greeniefresh: December 2014

December 30, 2014

UN Mission condemns rocket attack on its camp in northern Mali

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Tuesday 30 Dec 2014 - 14:34 Makkah mean time-8-3-1436

New York (IINA) - The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) strongly condemned the rocket attack on its camp in the northern city of Tessalit, United Nation official webpage reported.

The Mission’s Office-in-Charge David Gressly said on Monday the perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice and reaffirmed the UN’s determination to continue its work for peace and stability in Mali.

According to preliminary reports, at least 9 rockets were fired at the camp which the UN Mission shares with Malian army and French Barkhane troops. No casualties were reported.

SM/IINA

December 28, 2014

Massive sympathy with Sweden Muslims after arson attack on mosque

Sunday 28 Dec 2014 - 14:24 Makkah mean time-6-3-1436

Stockholm (IINA) - Hundreds of Swedes took to the streets on Friday to denounce an arson attack on a mosque in which five people were injured.

A firebomb was thrown through a closed window of the mosque in the central city of Eskilstuna Thursday injuring five of the nearly 70 worshippers inside. Two of the injured have been hospitalized on Friday.

Answering calls to denounce the attack by the "Together for Eskilstuna" Facebook page, a large group of people converged on the damaged mosque to show their support.

An investigation has been launched into the incident, but the authorities until now hasn’t been able to arrest any suspect. An official spokesman for the Swedish police said the Swedish intelligence agency is going to take part in the investigation of this incident.

In September elections, the extreme rightist anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party became the third-largest party in the parliament by winning 12.9 percent of the vote.

According to a recent mock election poll for radio station SR, Sweden Democrats has increased its September showing by a full point to 13.9 percent with other surveys showing support of nearly 16 percent.

The latest opinion poll published by the Radio SR showed that xenophobia rate has risen so much over the past years. The head of Muslim Association of Sweden Omar Mustafa lamented the rise of the hostility towards foreigners and Muslims without genuine reasons.

SM/IINA

Israeli reconnaissance planes violate Lebanese airspace

Sunday 28 Dec 2014 - 13:53 Makkah mean time-6-3-1436

Beirut (IINA) - Israeli spy planes continue flying inside the Lebanese airspace in flagrant violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, news agencies reported.

Two Israeli reconnaissance planes breached on Friday at 6:00 am the Lebanese airspace over the town of Alma Shaab effectuating the usual u-turn manoeuvre above the areas of Riyak and Baalbek.

The breach lasted till 1:00 am, when the hostile planes left towards the occupied territories, according to a communiqué by the Army Guidance Directorate Department.

Earlier, another reconnaissance aircraft violated the Lebanese airspace at 14:50 pm over the town of Nakoura carrying out circular flights above Beirut and its suburbs.

SM/IINA

Jordanian border guards receive 110 Syrian refugees in 72 hours

Sunday 28 Dec 2014 - 13:35 Makkah mean time-6-3-1436

Amman (IINA) – The Jordanian border guards received 110 Syrian refugees over the past 72 hours, Petra reported, citing a Jordan Armed Forces source.

The source added that the new refugees, who included women, children and the elderly, were provided with urgent humanitarian aid before being moved to refugee camps. Four of these refugees had sustained injuries prior to their arrival into the Kingdom, the source noted.

AB/IINA

December 25, 2014

Iran launches massive drills near Strait of Hormuz

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Thursday 25 Dec 2014 - 13:42 Makkah mean time-3-3-1436

Tehran (IINA) – Iran started on Thursday massive military exercises near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, involving ground, navy and air force units.

The weeklong exercise will be carried out over 2.2 million square kilometers, extending from the East of the Strait of Hormuz to the southern parts of the Gulf of Aden.

“The maneuvers are being held to display Iran’s military power,” Russia Today (RT) quoted Iran’s Navy Chief Habibollah Sayyari, as saying.

In relevant remarks earlier this month, Iranian Ground Force Commander Lieutenant General Ahmad Reza announced that his forces will test-fire new weapons during the drills.

AB/IINA

Former Lebanese PM Saad Al-Hariri hopes 2015 to bring solutions for political gridlock

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Thursday 25 Dec 2014 - 13:34 Makkah mean time-3-3-1436

Beirut (IINA) - Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri felicitated on Wednesday the Lebanese people and the Christians in particular on the eve of Christmas and the New Year, Lebanese National news agency reported.

Hariri hoped that year 2015 would bring along the much sought solutions to the current political crisis, starting with the election of a new president of the Lebanese Republic.

SM/IINA

December 24, 2014

German FM rejects practices of anti-Muslim movement

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Wednesday 24 Dec 2014 - 14:41 Makkah mean time-2-3-1436

Berlin (IINA) – German Foreign Minister has rejected the practices of the Patriotic Europeans Against Islamization of the West (PEGIDA) movement, which promotes violence against Muslims and foreigners in Germany.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that “the overwhelming majority of Germans believe that people should find refuge with us due to the civil war.”

He said: "Now sympathy and solidarity is needed." He added “it is important that we stand up for open society with conviction, passion and reason.”

One of the reasons why people participated in the demonstrations organized by PEGIDA, the foreign minister said, “Yes, I can understand that the disorder in the world makes many people scared. But the answer cannot be isolation and incitement.”

In Dresden, police said on Monday around 17,500 people participated in demonstrations initiated by PEGIDA against foreigners and “Islamization of the West”. Meanwhile, the same city saw counter demonstration involved about 4,500 people, who raised anti-Nazis slogans, warning at the same time against racism and xenophobia in the country.

Also, more than 20,000 people took to streets in several German cities in protests against the PEGIDA movement.

AB/IINA

Palestinians struggling to rebuild their lives amid the Gaza rubble

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Wednesday 24 Dec 2014 - 14:36 Makkah mean time-2-3-1436

Gaza (IINA) – Four months after the end of the war of Israel on Gaza strip, more than 50,000 displaced Gazans still have no home and no hope. There has been little reconstruction. The majority of the damaged factories, which were supposed to have been rebuilt, lie derelict, the Independent newspaper reported.

Just a fraction of the construction material required has been delivered; only 1.8 percent of the 5 million tonnes needed. Similarly, just over 1 percent has been seen of the $5 billion (£3.2 million) pledged by the international community.

The reconstruction plan was set up between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the UN. The conditions stipulated by the Israeli government for allowing supplies in have been labelled draconian, designed to prevent Gaza’s development. The Israelis insist they are vital to ensure that the material is not used for military purposes by Hamas.

Israel has repeatedly claimed that the group is rearming and intent on trying to replace the network of tunnels destroyed in the last conflict.

Each construction project must be approved by Israel. Twelve Gaza firms were licensed to receive cement, but only two have, and even then a tiny portion of what they needed. All of them had to put security precautions in place, described as more akin to tracking weapons.

Mufid al-Hassaina, the minister for public works and housing in the Palestinian Authority, acknowledges the scale of the problem: "I would say we are in the worst situation since 1948: we have a blockade, huge unemployment and refugees. Yes, there is a growing black market. People have to use it to make money because the international donor’s pledges still haven’t arrived. But for a proper solution, Israel needs to end the blockade."

SM/IINA

Malaysia tightens control over prices of goods

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Wednesday 24 Dec 2014 - 14:30 Makkah mean time-2-3-1436

Kuala Lumpur (IINA) – Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Hasan Malik announced that the penalty fee for violating the price controls law will be increased to an amount of 1 million to 2 million Malaysian Ringgit (RM), starting from next year.

He added that the increased penalty, already approved by the government and by both the Houses of Representatives and Senate, will soon be published in the Official Gazette, BERNAMA reported.

He pointed out that the current punishment, ranging between 100,000 and 200,000 RM, has been ineffective as a deterrent against graft and the wide-spread of cheating on prices across the country.

In the same context, the minister noted that his ministry is working with the Office of the Public Prosecutor to finalize a proposal for the establishment of a court concerned with the issues of new taxes on goods and services.

AB/IINA

Muslims in CAR province face worst situation, warns UN

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Wednesday 24 Dec 2014 - 14:00 Makkah mean time-2-3-1436

New York (IINA) - The United Nations refugee agency voiced concern on Tuesday over the deteriorating situation of more than 400 members of Muslims trapped by the ongoing violence in the Central African Republic (CAR), according to a report published by the UN official website.

Adrian Edwards, spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva that 474 members of the Peuhl ethnic group had been trapped for several months in the town of Yaloke, 200 kilometres northwest of the capital city of Bangui, where they were now facing worse humanitarian conditions.

Adults and children have become severely malnourished and more than 30 percent was suffering from malaria, he noted, adding that there were also six known cases of tuberculosis.

Edwards warned that since their arrival in Yaloke in April, 42 people among the group had died, while others were becoming weaker by the day.

Edwards said urgent humanitarian assistance is needed along with help in relocating them to safer places, either inside the Central African Republic or to neighbouring countries.

He added that today, the displaced Peuhl are the only Muslims still in Yaloke, and they are confined to an overcrowded camp for the internally displaced. “They cannot go beyond a 500 metre area because of the dangers they face. This means that they cannot seek safety elsewhere but it also impedes them from securing a livelihood or seeking others help.”

Earlier this month, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous warned of a potentially explosive situation in the CAR amid continuing violent clashes between the mainly Muslim Séléka alliance and anti-Balaka militia, which are mostly Christians.

SM/IINA

UN warns of human rights violations in Libya as factional fighting continues

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Wednesday 24 Dec 2014 - 13:44 Makkah mean time-2-3-1436

New York (IINA) - Libyan civilians have been subjected to targeted killings, forced displacement and acute humanitarian conditions amid an escalation in fighting in the North African country, a new United Nations human rights report has warned.

According to the report, released on Tuesday and jointly produced by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), civilians caught in the fighting have been subjected to indiscriminate shelling, abduction, torture and execution as well as deliberate destruction of property as factional violence ripples across the country.

The report noted that fighting in the neighbouring Nafusa mountains left 170 people dead. In addition to the casualties, the fighting has also caused a humanitarian crisis with at least 120,000 people forced to flee their homes, resulting in consequent shortages in both food and medical supplies.

In a press release accompanying the report’s publication, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein warned all parties involved in the violence that they remained responsible for any human rights violations committed during the fighting.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Security Council expressed grave concern about the serious deterioration on the security situation and the continuing fighting in Libya, after hearing a briefing.

Speaking to reporters following the closed-door session, Ambassador Mahamat Zene Cherif of Chad, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for December, said the inflow of unregulated weaponry into the country was also of concern to the 15-member body, as it was contributing to the crisis despite the arms embargo.

The Council called on all Libyan stakeholders to accept an immediate ceasefire and engage in the dialogue process.

SM/IINA

December 23, 2014

Police refute rumor on Malaysia being targeted for attack by terrorists

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Want something else to read? How about 'Grievous Censorship' By The Guardian: Israel, Gaza And The Termination Of Nafeez Ahmed's Blog

Tuesday 23 Dec 2014 - 12:36 Makkah mean time-1-3-1436

Kuala Lumpur (IINA) – The Royal Malaysian Police on Tuesday (PDRM) refuted a rumor claiming that Malaysia is being targeted for attack by a group of terrorists during the Christmas celebration, BERNAMA reported.

ACP Datin Asmawati Ahmad, police chief assistant, said in a statement on Tuesday that the rumor spread through social media and mobile Apps like WhatsApp was false.

