Nazarbayev proposes Masimov for new term as Kazakh PM

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 16:30 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Almaty (IINA) – Veteran Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was elected for a new five-year term at the weekend, on Wednesday proposed loyalist Karim Masimov to serve as prime minister again. The presidential press service announced Nazarbayev’s proposal after Karimov’s Cabinet resigned, a formal step paving the way for the formation of a new government. Masimov’s reappointment is now little more than a formality in the lower Mazhilis chamber of Kazakhstan’s parliament, which is dominated by Nazarbayev’s ruling Nur Otan Party. Masimov, a 49-year-old economist who is fluent in several languages including Mandarin, had been Nazarbayev’s chief of staff for two years before he was appointed prime minister in April last year. Nazarbayev, 74, has ruled the Central Asian nation with sweeping powers since 1989, when he became its Communist Party boss. On April 26, he won a new five-year term in a snap election, receiving 97.75 percent of the vote.  The Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe said there was a lack of credible opposition and voters “were not offered a genuine choice between political alternatives.” HA/IINA

Sisi vows elections by year-end

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 16:29 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Madrid (IINA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi vowed that parliamentary polls, originally set for last month, will be held before the end of the year, in an interview published Wednesday. "I give my word: they will be held before the end of the year," he told El Mundo newspaper in an interview published on the eve of his official visit to Spain. Egypt's parliamentary polls were set to start on March 21 and run until May 7 but were postponed after the constitutional court ruled that parts of the electoral law unconstitutional. The election would be the first for a new parliament since former army chief Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, AFP reported. Critics accuse Sisi, who was elected president in May 2014, of establishing an authoritarian regime by eliminated all opposition, but he told El Mundo he has prevented Egypt from descending into civil war. "I faced a difficult equation: my role is to guarantee life and security of 90 million Egyptians who faced the risk of chaos. If I let anything be done, is it Europe that would pay the salaries of Egyptians?" he said. "Don't judge me without taking into account the reality on the ground," he added. "If the state collapses, that would cause terrible harm to Europe and the region would face a disaster. Egypt is not Iraq, or Syria or Yemen, nations that each have over 20 million residents. We are 90 million. "I do what I can to protect Egyptians. I try not to arrive at situations that I could regret," he added. "Egyptians can break with El-Sisi if they wish. If I had not intervened, there would have been a civil war." Sisi refused to answer a question about Egypt's first freely elected leader, Mohamed Morsi, who was sentenced last week by an Egyptian court last week to 20 years in prison for abuses against protesters. Morsi, an Islamist, came to power following the 2011 ouster of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising. But after just a year in power, Morsi was himself toppled by then-army chief Sisi following mass street protests. At least 1,400 Morsi sympathizers were killed by Egyptian authorities after he was ousted from power. Over 15,000 Morsi sympathizers were jailed and hundreds were sentenced to death. HA/IINA

Kyrgyzstan to ban ‘hijab’ in schools from next academic year

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 16:25 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Hijab ban in Kyrgyz schools (IRNA photo) Bishkek (IINA) – A decision by a Kyrgyz region to ban hijab in schools has sparked concerns among Muslims, amid reports that the ban may be applied across the country this coming fall, OnIslam website reported. “This question was raised a year ago, and the authorities ruled that hijabs should be allowed. Now the schools started discussing this topic again," Aibek Ashirbayev, whose daughter attends a public school in Otuz Adir village in Kara-Suu region, told local News Agency 24.k on Monday. "It worries me and many others. We live in a country where 80 percent of the citizens are Muslims, so why not let Muslim girls wear hijabs,” he wondered. Ashirbayev was voicing Muslims' worries after a Kara-Suu school has officially banned wearing the Islamic headscarf in classes. Imposing the ban, Aizhamal Kalenova, head of the Education Department in Kara-Suu region, said: “As of the new academic year 2015/2016 all schoolchildren across Kyrgyzstan will be wearing the same uniform, and we should be preparing the children for this process already.” Kalanova claims that the ban came in response to complaints by dozens of parents against donning hijab in schools. “Because the influence of the religious population in our region is quite high, until now this problem hasn’t been raised, but we were asked to not allow girls attend school in hijabs anymore,” he noted. According to a statement released by Kyrgyzstan’s Education and Science Ministry, the school uniform program is being implemented to prevent discrimination of underprivileged students by those from the rich families. Kalenova asserted that the specifications of the school uniform have been well established, and children should be prepared for the process. AB/IINA

Baku is getting ready for European Games

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 16:12 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Baku, (IINA) - With less than 50 days to go before the start of the Baku 2015 European Games, the country is getting ready to welcome thousands of visitors, AzerNews reported. The European Games is a multi-sport event, which will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 12 until 28. Today, sports fans and other tourists who want to visit the inaugural European Games in the Azerbaijani capital, have googled security and safety information ahead of their visit to reassure themselves that all will be well. Although still unknown to many western European tourists, Azerbaijan has enjoyed much stability and tranquility over the past two decades, a haven of peace and economic growth. There is no doubt that the safety of the first European Games in Baku will be provided at the highest level, expert Arzu Nagiyev said. Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to ensure the safety of the first European Games, Nagiyev stressed. Hande Apaydin, an expat who spent years in Baku, said, “it is probably one of the safest big cities that I know of.” Azerbaijan society is always helpful and hospitable, Apaydin stressed. Many countries in the world have been categorized as dangerous or unsafe, but not Azerbaijan. The capital city and all the country's regions have much to offer tourists. To ensure that no Armenian sabotage mission endangers the Games, the Azerbaijani armed forces, interior ministry troops, and all military units in general will remain on high alert this June. In the spirit of the Games, Azerbaijan will nevertheless welcome Armenia' sports delegation and ensure that all provisions are made for its safety. All security issues will be resolved at the highest level during the Games, ranging from patrol and inspection service to military units. It is oteworthy that Azerbaijan has recently turned into a favorite host for international events, like the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, and the 30th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in 2014. Today, the country has enough experience in accommodating foreign guests, entertainment and security. SM/IINA

