else wants a piece of the pie.

Waa farxad weyn. Thank you Obama.

Now that uskag Godane is dead, ISIS can forget about ever having ISIS satellite group in Somalia.

1. You never met a mirror you didn’t look at. The original definition of narcissism stems from Narcissus, the myth of the youth from ancient Greece who fell in love with his own reflection in the water only to drown in the process. We now have plenty of mirrors to help us scrutinize, if not become entranced, with our own reflection. People high on narcissistic tendencies find it difficult to pass by an opportunity to check out their appearance at every occasion. They may not drown by falling into the water, but their preoccupation with the way they look could lead to serious trouble if they’re busy looking at themselves in the rear view car mirror instead of watching for oncoming traffic. Not only checking out your appearance frequently, but spending more than a few minutes to make sure your hair is in place and there’s nothing in your teeth from your last meal could be a sign that you’re more than a little narcissistic. 2. You spend an inordinate amount of time and money on your appearance. The commercial and retail world preys on the weakness of narcissists to look their best. Advertisements for cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, and other accoutrements of vanity are particularly compelling to people high in narcissistic tendencies. People high in narcissism don’t just succumb to these attempts to exploit their needs to be as glamorous as possible; others can easily spot them based on their appearance alone. Simine Vazire and colleagues, back in 2008, showed that observers correctly labeled people high in narcissistic tendencies by rating them as more likely to wear expensive, flashy clothing, take time to look organized and need, and, for women, to wear makeup and show cleavage. The internal drive of narcissists clearly translates into observable behavior that others can readily spot. 3. Your phone camera is full of selfies. Taking self-portraits, or “selfies,” is becoming an increasingly popular trend. Some people use these pictures in an exhibitionistic manner. displaying parts of their bodies in various states of undress. This behavior may reflect a certain degree of narcissism particularly when the camera unshy lose sight of the fact that not everyone of their friends is particularly interested in how you look in a swimsuit or other revealing outfit. Short of using social media to look sexy and cool, however, people with narcissistic tendencies assume that everyone in their circle truly cares about everything they’re eating, drinking, watching on TV or streaming video, or downloading to iTunes. If you’re looking to evaluate your narcissistic behavior, you could count the number of selfies compared to number of pictures of other people (or pets) which ideally would be less than 50%. 4. When you post on social media, you constantly check to see how many “likes” or “retweets” you accumulate. Having shared your most recent selfie, you now keep your finger poised over the refresh button to see how many people have instantly shown their approval by liking, commenting, or retweeting. If you don’t get instant reaction, you feel sulky and annoyed. You can only be happy when you get validation from others in your social network. Going one step further, you may not even see the need to give positive feedback to others when they post their own photos or status updates. After all, you’re the one with the interesting life and pictures to prove it, so why should you bother to acknowledge the supposed accomplishments of others? Count the number of times you give positive to feedback to others, compared to the amount of time you seek your own, and this can give you insight into your own narcissistic online behavior. 5. Your behavior irritates others, but you don’t realize it or care. Everyone has a tendency to make the fundamental attribution error in which they blame others for their rude, careless, or exploitative behavior but excuse themselves for the very same behavior. However, most people try to curb these tendencies by recognizing the situational causes that might cause others to be less than perfect. They also have an appreciation for social norms and the need to respect the rights of others. Score yourself as high in narcissism if you are unable to overcome this tendency and instead engage constantly in behaviors that exploit or are abusive to others. For example, public cell phone users who engage in loud conversations when it’s clear that others are trying to work or relax, are showing a narcissistic disregard for those in their immediate vicinity. Similarly, shoving ahead in line at the checkout counter because you’re in a hurry shows a disrespect for your fellow shoppers who themselves may have someplace important to go. 6. You feel you deserve special treatment. A strong sense of entitlement is a defining characteristic of some forms of narcissism. Every once in a while, most people like to be pampered or given extra attention. If you’re high in narcissism, though, you don’t see this extra attention as an occasional benefit or enjoyable treat. Instead, you enter into ordinary transactions with the expectation that you will be granted the favor, special offer, or even servitude due to someone with special status. When visiting someone’s home, whether for a meal or an overnight stay, you don’t offer to help with the dishes, clean your room, mop up the water that’s dripped from the shower to the bathroom floor, or perhaps even give your host a small token of appreciation. 7. You see the people in your life as an extension of yourself. Because you’re so preoccupied with the image you project onto others, a natural follow-up is that you regard your romantic partner, children, parents, and close friends as objects that could potentially either (a) embarrass you or (b) make you look even better. Therefore, you become excessively critical of the people you’re with if you don’t feel their appearance complements your own. If you feel that you’re being judged by the company you keep, then you’ll go out of your way to be surrounded by a posse of equally superior associates. 8. Your sense of rivalry is easily aroused. As shown in point #7, people high in narcissism want the others near them to reflect glory back onto themselves. However, narcissism can take on a competitive form. Mitja Back and associates (2013) found that people whose narcissism causes problems in their relationships with others constantly view even their closest relationship partners as rivals. Their low self-esteem (“vulnerable” narcissism) causes them to distrust others, and they become vengeful when someone crosses or outdoes them. If you find it hard to accept the successes of others because you feel this threatens your own standing in the world, this may be a sign that you’re high on this particular narcissistic tendency. 9. Your writing is full of “I” statements. Read over some emails you’ve recently written or personal statements you’ve had to write. How many sentences begin with “I”? You may know, objectively, that such writing isn’t ideal, but still you find it difficult to compose a piece of writing that deals with yourself or your experiences that contains a majority of such “I” statements. Even your social media updates may suffer from these excessively egocentric writing. On Facebook, do you overshare? You may even report on the achievements of a friend, relative, or colleague but still do so in a narcissistic manner. For example, you’re at a school- or activity-related even with your child, but instead of focusing on what the child is doing, you instead complain about how much time you’ve had to spend there that’s taken away from your “me” time. Alternatively, your status update brags about something your child or other relative has done, but you use that update to reflect favorably on what a good mother, friend, lover, etc. you are, which then goes back to #7, above. 10. You don’t mind criticizing others, but you become infuriated when you receive suggestions for improvement. Seeing others as extensions of yourself, expecting special treatment, and engaging in behavior that violates the rights of others all become the basis for your lashing out when things don’t go the way you want. However, should a romantic partner, friend, colleague, or child come back at you by pointing out where your own behavior falls short, and you can’t contain your rage and indignation. For instance, you typically show up 10 minutes late for lunch with friends or colleagues, forget other people’s birthdays, and yell at people who get in your way when you’re in a hurry, Now someone calls you on it, and you can’t believe that anyone could be so impossibly hurtful or rude. Even if the comment was intended to be constructive or was offered in a kindly and diplomatic way, you feel that it’s caused irreparable damage to your relationship, and that’s the end of that. If you’ve honestly been scoring yourself, you should have a sense of where on the narcissism continuum your behavior places you. A little bit of narcissism doesn’t have to doom you to a life of frustration, thwarted ambition, and failed relationships, and may even be beneficial by protecting you from some of life’s inevitable disappointments. However, if your behavior places you high on the narcissism dimension, this list of ten characteristics should also point the way for you to change. Personality disorders are defined as enduring characteristics that make up the fabric of an individual’s way of relating to others and the world. Fortunately, once you identify those that don’t quite reach the level of being diagnosable, you can start to tackle changing them and in the process, achieve a more solid and resilient sense of self. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201312/ten-ways-tell-if-you-re-narcissist