“The posting via WhatsApp asks people not to visit the shopping complexes and public places for the time being to avoid any untoward incident,” Ms. Ahmed said.

"It also claims that the government has issued a warning on the matter and is asking the people to be cautious," she added.

In this regard, the public is advised by PDRM not to easily believe such a rumor and not to disseminate or share such false information with others, as the action is not only irresponsible but could also affect public order and their daily activities.

AB/IINA

Cancer experts believe DNA study could lead to end of chemotherapy

Tuesday 23 Dec 2014 - 12:25 Makkah mean time-1-3-1436

London (IINA) - Thousands of cancer patients could be spared the ordeal of gruelling chemotherapy in future, thanks to a major new project to read our DNA, Daily Mirror newspaper reported.

Experts believe that unlocking the secrets of patient's genetic code will lead to faster diagnosis and lead to better use of current medicines.

And it is even predicted that new cancer wonder drugs could kill tumours without harming healthy tissue and make chemotherapy redundant within 20 years.

The project, which launched today in the United Kingdom, aims to read the genetic blueprint, or genome, of around 75,000 volunteers.

This includes patients with breast, bowel, ovarian and lung cancers and leukaemia, and people with rare genetic diseases and their relatives.

Rare genetic diseases will also benefit from the 100,000 Genomes Project, which is set to combine genetic data with information from health records to give Britain the greatest healthcare system in the world.

National Health Service (NHS) England medical director Sir Bruce Keogh said the £300million initiative puts the UK in a position to unlock a series of secrets about devastating diseases which have remained hidden for centuries and to unlock those on behalf of the whole of humankind.

Prof Mark Caulfield, the project’s chief scientist, added if there was just one medicine that came out of this programme that would be well worth the investment.

SM/IINA

Lazy lifestyle makes our bones weak

Tuesday 23 Dec 2014 - 11:55 Makkah mean time-1-3-1436

London (IINA) - Scientists believe that an increasingly sedentary lifestyle is making people’s bones more fragile, Daily Express newspaper reported quoting a study.

They noted that human bone's weight and strength began to decline after farming was introduced.

The study, which was published in the journal PNAS, shows that preagricultural hunter-gatherers living 7,000 years ago had bones as strong as orangutans.

Farmers who replaced them had easier lives but had around 20 percent lower bone mass, making them more at risk of fractures. Modern humans exercise even less and so bones are becoming weaker.

Study co-author Dr Colin Shaw of Cambridge University warned: "We are now dangerously sedentary; Sitting in a car or at a desk is not what we evolved to do."

SM/IINA

Indonesian President urges all parties to defend women's rights

Tuesday 23 Dec 2014 - 11:20 Makkah mean time-1-3-1436

Jakarta (IINA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said enforcing and defending the rights of women including mothers is the responsibility of the government and all parties, Antara news agency reported.

"Congratulations on observing the 86th Mother's Day. I hope that women and mothers can attain what they have aspired for," Joko said at a Mother's Day event held at Ciracas Sports Stadium in East Jakarta on Monday.

"Improving the welfare of women and mothers across the country is not solely the responsibility of the president, vice president and ministers but also of all parties," he said.

Joko noted that a huge gap exists between the challenges faced by women and mothers in Jakarta and in East Nusa Tenggara province. He added that statistics showed that significant efforts are needed to improve the welfare of women throughout the country.

He called on all parties to shoulder the responsibility of improving the lives of women particularly in remote villages in East Nusa Tenggara.

AB/IINA

December 22, 2014

German mosque vandalized with swastikas and racist graffiti

Tuesday 23 Dec 2014 - 00:05 Makkah mean time-1-3-1436

Berlin (IINA) – A mosque under construction in the northwestern German town of Dormagen has been spray-painted with swastikas and racist slogans. The act of vandalism comes as anti-Islamic demonstrations continue to grow across Germany.

The perpetrators are reported to have entered the building site early Sunday morning. Apart from the symbol associated to Nazis, the vandals also wrote slurs such as "off with you to the concentration camp!"

The attack on the mosque has coincided with the rise of the controversial "anti-Islamization" PEGIDA movement in Germany. The group has been holding demonstrations in cities throughout the country for the past 10 weeks.

Head of Neuss district police, Hans-Jurgen Petrauschke said he was horrified by the racially motivated crime. There is "no place for the spread of xenophobia or the glorification of the Nazi past" in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss area," he told reporters.

State security from Dusseldorf have begun an investigation into the crime and have also announced a reward of 1,500 euros ($1,833) for information leading to the arrest of the vandals.

AB/IINA

Pakistan executes four convicted militants

Monday 22 Dec 2014 - 12:32 Makkah mean time-30-2-1436

Islamabad (IINA) – Pakistan executed four convicted militants on Sunday, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sought to show he was getting tough on terror after Taliban militants slaughtered more than 130 children at a school last week in Peshawar, Financial Times reported.

The hanging of the four men, all convicted in connection with a failed 2003 assassination attempt on former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, came just two days after Pakistan executed two other convicted terrorists.

The four men hanged on Sunday, and one of the men hanged on Friday, were all convicted for their involvement in an Al-Qaeda inspired assassination attempt on Musharraf.

Sharif declared the end of the unofficial embargo on executions last week, a day after six Taliban militants massacred more than 140 people, including 132 children, a number of teachers and the principal of an army school in Peshawar.

A senior member of Sharif’s party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, told the FT on condition of anonymity that the executions are intended to send a tough message to militant groups. People who choose to kill will be executed, he said. There will be a body for every innocent body being killed.

Senior police officials told the Financial Times that further executions were expected in the coming days in Pakistan, where about 500 people convicted of terrorism offensives were said to be on death row.

Pakistan is already braced for the potential retaliation from Taliban militants following a series of air strikes and ground operations against fighters in the northwestern tribal regions late last week. Scores of militants were reportedly killed in the government offensive.

SM/IINA

Arab League backs Saudi initiative for reconciliation between Egypt, Qatar

Monday 22 Dec 2014 - 12:25 Makkah mean time-30-2-1436

Riyadh (IINA) – Secretary General of Arab League Dr. Nabeel Al-Arabi on Sunday congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for taking the initiative to reconcile between Egypt and Qatar and open a new chapter between the two brotherly Arab countries, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

Arabi hailed the Saudi leader for his efforts to heal the rifts between the two countries, describing the initiative as being in line with the Arab League Charter, which underscores in its second article the importance of consolidating pan-Arab cooperation and relations.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he expressed the hope that the initiative would be completed to restore the good relations between Egypt and Qatar, and promote cooperation between them in all fields.

AB/IINA

December 21, 2014

Rohingya fisherman shot dead by Myanmar border guards

Sunday 21 Dec 2014 - 16:58 Makkah mean time-29-2-1436

Arakan (IINA) – Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) shot dead a Rohingya fisherman, while fishing in Naf River in the city of Teknaf, Arakan news agency reported.

The police claimed that the deceased, identified as Kala Miah, 40, was living illegally with his family in Teknaf for a long time.

According to an eyewitness, Kala, who had a fishing license from the police, was fishing along with two other Rohingya fishermen when they got a signal from Myanmar troops. The men tried to paddle away for fear of being arrested and beaten. The BGP members opened fire, leaving Kala dead on the spot. The victim’s body had remained floating on the water for hours before his family was allowed to take it for burial.

It is noteworthy that Myanmar authorities issued a decree banning the Rohingya Muslim minority from fishing although they suffer from poverty and hunger. Also, the authorities were deliberately blocking access to Rohingya by aid workers.

AB/IINA

OIC chief welcomes EU resolution on recognition of Palestine

Sunday 21 Dec 2014 - 14:20 Makkah mean time-29-2-1436

Jeddah (IINA) – Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Madani welcomed the adoption of a resolution by the European Parliament that supports recognition of Palestinian State.

Madani commended the EU resolution, which backs the two-state solution, as it would support the rights of the Palestinian people and contribute to enhancing international efforts aiming to put an end to the Israeli occupation and to establish the state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He also hailed the adoption of a resolution by Luxembourg Parliament, calling for the government to recognize the state of Palestine. He stressed that these historic positions go hand in hand with the resolutions of international legitimacy.

The Secretary General expressed his hope that these significant resolutions would be catalysts for the governments to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and recognize the Palestine statehood. Meanwhile, he reiterated the OIC’s support for the decision of the State of Palestine to seek a UN Security Council resolution to set a timeline for ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory.

AB/IINA

December 18, 2014

Britain warned of imminent terror attack

United Kingdom of Great Britain

Met Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan

Howe

Prime Minister David Cameron

Terror attack

Sydney café siege

Thursday 18 Dec 2014 - 14:20 Makkah mean time-26-2-1436

London (IINA) - Britain has been just days from a major terror attack, with five plots foiled since the summer, Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe revealed Wednesday, Daily Mail Online reported.

The Commissioner said officers are struggling to cope with the mountain of digital files seized in police raids, with recent cases seeing terror suspects hours from being released before crucial evidence was found.

Terrorists have been ‘very close to hurting somebody badly, or killing them’ in the last four months and there is no doubt that there are extremists in the UK as dangerous as the gunman behind the Sydney café siege.

Sir Bernard told LBC Radio: ‘In terms of plots over these last four months really it’s probably five. We have arrested 35 people.

Asked if there were people in Britain as dangerous as the slain Iranian gunman Monis, Sir Bernard said: "There will be, there’s no doubt."

British Prime Minister David Cameron also warned last night that the United Kingdom could be hit 'at any moment' by a Sydney-style terror attack.

He said it was only through the efforts of the security services that plots to murder UK police officers ‘in cold blood’ had been foiled in recent months, However, Sir Bernard insisted that the police need extra resources to deal with the growing terror threat in Britain.

Cameron warned as well that it was much harder for the authorities to prevent attacks by fanatics who are ‘self-radicalized on the internet’ than to tackle known extremists who had travelled to the Middle East.

David considered that the Australian attack, in which two hostages died and extremist Man Haron Monis was killed, was a reminder of the danger Britain faces.

The Prime Minister's remarks come amid widespread horror at the twin terror attacks in Sydney and Pakistan, which have left more than hundred people dead.

In Sydney, the asylum seeker Monis struck terror into the heart of the city's financial district after taking 17 staff and customers hostages inside the Lindt cafe in Martin Place for 16 hours.

SM/IINA

December 17, 2014

Malaysian Police probe Penang CM's statement over use of word "Allah"

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014 - 13:22 Makkah mean time-25-2-1436

George Town (IINA) - The police are investigating a statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims in the state under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Penang Police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said Wednesday, according to Bernama news agency.

The section, on intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, provides for a maximum jail term of two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Abdul Rahim said the police had so far recorded statements from nine individuals. He did not rule out the possibility of recording statements from more people under probe.

Penang Police had received nine reports from various quarters with regard to Lim's statement, he told reporters after opening a police community programme here.

Last Friday, several portals reported Lim having allegedly said that non-Muslims in the state could use the word "Allah" as the restriction on its use, as provided for in the Penang State Islamic Religious Administration Enactment 2004, applied only to Muslims.

SM/IINA

India Bans IS, monitors cyberspace to prevent propaganda

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014 - 12:49 Makkah mean time-25-2-1436

New Delhi, (IINA) - India has banned the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization and is monitoring cyberspace to prevent the group from spreading propaganda, Xinhua news agency reported.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in parliament that he had instructed a committee be set up to monitor cyberspace following the ban on IS.