No more Prophet Muhammad cartoons, says Charlie Hebdo cartoonist

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 16:09 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Image from Anadolu Agency site Paris (IINA) – French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's top cartoonist Renald Luzier said on Wednesday that he will no longer draw any cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Anadolu Agency reported. The cartoonist, known as Luz, told French magazine Les Inrockuptibles that he is no longer interested in drawing cartoons that depict Prophet Muhammad. "I will no longer draw the figure of Muhammad," Luz said. "It no longer interests me."  "I will not spend my lifetime drawing them," he added. The magazine with a history of publishing blasphemous depictions of Prophet Muhammad made headlines in January when a deadly attack targeted its Paris headquarters killing 12 people, including its editor and a number of prominent cartoonists. AB/IINA

1.7 million children of Nepal in need of immediate aid: UNICEF

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 13:35 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 New York (IINA) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that around 1.7 million children are now in urgent need of aid in the worst-hit areas by the massive earthquake in Nepal, Xinhua agency reported. UNICEF revealed the figure as it launched a $50.35 million appeal to get humanitarian assistance to children and their families amid growing risk of disease outbreaks. The 7.9 magnitude earthquake has killed more than 5000 people and injured more than 10,000. It has also driven tens of thousands of people into open spaces and temporary camps in the Kathmandu valley and the rest of the worst-affected districts. "The lives of so many children have been torn apart and they are in desperate need of life-saving support, including clean water, shelter and sanitation," said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Nepal Representative. "Without safe water supply, waterborne diseases remain huge risks for children. Many families are struggling simply to protect themselves from the sun and rain and we only expect needs to grow in the coming days as we receive more information from remote areas and the full scale of the disaster becomes more apparent," Hozumi added. More than 80 percent of health facilities in the five most severely affected districts have been extensively damaged. AB/IINA

EBRD opens its first resident office in Casablanca

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 13:09 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 (Google image) Casablanca, (IINA) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has opened its first resident office in Morocco on Tuesday, which will play a key role in boosting the Bank’s activities and strengthening the EBRD’s relationship with the authorities and the business community, Star Africa News reported. The office was opened in Casablanca by EBRD’s First Vice President Phil Bennett together with Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Mohammad Boussaid, and present were EBRD managing director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, Hildegard Gacek, and EBRD Director for Morocco, Laurent Chabrier. The Bank will promote regional economic development and gender inclusion by improving the business environment and promoting equal employment opportunities for men and women in rural areas. Supporting the sustainability and commercialization of public services and infrastructure, the EBRD will broaden the range of financial instruments and promote innovative financial solutions. During his visit to Morocco, Bennett signed also a memorandum of understanding with Salah-Eddine Kadmiri, General Vice-President of the La Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc, to enhance mutual cooperation and the Bank’s support to the private sector. SM/IINA

Federal Reserve blames transitory factors for US economic slowdown

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 12:29 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Janet Yellen, the chair of the Federal Reserve Board, faces a decision about whether to raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade (Image from AP) Washington, (IINA) - “Transitory factors” are to be blamed for the recent slowdown on the US economy, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday. In a statement released after the latest two-day meeting of the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC), the central bank brushed off recent bad news and left open the possibility of raising interest rates, a hike that would be the first in almost a decade, The Guardian reported. The Fed meeting ended as the Commerce Department announced that US gross domestic product (GDP) had slowed to a crawl in the first quarter. After growing at an annual rate of 2.2% in the last three months of 2014 it slowed to just 0.2% in the first three months of 2015. The extreme winter weather, strong dollar and collapsing oil prices that have stalled the US’s energy boom contributed to the slowdown. “Economic growth slowed during the winter months, in part reflecting transitory factors,” the Fed said. While growth and employment had slowed officials said they expected a return to a modest pace of growth and that the job market could continue to improve, “with appropriate policy accommodation”. SM/IINA

Palestinians plan year-long activities to commemorate 67th anniversary of Nakba

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 12:28 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Images of Nakba Gaza City (IINA) – Zakaria al-Agha, head of the Supreme National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba Day, said that the activities to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba will be launched in the coming days. Al-Agha said in a press conference in Gaza on Wednesday that the National Committee had endorsed the activities of the provincial committees to be carried out in the Palestinian refugee camps, towns and villages throughout the year with the participation of all factions, civil institutions and popular committees. Al-Agha said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will deliver a speech on May 15 to mark the anniversary, stressing the invitation of all Palestinian people to turn out for a mass march in Gaza City on May 16, to be launched from the Square of the Unknown Soldier. He also exhorted the Palestinians to organize mass rallies across the West Bank governorates on May 13, starting from the tomb of the late Palestine leader Yasser Arafat. The Nakba Day is an annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people, marking the displacement of more than 700,000 Palestinians from their homes and the brutal acts that accompanied the Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1948. The commemoration is generally held on May 15 each year. AB/IINA

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development opens resident office in Casablanca

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 12:24 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 (Google image) Casablanca, (IINA) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has opened its first resident office in Morocco on Tuesday, which will play a key role in boosting the Bank’s activities and strengthening the EBRD’s relationship with the authorities and the business community, Star Africa News reported. The office was opened in Casablanca jointly by EBRD’s First Vice President Phil Bennett and Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Mohammad Boussaid. EBRD Managing Director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region Hildegard Gacek and EBRD Director for Morocco Laurent Chabrier were present on the occasion. The Bank will promote regional economic development and gender inclusion by improving the business environment and promoting equal employment opportunities for men and women in rural areas. Supporting the sustainability and commercialization of public services and infrastructure, the EBRD will broaden the range of financial instruments and promote innovative financial solutions. During his visit to Morocco, Bennett signed also a memorandum of understanding with Salah-Eddine Kadmiri, General Vice-President of the La Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc, to enhance mutual cooperation and the Bank’s support to the private sector. SM/IINA

Italian minister: Europe should learn from Lebanon’s handling of refugee crisis

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 11:18 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 PM Tammam Salam received Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lapo Pistelli (Google image) Beirut, (IINA) - Europe should learn a lesson from Lebanon’s method of handling the mass influx of Syrian refugees, a visiting Italian minister said, after meeting Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil here on Wednesday, Lebanese Daily Star reported. “We highly value the way Lebanese institutions have dealt with the refugee crisis,” Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli said in a statement released by Bassil’s media office. “It is stunning and it has impressed the entire world and I think that Europe should learn a lesson from Lebanon.” Pistelli’s two-day visit seeks to assist Lebanon in managing the “unbelievable and unprecedented” strain imposed by the neighboring Syrian crisis, he said. “Lebanon gives us a lesson on how a small state can bear large responsibilities.” Pistelli, who held talks with Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri earlier Wednesday, also visited Syrian refugees in the northern district of Koura, and inspected renovation works currently underway. The Italian official noted that his visit seeks to provide aid programs to NGOs in the Bekaa Valley, south Lebanon and the north, also to provide military assistance and training to the Lebanese Army. SM/IINA

UNIFIL: Israel must withdraw from Lebanese village of Ghajar

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 11:13 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Spanish U.N. peacekeepers patrol in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, southeast Lebanon (Image from DAILY STAR ) Beirut, (IINA) - Israel must withdraw from the occupied Lebanese village of Ghajar in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, the head of the U.N.'s peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) has reiterated.  “This area, which falls north of the Blue line, is a part of Lebanese territory,” Maj. Gen. Luciano Portolano said in an interview published by As-Safir  on Wednesday. “And Israeli withdrawal is not negotiable but it is a commitment that Israel should follow through with.” The UNIFIL chief said that he has been “firm” in this demand during his meetings with Israeli authorities and noted that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also repeatedly raised the issue, Lebanese Daily Star reported. Since 2006, UNIFIL has been issuing several suggestions that would allow for a peaceful withdrawal from the area, he said. The last proposal, which was submitted in 2011, was approved by the Lebanese Army but was met with no response from Israeli authorities, he added. SM/IINA

Morocco: Cereal harvest expected to reach record 11 million tons

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 11:09 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Cereal harvest (Google Image) Rabat (IINA) – Moroccan Agriculture Minister Aziz Akhannouch expected that the cereal harvest to hit a record 11 million tons this year, Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) reported Wednesday. “This campaign is exceptional on all levels, thanks to good rainfall, well distributed in space and time, in addition to good and effective use of inputs which reach 1.5 million quintals and optimization of mechanization,” he said at the opening of the annual agriculture fair in Meknes, in northern Morocco. The harvest includes 5.5 million tons of soft wheat (50 percent), 3.2 million of barley (30 percent) and 2.2 million tons of durum wheat (20 percent). In 2013-2014, the harvest hit 9.7 million tons, a 7.6 percent annual growth of the agricultural sector and a 34 percent increase in agro-food exports since 2008. Agricultural GDP per capita also increased from around 48 percent in rural areas, reducing the percentage of the rural population suffering from hunger to 0.5 percent, Akhannouch added. Morocco’s agricultural output rose by 12.5 percent in the first quarter of 2015, including an 8.8 percent increase in cereal production, according to the High Planning Authority (HCP). AB/IINA

Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Crown Prince receive pledges of allegiance

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:48 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Riyadh (IINA) – Saudi Arabia’s new Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, and Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, received pledges of allegiance from princes, ministers, eminent scholars, senior officials, and a group of citizens at Qasr Al-Hukm (Palace of Governance) after Isha prayers on Wednesday.  Among the first to offer their pledges of allegiance were former Crown Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz and Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Board of Senior Ulema Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, the Grand Mufti urged the citizens “to offer pledge of allegiance to Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, and Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman whom our leader King Salman has chosen for the key posts.” “It is easier for citizens to go to their respective governorates to offer their pledges of allegiance after the King entrusted the emirs and governors to receive pledge of allegiance. If it is not possible for anybody to make it, he can have the pledge at least in his heart with a feeling of obligation.” The Grand Mufti wished the crown prince and deputy crown prince every success and said the nation will benefit from the royal orders issued earlier Wednesday by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman who announced new appointments in the leadership and a Cabinet reshuffle. Emirs, princes, ministers, ulema, officials, and citizens welcomed the royal decrees issued early Wednesday by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman announcing new appointments in the leadership and a Cabinet reshuffle. Shoura Council President Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has consolidated, with the appointment of new crown prince and deputy crown prince, the principle of selecting the fittest leaders to carry out major responsibilities. Minister of Justice and Supreme Judicial Council Chairman Waleed Al-Samaani said Prince Muhammad Bin Naif and Prince Muhammad Bin Salman are well-known for their practical wisdom in serving the religion and the nation as well as in supporting the causes of the Muslim Ummah.  Prince Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Bin Musaed, emir of the Northern Border Region, lauded the matchless leadership qualities of Prince Muhammad Bin Naif and Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, saying “they enjoyed sagacious vision and wisdom and matchless leadership capabilities as was evident while combating terror and foiling terrorist plans as well as at the time of the ‘Decisive Storm’ operation.” Prince Faisal Bin Khaled, emir of Asir region, said the orders of King Salman will herald a new age of growth and development through choosing the fittest administrators in building the nation and safeguard its capabilities and march it toward a prosperous future.  Minister of Labor Mofrej Al-Haqbani commended the efficiency and expertise of Prince Muhammad Bin Naif in both political and administrative fields. “We know Muhammad as a successful prince and administrator who is well-known for his humility as well as for practical wisdom in tackling issues,” he said. Secretary General of the Board of Senior Ulema Sheikh Fahd Saad Al-Majed said: “We laud these selections by King Salman. We wish assistance and success from Allah in the huge responsibilities and tasks they have been assigned by the ruler. They are capable of carrying them out.” HA/IINA

Crown Prince Muhammad marks generational shift in Saudi Arabia

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:47 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Riyadh (IINA) – Saudi Arabia's new heir to the throne Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif will be the country's first king from the third generation of its ruling dynasty. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, in a decree on Wednesday, appointed Deputy Crown Prince and Interior Minister Prince Muhammad as heir apparent, replacing Crown Prince Muqrin in a shake-up in the country's leadership. The move comes three months after King Salman took the throne following the death of King Abdullah and as the Kingdom leads a military campaign against the Houthi militias in neighboring Yemen. Prince Muhammad studied politics in the United States and had several military training courses. In 1999, the bespectacled prince was given his first official post, serving as aide to his father. He oversaw a crackdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of deadly attacks in the Gulf state between 2003 and 2006. His formative years at the Interior Ministry allowed him to build a "solid network both inside Saudi Arabia and regionally to fight Al-Qaeda", said one Saudi expert. By sending an assassin to try to kill Prince Muhammad when he was Saudi security chief in 2009, Al-Qaeda paid him the compliment of treating him as one of its most dangerous enemies. The prince narrowly survived that attack, in which a militant approached him claiming he wanted to defect before detonating a bomb concealed under his clothes. He was named interior minister in November 2012. The 55-year-old is now firmly established as the most powerful member of his generation in the ruling family and will be one of the most important figures in the Kingdom. He is the first grandson of the Kingdom's founder King Abdul Aziz to join the line of succession. Prince Muhammad, who was named as first deputy prime minister, remained in his position as interior minister, Wednesday's decree said. Along with Defense Minister Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, who was appointed deputy crown prince on Wednesday, Prince Muhammad is now the youngest member of the select group of princes at the top of government who control some of the most important portfolios, including intelligence and defense. The prince, a son of the late Crown Prince Naif who had served as interior minister since 1975 until his death in 2012, has come to be closely identified with the formidable structure his father created.  HA/IINA

World's longest serving foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal steps down

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:45 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436

Riyadh (IINA) – The world's longest serving foreign minister, Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud Al-Faisal, was replaced on Wednesday after 40 years representing the Kingdom.
His departure comes amid serious regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia leading a coalition of Arab states bombing Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and taking part in the US-led campaign against Daesh (the so-called IS) in Syria and Iraq. Prince Saud asked to be relieved of his duties due to health problems. He served under four monarchs. Although foreign policy in the Kingdom is ultimately determined by the King, Prince Saud has played an important role in shaping the country's response to the many crises affecting the Middle East. His successor, former Washington ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir, will inherit a heavy workload that has represented situation normal for a Saudi foreign minister since Prince Saud was appointed in October 1975.
His tenure included Israeli invasions of Lebanon in 1978, 1982 and 2006, the Palestinian intifadas that erupted in 1987 and 2000, Iraq-Iran war in 1980 and Kuwait in 1990, and a US-led coalition's intervention in Iraq in 2003. Despite the tumult of that history, he leaves the Arab world in a more parlous state than at any point in recent decades, with civil war in Syria and Iraq, chaos in Yemen and Libya and an uncertain political transition in Egypt.
Equally at home in Arab robes or tweed suit and tie and as fluent in English as in Arabic, Prince Saud has proved adept at cutting through flowery diplomatic niceties to deliver Saudi Arabia's message with pith and wit. During a moment of tension in Saudi ties with its main ally the United States in 2004, he described the relationship as "a Muslim marriage" in which the Kingdom could retain different wives if it treated them all with fairness. Even in recent years, when a chronic back complaint and other maladies have affected his health, he retained a knack for mental acuity.
Prince Saud, a son of King Faisal, was born in 1940 in the mountain city of Taif where, in 1989, he helped Saudi Arabia negotiate the agreement that ended Lebanon's 15-year civil war. A degree at Princeton in the 1960s was followed by years at the Petroleum Ministry, where he was taken under the wing of the charismatic oil minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani. His career as a diplomat began with trauma: the new King Khalid named him as foreign minister because of the assassination of King Faisal, who had retained the foreign affairs portfolio after being made king in 1962. When Prince Saud was appointed foreign minister in March 1975, the region was dominated by Cold War rivalries and secular, pan-Arab nationalism seemed to carry the promise of the future.
Egypt and Israel had not yet made peace, Yasser Arafat led the Palestine Liberation Organization from shell-pocked refugee camps in Lebanon, Iran's shah ruled from his Peacock Throne and, in Iraq, a young Saddam Hussein was plotting his path to power. Riyadh's relationship with Saddam, which went from wary support during the Iran-Iraq war to fierce enmity after the invasion of Kuwait, dominated long periods of Saudi foreign policy during Prince Saud's tenure. However, despite that complicated history, Prince Saud publicly argued against the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, presciently fearing a chaotic aftermath that could destabilize the region. "If change of regime comes with the destruction of Iraq, then you are solving one problem and creating five more problems," he said in a British television interview.
Prince Saud was one of the closest allies of the late King Abdullah. When Abdullah, then crown prince, embarked on his trademark set of economic reforms in 2000, it was Prince Saud, drawing on his oil ministry experience, who worked with him to offer foreign energy firms access to Saudi gas fields. Two years later, he pushed Abdullah's biggest foreign policy initiative, an Arab plan for peace with Israel in return for a withdrawal from all occupied land and a resolution of the refugee problem, with similar gusto. "All the neighborhood, if you will, will be at peace with Israel, will recognize their right to exist. If this doesn't provide security of Israel, I assure you the muzzle of a gun is not going to provide that security," he said at the time. Israel never agreed to the plan and Prince Saud has frequently spoken of the failure to help create a Palestinian state as the biggest disappointment of his career. 
HA/IINA

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

French Muslim student banned from class for wearing long skirt

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:41 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436

(Google image) French Muslim student Sarah 15 banned from class for wearing long skirt

Charleville-Mezieres, France (IINA) - A French school's decision to bar Muslim girl from classes for wearing long skirt has sparked outrage among the Muslim community, after the head teacher insisted the outfit was too openly religious. 
According to French media reports, a 15-year-old French girl was banned from her class twice for wearing a skirt that was too long, and therefore supposedly a conspicuous display of religion. France's state secularism has led to very strict laws prohibiting students from wearing overtly religious symbols in institutions of education.
The student, identified as Sarah, already apparently removed her headscarf before entering the school, in accordance with French law. But her long skirt was deemed a "provocation," and potential act of protest.
The skirt was “nothing special, it’s very simple, there’s nothing conspicuous. There is no religious sign whatsoever,” AFP reported on Tuesday quoting the student.
According to the official, Sarah used to take off her hijab before entering the school premises in the north-eastern town of Charleville-Mezieres.
The school decision has sparked anger among French, with the hashtag #JePorteMaJupeCommeJeVeux, translated into English as “I wear my skirt as I please” that has been trending since its launch.
On the other hand, the regional education office backed the school decision, saying that the outfit could have been part of a concerted “provocation.”
“When it comes to concerted protest actions by students, which follow other more visible incidents linked for instance to wearing the veil, the secular framework for education must be firmly reminded and guaranteed,” regional education office said in a statement.
It is noteworthy that Sarah's case is not the first in France, last year, around 130 students were barred from classes for their religious outfits, according to the CCIF Islamophobia watch.
In addition, French Muslims have been complaining of restrictions on performing their religious practices. In 2004, France banned Muslims from wearing hijab, an obligatory code of dress, in public places. Several European countries followed the French example.
"Wearing a long skirt is nothing ostentatious. This is more due to mass hysteria," said Abdallah Zekri, President of the National Observatory against Islamophobia, the Local reported.
SM/IINA

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

OIC, China emphasize boosting strategic relations

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:29 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Beijing, (IINA) - The Organization of International Cooperation (OIC) and China agreed on the importance of developing mutual strategic relations in various political, economic and cultural fields. This agreement came up during an official visit to China by a high-level delegation of the OIC General Secretariat headed by the Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ambassador Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman Alim from 18 to 26 April. Ambassador Alim explained that the visit was the first round of political consultations between the two sides, involving several political meetings and consultations with Chinese senior officials in the ministry of foreign affairs, and meetings with Islamic leaders in Beijing and Muslim minority areas. Assistant Secretary General Alim stated that the consultations addressed the issue of dialogue of civilizations, in view of the importance accorded inter-civilizational and inter-religious dialogue by the OIC since such a dialogue will help to entrench the values of peace and tolerance, and remove the confusion surrounding certain erroneous perceptions. He stressed the commitment of the OIC in promoting cooperation with the Chinese government, and emphasized both sides’ opposition to terrorist and separatist actions as well as to violent extremist practices in all their forms. However, the OIC remains concerned with the situation of Muslims, whether majorities or minorities, and therefore ensures the follow-up of the situations of the Muslim communities and minorities in various parts of the world, without interfering in the internal affairs of any country.  Ambassador Alim also stated that the Chinese officials affirmed that Muslims play a significant role in China's economic and civilizational progress. The official statistics showed that China has 21 million Muslims belonging to ten different ethnic groups, with some 35,000 mosques, 50,000 preachers and around 500 Islamic associations. In this context, Ambassador Alim stressed the conviction held by OIC's officials that the Muslim minorities throughout the world can act as cultural and civilizational bridges between their states and the OIC and its member states, by demonstrating genuine values of tolerance and citizenship and highlighting the noble concepts of the Islamic values system. SM/IINA

COMIAC 10th session adopts Dakar Declaration

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Thursday 30 Apr 2015 - 09:23 Makkah mean time-11-7-1436 Dakar (IINA) – The OIC Standing Committee on Information and Culture (COMIAC) concluded its 10th Session, with the theme of “The Role of Youth and Media for Peace and Stability in the Muslim World” in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, on Wednesday. Wrapping up its proceedings, the two-day session adopted the Dakar Declaration, which emphasized the importance and necessity of disseminating the universal message of Islam that calls for peace and solidarity throughout the world by various appropriate ways and means. The declaration also underscored the need to make every effort to responsibly utilize the potentialities provided by the new information and communication technologies. Further, the session adopted a set of resolutions, notably, the ones emphasizing the importance of supporting the efforts being made for inter-civilizational and intercultural dialogue, strengthening the efforts of the OIC General Secretariat and its affiliated organs in this domain, and promoting efforts to counter stereotypes against Islam and Muslims. Furthermore, it emphasized the importance of the media in supporting the cause of Jerusalem and Palestine and called on journalists in the member states to seize the opportunity offered by the spread of social media to highlight the cause of Palestine and the actions of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinians as well as against their properties and holy sites. In order to revamp COMIAC and strengthen its coordination role, the session called on member states and relevant bodies to provide COMIAC with all necessary material and logistical wherewithal in order to play its leading role in coordinating the OIC media action. In this regard, the session expressed its appreciation over the concept paper prepared by the Department of Information on the establishment of a task force to revamp COMIAC. The session expressed its support for the resolution to launch an online OIC channel, and pledged to consider implementation mechanisms for the resolution. AB/IINA

Azerbaijan, Belgium discuss bilateral relations

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 15:49 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 (Google image) Baku, (IINA) - The development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Belgium has been discussed during a meeting between Azerbaijan’s president and Belgium’s top diplomat. President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Didier Reynders, the chairman of the committee of ministers of the Council of Europe, and deputy prime minister, minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade and development cooperation of Belgium on Tuesday, AzerTac news agency reported. Expressing satisfaction with the development of bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and Belgium, the sides noted that there were mutual interests in expanding cooperation. During the conversation, the sides exchanged views on the non-oil sector, culture, the simplification of the procedures for issuing visas, Azerbaijan-European Union cooperation and other issues. Earlier in the day, Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijan’s foreign minister and Reynders touched upon various issues during their meeting. He also focused on discussing the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is noteworthy that the successful operation of Belgian companies in Azerbaijan was also stressed. It was noted that the visit of the delegation led by Reynders to Azerbaijan created a good opportunity for discussing issues related to prospects for cooperation between the two countries. SM/IINA

Malaysia poised to be Asia’s biggest biogas exporter by 2020

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 15:47 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 Kuala Lumpur (IINA) – Malaysia is expected to be Asia's biggest biogas exporter by 2020 and Asia's biggest biogas hub by 2030, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Ewon Ebin. He said Malaysia had the potential to utilize biogas resources to be at the epicenter of global bio-industrial ecosystem. In statement to BERNAMA news agency, Dr Ewon said: "Currently, we have about five million hectares of land under oil palm, so by 2020, we will be able to increase revenue to about RM20 billion.  "The aim is to show the viability in upgrading biogas from palm oil mill effluent (POME) to bio-methane, which can be used to fuel cars or other industrial applications," he said at the fourth Biogas Asia Pacific Forum 2015 here on Tuesday. With the adoption of biotechnology in the biogas industry, production would significantly increase and the industry is expected to grow to RM 8.3 billion by 2022 from RM 1.46 billion in 2015, he added. AB/IINA

Israeli forces arrest 18 Palestinians in West Bank

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 15:43 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 (File image) Ramallah, (IINA) - Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday arrested 18 Palestinians from various West Bank cities. The Palestinian Interior Ministry said the Israeli soldiers stormed the cities of Hebron, Qalqilia and Bethlehem and arrested 18 citizens in what has become an almost daily campaign against the Palestinians in the occupied territories, Petra reported. SM/IINA

Morocco pledges $1 million in relief to quake-ravaged Nepal

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 12:32 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 Rabat, (IINA) - Morocco has decided to provide $1 million emergency grant aid to the earthquake victims in Nepal, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. ”Upon High Instructions of King Mohammad, Morocco has decided to provide $1 million in emergency grant aid to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, following the devastating earthquake that hit, on Saturday, several regions of the country, causing considerable human casualties and economic losses”, Morocco World news reported citing the ministry. “This emergency aid, which will be sent to Nepal, through the United Nations, is part of the efforts of the international community to help the country cope with the devastating effects of this disaster and alleviate the suffering of its people”, the same source pointed out. “By this gesture of solidarity, Morocco expresses its sympathy with the government and the people of Nepal in these painful circumstances,” the statement added. SM/IINA

Prince Muhammad bin Naif is new Saudi Crown Prince

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 12:08 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 Riyadh (IINA) - Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Naif, second deputy premier and interior minister, has been appointed new Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has made the appointment, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz has been relieved from his post upon his request. The King issued a number of royal decrees announcing new appointments in the leadership and a Cabinet reshuffle. Prince Muhammad bin Naif has also been appointed deputy premier and is keeping his portfolio as interior minister and chairman of the Political and Security Affairs Council. Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the defense minister, has been appointed deputy crown prince and second deputy premier in addition to his current portfolio at the head of the Defense Ministry and chairman of the Economic and Development Affairs Council. King Salman asked citizens to pledge allegiance to the two princes Wednesday. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the long serving foreign minister, has been relieved from his position on his own personal request for health reasons. Adil Al-Jubair, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington, is the new foreign minister. Prince Saud has been appointed state minister, cabinet member, adviser and special envoy to the king and supervisor of foreign affairs. Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al-Faleh has been appointed new health minister in addition to his current position as head of Saudi Aramco. Muhammad Al-Jasser has been relieved from his post as minister of national economy and planning and replaced by Adel Fakeih, who has left his portfolio as labor minister. Al-Jasser has been appointed adviser at the royal court with a ministerial portfolio. Mofrej Al-Haqbani, undersecretary of the Labor Ministry, is the new labor minister. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem has been appointed chief of the Royal Court at the rank of minister. He replaces Prince Muhammad bin Salman. Khaled bin Abdul Rahman Al-Issa has been relieved from his post as deputy chief of the Royal Court and appointed state minister and cabinet member. He has also been appointed member of the Political and Security Affairs Council. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Nasser has been appointed chief of the Court of Grievances. Mansour bin Abdullah Al-Mansour was appointed assistant to the president of youth welfare. Saleh bin Mohammed Abdul Karim is a new advisor at the Royal Court. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Jasser, the deputy minister of culture and information, has been appointed chairman of the Radio and Television Authority. He replaces Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Hazza. Dr. Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Hawwasi, deputy health minister for health affairs, Nura bint Abdullah Al-Faiz, deputy minister of education for girls education, and Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh, deputy education minister for boys education, have been relieved from their posts. HA/IINA

Erdogan urges Kuwaiti businessmen to invest in Turkey

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 11:26 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 President Erdogan (Anadolu photo) Kuwait City (IINA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday urged Kuwaiti business leaders to pump investments into Turkey, saying: “No foreign investor has ever been disappointed or regretted the investments he made in Turkey”, Anadolu Agency reported. During his two-day trip to the Gulf state, Erdogan said: "Kuwaiti businessmen's investment in Turkey is worth just under $2 billion. It is far below target." He told Kuwaiti business leaders at a breakfast meeting that the two countries aimed to increase trade volume from $569 million this year to $1 billion in 2016. "Kuwait is Turkey's window to the Gulf and Turkey is Kuwait's window to Central Asia and Europe," Erdogan said, describing the relationship between the two states after a meeting with Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The two leaders also discussed conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Palestine. Erdogan highlighted the importance of stability in Yemen and called for political intervention, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said. AB/IINA

UK government to allocate £4 million aid to Yemen

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 11:21 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 (Google image) London, (IINA) - The UK government will allocate £4 million to help meet emergency needs as a result of the current crisis in Yemen, UK Department for International Development reported. This forms part of the UK’s commitment to provide £72 million to Yemen in 2015-16, including £11 million for humanitarian assistance. This announcement brings the UK’s overall commitment to the UN 2015 Humanitarian Appeal for Yemen to £15 million. UK funding will provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people in Yemen, by providing medical supplies, water, food and emergency shelter, as well as supporting refugees and migrants. The UK government welcomes Saudi Arabia’s $274 million donation to the UN Flash Appeal for Yemen, announced on 18 April, which will help to meet immediate needs for 50% of Yemenis in need of assistance over the next three months. SM/IINA

Nigerian army rescues 200 girls, 93 women from Boko Haram stronghold

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 11:17 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 (Reuters image) Lagos (IINA) – The Nigerian Army said Tuesday that it had rescued at least 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa forest, a stronghold of Boko Haram militant group, according to media resources. "Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa forest," the defense headquarters said on Twitter. "We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in this group," it added, in reference to scores of schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants last year. The military said the girls and women were freed during major operations ending in the seizure of four Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa Forest. Weapons were also seized from the camps taken in the latest operation. On April 14 last year, Boko Haram militants stormed Chibok town and kidnapped 276 schoolgirls. Only 57 of them have been accounted for, leaving 219 still missing. AB/IINA

OIC delegation concludes bilateral talks with UK officials

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 29 Apr 2015 - 11:15 Makkah mean time-10-7-1436 London, (IINA) - An OIC delegation concluded an intensive three day visit to the United Kingdom as part of ongoing OIC-UK bilateral talks on a number of regional and international issues of common concern. The five member OIC delegation led by Ambassador Tarig Bakhit, director in the political affairs department, held extensive discussions with UK officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department of International Development (DFID), and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). During the bilateral exchanges, topics covered a variety of issues related to political and economic affairs, science, technology and educational development as well as humanitarian aid, disaster relief and water resource management. Discussions also took place on the human rights, combatting extremism and intolerance, Islamophobia, inter-faith dialogue and the conditions of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC member countries. Both sides resolved to remain engaged and strengthen bilateral ties through regular exchanges. Such consultations between the OIC General Secretariat and the relevant departments of the British government provide useful opportunities for information sharing and improved coordination to facilitate more effective cooperation on issues of critical concern. SM/IINA

Turkmenistani President meets UAE Ambassador

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 15:35 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (Google image) Ashgabat, (IINA) - Turkmenistani President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow met with Hassan Abdullah Al Adhab, UAE Ambassador to Turkmenistan on the sidelines of the Turkmen Horse Day celebrations, WAM reported. The participation of UAE ambassador came in response to an invitation by the government of Turkmenistan to the heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Ashgabat, the nation's capital. Al Adhab during the meeting conveyed the greetings of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to President Berdimuhamedow. From his part, the Turkmenistani president conveyed his sincere greetings to Sheikh Khalifa and VP Sheikh Mohammad, and expressed his thanks to the UAE government for establishing UAE Cultural Week in Turkmenistan, praising its efforts in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields. SM/IINA

Al-Shabaab plotting to attack gathering places in Somalia

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 15:33 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 Opening 6th session of Somali Parliament Mogadishu (IINA) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud has revealed that the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab movement fighters are plotting to carry out massive attacks in different locations in the Somali capital and other cities. In his speech at the opening of the sixth session of the Somali parliament in Mogadishu, Mohamoud Sheikh said: "The al-Shabaab movement, which was defeated by the Somali National Army and the African Union peacekeepers, is planning to carry out terrorist attacks and bombings in public places in the capital Mogadishu and other cities”. He added that the insurgent group seeks to terrorize the civilian population and undermine the efforts of the Federal Government for reconstruction and formulation of laws that would set up well-structured regional governments, as well as for the development of the country's economy. AB/IINA