Naxar Nugaaleed, the veil is a religious symbol worn by Muslim women and it was not banned by France for security reason. President Sarkozy has described the veil as a “sign of enslavement and debasement” and claims it is the ultimate symbol of Islam’s oppression of women

Darn Ismahan. That is very depressing info. Thanks for sharing it with us.

In the late aughts, a party trend emerged in street dances in Jamaica that followed a “uniform party” theme in which attendees—mostly between the ages of 17 and 25—would arrive in some exaggerated variation of a school uniform. I attended such a party in the summer of 2010 while hosting friends in Montego Bay who had come from overseas. We followed a local friend of mine to a small uniform party taking place in the bend of a road near downtown. My American friends, sticking out in their plain shorts and tees, stood by and enjoyed the music and even more so, the dancing. In the middle of the road, where the bravest ventured, dancers showed off their styles, dancing with one another or by themselves in highly playful and often sexual ways. Read story at - http://www.thefader.com/2014/08/29/female-sexuality-and-dancehall

Ghandi and Madobe are from different subclans and the two clans have been feuding for a period of time. It is clan politics.

The President and the Parliament Speaker are both working with the Norwegians who are exploiting all this.

This is all confusing and weird.

This blogger is saying "Mossad" man contacted her. A little over a week ago, I was phoned by an arrogant, smug guy who identified himself as Gregg Roman and as the spokesmodel for the Sotloff family. He implied he was from the Mossad and told me that Sotloff was “one of the good guys” and working for the Mossad, too. Those claims, by the way, are pure fiction, and here’s a tip: real Mossad operatives never brag about being from the Mossad. Ever. Roman told me he was a longtime good friend of Sotloff and had studied with him in Israel at IDC, the Interdisciplinary Center–an Israeli University in Herzliya. That part is true (Sotloff studied at IDC from 2005-2008). While it is true that some IDC students are recruited to work in the Mossad, er . . . “The Prime Minister’s Office,” none of them was ever named Sotloff or Roman. And, in fact, the two were far leftists. http://www.debbieschlussel.com/74430/steven-sotloff-proud-jewish-supporter-of-hamas-isis-rebels-his-anti-us-friends-deeply-loved-islam/

Family had earlier requested that no media publishes his Jewish ties because ISIS will behead him.

Steven Sotloff, killed by Islamic State, had deep roots in Israel Freelance journalist captured and beheaded in Syria was Jewish, held Israeli citizenship and earned his undergraduate degree at IDC Steven Sotloff, the American journalist whose gruesome beheading was confirmed in a video released Tuesday night by Islamic State terrorists in Syria, first came to know Israel as an optimistic government student at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. On Wednesday afternoon, the Foreign Ministry cleared for publication the fact that he held Israeli citizenship. Read more: Steven Sotloff, killed by Islamic State, had deep roots in Israel | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/steve-sotloff-beheaded-by-isis-militants-had-deep-roots-in-israel/#ixzz3CJS7CEp9 Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook