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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Afghans oppose permanent US bases

Sun Aug 28, 2011

A newly established political front has strongly rejected the notion of establishing permanent US military bases in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Unity Front, which is made up of people from all walks of life, declared its existence on Sunday.

A spokesman for the group has said that the permanent presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan runs counter to the country's independence and national pride.

The stance comes after several senior congressman called for permanent US military bases in the war-ravaged country.

Moreover, a recently published report said that the US was trying to reach an agreement with the Afghan government that would allow thousands of American forces to remain in the war-torn country at least until 202.

About 150,000 NATO troops are currently fighting in Afghanistan with plans to stay in the country beyond 2014.

This is while US President Barack Obama had pledged a major drawdown from Afghanistan by July 2011. Experts have described the new transition dates as a devastating truth for Americans.

Analysts say the US is looking for an excuse to expand its military operations in the troubled South and central Asian regions to secure bases near Russia and China.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196264.html.

Japan's finance minister to become PM

Mon Aug 29, 2011

Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda has been elected as the ruling party's leader and he will become the country's sixth prime minister in five years.

Noda defeated Trade Minister Banri Kaieda on Monday in a run-off election 215-177 after none of the five candidates won a majority in the first round, AP reported.

Kaieda became the top vote-getter in the first round, but he failed to win an outright majority of 200 votes.

The 54-year-old Noda will almost certainly become the next prime minister because the ruling Democrats control the more powerful lower house of parliament.

In the run-off, 398 parliamentary members of Democratic Party of Japan voted to choose among five candidates.

Other candidates include former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano and former Transport Minister Sumio Mabuchi.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday confirmed his resignation after 15 months in office amid criticisms over his handling of March's earthquake-tsunami disaster and ensuing nuclear accident.

The next premier will inherit a host of daunting challenges, from a sluggish economy to the massive reconstruction after the tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196314.html.

Jordanian protests worry Saudi king

Sat Aug 27, 2011

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz has expressed concerns about the persistence of protests in Jordan in a letter to the country's King Abdullah II.

“The political development in Jordan will have a negative impact on Saudi Arabia,” wrote the Saudi King in the letter to his Jordanian counterpart, Fars news agency reported.

“The status of Arab countries such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia are linked together and therefore Saudi Arabia will spare no effort to resolve Jordan's problems,” the Saudi ruler pledged.

Saudi king's letter came as protest rallies have been staged across Jordan for the past seven months in efforts to push the government to expand powers of the parliament.

Jordanians have also been demanding lower food prices, a greater participation in politics and the election of a prime minister.

The rise in anti-government protests and mounting political tension in Arab countries such of Jordan, Yemen and Bahrain have worried the US-backed Saudi kingdom and prompted King Abdullah to grant Jordan more than $1.2 billion in financial assistance since the beginning of 2011.

Saudi Arabia has been criticized over its double standards toward anti-government protests in the region. Riyadh has been a strong supporter of opposition groups in Syria, while it has deployed troops in Bahrain to help regime forces crush protesters there.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195977.html.

Yemenis mark Intl. Quds Day in Sa'ada

Sun Aug 28, 2011

Yemeni people have held demonstrations in the northern city of Sa'ada to voice their support for the Palestinians as they commemorate the International Quds Day.

Large crowds of people poured in their thousands into the streets of the Houthi stronghold on Friday in a show of solidarity with Palestinians.

The demonstrators condemned Israeli violations of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories and called for an end to what their called Israeli crimes against Palestinians.

The Yemeni protesters shouted slogans against the United States and Israel.

Similar rallies were also held across Yemen, including the capital of Sana'a, where protesters renewed their call for the downfall of Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime.

Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in Yemen's major cities since January, calling for an end to corruption and unemployment, and demanding the ouster of Saleh, who has been in power since 1978.

Hundreds of protesters have been killed and many more injured in the regime's brutal crackdown on Yemen's popular uprising.

Meanwhile, Saleh is still convalescing in Saudi Arabia, where he travelled for medical treatment for the injuries he sustained in an attack on his presidential palace on June 3.

In August 1979, late Founder of the Islamic Republic Grand Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as the International Quds Day.

The initiative calls on Muslims across the world to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies in protest at Israel's occupation of the Palestinians' homeland.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196128.html.

Lebanon sends aid shipment to Somalia

Sun Aug 28, 2011

Lebanon has sent its first consignment of humanitarian assistance to famine-hit Somalia as millions are on the brink of starvation.

The consignment, comprising rice, sugar, flour, baby milk, and medical supplies, arrived in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Friday, Lebanon's The Daily Star reported on Saturday.

The campaign to help Somali famine refugees was launched jointly by the Lebanese government's Higher Relief Committee, Lebanon's Health Ministry, and the country's Dar al-Fatwa Endowment Fund.

Drought and famine have affected more than 11.8 million people across Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Somalia has been the hardest-hit country in what is being described as the worst drought in the Horn of Africa in 60 years.

According to the United Nations, a quarter of Somalia's 9.9 million people are now either internally displaced or living outside the country as refugees.

The UN has declared famine in five regions of Somalia and says that the international humanitarian response to the crisis has been insufficient.

The United Nations says that more than thirteen children out of every 10,000 aged less than five die in the Somalia famine zone every day.

"This means that 10 per cent of children under five are dying every 11 weeks. These figures are truly heart-wrenching," UN representative to Somalia Augustine Mahiga told the UN Security Council on August 10.

Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196126.html.

Bahrainis reject king's speech

Mon Aug 29, 2011

Bahraini anti-regime protesters have rejected King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's decision to pardon the demonstrators who were arrested during the country's popular uprising.

The protesters took to the streets immediately after the king's televised speech on Sunday, blaming him for the brutal crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.

King Hamad said in his speech that he would “dismiss charges against some of the detained protesters and allow compensation to prisoners abused by security forces.”

He also promised to reinstate employees and students who have been dismissed for participating in anti-regime protests.

Thousands of employees lost their jobs in punishment for supporting the protests. Some of the students were denied scholarships to study abroad.

The Bahraini king's remarks come more than six months after his regime launched a Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.

Meanwhile, a special security court on Sunday resumed the trial of 20 doctors and nurses accused of treating injured anti-government protesters. The court adjourned until September 7, when it will begin hearing defense witnesses.

Thousands of anti-government protesters in Bahrain have been holding peaceful demonstrations since mid-February, demanding an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196308.html.

Bahrain troops attack protesters

Mon Aug 29, 2011

Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have attacked anti-government protesters after the demonstrators took to the streets across the Persian Gulf sheikdom to protest a speech by the Bahraini king.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters took to the streets across Bahrain on Sunday shortly after the country's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa delivered a televised speech calling for national unity in a bid to bring normality back to the country.

The protesters rejected the king's decision announced by him during his speech to pardon some of the anti-government protesters detained during the popular uprising in the country.

The anti-government protesters also accused the Bahraini king of ordering the brutal crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations in Bahrain, demanding an end to the rule of Al Khalifa dynasty.

Activists said the protests lasted into Monday morning and that regime forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds in several regions including Sitra, where several people were also injured by the forces.

During his Sunday speech, the Bahraini king also said that he would “allow compensation to prisoners abused by security forces.”

The Bahraini ruler promised to reinstate employees and students who were dismissed for taking part in anti-regime protests.

He said, however, that the protest-related trials will continue in the tiny Persian Gulf sheikdom.

King Hamad's remarks come more than six months after the Manama regime launched a brutal Saudi-backed crackdown on protests, killing scores of demonstrators and injuring hundreds far.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196381.html.

'Over 10,000 Libyan prisoners freed'

Mon Aug 29, 2011

Over 10,000 out of an estimated 50,000 plus political prisoners held in fugitive Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi's jails have been freed by fighters since the collapse of the capital Tripoli, an official says.

Ahmed Omar Bani, spokesman for the revolutionary forces, expressed deep concerns about the remaining tens of thousands the whereabouts of whom is not known yet, AFP reported.

“Many people in Tripoli are now discovering mass graves around former detention centers and Abu Salim prison,” said Bani.

The spokesperson also urged people to come forward with any information on prisoners, “or they will be considered complicit in these crimes.”

Abu Salim prison is a top security prison in the Libyan capital, which has often been described as “notorious.”

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196330.html.

Egyptians protest Saudi 'meddling'

Mon Aug 29, 2011

Egyptian people have gathered in front of the Saudi embassy in the capital city of Cairo to protest Riyadh's interference in their country's internal affairs.

Protesters on Sunday held placards and banners against what they called Saudi Arabia's interference in Egypt, reports said.

The demonstrators proclaimed that Egypt is an independent state, calling on Persian Gulf kingdom to stop its "meddling."

People also condemned what they called mistreatment of Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia and slammed Riyadh over its role in developments in Yemen and Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia has deployed hundreds of troops in Bahrain to help crackdown of anti-regime protesters in Manama and other cities.

Meanwhile, thousands of Egyptians once again staged a massive protest outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo.

Protesters demanded the termination of all ties with Tel Aviv and repeated calls for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196313.html.

'US Congress takes decrees from Israel'

Mon Aug 29, 2011

The US Congress is controlled by the 'Zionist lobbies' who work in the interest of Israelis, Lawrence Davidson, professor of History at West Chester University, has told Press TV.

“What we've got here is a congress, the US Congress, that is really, literally controlled by various Zionist lobbies in the United States on the issue of relationships with Israel,” Davidson said in a Sunday interview with Press TV's US desk.

“What the Congress does in terms of Israel is what the Zionists tell them they want done and of course take their decrees from Israelis,” he stated.

He further pointed to the US hypocrisy in supporting “Zionists” when they sought the UN recognition of Israel and Washington's warning of Palestinians against taking similar initiative at the United Nations.

The PA is to formally submit a request to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for membership in the world body on September 20, when the UN General Assembly will commence its 66th session.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196328.html.

Irene death toll rises to 25 in US

Mon Aug 29, 2011

The death toll from Hurricane Irene's onslaught on the East Coast of the United States has risen to 25, as the tropical storm makes its way to eastern Canada, Press TV reported.

Twenty five people were killed across eight states of the United States by toppled trees and other hurricane-related incidents.

Moreover, the storm left some 4.5 million households and business units in the US without power and inflicted an estimated USD 7 to 13 billion in damage.

The US State of Vermont witnessed seven inches of rain early Monday.

Irene has now reached Canada after leaving a trail of destruction across the northeastern US.

Strong winds battered parts of Canada's Quebec and the Atlantic provinces on Monday morning.

The US National Hurricane Center has downgraded Hurricane Irene to a post-tropical cyclone.

US President Barack Obama on Sunday warned that the dangers of the tropical storm will not be over even after Irene leaves the US.

"Many Americans are still at serious risk of power outages and flooding, which could get worse in the coming days as rivers swell past their banks," Obama said.

“I do want to underscore, that the impact of the storm will be felt for some time. And the recovery effort will last for weeks or longer,” Obama added.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/196380.html.

Anti-Israel protests held in Saudi Arabia

Fri Aug 26, 2011

As people across the world rally in support of Palestinians, thousands of anti-Israel protesters have taken to the streets in several Saudi Arabian cities and mark the International Quds Day.

Protesters in the town of Awamiyah in the al-Qatif region in the eastern province of the Middle Eastern country have burned the Israeli flag on Friday, witnesses said.

Protesters in the eastern city of Qatif have called on all citizens of the city to join the international rally.

Anti-Israeli protesters also voiced their support for the people of Bahrain and condemned their government for aiding the Al Khalifa regime's brutal crackdown on peaceful Bahraini protesters.

Saudi Arabia's east has been the scene of protests over the past months and authorities have arrested scores of people, including bloggers and writers for taking part in anti-government demonstrations.

According to Human Rights Watch, more than 160 dissidents have been arrested since February in the Saudi crackdown on anti-government protesters.

The last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan was declared as the International Quds Day by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, in August 1979.

Millions of people around the world come out on this day to show support for the people of Palestine and to call for an end to Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195858.html.

Astronauts May Evacuate Space Station in November, NASA Says

By Mike Wall, SPACE.com Senior Writer Space.com
SPACE.com – Mon, Aug 29, 2011

The International Space Station may have to start operating without a crew in November if Russian engineers don't figure out soon what caused a recent rocket failure, NASA officials announced today (Aug. 29).

The unmanned Russian cargo ship Progress 44 crashed just after its Aug. 24 launch to deliver 2.9 tons of supplies to the orbiting lab. The failure was caused by a problem with the Progress' Soyuz rocket, which is similar to the one Russia uses to launch its crew-carrying vehicle — also called Soyuz — to the station.

Currently, six astronauts reside on the space station. They shouldn't be unduly affected by the Progress crash, NASA officials said, because they have enough supplies to last a while on orbit.

But three of these astronauts are due to return to Earth next month, and the rest are scheduled to come back in mid-November. At the moment, the Soyuz is the only way to get astronauts to and from the station. So if the rocket anomaly isn't identified and fixed soon, a fresh crew won't be able to reach the orbiting lab before the last three spaceflyers head for home.

Unmanned for the first time in a decade?

That situation would leave the $100 billion orbiting lab unmanned for the first time since 2001. Still, it wouldn't be a disaster, according to NASA officials.

"We know how to do this," NASA's space station program manager Mike Suffredini told reporters today. "Assuming the systems keep operating, like I've said, we can command the vehicle from the ground and operate it fine, and remain on orbit indefinitely."

NASA would of course prefer to keep some crew aboard the orbiting lab, Suffredini added. Leaving the station unmanned would cut back significantly on the scientific research being done 240 miles (386 kilometers) above the Earth. In the wake of the space shuttle's retirement last month, NASA has repeatedly stressed the importance of that research, and the scientific potential of the station.

But the timing just might not work out. Two Soyuz spacecraft are currently docked to the station to take its six astronauts home. The vehicles are only rated to spend about 200 days in space, so they'll have to depart soon.

Light at the landing site

Lighting conditions at the Soyuz's Kazakhstan landing site are also an issue. NASA and the Russian space agency mandate that landings must occur at least one hour after dawn and one hour before dusk, to facilitate better search and rescue operations should any be required.

The lighting window closes for about five weeks on Sept. 19 for the first crew and around Nov. 19 for the second. Waiting for a new window to open would stretch the Soyuz spacecraft beyond their 200-day ratings in both cases, Suffredini said.

So all six astronauts on the space station will almost certainly have left the orbiting lab by mid-November. Russian engineers are working hard to give crewed Soyuz launches the best chance to meet that deadline; the next one is slated to blast off Sept. 21, but that's almost certainly not going to happen, Suffredini said.

Russia has formed a commission to determine the cause of the Progress crash, and to figure out how to fix it. But NASA says it won't rush anything, as astronaut safety is its chief priority.

"We'll just see how it plays out," Suffredini said.

NASA won't put any crews on a Soyuz until the rocket has had several successful unmanned launches, he added. Those could happen relatively soon. Russia plans to use Soyuz boosters to launch a commercial payload and another Progress supply ship by late October.

The Progress crash marked the latest in a string of Russian launch failures over the last 10 months. This series of mishaps has caused some concern among U.S. lawmakers and experts, since NASA will rely on Russia to loft its astronauts to orbit until private American crew-carrying spaceships come online. That could start happening by 2015, officials have said.

Mast installed on U.S. Navy carrier

NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The main mast of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has been installed at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

The installation marks a milestone in the ship's 13-month drydock planned incremental availability, the Naval Sea Systems Command said.

The 112,000-pound mast -- 10 feet taller and 23,000 pounds heavier than the mast removed June 18 -- supports the modernization of the carrier's combat systems suite and radars for its new weapons systems.