Singh was responding to a question on steps undertaken by the government to prevent the spread of IS.

Police arrested an IT engineer last weekend in southern city of Bangalore for spreading IS propaganda via Twitter.

An Indian youth who joined IS in Iraq was arrested two weeks ago after returning to Mumbai.

The minister said there are a "handful" or "negligible" number of people involved in IS activities in India.

SM/IINA

Crude oil slumps 2.1 percent

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014 - 12:43 Makkah mean time-25-2-1436

New York (IINA) – The New York Mercantile Exchange said that Brent crude traded down 2.1 percent, at $59.80 a barrel on Tuesday, on track for its lowest settlement since May 2009, NASDAQ said.

It added that West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for delivery in February traded at $55.73 a barrel, down 0.81 percent, after hitting an overnight session low of $53.96 a barrel and off a high of $57.43 a barrel.

AB/IINA

Kenya deregisters over 500 NGOs in anti-terror clampdown

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014 - 12:43 Makkah mean time-25-2-1436

Nairobi (IINA) – Kenyan authorities have deregistered over 500 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), some of which were accused of financing terrorism in the country, officials said.

The bank accounts of 15 out of 537 deregistered NGOs have been frozen, permits issued to them to recruit foreign workers have been revoked, and information over links to terrorism has been forwarded to security agencies, Deputy Director of Kenya’s NGO Coordination Board Henry Ochido said Tuesday.

“Some NGOs have been and continue to be used for criminal activities, including as conduits of terrorism financing in Kenya and the Horn of Africa,” the board said in a statement.

Hundreds of other NGOs are at the risk of being deregistered within the next three weeks, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Concern Worldwide because they failed to file audit reports, the statement added.

Donors who contribute money to NGOs will now be required to inform the government of the amount of money they give to NGOs and activities they are funding.

The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group has increasingly been targeting Kenya for attack, saying it is in response to the presence of thousands of Kenyan troops in Somalia as part of the African Union force.

AB/IINA

U.N. Chief Condemns horror attack on Pakistan School

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014 - 12:39 Makkah mean time-25-2-1436

United Nations (IINA) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the “blood-curdling attack” on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, which has cost the lives of at least 130 people, the vast majority of whom were children, according to the United Nations news centre.

"It is an act of horror and rank cowardice to attack defenseless children while they learn,” Mr. Ban said ahead of an address to the Security Council on regional cooperation. “The hearts of the world go out to the parents and families who lost loved one in the horrific attack".

Stressing that the UN would continue to support the Government of Pakistan in its fight against terror and extremism and urging the Government to bring the perpetrators to justice, he said “no cause could justify such brutality".

Senior officials from across the Organization echoed the Secretary-General’s comments, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, also condemning “an utterly despicable and incomprehensibly vicious attack on defenseless children".

The executive director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Tony Lake, called the attack “horrific” and “callous” and said it should have more effect than merely to shock the conscience of the world.

The UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, spoke during a visit to Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he is visiting schools and meeting children.

Mr. Brown said the world was mourning “a human tragedy of monstrous proportion” that would bring grief to every school in the world.

SM/IINA

December 16, 2014

International conference on social equity opens in Algiers

Tuesday 16 Dec 2014 - 14:14 Makkah mean time-24-2-1436

Algiers (IINA) – An international conference on institutional follow-up mechanisms of social equity and the development of more effective public policies for the promotion of equity opened here Monday.

A panel of partners as well as national and international experts are participating in the two-day conference, organized jointly by the National Economic and Social Council (CNES) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The participants will address issues relating to social equity through exchange of experiences in some countries.

The conference is expected to urge decision makers to institutionalize national mechanisms for analysis and equity measures, which will assist them in the development of public policies in favor of vulnerable children and youths, according to organizers.

It will also be an opportunity for the Middle Eastern and North African countries, as well as the other participating nations to share and get acquainted with the different national, integrated patterns and mechanisms, aimed at achieving equity.

According to CNES, Algeria will benefit from the outcome of the conference to further boost its inclusive and equitable social development, launched since the declaration of independence in 1962, through scaling up of investment in human and material resources.

AB/IINA

December 15, 2014

Kuwait Red Crescent launches new bread campaign for Syrian refugees in Jordan

Monday 15 Dec 2014 - 14:33 Makkah mean time-23-2-1436

Amman (IINA) – Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) launched here on Monday a new round of the Ragheef (bread) campaign, in aid for Syrian refugees in Jordan, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

The one-month Ragheef campaign is aimed at offering bread for a total of 7,000 Syrian refugees in various parts of Jordan, Khalid Al-Zaid, head of the Kuwaiti delegation and Public Relations in KRCS told KUNA.

The KRCS signed agreements with a total of 35 bakeries in Jordan to supply refugees with bread, he said.

The KRCS is committed to its humanitarian mission and works to alleviate the suffering of the refugees, especially during this harsh winter season, he affirmed.

Al-Zaid has praised the efforts of the Jordanian Red Crescent Society in offering assistance to reach all families of Syrian refugees. He also hailed the role of the Kuwaiti diplomatic mission in Jordan in facilitating the work of the KRCS in the Hashemite Kingdom.

AB/IINA

Palestinians to submit UN resolution to end Israeli occupation

Monday 15 Dec 2014 - 14:26 Makkah mean time-23-2-1436

Ramallah (IINA) – Palestinian officials are to present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council seeking a two-year deadline for Israel to end its occupation, Al Jazeera website reported.

"The Palestinian leadership took a decision to go to the Security Council next Wednesday to vote ... to end the occupation," senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) member Wassel Abu Yussef told the AFP news agency on Sunday after a meeting in Ramallah.

The Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment ahead of Monday's meeting in Rome between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Jordan last month circulated a draft Palestinian text setting November 2016 as a deadline for the end of the Israeli occupation.

But the text ran into opposition from the U.S., which has veto power, as it set a two-year timetable for the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the West Bank.

Netanyahu on Sunday rejected all talk of withdrawing from East Jerusalem and the West Bank within two years, saying pulling out now would bring "Islamic extremists to the suburbs of Tel Aviv and to the heart of Jerusalem".

The U.S., Israel's closest ally, has consistently used its UN veto power to block moves it sees as anti-Israel, but U.S. officials said they drew a distinction between a unilateral step, and an effort to draw up a multilateral resolution at the UN Security Council, which would have the backing of many nations.

AB/IINA

December 14, 2014

Prisoners’ hunger strike escalates as Israel considers tougher sanctions

Sunday 14 Dec 2014 - 15:28 Makkah mean time-22-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> Ramallah (IINA) – At least 30 Palestinian prisoners, held in Israeli jails, have joined an open-ended hunger strike in solidarity with fellow inmates protesting against their solitary confinement, bringing the number of hunger strikers to around 100, WAFA reported.<br /> On Wednesday, more than 70 political prisoners started an open-ended hunger strike against the practice of solitary confinement, as well as in support of sick prisoners whose heath conditions are continuously deteriorating due to medical negligence by the Israeli Prison Service.<br /> Since then, the authorities have decided to transfer 45 hunger strikers to other prisons, said the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club (PPC), an attempt believed to foil the hunger strike.<br /> Palestinian prisoners in solitary confinement are held in foul-smelling firmly sealed cells that lack the basic humanitarian requirements, where prisoners are forced to stay all the time in their cells with no contact with the outside world, with the exception of the prison keeper.<br /> Solitary confinement in Israeli prisons has been a frequent motif, besides administrative detention, for launching individual or mass hunger strikes.<br /> The number of sick prisoners detained in Israeli jails has reached 1,500, of whom 80 prisoners are suffering from serious health problems and do not receive the necessary treatment; they suffer from malignant diseases, paralysis, and disabilities, in addition to cases of mental illness and neurological disorder, according to the PPC.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Obama expresses appreciation to Saudi Arabia's efforts in fighting terrorism

Sunday 14 Dec 2014 - 15:27 Makkah mean time-22-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> Washington (IINA) – U.S. President Barack Obama expressed his appreciation to the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in maintaining peace and regional security, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported<br /> President Obama also expressed appreciation to the Kingdom’s role in humanitarian support for the displaced people by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and its contribution to anti-ISIS international coalition, stressing the importance of undermining the ISIS extremist thought and delegitimize it. Further, he commended the Kingdom's contribution to global efforts to combat Ebola.<br /> U.S. National Security Council Spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said, in a statement issued after President Obama received Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Mohammed bin Naif at the White House on Saturday, that the U.S. President asked the Saudi Minister to convey his greetings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, noting that the meeting also discussed the fight against the dangers of terrorism and consultation on regional security issues.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Breastfeeding will minimize healthcare costs: Study

Sunday 14 Dec 2014 - 15:26 Makkah mean time-22-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> London (IINA) - UK researchers said that if more women breastfed their babies for at least four months after birth, the healthcare cost savings could be significant, not to mention the health benefits for mothers and babies.<br /> “Studies show that there is often an unsympathetic public attitude to breastfeeding outside of the home, an acceptance of formula feeding as a normal and safe way to feed babies, a lack of expertise and experience of breastfeeding among health service staff,” said Subhash Pokhrel, a health economist at Brunel University in London who led the study.<br /> “Women’s choice to start or to continue to breastfeed is therefore constrained by the culture and community in which they live,” Pokhrel said in an email to Reuters Health.<br /> His group calculates, for example, that if 75 percent of the babies in British neonatal units were breastfed, rather than the current 25 percent, the country would save £6.12 million ($9.6 million) on a serious intestinal problem called necrotizing enterocolitis, which affects premature infants.<br /> Previous studies have shown that stomach, respiratory and eye problems are more common in babies who are bottle-fed. The new study’s authors argue that the costs of these childhood ailments add up for the UK National Health Service.<br /> They also point to research suggesting that women who breastfeed may have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life – and say that breastfeeding would provide additional cost savings in that regard.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Somalia: UN expert urges government to secure human rights legislation

Sunday 14 Dec 2014 - 12:18 Makkah mean time-22-2-1436

Mogadishu (IINA) – A United Nations human rights expert urged Saturday the Somali government and the international community to work together to strengthen the country's rule of law institutions and safeguard its full transition to peace, stability and democracy.

“The Federal Government together with the international community need to allocate adequate resources to strengthen the rule of law institutions and ensure that the interim regional administrations benefit from the New Deal Compact for Somalia,” Bahame Tom Nyanduga, a UN independent expert on the situation of human rights in the East African nation, said in a press release as he ended his first official visit to the war-ravaged nation.

“The Government should also ratify key international human rights instruments including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),” the expert added.

Nyanduga's visit came as Somalia's political establishment reels from the recent parliamentary vote of “no confidence” resulting in the political ouster of Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed on December 6. Sheikh Ahmed was reportedly involved in a long-standing political dispute with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over political appointments.

While he praised the federal government for its adoption of a National Action Plan to combat sexual violence, the UN expert also expressed concern at the capacity and resource constraints which, he said, were slowing progress in strengthening the country's judicial institutions and were contributing to the “pervasive role of military courts trying civilians.” He also called on the government to uphold its commitment made under the Universal Periodic Review – a Member State-driven, UN-backed human rights monitoring process – to placing a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, according to the press release.

In addition, the Mr. Nyanduga urged the federal government to ensure that it incorporates international human rights standards and principles when adopting legislation and called for the speedy adoption of a bill establishing a national human rights institution.

“I also call on the authorities to ensure that the media are allowed their right to freedom of expression as well as to ensure the safety of journalists,” he continued. “It is imperative for the media to exercise professionalism and responsible media reporting.”

Mr. Nyanduga's eight-day trip took him across Somalia with stops in the capital, Mogadishu, as well as in Kismayo, Garowe and Hargeisa, where he met with local officials and members of civil society.

AB/IINA

December 11, 2014

OIC condemns killing of Palestinian Minister Ziad Abu Ein

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 15:52 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> Jeddah (IINA) – Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Madani has condemned the crime of killing Minister Ziad Abu Ein, head of the Palestinian Authority Committee against the Separation Wall by the Israeli occupation forces.<br /> Abu Ein was killed while participating in a peaceful protest against settlement and land confiscation. The Secretary General said that this heinous crime is yet a manifestation of the ongoing Israeli repression, aggression, and terrorism against the Palestinian people.<br /> Madani called on the international community to take action to stop these serious crimes, while stressing the need to disclose the Israeli occupation’s ongoing crimes and violations, and to prosecute the perpetrators before international tribunals.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Irish parliament backs recognition of Palestinian state

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 13:03 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

Dublin (IINA) – Irish lawmakers urged their government Wednesday to recognize Palestine as a state in a symbolic motion that sailed through parliament unopposed, AFP reported.

The non-binding motion agreed by the lawmakers in Dublin called on the government to "officially recognize the State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital, as established in UN resolutions".

This would be "a further positive contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict", it added.

The government is not bound to follow the motion but Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said Ireland supported early recognition of a Palestinian state "in principle."

"We have always supported a viable two-state solution and will continue to support that in any manner and by any means," Flanagan told parliament.

Irish parliament is the fourth European legislative assembly to call for the recognition of Palestinian statehood since October.

Lawmakers in France, Britain and Spain have endorsed similar motions, reflecting growing frustration with the deadlocked Middle East peace process.

Sweden has gone even further, officially recognizing Palestine as a state in a move that prompted Israel to recall its ambassador from Stockholm.

AB/IINA

Nigeria: Two suicide attacks near busy Kano market

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 12:58 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

Kano (IINA) – At least four people were killed and seven injured when two female suicide bombers detonated their explosives on Wednesday near a market in the northern city of Kano, police said.

State Police commissioner Aderenle Shinaba said the explosions occurred in the busy Kantin Kwari textile market located in the center of Kano, Nigeria's second largest city. Six people were killed, including the two suicide bombers who were disguised as customers. Boko Haram militants are suspected of being behind the bombings.

On November 29, more than 100 people were killed in double suicide bomb and gun attack during Friday prayers at Kano central mosque.

AB/IINA

WHO will set up regional center for health emergencies in Jordan

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 12:50 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

Amman (IINA) – Jordan signed Wednesday an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the establishment of a regional center for handling health emergencies and eradicating polio in the country, Petra reported.

The agreement, which was signed by Jordan’s Secretary General of Foreign Ministry Mohammad Yaseen and WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Ala Alwan, aims at setting up a center to provide technical and logistical support to the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region in emergency preparedness and response. It also aims to ensure effective management of the operations of the emergency programs, including polio eradication.

AB/IINA

U.S. closes Bagram detention center in Afghanistan

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 12:49 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

Washington (IINA) – The U.S. Defense Department announced it has closed the Bagram detention center and now has zero detainees in its custody in Afghanistan, Reuters reported.

Although the United States transferred control over Bagram to the Afghan government in 2013, the detention center became infamous due to the harsh treatment some of the detainees received while in American custody. At one point, it was double the size of the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison complex in Cuba.

The facility's closure comes just one day after the Senate released its long-awaited torture report on the interrogation techniques the CIA used against terror suspects in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

AB/IINA

Mobile phones ‘likely to be safe’ to human health: Study

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 12:47 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

London (IINA) – The magnetic fields created by mobile phones and power lines are “likely to be safe” to human health, according to research from the University of Manchester, it was published Wednesday.

Several previous studies have suggested that the magnetic fields created by phones, high-voltage power lines and other electrical equipment are harmful for humans. Although some later studies have failed to find such a link, the International Agency for Research on Cancer categorized low frequency magnetic fields as “possibly carcinogenic.”

But a mechanism for this association has never been found. The new study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, studied the effects of Weak Magnetic Fields (WMFs) on key human proteins, including those crucial for health.

It found that they have no detectable impact. They looked at how WMFs affected a protein class called flavoproteins, which are key to processing healthy human functions such as the nervous system, DNA repair and the biological clock.

If these proteins are affected, there are serious knock-on effects for human health.

“More work on other possible links will need to be done but this study definitely takes us nearer to the point where we can say that power-lines, mobile phones and other similar devices are likely to be safe for humans,” said Prof. Nigel Scrutton, co-lead author of the paper.

AB/IINA

December 10, 2014

Jordanian PM, ‏Turkish MPs discuss bilateral ties, regional turmoil

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 10:20 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> Amman (IINA) – Jordanian Prime Minster Abdullah Ensour met here on Tuesday a Turkish parliamentary delegation led by Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Cemil Cicek, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.<br /> During the meeting, the two sides discussed the Jordanian-Turkish ties and ways to expand them, as well as the latest regional developments.<br /> Ensour spoke about the impact of instability in the region on both Jordan and Turkey, pointing that all the crises the Middle East has been witnessing for decades are due to the failure to solve the Palestinian issue.<br /> “Finding a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause that leads to the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital would bolster the security and stability of the region's states and their peoples,” Ensour told the visiting delegation.<br /> He also stressed the importance of promoting shared understanding of possible solutions to the regional challenges and the establishment of peace and stability.<br /> Cicek asserted that the Middle East is in the grip of crises that "tear the heart out," noting that Jordan and Turkey were the most affected countries by these crises.<br /> Cicek also addressed the economic and trade ties, as he stressed the importance of bilateral trade promotion. He noted that concluding a free trade agreement and visa exemption for citizens of both countries would boost cooperation between Jordan and Turkey.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Mozambique to enact alternatives to jail-term sentences

