DDMA Headline Animator

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Detainee still in jail months after serving term

02/11/2010

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Protesting a 3-month delay of his release, a Gaza man held in Israel's Negev prison went on hunger strike Monday, a prisoners support group reported.

Shadi Abu Al-Hussein, 34, from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, was due for release on 31 August but has remained in an isolation cell.

An Israeli prison service spokesman confirmed that Abu Al-Hussein had completed his sentence but "is being held in legal custody awaiting deportation."

According to the prisoners center, he was being held because he does not have an Israeli-issued ID card, which acts as identification for the Israeli government, military and public services. The prison service spokesman was unable to confirm that this was the reason behind the delay.

Officials at Israel's Ministry of the Interior, where identity cards are issued, were not available for comment.

In 2009, estimates showed at least 5,000 people in Gaza were awaiting family reunification permits from Israel. Although Israeli forces withdrew from the Strip in 2005, taking with them 8,500 settlers, the military maintains strict control of the borders. Relatives are rarely allowed to visit loved ones in prison.

In recent months, prisoners with ID cards registering them in Gaza, but who had lived in the West Bank with their spouses or relatives, were deported to Gaza without recourse to the courts.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=330014.

PLO official: Dissolving PA an option

02/11/2010

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- PLO negotiator Nabil Sha'ath said Tuesday that dissolving the Palestinian Authority would be considered as a last resort if efforts to end Israel's occupation failed.

The Fatah official told Ma'an radio that if the PA was unable to meet its responsibilities, it would be shameful to retain authority. "Its decisions are shot down by the occupation, as the people of the West Bank can’t visit Gaza and Gazans can’t live in the West Bank. It is not permitted for anyone to build a new Palestinian village or city, which is unacceptable."

If Israel's right-wing administration continues to ignore its obligations, the dissolution of the PA could force Netanyahu to find a solution for the conflict, Sha'ath said.

However, there are alternatives to dissolving the PA to be considered first, Sha'ath said, adding that the PA is ready to return to negotiations "tomorrow" if Israel stops expanding. If Netanyahu continues to refuse, the PLO will seek recognition of statehood from the UN Security Council, the US and the EU, he said.

The Arab League follow-up committee gave the US one month to resolve the current deadlock in negotiations, which stalled when Netanyahu resumed full-scale settlement building across the West Bank in late September.

Sha'ath questioned the ability of the US to put pressure on Israel, which has continued to build on Palestinian land despite signing agreements. "How will they stop the occupation?" he asked.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=330218.

F-22 Raptor 4168 Heads To Its New Home

by Staff Writers
Marietta GA (SPX) Nov 02, 2010

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor 4168 ascends over C-130H aircraft belonging to the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., shortly after taking off from the company's Marietta facility on its delivery flight to Langley AFB, Va., Tuesday.

Raptor 4168 is the 15th F-22 delivered to the U.S. Air Force this year, the 168th overall. Lockheed Martin has delivered 88 consecutive F-22s on or ahead of schedule.

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/F_22_Raptor_4168_Heads_To_Its_New_Home_999.html.

Western Australia To Host US Defense Space Base

by Staff Writers
Canberra, Australia (XNA) Nov 02, 2010

Western Australia will host a new multimillion-dollar U.S. defense base to spy on foreign satellites and keep watch on dangerous space junk, local media reported on Saturday.

Fairfax newspapers reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is poised to announce the space base when he visits Australia next week with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

As a major expansion of the U.S. military footprint in Australia, the paper said the base is likely to be built at the top secret Harold E Holt Naval communications station at Exmouth of Western Australia.

The facility will allow Australia to become a key partner in the international battle for space supremacy.

It will have major technology and intelligence spin-offs, putting Australia at the forefront of an emerging battle between nations staking claim for territory in space occupied by 600 billion dollars (588 billion U.S. dollars) of civil and military hardware, Fairfax wrote.

According to Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, last year's Defense White Paper stated Australia's strategic capability advantage depended on its ability to access space and protect the nation from "foreign exploitation by space-based capabilities".

"The U.S. Space Surveillance Network is the principal system Australia and other nations rely on to detect, track and identify objects in space," Smith told Australia Associated Press on Friday.

"While no decisions have yet been made, Australia and the United States are discussing the potential for supporting the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and the development of Australia's space situational awareness."

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Western_Australia_To_Host_US_Defense_Space_Base_999.html.

Iran warns citizens against France travel

Tue Nov 2, 2010

Iran warns its citizens against traveling to France as the European country's nation-wide unrest caused by economic and social crises reaches a "serious level."

"We think the crisis in France has reached a serious level, and we advise all our nationals who plan to travel to this country to take necessary precautions," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday.

"Our compatriots have been informed of the travel warning via the Foreign Ministry website and the Iranian Embassy in Paris," IRNA quoted him as saying.

Nationwide strikes broke out in France in protest at French President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform bill.

In mid-October, angry high school students joined more than a million trade union workers from 250 towns and cities in protests that shut down transportation across France.

The French National Assembly finally voted in favor of the pension reform bill that will increase the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62 and the full state pension age from 65 to 67.

Moreover French aviation unions have planned a five-day strike staring from November 4.

President Sarkozy is now expected to sign the bill into law on November 15.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149349.html.

Israeli aircraft hovering over Beirut

Tue Nov 2, 2010

The Lebanese army has said that another Israeli reconnaissance aircraft violated the country's airspace, an infringement Tel Aviv commits on an almost daily basis.

The army said in a statement that the plane was hovering over the capital city of Beirut on Monday morning.

Lebanon's military often reports airspace violations by Israeli aircrafts but does not usually open fire on them.

The airspace violations contravene the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 1701, which ended the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006.

Lebanon's government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, have repeatedly called on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and stop its air surveillance flights over the country.

According to evidence-backed statistics submitted to the UN by the Lebanese government, Israel has breached the provisions of the resolution on more than 7,000 occasions by violating Lebanon's airspace, territorial waters, and border.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149347.html.

Britain, France seal military deals

Tue Nov 2, 2010

British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have signed two military agreements at a summit in London.

Under the agreements, the two European allies will establish a joint military force and share aircraft carriers and nuclear test facilities, British media reported on Tuesday.

Moreover, the deal would see the UK and France sharing their nuclear weapons know-how. The two sides will also set up a joint expeditionary force of around 6,000 troops.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the French president, Cameron boasted that "Britain and France are natural partners," adding that, "Today we open a new chapter.'

"We have signed two treaties, one committing our world class armed forces to work together more closely than ever before," Cameron told the press conference, "And another covering cooperation on nuclear safety."

The French president hailed the agreements as "historic" and "unprecedented."

"France and Britain's clocks strike at the same hour at the same time," he told reporters. "We intend to work hand in glove."

Both leaders insisted that the deal would allow Britain and France to retain their independence of action.

"Britain and France are and will always remain sovereign nations able to deploy our armed forces independently," Cameron said.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149345.html.

N Korea offers torpedo sample for probe

Tue Nov 2, 2010

North Korea says it is ready to provide torpedo samples as proof to show it had no involvement in sinking a South Korean warship back in March.

Pyongyang says aluminum alloy fragments recovered by South Korea prove that no North Korean torpedo was involved in the maritime accident.

"Aluminum alloy fragments prove themselves that the torpedo was not from the north,” an official statement carried by the state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday.

The North says its torpedoes are made of steel alloy material and has described Seoul's investigation as the most hideous conspiratorial farce in history.

A May investigation report on the sinking of the warship in the Yellow Sea near the disputed maritime border with North Korea concluded that the sunken ship was hit by a torpedo.

Seoul says Pyongyang may be behind the shipwreck. North Korea has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The South took the case to the UN Security Council back in June. The international body condemned the deadly attack, but refused to directly blame the North for the tragedy that left 46 sailors dead in late March.

However, the Security Council members have appealed to "all parties to refrain from any action that would aggravate the security situation in the region."

Tension in the Korean peninsula has been high since North Korea's missile test in April 2009. International efforts to resolve the standoff have so far made little progress.

In a separate development, South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Tae-young on Tuesday accused North Korea of trying to develop small nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang insists its nuclear program is a deterrent against US forces in the region and accuses US President Barack Obama of plotting with regional allies to topple the country's communist government.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149355.html.

New dolphin species identified

Tue Nov 2, 2010

Researchers have identified a new type of dolphin, which lived two to three million years ago, from a fossil recovered in the North Sea two years ago.

The newly identified dolphin has a short, spoon-shaped nose and high, bulbous forehead and belongs to the family of marine mammals known as Delphinids -- the ocean-going dolphins that actually include both killer and pilot whales, state-funded BBC reported on Tuesday.

The new dolphin has been named Platalearostrum hoekmani -- after Albert Hoekman, the Dutch fisherman who in 2008 trawled up a bone from the creature's skull in the North Sea.

The fossil and a model of the six-meter-long dolphin are on display at the Natural History Museum in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

The so-called rostrum's bone is one of tens of thousands of fossils found during bottom-trawling in the North Sea in recent decades, museum researchers Klaas Post and Erwin Kompanje reported in the museum's journal Deinsea.

Latest analysis suggest Platalearostrum hoekmani is a new species whose closest relative is the pilot whale.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149358.html.

Iran enables students abroad to return

Tue Nov 2, 2010

Iran has made it possible for Iranian students who study at "unaccredited" universities in other countries to move to credible universities in their homeland.

"Based on the reforms made, transferring Iranian students from unaccredited foreign universities at the associate and bachelor's degrees levels has been made possible," IRNA quoted Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mahmoud Mollabashi as saying in a press conference on Tuesday.

"Iranian students who, because of lack of information, study at foreign universities that are not recognized by the Islamic Republic as credible [institutions] can apply for a transfer from those universities to universities inside Iran," Mollabashi added.

He said these students would be accepted by universities such as Payame Noor and Azad, and non-governmental universities, even in governmental night schools, and in exceptional cases, in governmental day schools.

According to the new regulations, applicants can be transferred to Iranian universities that are similar in rank to the foreign universities where they were studying.

Students, who wish to apply for the transfer, are required to have passed at least 12 main credits in the foreign universities, as having received admission from a foreign university is not enough to qualify for transfer.

The new regulations for requesting a transfer will be put on the website of the Ministry of Science on Monday, November 8.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://presstv.ir/detail/149360.html.

Facebook group calls for boycott of Hong Kong fast-food chain

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Hong Kong - Almost 3,000 people have joined a Facebook group calling for a boycott of Hong Kong's biggest fast-food chain in support of its workers.

The group, called Boycott the unscrupulous restaurant chain Cafe de Coral, was formed in response to changes in the pay structure of workers of the chain which it claims leave many with less take-home pay.

Under the new structure, workers who earn between 22 and 25 Hong Kong dollars per hour (2.83 and 3.22 US dollars) will receive a pay rise of between 2 and 3.5 Hong Kong dollars per hour. But they will no longer be paid for their 45-minute lunch break, a move which trade unions claim will equate to a pay cut.

The chain has 149 Cafe de Coral outlets in Hong Kong, plus around 150 others restaurants such as the Spaghetti House and Oliver's Super Sandwiches.

The Facebook group claims the new salary policy is unscrupulous.

Cafe de Coral has defended the new pay scale claiming it was crucial in the light of a new minimum wage law which is due to come into effect next year. It did not comment on the Facebook group.

Social Democrat party chairman Andrew To said the chain was using a legal loophole to get money from staff.

"It will encourage other companies in the sector to follow the practice and cut workers' lunch allowance," he told local newspapers earlier this week.

Legislators in the former British colony passed Hong Kong's first minimum wage law in July. A working party is expected to set the level in the coming months.

Trade unions have been pushing for a minimum wage of 4.2 US dollars an hour.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351447,hong-kong-fast-food-chain.html.

Japan recalls envoy from Moscow over territorial dispute - Summary

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Tokyo - The Japanese government said Tuesday it would recall its ambassador from Moscow in response to a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to a disputed island north-east of Japan.

Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said the recall was temporary.

The decision was made after he talked to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, he said.

A government official in Tokyo earlier said that the leaders of Japan and Russia were expected to meet at the sidelines of an upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in Japan in mid-November.

"I believe the bilateral talks are to be held at the time of the meeting in Yokohama," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a news conference.

But Maehara said that the meeting had not been arranged yet.

Medvedev on Monday traveled to Kunashiri Island, one of the disputed Kuril Islands north-east of Japan. The 56 Kuril Islands are under Russian rule, but Japan claims the four southern islands, including Kunashiri, as its territory.

Kan on Monday described the visit as "very regrettable," as Japan had warned the visit would seriously hurt the two countries' relations.

Medvedev was the first Russian leader, including those of the Soviet Union, to visit the islands, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories.

The islands were occupied by Soviet forces during the closing days of World War II. The two countries have not signed a peace treaty because of the row over the islands.

The region between the Japanese northern main island of Hokkaido and Russia's Kamchatka peninsula is known to be rich in mineral deposits and fishing stock.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351445,territorial-dispute%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0-summary.html.

Japanese whaling town fails to find common ground with activists

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Tokyo - A meeting between the leaders of a Japanese whaling town and foreign activists ended without any progress, news reports said Tuesday.

Local officials from the coastal town of Taiji in western Japan met with the activists from three anti-whaling groups, including the United States-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The Taiji residents argued that many livelihoods depend on whaling and dolphin hunting, and underlined the importance of mutual respect for different cultures, Kyodo News reported.

Katsutoshi Mihara, chairman of the Taiji Town Assembly, was quoted by Kyodo as saying, "We have been living by relying on marine resources for our livelihood. We can't just let you force your values on us."

But the activists said while they understand dolphin hunting is part of local culture, it was an inhumane practice and could not be justified by the longstanding tradition.

Scott West, a member of Sea Shepherd, who said he had no plans to stop his protest activities, argued some things have to end when the time comes.

The two-hour meeting was not to open to the public and only some journalists were allowed to cover it. The town's representatives declined to hold a news conference after the meeting.

Taiji was brought into the international spotlight last year by the Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove, which criticized their annual dolphin-hunt.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351451,find-common-ground-activists.html.

Indonesia mobilizes aircraft, warships to help tsunami victims

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Jakarta - Indonesia mobilized aircraft and navy ships Tuesday to distribute aid to survivors of last week's tsunami on the Mentawai islands, an official said.

Improved weather and telecommunications links have allowed aid workers to deliver supplies to remote areas after storms and high seas had forced them to turn back earlier, said Nelis Zuliasri, a spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Agency.

"Aid supplies have now reached all areas where there are displaced people," Zuliasri said.

"However, the weather is constantly changing, so we have to make the best of today's better conditions," she said Tuesday.

She said six helicopters, one C-130 Hercules military cargo plane, five navy warships and other smaller vessels were involved in the relief effort.

The death toll from the October 25 tsunami, triggered by a magnitude-7.7 earthquake, was revised down to 427 after some of those reported killed were found alive, according to the Regional Disaster Management Agency in West Sumatra province in its latest update.

Seventy-five people were listed as missing while about 500 were injured, the agency said.

About 15,000 people were displaced, and 700 homes were damaged.

The Mentawai chain, consisting of 70 islands and islets 150 kilometers off the western coast of Sumatra, is a popular surfing destination. It has a population of about 68,000 people.

A local aid group working in the Mentawais, Yayasan Tanngul Bencana, said survivors were in urgent need of food, tents, blankets and medicines.

"They also need psychosocial counseling to help them deal with the loss of their loved ones," said Life Seli, a group spokesman.

Zuliasri said her agency had earmarked 1 billion rupiah (112,000 dollars) for a two-week emergency phase.

"We will seek additional funds should there be a need to extend the emergency phase," she said, adding that a comprehensive assessment of damage and losses would be conducted after the emergency phase was over.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 2009 a magnitude-7.6 earthquake hit Padang and neighboring districts in West Sumatra, killing more than 1,100 people.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351452,warships-help-tsunami-victims.html.

Dead whale beached in Denmark was world's oldest, say experts

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Copenhagen - A whale which died after being stranded in a Danish fjord earlier this year was 130-140 years old - making it likely the oldest known whale to date, officials said Tuesday.

The age was determined after analysis of the fin whale's carcass conducted at the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen.

Initial estimates had put the whale's age at 15 to 20 years. However, analysis of amino acids in the whale's eyes proved it was more likely to have been 130 to 140 years old, museum conservator Abdi Hedayat told the local newspaper Lokal-Bladet Budstikken.

"That makes it the world's oldest, scientifically described whale," he said.

A 116-year-old fin whale held the previous longevity record.

The beached whale was spotted in June at several locations in western Denmark before it became stranded in the Vejle Fjord.

Several attempts to free the whale failed after it swam back to shallow waters. The whale's struggle attracted hundreds of bystanders.

The whale was not particularly large, measuring some 17 meters, which is seven meters shorter than the largest known fin whale.

Hedayat said the old whale might have suffered from brittleness of the bones, but that had not been established.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351471,denmark-worlds-oldest-experts.html.

Syria-Egypt media spat over the Mideast peace roles

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Damascus - A war of words between Syrian and Egyptian media continued to flare up Monday with a leading Syrian daily taking jabs at Cairo's Middle East policy.

The editor-in-chief of Syria's al-Watan newspaper, an independent newspaper which has long supported official government policy, wrote a scathing column accusing Cairo of of no longer having a leading role in the region, and only serving Israeli and US interests.

"What more could bother the leaders of Egypt than to realize the reality of their role in the region or to be faced with the certainty that Cairo has no Arab role and that they are not needed in good times or bad," wrote Waddah Abed Rabbo.

Abed Rabbo said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak rushed to blame Syria of being behind the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

She went on to write that Egypt was once a leader of pan-Arabism, but now "simply serves the interests of Israel and the United States."

The column in al-Watan came just days after Egypt's largest daily, the state-run al-Ahram newspaper, criticized Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for comments he made regarding Egypt.

In an interview with the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat last week, al-Assad restated that he had not been officially invited to Egypt in the past five years.

"Strangely enough, we in Syria do not know what is the problem. I do not want anything from Egypt, and I must ask what do the Egyptians want from Syria?", he said in the interview.

Both Egypt and Syria once shared flags as the "United Arab Republic" from 1958 to 1961. But as of late, the relationship has grown cold. Cairo is weary of Syria's growing relationship with neighboring Iran and for its close ties to Palestinian Hamas leaders, many of whom are in exile in Damascus.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351468,spat-mideast-peace-roles.html.

Bahraini leadership congratulates Algeria

01 11, 2010

Manama, Nov. 1 (BNA) His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent a cable of congratulation to Algerian President Abdulaziz Boutaflika marking his country's National Day.

His Majesty wished Boutaflika good health and his people further progress and prosperity. His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa sent similar cable to the Algerian President and another cable to Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Oyahya. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa sent a cable of congratulation to the Algerian President.

Source: Bahrain News Agency (BNA).
Link: http://english.bna.bh/?ID=90451.

Algeria commemorates the launch of the war of independence

01 November, 2010

ALGIERS - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika gathered on Monday morning in Algiers at the shrine of the martyrs of the liberation war triggered exactly 56 years ago against France, officials said.

After greeting a detachment of the Republican Guard, the president laid a wreath of flowers at the monument and recited a prayer in memory of mujahideen who fell for the country’s independence in 1962.

The president was surrounded by the country's top leaders and military, according to APS.

Everywhere in Algeria on Sunday evening and Monday, ceremonies were held in memory of Martyrs of the colonial presence in Algeria from 1830 to 1962.

Source: Ennahar.
Link: http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/news/5090.html.

Fayyad changes schedule after Jerusalem ban

02/11/2010

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad canceled a planned visit to an East Jerusalem school on Tuesday, celebrating is renovation by the government, informed sources told Ma'an.

The schedule switch, which will see Fayyad tour schools in areas of the Jerusalem municipality that remain inside the West Bank, was made following an Israeli government decision to ban the official's visits to schools in areas illegally annexed by Israel in the mid-1980s following the occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

According to Monday reports from Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz, the decision was based on the decade-old order prohibiting Palestinian Authority events in the city. While officials have in the past been permitted to visit Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem, government events have been quashed.

Fifteen schools in areas of the Jerusalem municipality remain on Fayyad's schedules, sources said.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=330032.

Brazil's First Woman President Sets Her Agenda

By Anastasia Gubin and Bruno Meneses
Epoch Times Staff
Nov 2, 2010

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil—In her first televised speech since wining the presidential election, Dilma Rousseff, the next head of state of Brazil, praised current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and emphasized women's rights. She also promised to respect freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and human rights, but above all, she will work to eradicate poverty, reported O Globo.

“We cannot rest while there are hungry Brazilians and while poor children are abandoned to their own luck,” said Rousseff. “It is about an abyss in a developing Brazil.”

The first woman to be president in the country's history praised Lula and promised to honor her campaign promises of eradicating poverty, expanding the differentiated fiscal system for small businesses, and safeguarding freedom of the press, and freedom of belief.

Rousseff, like Lula, is a member of the Workers' Party, and she headed his Cabinet. On Sunday, after a run-off election, official election sources determined that Rouseff had the majority of votes for Brazil's presidency. She won with 56 percent of the votes, while José Serra received 44 percent.

The recently elected leader of the world’s fifth most populous country, at age 62, will take over the position on Jan. 1, 2011. Current President Lula, who had handpicked his successor said, “There is no possibility of me being part of the government” reported El Mundo.

Rousseff was smiling long before results were announced. She repeatedly said, “I am going to govern for everybody. I am going to talk with all Brazilians without exception.”

During the acceptance speech, the president-elect said her government will keep inflation under control and will make public expenditures more efficient. She will push for tax simplification and work to improve services for the general population.

“But above all, I want to reaffirm our commitment to economic stability and economic rules, signed contracts, and the already accomplished goals.” Finally, she expressed she is going to create mechanisms to benefit small business owners.

While polls at the beginning of October did not give her more than 46 percent of the vote, in the last days of the election, she appeared to have 55 percent.

According to Ultimas Noticias, defeated Brazilian candidate José Serra said, “This is not goodbye, it's just until we meet again.” He also said, “I fought the presidency with much pride. I tell you from my heart, I am very grateful to the 46 million of Brazilian men and women that voted for me.”

Regarding the contest between Rouseff and Serra, O Globo stated, “The confrontation that is just ending was marked as being one of the 'dirtiest' in recent times, with razor-sharp speeches, as well as conservatism amid accusations and corruption scandals.”

Brazilian media indicated the new head of state with numerous, serious problems—including corruption—inherited from the previous government.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/45222/.

Spain cannot offer Dichter immunity

02-11-2010

MADRID - Spanish authorities said it cannot grant former head of the Israeli Shin Bet Avi Dichter immunity from arrest and interrogation if he intends to visit its territories because of an arrest warrant issued against him.

Dichter was intending to travel to Madrid to attend a summit between officials from the Palestinian authority and the Zionist entity, but he canceled his participation in the event for fear of arrest.

Spanish and Palestinian human rights organizations filed a lawsuit against a number of Israeli officials, including Dichter, with Spanish courts for their involvement in war crimes committed in 2002 in Al-Daraj neighborhood in the Gaza Strip which led to the death of 14 civilians including nine children and the injury of many others.

The Palestinian center for human rights hailed Spain for taking such step, saying it affirmed that its territories cannot be a safe haven for war criminals even if they enjoy diplomatic immunity.

The center urged Spain to abolish the recent amendments it made to the law of international jurisdiction, asserting that such amendments are against the international obligations laid over the shoulder of Spain.

Source: Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades - Information Office.
Link: http://www.qassam.ps/news-3700-Spain_cannot_offer_Dichter_immunity.html.

Fatah, Hamas agree to meet in Damascus

02-11-2010,08:43

Al Qassam website - Hamas movement and Fatah party said Monday that they agreed to hold their second round of reconciliation meeting in Syria's capital of Damascus next week.

Ayman Taha, Gaza-based Hamas spokesman told Xinhua on telephone that the two movements agreed to hold their meeting over finalizing reconciliation in Damascus on Nov. 9.

The meeting will be attended by two delegations of the two movements, and it will include experts in security affairs, he said, adding that Hamas representatives from Gaza may also join the meeting.

Meanwhile, chief of Fatah delegation Azzam al-Ahmad has confirmed that the two movements agreed on holding their meeting over reconciliation in Damascus on Nov. 9.

Leaders of the two groups held their first meeting of reconciliation in Oct. 24 in Damascus, but it was postponed following political disputes between Syria and the Palestinian Authority.

Egypt postponed last year the inter-Palestinian dialogue after Hamas announced that it has reservations on some phrases that need to be amended.

Source: Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades - Information Office.
Link: http://www.qassam.ps/news-3701-Fatah_Hamas_agree_to_meet_in_Damascus.html.

Southeast Asian embassies 'share the love' in Amman

By Jakob Jessen

AMMAN - Hip-swinging, umbrella-waving and muscle-flexing performances were among the cultural highlights at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Night 2010 on Saturday.

Hosted by five Southeast Asian embassies and held at the residence of Indonesian Ambassador in Amman Zainulbahar Noor, the event aimed to "commemorate the genuine friendship with our host [Jordan], and highlight how we will grow as enduring partners into the long future", Thai Ambassador to Jordan Isinthorn Sornvai said in his opening remarks.

Sornvai, who also serves as vice chair of the ASEAN committee in Amman, commended the association’s accomplishments over the last 43 years. ASEAN is made up of 10 member states, five of them with a diplomatic presence in the Kingdom.

In her opening address, HRH Princess Basma cited "fundamental values" such as "respect for sovereignty and equality" and "social progress and economic growth" that are the common denominators for both Jordan and ASEAN countries.

"Let us find inspiration in the principles which unite us, and in so doing, draw strength from the ASEAN spirit," she said, highlighting the "steady cooperation" between ASEAN countries and Jordan in trade, education, tourism and culture.

"Tonight we celebrate the close relationship between our countries," the Princess said.

And so they did.

Festivities kicked off with the ASEAN anthem - "ASEAN We Are One" - performed by ASEAN embassy staffers with ambassadors assuming the role of lead singers. If not pitch-perfect, the ballads were sung in perfect harmony.

Following the anthem, dancers, singers and actors from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei took to the stage.

Philippine boys danced onto the stage to a wave of rhythms from hammering cups of coconuts plastered to their bodies while Malaysian women glided across the floor dressed in colorful gowns performing the traditional "Ulek Mayang" dance.

An entire ensemble of Indonesians playing bamboo instruments gave a charming insight to traditional Indonesian music and a Brunei wedding was recreated in all its pomp and solemnity.

Before the night came to an end, a monkey tried to capture a sea king's daughter in a dramatic reenactment of an ancient Thai fairytale.

Southeast Asian cuisine was also on display during the event: from Philippine chicken adabo to Malaysian mee hon, spring rolls and rainbow colored pastries, while a colorful Indonesian fashion show captivated the crowd.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the musical performance of the Malaysian ambassador, Dato Abdul Malek Bin Abdul Aziz, who - in a duet with his wife and backed by a group of embassy staff dancers - performed traditional and modern songs.

Channeling the spirit of an Asian crooner, they delivered a rousing rendition of John Paul Young's "Love is in the air" with a Southeast Asian twist.

1 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=31442.

Israel bulldozes Gaza village

Tue Nov 2, 2010

Accompanied by tanks, Israeli bulldozers have driven deep into the Gaza Strip before proceeding to flatten areas within a central town, say eyewitnesses.

The intrusion took place on Monday, when the vehicles advanced hundreds of meters into the agricultural town of Wadi as-Salqa, the Ma'an news agency reported.

They then began to rove around and raze what lay before them on the ground.

Israel conducted a self-proclaimed withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 -- the enclave it occupied along with other Palestinian territories in 1967.

However, Israeli forces have been carrying out regular deadly forays into the Gaza strip sliver ever since the so-called pullout.

Tel Aviv says the assaults are meant to respond to or prevent rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian resistance fighters, although the home-made projectiles seldom leave any casualties or considerable damage to property.

The Israeli military also targets Gaza's civilians, including minors, who search the areas of former Israeli settlements for collectible debris.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/149264.html.

'Iran's eastern border secured'‎

Tue Nov 2, 2010

A senior Iranian police commander says most parts of the country's eastern border have been secured against drug-trafficking.

"The only issue is the cordoning of the southern part of Sistan-Baluchestan Province," IRIB quoted Hamid-Reza Hossein-Abadi, the commander of the Iranian police narcotics squad, as saying on Monday.

He also said that efforts were being made to fully secure all the eastern borders of the country to the Sea of Oman.

Hossein-Abadi stated that the government has been allocating funds toward that end.

On different occasions, Iranian officials have said that the US and Britain are playing a major role in Afghanistan's lucrative drug trade.

They have criticized Western countries over their policies toward Iran's eastern neighbor, where poppy cultivation has drastically increased since the US-led military occupation of the country began in 2001.

Some 13,000 tons of drug catalysts are brought into Afghanistan every year as the country produces some 90 percent of the world's opium.

Iranian police officials maintain that drug production in Afghanistan has had a 40-fold increase since the war and occupation began.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/149266.html.

Sudan: Why Citizens Should Encourage Sudan Unity and Not Disintegration

Sonaya Abdelsadig
29 October 2010

opinion

Nairobi — A recent trend in Kenya and East Africa in general tends to favor the partitioning of Africa's biggest nation into two parts, claiming that the emerging "independent" state in the South should be purely African and Christian and that East Africans should enjoy the oil wealth of Southern Sudan.

Firstly, speaking about independence for Southern Sudan is fallacy because historically, the South has never been a colony to the North, but an integral part and parcel of one country regardless of disparity in development standards resulting from many historical factors and political mistakes committed by various actors.

These errors are being addressed and sorted out in numerous conferences and meetings with one culminating in the signing of the historical Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nairobi in 2005.

Ethnic and religious diversity was never the cause of the civil war but a mix of multiple factors.

It is misinformation to claim that since East Africa, and especially Kenya, is predominately a Christian society, the views of an estimated 4.3 million Muslims in the country, whose point of view was not taken into consideration in this regard should be ignored.

The same criteria should be applied on South Sudan Muslims.

Somalia, for instance, is an ethnically and religiously unified country; nevertheless that unity did not protect the state against total collapse and continuous bloodshed between brother and sister.

The belief that in order to achieve full benefits from the oil wealth in South Sudan the country should be disintegrated contradicts reality and solid figures.

Since the signing of the CPA in Nairobi that brought an end to hostilities between the warring parties, an estimated number of Kenyans ranging between fifty and seventy thousand, with a sizable fraction of them in Juba, are working and doing business throughout Southern Sudan and within the unified Sudan, without the slightest objection from the North.

Kenya does not need to disintegrate the million square-mile neighbor in order to sustain her growing benefits.

The number of Kenyan companies and banks operating in the South is the highest outside Kenya and the number is growing at a rapid rate.

The famous Nakumatt Supermarket has announced plans to venture into the region by the end of the year.

The training of civil servants, military personnel and people from other spheres of life is done in Kenya while some Kenyan experts are doing the same on the ground in the South.

To claim that Kenya is not in need of the friendship of the North is to ignore the realities of history, geography and the strategic interests of the Kenyan people as was clearly stated by the esteemed government when justifying the receiving of President Al-Bahsir last August during the promulgation of the new Constitution.

Economically speaking, North Sudan is an important and promising market for Kenyan products and industries with the former currently importing seven per cent of Kenyan tea.

The population in the North is four times that of the South. Great human and financial resources, including vast virgin lands and huge rivers are available, offering big economic prospects for all kinds of investments and business ventures.

The Kenyan Government's stand was strong, logical and straightforward while defining those interests and highlighting the historical role played by Kenya as a custodian, guardian and guarantor to the peace process in Sudan, which culminated in the historical CPA -- a noble role that should be continuous and sustainable till the realization of the whole agreement, including safeguarding, defending and protecting the sovereignty, integrity and unity of Sudan.

The concept of joining ranks and formation of regional and continental blocks is gaining momentum and support throughout the entire world (e.g. the European Union, the Russian Federation and the US), among them the most wealthy and powerful nations.

So why should we turn against this global trend and preach for separation and disintegration of our least developed of African countries into smaller and weaker states, while real empowerment and development lies in unity and more unity?

Source: allAfrica.
Link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201011010045.html.

CCTV cameras to blanket Algeria

2010-11-01

Algerian security authorities will have nearly 3,000 active surveillance cameras nationwide within the next few days, Echorouk reported on Sunday (October 31st). Over the last nine months, Algeria spent more than 2.32b dinars on CCTV cameras to put the biggest cities under 24-hour surveillance, the National Office of Statistics reported. Most of the imported equipment is from China, Italy, Great Britain, the United States and Japan.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/11/01/newsbrief-03.

UN official visits Algeria for gender violence assessment

2010-11-01

United Nations Special Rapporteur Rachida Manjoo arrives in Algiers on Monday (November 1st) to assess the country's progress in stemming violence against women. Algeria asked the UN official to evaluate the country's implementation of recommendations made by the previous UN Rapporteur in 2007. During her 10-day working visit, Manjoo will meet with representatives of government institutions and civil society organizations.

The invitation demonstrates "Algeria's commitment in the promotion and protection of human rights and specifically the rights of women", the Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/11/01/newsbrief-02.

Algeria averts anniversary attack

2010-11-01

Algerian security services foiled a terror attack set for Monday (November 1st), when national celebrations commemorate the 1954 start of the country's 's war for independence, Liberte reported. On Saturday night, Annaba security services arrested four men on a road near the tourist village of Seraïdi. The suspects were caught while driving back from Maqam Echahid, where they allegedly planted several bombs. The driver, a wanted terrorist, was shot in the leg as he tried to escape.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/11/01/newsbrief-01.

Algeria aims to spur reading

2010-11-01

While the number of people flocking to the 15th Algiers Book Fair attests to Algerians' unflagging interest in reading, exorbitant prices turned off even the most intrepid readers.

By Mouna Sadek for Magharebia in Algiers – 01/11/10

The 15th Algiers Book Fair (SILA), set to run through November 6th, attracted some 460 exhibitors from more than 30 countries as well as crowds of avid book-lovers. The event, which opened on Tuesday (October 26th), provides an opportunity to assess the state of reading in the country.

"Reading contributes to raising the cultural level, reaffirming national identity and building a democratic society where equality of opportunity is offered to the public," Culture Minister Khalida Toumi said at a press conference.

Despite Algerians' love of books, many visitors appeared discouraged by the price tags on some of the publications.

"There are some really attractive titles, but the problem is that the prices just don't fit in with Algerians' living standards; they're beyond the reach of those on average household budgets," Feriel Moussouni, an engineer, told Magharebia, although he did admit to one reckless purchase: "La Muqadima" ("Prolegomenon") by Ibn Khaldoun, which cost 1500 DA (14 euros).

The Algerian government has been implementing an array of pro-reading measures. In 2008, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia issued a decree covering the import and sale of books through festivals, fairs and trade shows. Last August, the Council of Ministers decided to introduce a VAT exemption on paper for book printing.

In addition, the Culture Ministry is planning to increase funding for creative activities in 2010-2011, open the National Book Center and enforce a new law on books and public reading. The Ministry also envisions opening 137 libraries, launching 54 more and acquiring 12 new mobile libraries. Toumi also announced an extension of legal privileges for book-related investment activities under the Complementary Finance Act (LFC 2009).

"In 2014, Algeria will have 48 main libraries in its wilayas and 400 local lending libraries operated by the Culture Ministry," she said, adding that these libraries will have a special status in line with UNESCO guidelines.

Furthermore, the National Education and Culture ministries are set to hold a meeting before the end of 2010 to study the possibility of incorporating a requirement to read at least four works every school year into academic curricula.

"The list of titles will be reached by common agreement, with priority given to the nation's greatest authors," Toumi announced.

Although the government has redoubled its efforts to encourage reading, some publishers and thinkers expressed skepticism, fueled by the fact that a number of booksellers shut down shops due to a lack of readership.

Among the skeptics is chief of the National Union of Book Publishers (SNEL) Fayçal Houma, who thinks that the new measures, particularly the VAT exemption, will have little effect on book prices.

"I'd have preferred some kind of tax reduction, with rebates on IRG [global revenue tax] or IBS [corporation tax] rather than this VAT exemption," he told Magharebia.

Chegnanne Abdellah, from Dahlab Publications, feels that the VAT exemption should be backed up by exemption from customs duties to reduce the price of books.

According to Salma Hellal, from Barzakh Publications, the entire industry, including printers, publishers, distributors and bookshops, must take action to revive Algerians' gusto for books.

"The problem is that neither schools, nor families, nor the authorities have seen reading as a priority. They've taught children to decipher text, but not really to read. It is now more urgent than ever to remedy this problem," Mohamed Layadi, 47, said.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/11/01/feature-02.

PM ErdoÄŸan: Union and Brotherhood Will Spoil these Games

After the bomb attack in central Istanbul on Sunday, Prime Minister Erdoğan said the attack was aimed at "thwarting a developed and modern Turkey". President Gül and opposition leader Kılıçdaroğlu condemned the incident. The pro-Kurdish BDP reminded the "government to take responsibility".

Berivan TAPAN
Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center
01 November 2010, Monday

A bomb attack on Taksim square in the center of Istanbul (European side) on Sunday (31 October) left 32 people injured. President Abdullah Gül said, "Today we have to express our strongest protest against terrorism". Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the attack was aimed at "thwarting dams like Ilısu" and "thwarting a developed modern Turkey".

ErdoÄŸan: We will not play that game

Newspapers and news agency reported the statements of the politicians as follows:

The news of the suicide bombing reached Prime Minister ErdoÄŸan in Mardin (south-eastern Turkey) where he attended an opening ceremony of housing made by the Public Housing Administration (TOKÄ°).

ErdoÄŸan declared, "We will never tolerate the ones who want to stir up Turkey and who want to disrupt the country's peace, stability and security environment. I want to remind once more that these attackers will not be able to intercept Turkey from its goals of unity, solidarity, brotherhood and development".

"We are one and we are together. You should know that these games will be spoiled as long as this union and brotherhood exist. The foundations of these games rest on thwarting dams like Ilısu. The foundations of these games rest on thwarting a developed and modern Turkey".

"The foundations of these games rest on obstructing the unemployed from finding jobs. But we will not let them have it. We will continue our way with determination".

Gül: More co-operation in struggle against terrorism

President Gül said in his latest statement, "Today we have to express our strongest protest against terrorism". Gül had obtained information about the attack via phone from the Istanbul Governor, Hüseyin Avni Mutlu. The president condemned the attack.

"The fact that nobody lost his life in the attack is our only consolation. Terrorism has to be condemned and a firm stand has to be shown to any section [of society] against this traitorous and inhumane terrorist action regardless of political discussions. Additionally, an increased co-operation with our neighboring countries and at a global scale in the struggle against terror is essential".

Kılıçdaroğlu: Terrorism does not accept weakness

Opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP) strongly condemned the attack as well.

"This attack showed once more that the struggle against terrorism does not accept any weakness and has to be carried out with determination. We have to know very well that terror is a crime against humanity. Achieving results with the means of terrorism, weapons and violence is neither possible nor acceptable".

BDP: We do not know who is responsible

Kurdish politician Gültan Kışanak, Co-chair of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said in a speech delivered at the BDP Women's Congress, "We do not know who was behind this incident but we are very sorry. I wish a speedy recovery to all the injured. Our party takes all the efforts it can take in this issue. This is a big problem. I hope that all the political institutions will take the responsibility as a whole to solve this question so that we do not have to face this sort of painful incidents in the future. The government takes an even bigger responsibility".

Source: Bia Net.
Link: http://www.bianet.org/english/human-rights/125790-pm-erdogan-union-and-brotherhood-will-spoil-these-games.

AKP rewrites Turkey's political playbook

Monday, November 1, 2010
GÖKSEL BOZKURT / Analysis
ANKARA - Daily News Parliament Bureau

In the eight years the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has held power in Turkey, it has engaged society in two ways. It sought timid consensus during its first term, which resulted in great success and a huge victory in the next general election. Since starting its second term, however, a wave of popular momentum has helped the AKP pursue decisive leadership and challenge societal taboos considered untouchable just a few years ago.

The party has tangled with the alleged “deep state,” proposed a controversial Kurdish initiative, avoided closure by the courts, won a referendum on constitutional amendments and entered frays over secularism.

Some of these fights the AKP won; others it has lost. On the key topic of removing the ban on headscarves at state-run universities and lifting parliamentary immunities, however, the ruling party has failed to make even an inch of progress.

When Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Abdullah Gül formed the AKP in 2001, they agreed on two key points: that representing the public will at the highest level and achieving cohesion of the state with the people would be key to solving longstanding problems. Addressing the Kurdish issue, the headscarf issue, freedoms, human rights, obstacles facing democratization, the economy and military tutelage topped their list.

The eight years following the Nov. 3, 2002, general elections that brought the newly founded AKP to power with 34.26 percent of the vote can be divided into two periods. The first, timid period focused on internalizing power and getting to know the state and the bureaucracy, while the second, decisive period saw it begin exercising that power.

In the first period, the AKP was unable to take serious steps, barring a few timid moves on human rights and other issues to fulfill promises it had made before the elections. Instead, the party focused on the economy and foreign policy, setting aside for the time being the headscarf and Kurdish issues and conflicts between religion and secularism, democracy and freedoms. In fact, it adopted state policies on the Kurdish question, which had been dealt with since the 1980s solely as a fight against terror. Aside from a few minor steps here and there, the AKP was not effective until 2005, ignoring the headscarf issue, for example, until the 2007 general elections, when it gained 47 percent of the votes.

When leading party figures were asked when the headscarf issue would be prioritized, they answered, “When the time is right.” The AKP did not take a stand against the traditional statist anti-headscarf approach. Unlike its predecessor, the Necmettin Erbakan-led Welfare Party, or RP, it did not nominate any headscarf-wearing women to Parliament. Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç, ErdoÄŸan and then-Foreign Minister Gül did not attend any reception or official gathering in the company of their wives, all of whom wear the Islamic headscarf. They followed the rules.

In its first five years, the AKP created an impression of a political party trying to move toward the center, trying to shed the image of a “conservative Islamic party” born out of the National View. As its members gained experience in how to run state mechanisms, the party appeared in harmony with the system and highlighted consensus approaches. It challenged the military in only the smallest of ways, such as by making annotations to Supreme Military Council, or YAÅž, decisions and did not make any move to deal with coup attempts. Faced with negative reactions from the Turkish public and the European Union, the AKP even shelved a bill that would have made adultery a crime.

The first period of the ruling party was disappointing for its traditional base, but the AKP took what it learned during this era and used the experience to draw grassroots applause in its second period.

The second period: Fights with official theses

The AKP’s second period began as soon as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s tenure expired, but in many ways it actually goes back to the May 17, 2006, Council of State attack. The perpetrator was initially believed to be an Islamic extremist, but the case was later linked to the alleged Eregenkon gang, the ongoing investigation that has been one of the hallmarks of the AKP’s second period.

When Gül’s selection as president the following year was challenged by the military, the AKP called for early elections and won a decisive 47 percent of the votes in the July 2007 polls. The victory bolstered Gül’s bid and he was subsequently made president, bringing a man whose wife wears a headscarf to the Presidential Office for the first time. The AKP also managed to pass a constitutional amendment to take future presidential elections to a popular vote. All the while, secular circles continued to argue that the AKP had a hidden agenda and was preparing for a showdown, claiming, for example, that the ruling party was using the Ergenekon investigation to smother dissent.

On March 14, 2008, the AKP faced a closure case, the first against a ruling party in the history of Turkish politics. Abdurrahman Yalçınkaya, the chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, filed a lawsuit against the party, accusing it of being a center of anti-secular activities and demanding that it be closed and that Erdoğan and 70 of his associates be banned from politics. The AKP reacted fiercely against the closure case and though it was found guilty of anti-secular activities, it was not shut down.

It was time to do what was necessary to satisfy the 47 percent of the public that had voted for it in the 2007 election. The Kurdish initiative, constitutional reforms and the headscarf issue all needed addressing, and the AKP put its hands on some of the previously taboo “third rails” of politics, meeting with the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, to try to find solutions to the Kurdish question and welcoming members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, who turned themselves in. The state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, launched live broadcasts in Kurdish despite negative reactions from nationalists. Initiatives were launched to address issues faced by religious minorities, Alevis and the Roma, though none have yet borne much fruit.

The painful process of addressing such issues is part of a “transition period from a bureaucratic republic to a democratic republic,” as AKP Vice Chairman Hüseyin Çelik put it.

Others saw it differently. “The AKP is not an opportunity for Turkey to become more democratic, just as the 1974-1979 period was not an opportunity for the CHP [main opposition Republican People’s Party] to create a leftist Turkey,” said leftist intellectual ErtuÄŸrul Kürkçü. “The only opportunity for democracy is through the acts of the people.”

In its quest to transform Turkey, the ruling party saw the Sept. 12, 1980, Constitution and the judicial institutions formed in the wake of that year’s military coup as its biggest obstacle. The AKP drew up revisions to some 30 articles of the Constitution, including those governing the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, or HSYK, and then lobbied heavily for public support for the changes. In the end, the reforms won 58 percent support in a Sept. 12 referendum – one the opposition campaigned against, accusing the ruling party of creating its own constitution that would lead Turkey in a more conservative, religious direction.

Still, the headscarf issue remained deadlocked. With the help of the president of the Higher Education Council, or YÖK, female students now seem to have more freedom to cover, but the AKP has failed to make a constitutional change on the issue. It attempted to do so in 2008 with Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, support, but the move was overruled by the Constitutional Court. The new CHP chief, Kemal KılıçdaroÄŸlu, recently tried to move in the direction of a solution, but the process stalled again when he asked for guarantees that the ban would remain for civil servants and elementary and secondary school students. ErdoÄŸan has set the 2011 general elections as the target date for a solution to the issue – in other words, what he hopes will be the third period of the AKP government.

Source: Hurriyet Daily.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=eight-years-on-the-knife-edge-2010-11-01.

Erdogan the new Saladdin for the Muslim world

31. Oct, 2010

Recently, the Prime Ministers of Turkey and Pakistan ‘vowed’ for joint efforts to face international and regional challenges. This is a dream that every Muslim has and nurtures. If memory serves right, the idea of Muslim unity politically was attributed to Liaquat Ali Khan, the first PM of Pakistan. Ideologically, the concept of Ummah is the basic theme in the Holy Quran, but we pay only lip service to the idea. [Few] Muslim leaders [have] tried to put the idea into practical shape. Bhutto had convened a Muslim Summit at Lahore and hopes were kindled that the Ummah may become united politically. But alas! Hopes and dreams of Muslim unity were shattered; the dream of a Muslim ‘Block’ vanished with the assassination of Liaquat Ali and hopes of Muslim unity died with the hanging of Bhutto. So, the ‘vow’ made by the PMs of Turkey and Pakistan have rekindled the old hopes. If they are able to move in this direction even one step, Muslims will move one step closer to that ideal.

But what are the challenges facing their respective countries; both PMs did not specify. The challenges can be classified as country-specific or the ones confronting the Muslim community collectively. Country-specific challenges can best be overcome by the respective countries; friendly countries can provide diplomatic and moral support. At this point in time, Turkey is facing the resistance from the West against its bid to become a full member of the EU. Iran is facing the US-led challenge of political, diplomatic and economic isolation. Pakistan is embroiled in the anti-terror war within its boundaries and internal instability, which weigh heavily on its economic development. These challenges only individual countries can meet, others may be able to assist them to successfully face such challenges.

The real challenges are those which the Muslim community is facing collectively. These are multi-directional and affect the community in totality. These challenges are ideological, economic and political. Though on surface these appear as facing Muslim countries individually, but are in essence collective and need a collective response. There was a time when the Ummah faced all challenges in unison whenever any of its components was exposed to danger. There were no barriers to movements across the Muslim lands, despite the fact that various tracts of land were under different political control. This all changed after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and emergence of nation states. Now, the Ummah stands aloof and unconcerned when individual countries are subjected to political, economic, diplomatic, and even military pressures. As a result of this individual psyche, we have become subservient to alien ideology, social.

The modern political philosophers have divided the world in eastern and western civilizations and call the ongoing conflict a ‘clash of civilizations’; in fact it is the clash of ideologies. Now, the clash has reached to its zenith. The clash between the West and the East had started on November 25, 1095CE, when Pope Urban II rallied the First Crusade against the Muslims at the Council of Clermont. English author Karen Armstrong calls it “a crucial and formative event for the western Europe”, whose repercussions are felt even today. The mounting of crusades was the physical manifestation of ideological clash. The observation of Ms Armstrong hits one in the face, when one recalls the initial speech of Bush Jr after USA’s attack on Iraq – he had described the attack as the beginning of a new crusade.

The West, as it stands today, professes a capitalistic ideology, which dominates its social, economic and political values. This ideology moves around the capital, as the central social theme; it propagates accumulation of wealth in a few hands and making the rest of the society subservient to it. In a capitalistic society, the few who control the wealth control everything. This system works on the principle of ‘end justifies the means’. Today, the clash is in evidence because the West wants to impose this ideology on ME and the rest of the Muslim world through the power of the gun and other means at its disposal. In this social system, man is central to everything and has reached the peak of his evolution, as a neocon scholar Fukuyama describes it in his famous book The End of History…, thus, in the western ideology man is not answerable to anyone for his actions. Islamic ideology, on the other hand, describes man as the Reagent or Viceroy (Khalifa) of his Creator – Allah Almighty – and represents Him on the earth. He is responsible and accountable for his actions and deeds and will be rewarded or punished accordingly. This system demands equality in all human activity and calls for equal distribution of wealth and dispensation of social justice for all. It demands that ‘the means justify the end’. Thus, it hits at the core values of capitalism as an ideology. The West believes in a liberal, secular (read Godless) and free-for-all society: Islamic ideology is totally opposed to this concept.

This clash of ideology has assumed a new dimension after the fall of communism. Now, Islam is being projected as a radical concept opposed to civil liberty and secularism. This gives the West a reason to wage war against the ideological enemy. So, this challenge needs a collective response from the Ummah; no country can face it individually. At this point in time collective effort is lacking, only a few scholars and organization are responding to it. The entire Muslim community needs to mobilize all its scholars and use all organs of the media to project the true and practical facets of Islam. We lack this ability because the Ummah is divided in thought and actions. It needs a collective and effective body to collate, direct and execute the response to ideological challenge.

Politico-economic exploitation is the second dimension of the collective challenge. This exploitation had started with the subjugation of the East as colonies. It erupted with full force with the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The exploitation of Arab oil resources is well documented and does not need any repetition. Order to keep their hold on these resources, the West has cultivated the rulers on the western thought and developed ME as a consumption-oriented society. This gives West the chance to exploit the natural resource as well as the revenue from it. The Ummah, thus, stands to lose all. To keep control on this energy source, the West can go to any limit.

So, what should Muslims do to face this challenge? It is a collective challenge and needs a collective response. The road to the solution of all Muslim problems is long and arduous. It demands sacrifices at personal, national and community levels. The Muslims have not realized their power potential or are too meek to demonstrate it. Muslim countries sit over watching the Strait of Jabal-ut-Tariq in the West to the Melaka Straits in the East. They dominate the central region of the ‘old’ world and are contiguous. With Central Asian Muslim Republics, they have more than 75 percent of world energy sources and dominate all trade outlets and inlets. With such potential with them, they have the wherewithal to make themselves heard in the world. Three countries – Turkey, Iran and Pakistan – are so located that they dominate ‘West, Center and East’ of the region and can play a significant role to unite this region with an international Muslim body, as their United Muslim Organization promoting peace, trade and development in the region. Turkey has taken the first step; it has entered into free trade agreements with Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. This is a positive beginning. Turkey must expand this pact to include all the Muslim countries of the region. Gradually, the Muslim countries should form a Free Trade Zone in the region scraping trade and travel barriers. This will pave way for Muslim nations United Nations making the existing UNO a redundant body for the Muslims. Only then Muslims will achieve the dignity, prestige and respect in the world. We will be the masters of our lives and resources; and we will be able to face the challenges. If we cannot do that, we will remain at the mercy of those who nurture perpetual hate for us. We cannot live honorably in the world by defying Allah’s commandment in Al-Quran V-51. Sooner or later the Muslims will have to embark on this road to glory and be ready to make the sacrifices; the sooner we unite under collective Muslim banner the better. The writer is a freelance columnist.

Source: The Islamabad Globe.
Link: http://www.islamabadglobe.com/?p=30811.

Leaders of German-speaking countries say Muslims welcome

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Luebeck, Germany - The leaders of four German-speaking countries on Monday proclaimed Muslim immigrants as being welcome in their nations, as long as they learn to speak the language and adapt to local customs.

German President Christian Wulff, Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Swiss President Doris Leuthard and Prince Alois of Liechtenstein made the comments at the end of an informal annual meeting in Germany's Baltic port of Luebeck.

Wulff had angered some conservatives in his country last month by saying that Islam belonged in Germany. The other three leaders said on Monday that they support him on the issue, noting that Muslims and Christians normally live side-by-side in peace.

They added that all four nations need immigrants to bring in skills and help shore up social welfare systems as contributors.

"However, we do expect a willingness to adapt to the law and customs of the host country. That includes learning the language," said Leuthard, whose nation last year voted in a referendum to ban minarets when new mosques are built.

The German-speaking quartet has met annually since 2004.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351392,german-speaking-countries-muslims-welcome.html.

Ban urges larger role for China in UN peacekeeping missions

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would like to see more Chinese involvement in UN peacekeeping missions, he said on a visit to Beijing Monday.

"The secretary general noted that China could play a greater role in peacekeeping and in the search for political solutions to African crises, including in Somalia and Sudan," Ban's spokesman said in New York after the UN chief met with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Ban did not address the subject of human rights, instead focusing on other issues such as climate change and Millennium Development Goals, the Korean Peninsula and Africa, the spokesman said.

Ban also did not address the imprisonment of dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last month.

Hu expressed support for the United Nations, the statement said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351394,eu-membership-president-visits-long-term-signing-midfielder-wilshere-china-un-peacekeeping-missions.html.

Minister: Ahmadinejad furthers his message through 'enemy's media'

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is successfully using the "enemy's media" to broadcast his messages to the world, the country's culture minister said Monday.

"The president is perfectly aware of the power and capacity of the media and makes the maximum use of the enemy's media for himself," Mohammad Hosseini said at the closing ceremony of a press festival in the capital Tehran.

"Ahmadinejad succeeded to avail himself of these (Western) media to reflect the message of the revolution to the whole world," he added.

Ahmadinejad's administration has branded the Western media as enemy mouthpieces who constantly try to misconstrue Iran's image.

The Culture Ministry, which is also in charge of local and foreign media, has accused the foreign media in general and the Western media in particular of waging a "soft war" against Iran.

"The local media is fully aware of the ongoing soft war against us and should therefore safeguard our borders of belief and maintain its unity," Hosseini said.

The media department of the Culture Ministry excluded Western media from this year's press festival in Tehran - a move it had not made in previous years.

It said it would not allow the presence of "those media that are vain, dishonest and beguiling and consider themselves as the ultimate media sultans of the world."

Ahmadinejad himself described the media as "the sharpest weapon of the global powers."

"Today, the real war is not on the military or political or economic, but the media front. They (world powers) are bombarding the world with their own news to hide the reality," he said.

The foreign press has been drastically restricted in Iran since it reported on vote fraud allegations and street protests after the June 2009 presidential election that awarded Ahmadinejad a disputed second term.

Foreign media have since not been allowed to directly cover street protests or contact opposition groups, and are only authorized to cover events approved by the Culture Ministry's foreign media department.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351395,furthers-message-enemys-media.html.

Iran's judiciary denies opposition party allowed to resume activity

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Tehran - The Iranian judiciary on Monday denied that the opposition party Etemad Melli (National Trust) has been allowed to reopen and resume political activity, ISNA news agency reported.

The National Trust party's deputy head, Rassoul Montajabnia, had told ISNA on Sunday that the main party office has been unsealed by the judiciary and the party told that it could resume its activity.

But judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein denied this in his weekly press conference.

"The party's office has not been reopened and no permission granted to the party for resuming its activity." Mohseni-Ejehi, who is also state prosecutor, said.

Etemad Melli is led by Mehdi Karroubi, a former parliament speaker and since last year one of the most vehement critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Karroubi and former prime minister Mir-Hossein Moussavi last year lost to Ahmadinejad in the presidential election but accused him and his government of fraud, refusing to acknowledge his re-election.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351377,party-allowed-resume-activity.html.

Qatar prime minister meets top German officials in Berlin

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Berlin- Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani, met top-level German officials Monday in Berlin, but officials were silent about the topics of the discussions.

Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Sheikh Hamad at her office in the evening, and he was later invited to dinner by German President Christian Wulff at the president's palace, Schloss Bellevue.

A Qatari sovereign wealth fund has major investments in Germany, holding 17 per cent of carmaker Volkswagen and 10 per cent of Porsche, and in recent weeks there have been unconfirmed reports that Berlin has urged Qatar to buy into a construction group, Hochtief.

The Qataris have been frequent visitors to Berlin in recent weeks. The emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, visited Berlin at the end of September and there have been unconfirmed news reports of a ministerial visit since that one.

The prime minister's visit coincided with a security flap over two unexploded parcel bombs sent from Yemen. Qatar Airways confirmed on Sunday that it had unsuspectingly shipped one of the parcels on two of its passenger planes.

News photographers were invited to see the prime minister's arrival, but no joint news conference was scheduled for the visit.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351398,top-german-officials-berlin.html.

Yemen protests German ban on Yemeni flights - Summary

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Sana'a, Yemen/Berlin - Yemen expressed "regret and surprise" Monday after Germany banned all flights from Yemen, describing the move as a "collective and illogical punishment" to the parcel bombs plot.

A ban by Germany on incoming parcels and other air cargo from Yemen was widened Monday into an exclusion from German airspace of all planes that began their flights in Yemen.

The Transport Ministry in Berlin said German air traffic control was instructed to turn away all planes coming directly or indirectly from Yemen.

The order followed the discovery of unexploded parcel bombs dispatched from Yemen and bound for the United States.

A Yemeni official source expressed "regret and surprise at the decision of the Federal Republic of Germany, which has a relationship of friendship and advanced cooperation with Yemen, to prevent all flights from Yemen to Germany."

The ban was a "hasty and exaggerated reaction" to the plot, and "harms Yemen's efforts in the fight against terrorism," the source said in a statement.

Germany's federal aviation office advised all Yemeni airlines that their planes were prohibited from landing in Germany.

Berlin has also ordered the German-owned parcels service DHL and US-owned UPS and FedEx to investigate every Yemen-origin parcel in their German depots.

Such a ban "can only be explained as a collective and illogical punishment against Yemen and its people, which has rejected terrorism and supported tireless efforts of its government in its open war on terrorism," he said.

He added that move "only serves the terrorists of al-Qaeda who have always sought to achieve such results to damage the interests of Yemen and its reputation and his relationship with its friends and regional and international partners."

The source said Yemen "will remain committed to its cooperation with the international community to combat terrorism and drain its resources."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351405,yemeni-flights-summary.html.

Germany widens Yemen air-cargo ban to all Yemen-origin planes

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Berlin - A ban by Germany on incoming parcels and other air cargo from Yemen was widened Monday into an exclusion from German airspace of all planes which began their flights in Yemen.

The Transport Ministry in Berlin said German air traffic control was instructed to turn away all planes coming directly or indirectly from Yemen.

The order followed the discovery of unexploded parcel bombs dispatched from Yemen.

Germany's federal aviation office advised all Yemeni airlines that their planes were prohibited from landing in Germany.

Berlin has also ordered the German-owned parcels service DHL and US-owned UPS and FedEx to investigate every Yemen-origin parcel in their German depots.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351381,germany-widens-yemen-air-cargo-ban-to-all-yemen-origin-planes.html.

Russia wants clarity from NATO over missile system - Summary

Mon, 01 Nov 2010

Moscow- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow wants more clarity from NATO about the alliance's planned anti-missile system and what Russia's role in it might be.

Lavrov made the remarks during talks with visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who had urged Moscow's involvement in the anti-missile defense network.

Lavrov said he hopes NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is to visit Moscow later in the week, will present more details about the system and how NATO conceives Russia's role in it.

Westerwelle said that a joint effort to build a defensive shield is possible and that Russia is regarded by the West as a strategic partner.

"There should be no enemy pictures any longer," the German minister said.

Lavrov said he hopes that NATO at its summit in Lisbon later this month - which President Dmitry Medvedev will be attending - will take a clear position about how it plans to deal with Russia in the future.

At any rate, Moscow no longer feels that it is being looked on as an enemy by NATO, he added.

Earlier, Westerwelle had pledged that, in the effort to build up a new relationship between NATO and Russia, Germany would "do its share to see that this succeeds."

Westerwelle also met with opposition and civil society groups in the afternoon. Earlier in the day, he had brought up the controversial issue of the corruption trial facing former oil tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

The German minister spoke of the "very serious concern about the conditions of the trial proceedings" in an apparent reference to criticism that the trial was politically motivated in order to silence a critic of Premier Vladimir Putin.

"It is in Russia's interest that these concerns are taken seriously," Westerwelle said in remarks coming a few days after the Khodorkovsky trial wrapped up, with a verdict scheduled by December.

Lavrov responded by only pointing out that the defense and prosecution had made their final arguments and that "the court will decide."

Khodorkovsky, serving an eight-year term for fraud in connection with his activities as chief of the former Yukos oil concern, stands charged with stealing 218 million tons of oil. The prosecution demanded a further six-year term, which would keep him in prison until 2017.

Westerwelle also raised the subject of visa freedom during his one-day visit to Moscow. Both he and Lavrov expressed their support for a kind of phased plan that would allow for the dismissal of existing visa rules for travel between Germany and Russia.

Lavrov suggested a "list with common steps," while Westerwelle said that "Germany stands by the long-term goal of visa freedom between Russia and the Schengen zone."

The German minister did, however, note that there is a "great deal of practical obstacles." The European Union has for instance demanded from Russia that it comply with human rights and better secure its borders.

Westerwelle's arrival in Moscow kicked off a three-nation tour that will later include Belarus and Lithuania.

Westerwelle will be the first German foreign minister in 15 years to be hosted by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whom human rights activists call "Europe's last dictator."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351372,missile-system-summary.html.

Calm restored after tribal clashes at Irbid universities

By Raed Omari

IRBID - Calm was restored by Sunday evening at Yarmouk University, after a tribal clash erupted among students, which resulted in campus buildings being damaged, students and officials said yesterday.

The clash was a result of a quarrel that took place between two students from the Irbid Governorate towns of Sarih and Ramtha on Thursday, president of the university’s student union Mohammad Omari told The Jordan Times yesterday.

"Yesterday, this small quarrel quickly escalated into a major clash between two tribes," he said, adding that the two students urged others from their towns to back them up in the dispute.

According to Omari, students from Ramtha claimed that the head of security at the university, who is from Sarih, facilitated the entry of young people from his town into the university to take part in the brawl.

"A large number of students from Ramtha gathered on campus yesterday, demanding that the students from Sarih apologize and that the head of security be sent into retirement," the student union president explained, adding that union members talked to the protesters in order to achieve reconciliation through "democratic dialogue".

"The presence of the university president among the students calmed the tension," he said, adding that "the president took some students to his office and promised to form a committee to investigate the incident".

However, an eyewitness who preferred to remain unnamed, said several students "rushed into the economics faculty straight after the president’s meeting with the students, breaking windows and furniture".

Mustafa Sheyab, head of security at the university, told The Jordan Times that allegations about his involvement in the clash were untrue, and stressed that most of those involved in the brawl were students from the university and that security guards at the gates did not facilitate the entry of any "outsiders".

"You cannot prevent students from entering the campus, plus the quarrel took place at 3:30pm, the time when many students leave the university," Sheyab added.

"You cannot imagine how difficult it is to control the exit and entry of 40,000 students," he said, claiming that the fight started outside the university.

Also Sunday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported that security forces entered the campus of Irbid Private University at the request of the president to break up a clash between students from Sarih and Ramtha.

"After news about a renewal of a quarrel yesterday between students from Sarih and Ramtha, strict security enforcement measures were taken outside the Yarmouk University campus," Petra quoted Brigadier General Hussein Nawayseh, director of the northern region Public Security Department, as saying.

"Security personnel arrested 40 persons involved in the quarrel who were carrying pocket knives, sticks and other sharp objects," he said.

Nawayseh told Petra that calm and security were restored at both universities.

1 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/?news=31435.