The mast required more than two years and two shipyards to build. As part of Naval Sea Systems Command's "One Shipyard" concept, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility assisted with fabrication of the mast.

In addition to the main mast replacement, the shipyard's CVN 75 availability project team will be modernizing and improving the carrier's propulsion plant control.

NNSY, a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, is the oldest and largest industrial facility belonging to the U.S. Navy and specializes in repairing, overhauling and modernizing ships and submarines.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/08/29/Mast-installed-on-US-Navy-carrier/UPI-13921314617470/.

High rating for new vehicle barrier

ATLANTA, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- An all-electric vehicle barrier system by SecureUSA has passed the ASTM-M50 crash rating at the P1 penetration standard.

The ASTM-M50 is a rating for a 15,000-pound vehicle hitting a barrier at 50 mph. P1 means penetration of the barrier was less than 3 feet.

"The all electric FutureWEDGE 3600s was created to meet the needs of new EPA/LEEDS regulations in both the public and private sector with comprehensive security integration capabilities," said SecureUSA Chief Executive Officer Carla Clark.

SecureUSA has specifically developed the FutureWEDGE range of vehicle barriers to be part of an overall security management solution that can include Smart Fencing, traffic control, intelligent video, wrong way detection, speed detection, intrusion detection and defense.

The company said FutureWEDGE 3600s offers technological advancements, expansive integration capabilities and sophisticated controls that have never been seen before in a high security vehicle barrier.

It has been designed to become part of SecureUSA's Intelligent Security Management Solutions offering sophisticated integrated Access Control Points with high level intrusion detection and defense from a single source provider.

The recently crashed-certified FutureWEDGE 3600s was a larger version (14 feet width) than the previous 10-foot version crashed tested in January and is the latest model in a full range of electric vehicle barriers and bollards covering a diverse range of ASTM crash ratings.

It was designed for high security applications that include military installations, nuclear sites, petro-chemical facilities and many other critical infrastructure installations.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/08/29/High-rating-for-new-vehicle-barrier/UPI-90201314625675/.

Turkey grows frustrated with Syria

ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Ankara won't talk with Damascus until the Syrian president carries out promised reforms in the country, a Turkish source said.

Ersat Hurmuzlu, an adviser to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, told London's pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that Ankara doesn't have a hidden agenda in Syria, noting the fate of the country in the hands of the people.

His comments echo those from Western officials who've issued sweeping condemnations of the bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters while keeping a non-interventionist stance.

An official in the Turkish Foreign Ministry told the newspaper on condition of anonymity that Ankara was "very concerned" by what's happening in Syria.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has issued a series of statements addressing reforms ranging from the right to form political parties to voting measures. Despite pledges of reform, however, the United Nations estimates that at least 2,000 people were killed at the hands of Syrian security forces, including hundreds during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"There will be no dialogue with the Syrian authorities unless they carry out their promises within an acceptable and reasonable period," the Turkish source said.

More gunfire was reported Monday in Syria near the border with Lebanon.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/08/29/Turkey-grows-frustrated-with-Syria/UPI-57041314626810/.

Greece plans major solar power exports to Germany: report

Athens (AFP)
Aug 27, 2011

Wracked by debt but blessed with abundant sunshine, Greece plans to develop some 20,000 hectares of solar power parks in a bid to export renewable energy to Germany, a report said on Saturday.

Top-selling Ta Nea daily said the project, which has a tentative budget of 20 billion euros ($29 billion), could create 60,000 jobs at a time when Greece is battling a deep recession and record unemployment figures.

Germany is looking for alternative energy sources after chancellor Angela Merkel's government decided to shut down all 17 of the country's nuclear reactors over 11 years, following the disaster at the Fukushima plant in Japan in March.

Environment Minister George Papaconstantinou discussed the initiative, code named Project Helios, with Germany's deputy economy minister Stefan Kapferer, who was in Athens this week for investment talks, the daily said.

German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler is also scheduled to visit Greece in October, following an agreement between Athens and Berlin in March to cooperate on renewable energy development.

"There is significant German interest in investments of this sort," Papaconstantinou said this week, adding that the Greek government has already initiated funding talks on Project Helios with foreign banks.

"These are plans with a 20 and 25-year perspective, hence investors are guaranteed a satisfactory return," said Papaconstantinou, who headed the finance ministry until June.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, a strong proponent of green energy, announced plans in January to build "the world's largest solar park" over depleted lignite mines in the northern city of Kozani.

Estimated to cost 600 million euros and with a capacity of 200 megawatts, the project's electricity output will be "greater than any other photovoltaic park operational in the world until now," Papandreou said at the time.

The state-run Public Power Corporation (PPC) said it would organize an international tender to find a strategic investor for the solar park, which is to be built over 520 hectares (1,285 acres) of disused mines.

The Socialist government has sought to attract investment in renewable energy projects to offset thousands of jobs lost to a recession exacerbated by austerity measures adopted to tackle a national debt crisis.

It has also pledged to gradually shift electricity production away from lignite, a heavily polluting form of coal.

Greece's unemployment rate has steadily shot up this year, hitting 16.6 percent in May 2011 from 12.0 percent in the same month the previous year.

The Greek economy is expected to shrink by at least 4.5 percent of output this year after two previous years of contraction.

Source: Solar Daily.
Link: http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Greece_plans_major_solar_power_exports_to_Germany_report_999.html.

Iraq cabinet approves draft oil law

Baghdad (AFP)
Aug 28, 2011

Iraq's cabinet approved a draft oil and gas law on Sunday in a bid to finally pass rules regulating the country's most lucrative sector after years of political deadlock.

The law would govern the sector and divide responsibility between Baghdad and Iraq's provinces but despite the lack of such guidelines, foreign investors have still poured in, signing 11 contracts to potentially boost the country's oil output five-fold.

The cabinet "approved the draft oil and gas law and transferred it to parliament," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement, adding the draft law "voids all previous draft laws" on the issue.

The oil and gas, or hydrocarbons, law has been repeatedly delayed since it was first submitted to parliament in 2007. It has been held up due to disagreements between MPs from the country's many different communities.

Despite the lack of such a law, foreign firms have signed multiple deals to develop Iraq's oil fields.

Iraq currently produces around 2.7 million barrels of oil per day (bpd), and domestic authorities are targeting a capacity of 12 million bpd by 2017, although the IMF has voiced doubts over whether that target is obtainable.

Oil accounts for the lion's share of government income, with Iraq exporting around 2.2 million bpd.

Source: Energy-Daily.
Link: http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Iraq_cabinet_approves_draft_oil_law_999.html.

Jordan, Egypt to sign natural gas deal

Sun, 28/08/2011

Jordan's energy czar says his country will sign an agreement with Egypt next month to resume natural gas supplies.

Energy Minister Khaled Toukan says several attacks this year on Egypt's pipeline delivering the fuel may prompt Jordan to look for alternatives, but Jordan will now try to use Egyptian gas to meet its energy needs.

Toukan said Sunday the agreement stipulates higher costs, but declined to say how much.

Jordan depends on Egyptian gas to generate 80 percent of its electricity. The resource-poor country has resorted to heavy fuel and diesel to keep national power plants running. The shift cost Jordan $4.2 million a day.

Source: Egypt Independent.
Link: http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/490470.

1,000 convert to Islam in Kuwait during Ramadan

8/28/2011

Up to 1,000 male and female expatriates have converted to Islam since start of the holy month of Ramadan, said the Director General of the Islamic Presentation Committee on Sunday.

Jamal Al-Shatti, in a statement to KUNA, said the conversion of this large number of people to Islam "was a dream that has come true.

"We have exerted tremendous efforts to make this dream turn into reality, and this has been accomplished as a result of the support of the natives of Kuwait." The committee offers a variety of religious educational services for new advocates of Islam; such as religious and Arabic language curricula.

The Kuwaiti authority seeks to promote Islam through dialogue, persuasion and logic.
The committee has succeeded in persuading up to 53,000 non-Muslims to convert to the religion since its launch in 1978.

Al-Shatti urged all nationals to support the committee.

Source: Indians in Kuwait.
Link: http://www.indiansinkuwait.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=12513&SECTION=0.

Jordanians pay price as Syria roils

By ABDULLAH OMAR / THE MEDIA LINE
08/29/2011

Border town residents cheer on the Syrian protesters, but feel the sting of trade restrictions placed by Assad's regime.

RAMTHA, Jordan - A melting pot for refugees from around the world, Jordan has recently welcomed the latest batch of asylum seekers from neighboring Syria, but officials in Amman fear this bite is more than they can chew.

Ever since the popular uprising against the rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad took a violent turn five months ago, Jordan’s northernmost towns over the border with Syria have been welcoming dozens of Syrians families and soldiers fleeing crackdown on protesters.

When revolts first broke out across the Arab World at the start of the year, Jordanians here in the city of Ramtha and its neighboring villages were excited at the prospect of despots being brought down. When the unrest spread to Syria, which started in the country’s south not far from Jordan, they welcomed the first wave of Syrian asylum seekers with open arms.

But as the protests wore on and the government of Assad counterattacked with a violent crackdown, the mood shifted. For many residents, cross-border trade is what puts bread on the table, but the crackdown virtually shut the border with Jordan. Syrian authorities refused to allow Jordanian merchants into its territory to buy food and other essentials that supply Ramtha’s stores and markets.

“The siege on this small town sent a message to Jordanian officials that Damascus was ready to cut Jordan from a vital food source in case it supported the revolt,” says Abdullah Zubi, an activist from Ramtha, whose population numbers 100,000 people, making it the biggest town near the border.

The Arab Spring has dealt roughly with Jordan, an American ally, and there is little sign that the regional unrest in abating. At home, King Abdullah has faced protests calling for deep political reforms while chaos in the Sinai Peninsula has cut off the country’s supply of Egyptian natural gas. The economy has had to contend with higher prices for oil and food.

Assad has killed more than 2,000 people in his bid to quell protests against his rule. On Saturday, Syrian forces attacked demonstrators in suburbs of the capital, Damascus, as well in the cities of Deir Al-Zour, Homs and Nawa, human rights activists said. The foreign minister of Iran, Syria’s most important ally, on Saturday called on Assad to "pay heed to the legitimate demands of his people" and warned that a potential power vacuum in Damascus "would bring about unpredictable consequences" for the region.

Jordan imports most of its foodstuffs from Syria or through Syrian territories. So far, the trade line has not been disrupted, but concern is growing that retaliation could lead Syria to seal its borders with Jordan, a blow that the kingdom would find difficult to handle, considering its limited resources and options in the region, say analysts.

But the distress involved more than trade. Several influential businessmen and lawmakers with close links to Syria, hired thugs to stop local residents from taking to the streets in support of the uprising against Assad’s Baath regime, Zubi said. Meanwhile, with protests spreading in Syria and the death toll rising, the exodus intensified from Houran district, the southern tip of Syria and cradle of anti-Assad protests.

Dissidents who arrive in Jordan talk of random killings and arrests as well as looting and sabotage by the Syrian army and civilian groups believed to be close to the under fire regime.

Abdul Rahman, a former Syrian soldier, says he crossed the border on foot from Deraa two months ago, after he refused to shoot at civilians.

“We were given orders to shoot protesters, destroy houses and arrest anyone believed to be a threat,” says Abdul Rahman after performing taraweeh prayer among several Syrian asylum seekers.

The 34-year-old former soldier is seeking asylum with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“I can’t return to Syria as long as the Assad regime is ruling. They arrested my brother and destroyed my house after I escaped to Jordan,” says Abdul Rahman, who often takes part in anti-Assad protests in several cities across Jordan.

In the border town of Mafraq, a tribal stronghold loyal to Jordan’s King Abdullah, several Syrian soldiers cross the landmine infested region in search for safety. Residents say refugees have been welcomed by local families, but there is little public discussion about it for fear of retaliation from the Syrians.

Abu Samara, a tribal leader from Khalidya, is one of the few who are willing to talk about what is happening. He says the livelihood of many Jordanians depends on cross border trade with Syria, including transport of cattle, food items and other merchandise. Scores of residents in Mafraq also work in the smuggling business. Some bring in cigarettes, electric appliances, food items and often drugs.

But more than trade, tribes and families straddle both sides of the border, creating a network of loyalty and mutual support that transcend political and national divisions.

“Jordan and Syria are one country, the people are the same. These borders came into existence only a few years ago, but we still have relatives on the other side of the border and our duty is to help them,” he told The Media Line in a telephone interview.

At Abu Samara’s house lives a Syrian family of six people from Deraa in southern Syria, who arrived nearly two months ago when the Syrian army pushed into the city to silence anti-Assad demonstrators. The parents arrived along with their three daughters and one son.

Political ties between Jordan and Syria, particularly between the fathers of the current two leaders, the late King Hussein and Hafez Assad, have been marred by periodic episodes of tension. While Syria has grown into an ally of Iran and Lebanon’s Shi'ite militant movement Hezbollah, Jordan’s royal family is a traditional ally of the West. In the late 1970s, Syria and Jordan came close to a military confrontation over how to deal with their common neighbor, Israel. In more recent years, relations improved, but they are still fragile as Syria remains in the grip of the Hafez Assad-era old guard.

As the smaller of the two countries and facing its own domestic tensions, Jordan has been sensitive to Syrian concerns. When Syrian dissidents, including renegade soldiers, activists and ordinary citizens, began coming across the border, Amman imposed a media gag on refugees. By comparison, the approximately 7,000 Syrian refugees who have cross into Turkey, on Syria’s north, have been interviewed by the media while dissident leaders routinely meet in Istanbul, the Turkish capital.

Jordanian Ministry of Interior officials insist that the number of Syrians who have fled to Jordan as refugees is limited, pointing out that many Syrians would visit the kingdom in summer for vacation. An official source, who requested anonymity, will admit to only several refugees being welcomed in. Sources at UNHCR said the agency has recently approved requests for asylum from a number of Syrians.

Nevertheless, Jordan has recently accused Syria of siphoning off its underground water and placing the kingdom under strain as it struggles with chronic water shortage and rising population. On August 14, Jordan’s prime minister, for the first time, scolded the Syrian government for resorting to violence to crush protesters and urged an end to violence.

Such remarks could have a profound impact on the already fragile ties between the two sides, say observers.

Source: The Jerusalem Post.
Link: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?ID=235842.

Chinese Regime Considers Legalizing Illegal Detentions

By Helena Zhu
August 28, 2011

For years the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been abducting troublesome lawyers, dissidents, and activists, and detaining them in secret locations without notifying a soul. It is an extralegal process, decried by international observers and carried out secretly inside China. A new change to the criminal law might make the process legal.

The proposed amendments to residential surveillance laws would permit police to hold suspects in undisclosed locations for up to six months in cases involving terrorism, major corruption, or “national security.” The latter term is often interpreted in unconventional ways by Chinese security forces, and can include holding and expressing political or religious beliefs that the Party deems dangerous.

Suspects could be held without notifying their families or lawyers to better "facilitate the investigation," the state-owned Legal Daily reported.

As it is, Beijing has become accustomed to secretly holding dissidents in an apparent attempt to silence them. Prominent Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, who was jailed for nearly three months, was the highest profile example. He vanished before any official charges had been concocted and filed.

Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was convicted in December 2006 of subversion, with the sentence reduced to 5 years probation. Since then he has been subjected to repeated abductions by state security, with the most recent occurring in April 2010. He has twice discussed the torture that he was subjected to while detained, once in an article in 2007 and in April 2010 with an AP reporter. On Aug. 14, the date his 5-yearlong period of probation ended, his wife held a press conference calling for the return of Gao to his family. His whereabouts remain unknown.

While the regime claims that the amendments are part of positive legal reforms, rights groups fear that authorities will be endorsing an illegal practice already in use by police, Radio Free Asia reported.

Currently, Chinese laws already allow suspects to be held under house arrest, but the proposed changes would allow them to be moved to locations other than a "regular detention center or police station."

Liu Xiaoyuan, a legal activist and Ai’s lawyer, wrote a microblog post on Saturday saying that even if the changes were to be made, at least family members should be notified.

"Otherwise, a provision like this is basically legalizing forced disappearances," Liu said, adding that any law lacking requirements for families to be notified could result in torture and abuse.

The proposed changes to the criminal procedure law will be reviewed in March by the annual session of the National People’s Congress, the highest state body and only legislative house in communist China. The result of that review, however, may have been decided by Party officials ahead of time.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/china-news/chinese-regime-considers-legalizing-illegal-detentions-60890.html.

Gadhafi Forces Suspected of Mass Murder of Prisoners

By Jack Phillips
August 28, 2011

Mass graves containing dozens of suspected rebel bodies was recently discovered, with evidence that forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi killed them, said Human Rights Watch.

Some of the bodies were dumped in the Tripoli neighborhood of Gargur sometime around August 21, said the rights group, who published its findings on Sunday in a report. A witness who survived the mass killing said that Libyan government forces shot prisoners at a building belonging to the Internal Security Service.

The mass grave in Gargur is the latest discovered in recent days that Gadhafi forces are also suspected to be responsible for, the rights group said. On Friday, 18 bodies were discovered near the Internal Security building in a dry riverbed. Some of those killed may have been doctors and nurses, and had their hands tied behind their backs.

Another two bodies were found in the Internal Security building on August 26.

Another 29 bodies were found in a medical clinic outside of Gadhafi’s compound, Bab al-Aziziya. Some appeared to have been executed while they were lying in hospital beds.

“Torture was rife in Gadhafi’s prisons but to execute detainees days before they would have been freed is a sickening low in the government’s behavior,” stated Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

Whitson said there is strong evidence suggesting “Gadhafi government forces went on a spate of arbitrary killing as Tripoli was falling.”

Osama Hadi Mansur Al-Swayi, one of the survivors of the massacre at the Internal Security building, said that as the rebels came into Tripoli on Aug. 19, the prisoners started celebrating.

“We were so happy, and we knew we would be released soon,” he recounted. But that joy soon turned to terror. Snipers that were upstairs came down and started shooting. Al-Swayi along with other prisoners were told to lie on the ground. Then he heard one of the guards loyal to Gadhafi give the order to “just finish them off.”

“In one instant, they finished off all the people with me,” he said.

Another witness, Juma’ Al-Murayd, told Human Rights Watch that on August 23 he had seen Gadhafi’s men beat up then kill three civilians at a checkpoint near his home. “One of them was just driving his car, unarmed,” the witness said.

“These incidents, which may represent only a fraction of the total, raise grave questions about the conduct of Gadhafi forces in the past few days, and whether it was systematic or planned,” said Whitson.

“If these incidents are proven to be extra judicial killings they are serious war crimes and those responsible should be brought to justice,” he added.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/gadhafi-forces-suspected-of-mass-murder-of-prisoners-60881.html.

Nepal elects Maoist leader as new prime minister

KATHMANDU (BNO NEWS) — Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai was elected Nepal’s 35th prime minister on Sunday afternoon, after weeks of political instability, the Himalayan Times reported.

Baburam Bhattarai of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) was elected by a simple majority in the Legislature-Parliament on Sunday. He garnered 340 votes of the 575 present lawmakers while his opponent, Nepalese Congress Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel, secured only 235 votes.

57-year-old Bhattarai, who is one of the vice chairmen of his party, in the 90s served as deputy prime minister and finance minister in the government led by then-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. He went underground after his party, the then-CPN Maoist, launched an armed rebellion in 1996. Bhattarai was involved in the peace talks with the government in 2003.

After Sunday’s results were announced, Paudel congratulated Bhattarai on his election victory to become the country’s 35th prime minister. Paudel said he hoped the new prime minister will be able to carry out the peace process in 1.5 month as promised by his party, according to the newspaper.

Sunday’s voting took place after Nepalese politicians failed to form a unity government on Wednesday before the extended deadline granted by President Ram Baran Yadav expired. The president issued the deadline after Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal resigned on August 14 after six months and 11 days at the top post.

Khanal was elected in February after seven months of political stalemate. He quit after the government failed to conclude major tasks of the peace process and forge consensus.

The main challenges which Khanal faced during his tenure was the formation of a consensus government and the drafting of the constitution. A new constitution was a condition of a 2006 peace agreement which the Maoists signed with the government, ending a decade-long civil war.

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19737/nepal-elects-maoist-leader-as-new-prime-minister/.

At least 20 killed in Nigeria flooding

ABUJA (BNO NEWS) — At least 20 people have been killed and thousands displaced by heavy flooding in and around the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan, officials said on Sunday.

A dam overflowed and washed away numerous buildings and bridges in the region, following heavy rains which began on Friday, according to the BBC. “It’s a very serious situation,” said Yushau Shuaib, an official in the city, 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Lagos.

Hundreds of cars were also reported to have been submerged in the floods, while businesses and farmlands were also damaged. Shuaib told the BBC it was impossible to give an accurate figure of those displaced, but said that it was “definitely in the thousands”.

On Tuesday, more than 150 houses were destroyed in the village of Kari, which is located in Darazo of Bauchi state, after six hours of nonstop rain. At least four people were reportedly killed as rain-triggered floods washed away hundreds of livestock, and other goods such as vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles.

And in late June, at least 24 people were killed and many others were injured when torrential rains flooded the northern city of Kano. Numerous buildings collapsed and were destroyed.

According to authorities, more than 500,000 people across the country, mostly in the North, were displaced last year by flooding. The National Emergency Management Agency recently warned state governments in the North to take preventive measures against floods.

More than 300 people were killed across western and central Africa in the 2010 rainy season.

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19739/at-least-20-killed-in-nigeria-flooding/.

Iranian scientist's assassin receives death sentence

TEHRAN (BNO NEWS) — Iran’s Judiciary on Sunday sentenced Majid Jamali-Fashi, who assassinated nuclear physicist Massoud Ali-Mohammadi in early 2010, to death, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei made the announcement in an interview with the news agency. Jamali-Fashi was previously charged with moharebeh (enmity against God) and with being a ‘corrupt person on the earth’.

The trial session of the defendant was held on August 23 when he pleaded guilty to charges of assassinating Ali-Mohammadi. In his defense, Jamali Fashi confessed that he was due to carry out five other operations after Ali Mohammadi’s assassination.

Ali-Mohammadi, an Iranian university professor and nuclear scientist, was killed in January 2010 when a bomb planted in his motorcycle exploded in front of his house in Tehran, the country’s capital.

Iran has blamed the attack on Israel and its intelligence agency Mossad, saying that the agency has organized ‘terrorist groups’ to carry out attacks against Iranian scientists. Tehran’s Public and Revolutionary Courts Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi has said that Jamali Fashi was trained in Mossad’s military bases and that he had received $120,000 from Israel to carry out the assassination.

Last year, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed Israel for the scientist’s murder, the first of three assaults on nuclear scientists of the Islamic country. On November 29, two other nuclear scientists were killed in separate bomb attacks in Tehran.

Iran has since claimed that both Israel and the United States have hatched numerous plots to stop its nuclear progress through different measures, including sanctions and assassinations of scientists and university professors.

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19740/iranian-scientists-assassin-receives-death-sentence/.

India anti-graft activist vows to continue crusade

August 28, 2011 — NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian activist who ended a 12-day hunger strike Sunday after pushing Parliament to consider his anti-graft demands promised his jubilant supporters that his battle against endemic corruption would continue.

"It's the end of my fast but it's not the end of my fight. I will be back," Anna Hazare, 74, told thousands of flag-waving and cheering supporters minutes after accepting a glass of coconut water and honey from two children.

Hazare's protest brought tens of thousands of ordinary Indians, fed up of the country's deeply entrenched corruption, to the New Delhi fairground where he held camp. More people marched in support in dozens of cities across the nation.

Hazare began his fast Aug. 16 demanding Parliament pass his sweeping proposal to create a powerful anti-corruption ombudsman to police everyone from the prime minister to the lowest village bureaucrat.

Officials said Hazare's version of the draft bill was unconstitutional and his hunger strike was an attempt to subvert Parliament's legislative role. Hazare and his aides complained that the government's own bill was too weak to battle the deep rot in India's political system.

In the end, Parliament held a nine-hour debate Saturday that ended with a nonbinding "sense of the house" expressing support for some of his demands: committing to greater transparency and including low-level bureaucrats and state officials under the watchdog's purview.

In the capital, thousands of singing, dancing and cheering supporters gathered Sunday evening to celebrate what they called Hazare's victory. "We the people of India give ourselves a corruption-free India," one supporter in the crowd told NDTV news channel, paraphrasing the opening sentence of the country's constitution.

"The question is where do we go from here," said Raj Kumar Sagar, an advertising executive in the capital. Hazare said the next step would be to make the electoral system more responsive to the people. While he gave few details, he said he would attempt to get citizens the right to recall and reject lawmakers who did not live up to their promises.

"Only that will really reduce corruption," he said. Hazare's protest was fueled by months of scandals — including illicit mining deals and the dubious sale of cellphone spectrum — that tarred the ruling coalition and opposition parties alike. Even as Hazare was fasting, four politicians were charged with buying and selling votes in Parliament.

The government, miscalculating the popularity of his anti-graft message, briefly arrested him to quash his protest, a move that sent tens of thousands of his angry supporters pouring into streets across the country.

Hazare, who claims inspiration from liberation icon Mohandas K. Gandhi, eventually was given access to a fairground in the capital, New Delhi, which drew tens of thousands of protesters from India's growing middle class fed up with paying bribes for everything from getting a driver's license to enrolling a child in nursery school.

"People are suffering from corruption, and there seems to be no end," said Prabhat Tiwari, a 25-year-old businessman who came to the protest ground every day for a week. As the protest dragged on and Hazare's weight plunged more than 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms), government ministers and protest leaders haggled over how to end the standoff.

Just before Hazare broke his fast Sunday, one of his aides led the gathered crowd in a pledge: "I take an oath that in my life I will never take a bribe, nor will I give a bribe." The plan for a government watchdog — which had languished in Parliament for more than four decades — will now go to a legislative committee to work out the details and try to resolve competing visions for the proposed ombudsman's office.

It seems almost certain that lawmakers will now have to take the issue of corruption seriously or risk further protests. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said this past week that the protest had awoken the government to the need for reform. Rahul Gandhi, a top official with the ruling Congress party who is seen as a potential future prime minister, proposed sweeping reform in everything from the electoral system to the graft-riddled mining industry.

"Some beginning has been made. It's difficult to say what will happen," Manoj Kumar, a 24-year-old student, said Sunday at Hazare's protest site. "There is an awakening across the country, so it will now be difficult for the government to ignore people's demands."

Hazare — a former army truck driver credited with organizing his drought-prone village to harvest rain water and use solar power — enchanted many Indians with his stubborn stance against the political system and left them with a rare feeling of empowerment.

The protest "has broken that sense of helplessness that large numbers of people were feeling in this country. It brought a glimmer of hope that we can bring about change," said Neerja Chowdhury, a journalist for The Indian Express newspaper.

The Times of India newspaper credited Hazare with channeling the public anger into "a mass movement that has shaken the government to its foundation and placed the entire political class on notice."

Japan ruling party set to pick new leader

August 29, 2011 — TOKYO (AP) — Japan's ruling party was set to pick a new leader Monday to become the country's sixth prime minister in five years.

Five candidates are running to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is resigning after 15 months amid public criticism over his administration's handling of the tsunami disaster and ensuing nuclear crisis as well as disgust with political infighting.

The vote among 398 parliamentary members of the Democratic Party of Japan looked to be a face-off between former top diplomat Seiji Maehara — favored by the public — and Economy Minister Banri Kaieda, who has the backing of a powerful but scandal-tainted party kingpin, Ichiro Ozawa.

The vote will probably go to a run-off as no one is likely to win the 200 votes needed in the first round. The winner is almost certain to become the nation's next prime minister because the DPJ controls the more powerful lower house of Parliament.

Other candidates include Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano and former Transport Minister Sumio Mabuchi. The new leader faces a host of daunting challenges, from the massive reconstruction after the March 11 tsunami and a surging yen to a ballooning national debt and resolving a nuclear crisis that has dislocated 100,000 people.

Also, he must contend with a divided parliament, which could be a recipe for gridlock. The opposition won control of the upper house last summer. Few striking differences among the five candidates emerged during a weekend debate and joint news conference, which were heavy on rhetoric but scant on concrete proposals. All of them promised to revive Japan's sluggish economy and more government support for the reconstruction effort, while agreeing that it was premature to raise the 5 percent sales tax.

In one contrast, Maehara, a former foreign minister, proposed a halt to the building of new nuclear reactors and a phase-out of atomic power over 40 years. Kaieda, whose minister is in charge of promoting nuclear energy, said he planned to decommission aging nuclear plants found to have problems during stress tests, but did not detail his vision for the future of atomic energy.

Maehara and Noda also suggested they might seek a grand coalition, perhaps on limited basis, with key opposition parties, an approach Kaieda rejected. The leadership vote could turn out to be mainly a reflection of the DPJ's factional power struggles, further turning off the Japanese public to politics.

The telegenic Maehara, a 49-year-old defense expert and China hawk, was the front-runner until Kaieda won Ozawa's support. Ozawa, 69, who is known for savvily engineering elections, is embroiled in a political funding scandal, but his presence has still hung like a shadow over the party leadership campaign.

Kaieda, a 62-year-old former television commentator on economic matters, was key in efforts to bring the nuclear crisis under control and to lead a safety inspection of nuclear plants. He has shown he can be tough, firing three officials in charge of nuclear safety, a move that could help appease the outrage among voters about regulators' cozy ties with the industry.

Maehara has technically violated election laws by unknowingly accepting donations from a foreigner — a problem that could bring him down if the opposition decides to pursue that in parliament. He stepped down as foreign minister earlier this year over that scandal, but has defended his decision to run, saying he did nothing wrong.

Legislators, therefore, may decide to support other candidates, such as the fiscally conservative Noda, some experts say.

'فك القيد' حملة لمعرفة مصير 250 أردنيا في سوريا

2011-08-28

خبرني – أطلق ناشطون وحقوقيون وعدد من الأهالي حملة شعبية للدفاع عن المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية حملت اسم " فك القيد".
وقالت الحملة في بيان لها صدر الأحد وحصلت " خبرني " على نسخة منه الحملة "تهدف لتسليط الضوء على جرائم النظام السوري و الضغط على الحكومة الأردنية حتى تتبنى موقف جاد يكفل عودة المعتقلين".
وأضاف بيان الحملة إن هذه الخطوة تهدف أيضا "لمتابعة قضية المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية وإعطائها الزخم الشعبي والإعلامي الذي تستحقه"
حيث سيكون باكورة عمل اللجنة مخاطبة الجهات المعنية للعمل على حل قضية المعتقلين وصولا إلى تنفيذ خيمة اعتصام دائم أمام السفارة السورية في عمان حتى تتحقق الحرية للمعتقلين.
وكررت الحملة أسفها "للدور السلبي للحكومة الأردنية ممثلة بوزارة الخارجية في التعامل مع ملف المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية، فما الفائدة من الاتفاقيات البينية والاجتماعات على مستوى رؤساء الوزراء إذ لم نستطع حل قضية المعتقلين".
وتاليا نص البيان كما وصل " خبرني " :
الحملة الوطنية للدفاع عن المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية
" فك القيد"
مازلت اللجنة الوطنية للمعتقلين الأردنيين في الخارج تستغرب نهج النظام السوري في تعاطيه مع قضية المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية، فرغم مرور ما يقرب الأربعة عقود على اعتقال بعض الأردنيين يواصل النظام السوري ضرب الحائط بكافة المواثيق والاتفاقيات العربية والدولية المعنية بحقوق الإنسان، حيث يعاني المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية أبشع صور التعذيب والإهانة.
إن المعتقلين الأردنيين ضحايا ممارسات تعذيب دموية ومهينة حيث يمارس عليهم التعذيب بطريقة الشبح والضرب بكوابل الكهرباء وربط الرجال من بشرهم وجرهم والضرب بالصعقات الكهربائية والتعذيب بالدولاب وخلع الاضافر وإجراء العمليات الجراحية دون وجود أمراض لديهم كما حدث مع المعتقل المفرج عنه حافظ ابو عصبة والذي خلعت أضافره وأسنانه بالكماشة.
إننا في اللجنة الوطنية للمعتقلين الأردنيين في الخارج نرى القصور الكبير من قبل الحكومة الأردنية في متابعة هذا الملف الإنساني الذي يمس ما يقارب الـ 250 مواطن أردني يقبعون في السجون السورية، والسؤال الذي نطرحه على الحكومة اين موقفك من النظام السوري الذي ينتهك اتفاقية الرياض التي تنص في احد بنودها " انه في حال صدر عفو عام أو خاص يجب أن يشمل كافة المعتقلين بغض النظر عن جنسيتهم" كما هو مطبق في الأردن.إن العفو العام الأخير الذي أصدره بشار الأسد عبارة عن عفو كرتوني حبر على ورق لم يستفيد منه الأردنيين وما زال الأردنيين في غياهب السجون السورية يتلقون أبشع صور التعذيب في فرع 251 على يد سجانهم المدعو أبو غضب.
اليوم وبعد مرور كل هذا الزمان على استمرار اعتقال الأردنيين في السجون السورية منهم أربعة سيدات على رأسهم وفاء عبيدات المعتقلة منذ العام 1985 لا يرق للنظام السوري جفن ولم يصحوا ضميره تجاه الأمهات اللاتي جفت عيونهن من البكاء على أبنائهن.إننا في اللجنة الوطنية للمعتقلين الأردنيين نحمل النظام السوري وعلى رأسه بشار الأسد المسؤولية عن سلامة المعتقلين الأردنيين، مؤكدين أن مصيره سيكون المحاسبة أمام القضاء العادل الذي سيقتص منه.
ونكرر أسفنا للدور السلبي للحكومة الأردنية ممثلة بوزارة الخارجية في التعامل مع ملف المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية، فما الفائدة من الاتفاقيات البينية والاجتماعات على مستوى رؤساء الوزراء إذ لم نستطع حل قضية المعتقلين.
ولمتابعة قضية المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية وإعطائها الزخم الشعبي والإعلامي الذي تستحقه فقد أطلق مجموعة من الحقوقيين والناشطين وأهالي المعتقلين الحملة الوطنية للدفاع عن المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية تحت عنوان " فك القيد" والتي تهدف لتسليط الضوء على جرائم النظام السوري و الضغط على الحكومة الأردنية حتى تتبنى موقف جاد يكفل عودة المعتقلين.وسيكون باكورة عمل اللجنة معادة مخاطب الجهات المعنية للعمل على حل قضية المعتقلين وصولا إلى تنفيذ خيمة اعتصام دائم أمام السفارة السورية في عمان حتى تتحقق الحرية للمعتقلين. .
منسق الحملة الوطنية للدفاع عن المعتقلين الأردنيين في السجون السورية " فك القيد"
المحامي عبد الكريم الشريدة
وفيما يلي اسماء عدد من المعتقلين والمفقودين الأردنيين في سوريا
1 - عاهد عبدالله علي الخريسات موجود ومعتقل لدى شعبة فلسطين زنزانة رقم 6 ويلقب ابو الطيب.
2 - ابراهيم عبدالله فايز الشوا، دخل سوريا بتاريخ 6/9/2006 اعتقل منذ دخوله ويعاني من مرض نفسي ويعالج في مستشفيات وزارة الصحة.
3 - حاتم عبدالرحيم محمد البوريني، مفقود في سوريا، غادر الى سوريا في 22/2/2005.
4 - جبر محمد خليل عثمان البستنجي معتقل في السجون السورية منذ 24 عاما.
5 - عماد ابراهيم عبدالهادي محمد الدواية، معتقل منذ 25 سنة.
6 - بشار شريف علي صالح.
7 - خالد محمد عبدالرحيم جابر العموري، معتقل منذ 1982 وهو في سجن تدمر.
8 - محمد خميس الصعبي مفقود في سوريا منذ عام 1983.
9 - احمد فؤاد نمر بشير، معتقل منذ 1982 بسوريا.
10- باسم خميس سمور صقر معتقل منذ 1991 في سوريا.
11 - خالد محمد حسين ظاهر معتقل في سوريا في سجن سدناية وهو محكوم 20 عاما.
12 - حسيب نديم صالح.
13 - وفاء فهمي علي عبيدات، طالبة طب اسنان جامعة دمشق، اعتقلت مساء 17 تشرين اول منذ 1986 من قبل الفرع (251) في المخابرات العامة. وبعد التحقيق معها سلمت للفرع (285) في كفر سوسة.
14 - هاني فهمي علي عبيدات، اعتقل عام 1986 من قبل الفرع (251).
15 - وليد ايوب بركات، في سجن سديانة.
16 - عماد العنابي سكان اربد موجود حاليا في سجن صدنايا .
17 - ابراهيم حسن علي الصقور، موجود في السجن منذ عام 1999 في سجن صدنايا، حكم 15 سنة.
18 - محمد جابر عبد الغني، معتقل منذ عام 1982، ما زال موجودا في سجن صدنايا.
19 - سعيد حتاملة، معتقل منذ عام 1985 سجن صدنايا.
20 - محمد طه عبد المحسن معوسة، موجود داخل السجن باسم مستعار وائل الرمحي.
21 - خالد محمد عبدالرحيم جابر العموري، معتقل منذ عام 1982 في سجن صدنايا.
22 - عمر احمد بدران بدير.
23 - اسامة بشير بطاينة.
24 - يسري احمد يوسف الحايك.
25 - شيخة احمد يوسف الحايك .
26 - ميسر جميل العيساوي، معتقلة منذ عام 1985.
27 - حاتم عبدالله خلف زريقات، وكان الاعتقال في حمص منذ تاريخ 4/3/1981.
28 - احمد محمد اسماعيل زعترة، معتقل منذ عام 1994.
29 - نبيل حسن مصطفى ابو حجاب. 30 - عماد ابراهيم عبدالهادي حمد، معتقل منذ 1988.
31 - خالد عزيز عارف حرزالله، 32 - عدنان محمد محمود حموضة، اعتقل منذ عام 1985 .
33 - خليل نايف مبروك، معتقل منذ عام 1985
34 - بهاء وجيه الشنطي، مفقود منذ عام 1990 اعتقل اثناء عودته من السويد.
35 - عبد الواحد محمود اسعيد (ابو علاء) معتقل منذ 28 عاما.

36 - منذر عبد الكريم نمر تايهة، معتقل منذ عام 1976
37 - كايد صالح حسن ابو جيش .
38 - عماد نايف جبر كناني، معتقل منذ عام 1999 بسجن صدنايا.
39 - خالد ابراهيم يوسف بشابشة، معتقل منذ ستة شهور.
40 - خالد صادق محمود صبيح، طالب صيدلة في تركيا معتقل في سوريا.
41 - عدلي سليم عبدالقادر عبده.
42 - فيصل حماد بن سعيد.
43 - ابراهيم عبدالعال.
44 - جهاد القشة .
45 - ملاك ابراهيم علي الرملاوي .
46 - سمر الخطيب.
47 - امين يوسف جمعة .
48 - محمود صوالحة.
49- عبدالكريم ابو عيشة. معتقل منذ عام 1978 .
50 - عبد الفتاح حسن ابو سنية .
51 - ياسر صالح حسن ادريس.

المصدر: خبرني.
الرابط: http://www.khaberni.com/more.php?newsid=60812.

South Sudanese president Kiir forms new cabinet

JUBA (BNO NEWS) — South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit has announced the first cabinet for his new nation, replacing the caretaker government which has administered the country since its independence last month, the government said on Saturday.

Kiir issued three presidential decrees: one relieving all the caretaker ministers, the other one appointing the new national ministers and the third one appointing the deputy ministers, according to the Sudan Tribune. While forming the new line-up, Kiir said he tried to represent equally the country’s different regions to avoid accusations of tribalism and nepotism.

Among the new appointments listed on the government’s website are Deng Alor Kuol for cabinet affairs, Nhial Deng Nhial for foreign affairs and international cooperation, Oyay Deng Ajak for national security and Kosti Manibe Ngai for finance and economic planning. Among the ministers who have not come back are former Minister of Peace Pagan Amum Akech and former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ann Itto.

South Sudan became the world’s newest country when it broke away from Sudan on July 9 as a culmination of a six-year peace process which began in January 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

More than two million people, most of them civilians who died due to starvation and drought, were killed during the 20-year civil war in Sudan. Although there were hopes that South Sudan secession would lead to peace, violence has continued both on a local level in South Sudan as well as with the Sudanese forces.

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19723/south-sudanese-president-kiir-forms-new-cabinet/.

India's anti-graft activist ends hunger strike after parliament accepts his demands

NEW DELHI (BNO NEWS) — Indian activist Anna Hazare announced on Saturday that he will break his fast on Sunday morning after parliament accepted parts of his anti-graft plan, the Times of India reported.

In an address to supporters, the 74-year-old activist declared that the nation’s people have won a great victory, but cautioned that only half the battle has been won. He also thanked thousands of cheering supporters for their support for the anti-corruption movement.

Earlier, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh reached the protest site at New Delhi’s Ramlila grounds to hand over a copy of the Lokpal resolution and a letter of the Prime Minister to Hazare. In his communication to Hazare, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conveyed to him that Parliament had passed a resolution on the three issues raised by him and appealed to him to call off his fast.

“Parliament has spoken. It is the will of the people,” a smiling Prime Minister Singh said while coming out of the House after the day-long debate ended. The Lokpal resolution passed by Parliament includes the establishment of an anti-corruption watchdog, while employees of center and state governments will be brought under the ombudsman’s purview, according to the newspaper.

Hazare began his fast on August 16 shortly after he was detained by police for defying a ban on the planned anti-graft fast. Thousands of protesters were also arrested across India following his detention.

The activist was later released but he refused to leave prison and demanded that there should not be any restrictions on his protest. He then bargained for two days with the Indian government to settle the protest venue and other conditions. The government finally allowed him to carry out the hunger strike for 15 days in the spacious Ramlila Maidan Park.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Singh on Tuesday wrote a letter to Hazare to express “deep concern” over his health and urged him to “consider my suggestions and end your fast to regain full health and vitality”.

The social activist started fasting against the government’s version of an anti-corruption bill, which did not include the prime minister and judiciary in its purview. Hazare threatened to continue protesting the exclusion of some recommendations made by civil society representatives from the Lokpal bill.

Hazare’s protest happens amid a series of corruption scandals involving government officials, which have sparked widespread public anger and calls for reform. The Indian government had previously failed to pass an effective anti-corruption law.

In 2010, Transparency International ranked India, one of the few countries yet to ratify the United Nations convention against corruption, at 87.

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19725/indias-anti-graft-activist-ends-hunger-strike-after-parliament-accepts-his-demands/.

Iran arrests four Jundallah militants planning attacks

TEHRAN (BNO NEWS) — Iranian security officials have arrested four members of the People’s Resistance Movement of Iran (PRMI), better known as Jundallah, the the semi-official Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.

A local police said the suspects were planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Balouchestan Province on the International Qods Day, which is commemorated on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to express solidarity with Palestine. The four suspects were arrested in two separate incidents.

Colonel Masoud Heidari, the chief of the security police in Sistan-Balouchestan Province, said security forces first arrested three members of the group on August 21 when they were heading to Kerman Province while carrying explosives, weapons, and ammunition. On August 25, police arrested another member of the group and seized six pistols, some TNT, and other explosive materials.

Jundallah militants are accused of carrying out numerous bombings and other forms of attacks in Iran. In December 2010, Iran executed eleven people accused of belonging to the PRMI.

In May 2009, Jundallah attacked the crowded Shiite Amir al-Mo’menin mosque in Zahedan, destroying the mosque and killing and wounding numerous worshipers. An October 2009 bomb attack which killed more than 40 people was reportedly the deadliest terrorist attack in Iran since the 1980s.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the designation of Jundallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2010. The State Department said that the group uses a variety of terrorist tactics, including suicide bombings, ambushes, kidnappings and targeted assassinations.

Iran accuses the United States of providing money to Jundallah in order for the group to carry out attacks in the country. This claim is based on alleged confessions from former Jundallah leader Abdolmalek Rigi made before he was executed in 2010.

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19726/iran-arrests-four-jundallah-militants-planning-attacks/.

Syrian death toll rises as government crackdown continues

DAMASCUS (BNO NEWS) — At least eight people were killed on Friday during anti-regime demonstrations across Syria, a rights group said on Saturday.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria (LCC), a network of Syrian opposition activists, said eight protesters were killed during demonstrations which took place across the country on Friday, which was dubbed a day of “patience and determination.” According to CNN, at least one person was wounded when security forces opened fire on a group of demonstrators in the Bab Sbaa neighborhood of Homs during a funeral of a man killed Thursday by sniper fire.

In a separate incident, security forces fired on a car, wounding at least one man outside Damascus, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. At least one demonstrator was also wounded when Syrian security forces opened fire in Deir Ezzor.

The crackdown continued on early Saturday when security forces surrounding the Rifaie Mosque in the Damascus suburb of Kafr Sousa fired tear gas on thousands of worshipers as they ended their prayers and tried to leave the building, CNN reported. The LCC also reported that security forces were making random arrests outside the mosque.

In the restive city of Daraa, security forces fired randomly in an attempt to disperse two groups of demonstrators. Tanks surrounded more than 2,000 protesters and two armored vehicles outside Daraa’s Omari Mosque, according to CNN which cited LCC.

Meanwhile, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported that 11 army and security forces were killed by “terrorist groups” in Homs and Deir Ezzor. Another 16 soldiers were wounded, the agency claimed.

The violence occurred on one of the most holy days of Ramadan and on the same day that a United Nations team concluded that there is “an urgent need to protect civilians from the excessive use of force” after completing a five-day humanitarian mission to Syria.

The August 20-25 mission added that “the constant presence of government officials” limited the visitors’ ability to assess the situation. “However, the people it was able to talk to in areas of previous or ongoing unrest said they felt extremely intimidated and under constant threat,” the UN said.

This week, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said that more than 2,200 people have been killed in Syria since pro-democracy demonstrations began in Syria in mid-March as part of a broader uprising across North Africa and the Middle East that has led to the toppling of entrenched regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and conflict in Libya. More than 350 people have reportedly been killed since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on August 1.

The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that the violent acts have been instigated by terrorists who use military uniforms and weaponry to pose as soldiers while attacking citizens but these claims have been rejected by residents, human rights groups, and the international community.

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19727/syrian-death-toll-rises-as-government-crackdown-continues/.