Thursday 11 Dec 2014 - 10:16 Makkah mean time-19-2-1436

<div style="text-align: justify;"> Maputo (IINA) – The Mozambican Justice Ministry is preparing to enact new legislation, whereby courts can grant alternative punishments to prison.<br /> Upon opening a seminar on alternatives to prison here on Monday, Justice Minister Benvinda Levi said this would take the form of compulsory community service. The measure will cover first offenders found guilty of crimes which carry prison sentences of up to eight years.<br /> Ms. Levi added that currently Mozambique's overcrowded jails have a population of between 15,000 and 16,000 inmates. Around 11,000 of them are serving jail term sentences while the rest are awaiting trial. About 40 percent of the convicted ones are serving jail terms of eight years or less.<br /> "In all, about 5,000 prisoners would not be in jail if these measures were to be applied today," she said.<br /> Levi said that the introduction of alternative penalties aims at re-integrating the offenders into the community so that they have the opportunity to redeem themselves in the eyes of their society. She appealed for community support in the reintegration of offenders.<br /> She expected the new legislation to take effect in August 2015. Consequently, more than 80 percent of inmates, who are serving sentences no longer than eight years, would immediately be released.<br /> AB/IINA</div>

Last French hostage freed in Mali

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Wednesday 10 Dec 2014 - 13:07 Makkah mean time-18-2-1436

Paris (IINA) – French President Francois Hollande announced that the last French hostage was freed after being held by extremist groups for nearly three years, Reuters reported.

Serge Lazarevic was kidnapped in Mali in November 2011 along with fellow Frenchman Philippe Verdon, who was killed by militants belonging to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb group last year.

TV footage showed Lazarevic, who is now in Niger, smiling as he told reporters that he had lost about 20kg during his ordeal.

"I would like to thank the people of Niger who have collaborated with France to get me freed," he said, adding that he felt "fine".

President Hollande said there were no more French hostages waiting to be freed anywhere in the world.

He also thanked the authorities in Niger and Mali, who had "worked towards this happy outcome".

There have been no details about how the release of Lazarevic was secured, whereas the French government has repeatedly denied paying ransoms for the release of hostages.

AB/IINA

December 9, 2014

Malaysia GDP growth highest among ASEAN

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Tuesday 09 Dec 2014 - 12:29 Makkah mean time-17-2-1436

Kuala Lumpur (IINA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that his country has achieved GDP growth rate of 6.1 percent over the first nine months of 2014, reaching the highest growth rate in the ASEAN countries, BERNAMA reported.

Najib called on public sector employees to forecast the potential risks and challenges before the advent of 2015 through assessing the achievements and outlining what can be accomplished in the next year.

The key challenges mentioned by Najib include the social ladder, financial corruption and influence peddling, national solidarity, as well as applying a culture of high performance in the public service.

AB/IINA

December 8, 2014

UK Muslims face worst job discrimination of any minority group: Research

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Monday 08 Dec 2014 - 13:19 Makkah mean time-16-2-1436

London (IINA) – Muslims are facing the worst job discrimination of any minority group in Britain, according to new research which found that they had the lowest chance of being in work or in a managerial role.

Muslim men were up to 76 per cent less likely to have a job of any kind compared to white, male British Christians of the same age and with the same qualifications. And Muslim women were up to 65 per cent less likely to be employed than white Christian counterparts.

Muslims were the most disadvantaged in terms of employment prospects out of 14 ethno-religious groupings in the UK, researchers Dr. Nabil Khattab and Professor Ron Johnston found using data from the Office for National Statistics' Labor Force Survey of more than half a million people. Skin color made little difference to the figures.

Nabil Khattab, of Bristol University, said the situation was "likely to stem from placing Muslims collectively at the lowest stratum within the country's racial or ethno-cultural system due to growing Islamophobia and hostility against them.

"They are perceived as disloyal and as a threat rather than just as a disadvantaged minority," he added. "Within this climate, many employers will be discouraged from employing qualified Muslims, especially if there are others from their own groups or others from less threatening groups who can fill these jobs."

Khattab said the "penalties" for being Muslim got worse when applying for better-paid managerial or professional jobs.

"If this persists, it could have long-term implications for the cohesion of the UK's multi-ethnic, multicultural society. The exclusion of well-qualified black and Muslim individuals could undermine their willingness to integrate in the wider society," he added.

The Study was published by The Independent on November 30.

AB/IINA

December 7, 2014

Palestinian youths volunteer to clean Gaza hospitals

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Sunday 07 Dec 2014 - 14:05 Makkah mean time-15-2-1436

Gaza City (IINA) – A group of Palestinian youths on Saturday volunteered to clean hospitals in Gaza while unpaid cleaning workers continued their strike.

Abd al-Jalil Shaath told Ma'an News Agency that he along with a group of 20 young Palestinians began their volunteer work at the European hospital in Khan Younis.

The volunteers aimed to provide a clean environment for patients in these hospitals, Shaath said, encouraging others to volunteering as well.

The Gaza Ministry of Health said it would initiate safety training courses for volunteers to stay safe while cleaning.

On the fourth day of the cleaning workers strike, piles of garbage filled various sections of Shifa hospital, al-Nasser Children's Hospital, Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital, Al Harazin hospital, and the European hospital.

Hospital cleaning workers in the Gaza Strip staged partial strikes several times in October in protest for not being paid for several months. Since Tuesday, they have begun a full-scale strike.

The monthly wage of a cleaning worker in Gaza is not more than 700 shekels. Workers have not received wages for seven months, Ma’an reported.

AB/IINA

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