Australia's Labor party faction in push for resolution to recognize Palestine

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 14:03 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (File image) New South Wales, (IINA) - The New South Wales right faction of the Australian labor party ALP is contemplating bringing a stronger motion recognizing Palestine at the party’s national conference following Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s declaration that there would be no Palestinian state on his watch, The Guardian reported. It is expected that Tony Burke, the opposition finance spokesman and a prominent member of the NSW right, will move the resolution. Labor figures met at the start of this week to consider the shape of the draft national platform and to identify points of dispute before the July conference. Party sources say internal discussion has opened around a motion that was passed by the NSW state Labor conference in 2014. That motion was drafted by the former NSW Premier and Federal Foreign Minister Bob Carr. The Carr motion called on a future Labor government “to consult like-minded nations toward recognition of a Palestinian state”. It backed the two-state solution Labor’s longstanding policy position on the Middle East while noting the lack of current progress; and recognized explicitly that “a Middle East peace will only be won with the establishment of a Palestinian state”. The Carr motion noted if there was no progress towards meaningful peace, “and Israel continues to build and expand settlements, a future Labor government will consult like-minded nations towards recognition of the Palestinian state.” Earlier this week, the shadow treasurer and Burke’s NSW right faction colleague, Chris Bowen, told the National Press Club the ALP needed a foreign policy that included “practical steps” to achieving a two-state solution in the Middle East not just words. SM/IINA

Nepal quake death toll could reach 10,000: PM

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 14:01 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436

Kathmandu (IINA) – Nepal's prime minister has warned that the number of people killed in the country's worst earthquake in decades could reach 10,000.
Sushil Koirala's comment on Tuesday came as rescuers in Nepal were struggling to reach remote communities. With the UN estimating eight million people have been hit by the disaster, Koirala said getting help to some of the worst affected areas was a "major challenge". He said authorities were overwhelmed by appeals for help from remote Himalayan villages left devastated by Saturday's 7.8-magnitude quake. Mass cremations took place overnight after the government ordered the continuous burning of the bodies to prevent the spread of diseases.
Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, home ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday that the official death toll had risen to 4,310, with a further 7,953 known to have been injured. In places like Kathmandu's Basantapur Durbar Square, rescue teams were scrambling to clear the debris to find bodies and possibly survivors trapped underneath. Heavy rain in Kathmandu was hampering rescue efforts and also adding to the suffering of those made homeless by the quake or sleeping out in the open in fear of aftershocks. Many spent the night in tents, returning only briefly to their homes to pick up supplies. With fears rising of food and water shortages, Nepalis were rushing to stores and petrol stations to stock up on essential supplies in Kathmandu.
The size of Kathmandu's airport is a major hurdle to bring in aid, as only planes of a certain size can land on the single runway. Three days after the quake hit, rescue teams have still not reached some of the worst-affected areas of Lamjung, the site of the quake's epicentre, around 77km west of Kathmandu. "The situation here is not good. So many have lost their homes. They don't have enough water or food," said Udav Prasad Timilsina, head official in the neighboring district of Gorkha. "We haven't even been able to treat the injured. We are in urgent need of essentials like food, water ... and medicines and tents. Rescuers are coming in, but we need help." In Kathmandu, hospitals were working non-stop, running dangerously low on blood.
Youths were volunteering in hospitals and also as first-aid responders and to clear debris. In another development, mountaineers reported from the Everest base camp said on Tuesday all of the climbers who had been stranded at camps by avalanches had been removed to safety. Taking advantage of Monday's clear weather, three helicopters shuttled climbers all day from camp 1, above the impassable Khumbu glacier, while others trekked back from camp 2 to be airlifted out. Around half of the tents at the base camp were destroyed by an avalanche unleashed by Saturday's earthquake, killing between 17 and 22 climbers, according to separate accounts.
Around 350 foreign climbers, and double the number of local sherpa guides, had been on the 29,035ft mountain when the worst ever disaster on world's tallest peak struck. Three helicopters shuttled 170 climbers from camp 1 to the base camp on Monday. Because of the high altitude and thin air, the aircraft were only able to carry two climbers at a time. Outside of Nepal, 73 people died in India. The toll in China's far western region of Tibet, which neighbours Nepal, rose to 25, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the area's disaster relief headquarters.
HA/IINA

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Islamic finance body launches industry indicators

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 14:00 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 Kuala Lumpur (IINA) – The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) has launched a databank of industry indicators covering 15 member countries, helping shed new light on the size and shape of the Sharia-compliant banking sector, Reuters reported. The Kuala Lumpur-based IFSB, one of the main standard-setting bodies for Islamic finance, is supporting a range of initiatives to improve supervision of the sector as it achieves greater prominence in several Muslim-majority countries. The 188-member IFSB added financial inclusion to the industry's agenda this month and released final guidance on liquidity management for Islamic banks. The IFSB collected data directly from regulatory bodies and plans to update figures on a quarterly basis, while adding more countries and sectors, it said in a statement. For the initial 15 countries, a total of 207 Islamic banking institutions were identified, which held a combined $1.18 trillion in assets and had 10,711 branches as of 2013. Country-specific data also provides a rare insight into Islamic banking practices in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, where official figures are hard to come by. At the end of 2013, Saudi Arabia had 4 full-fledged Islamic banks and 8 Islamic windows, units of conventional banks that offer sharia-compliant financial services. Islamic lenders in the kingdom rely heavily on murabaha, a cost-plus mode of financing, which represents 62.4 percent of total financing for full-fledged Islamic banks and 86.7 percent for Islamic windows. In contrast, Afghanistan had 6 Islamic windows and no full-fledged Islamic banks, relying on a profit-sharing contract known as musharaka for 53.3 percent of total financing. The data also covers Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, and Turkey. The IFSB indicators are being developed with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank. HA/IINA

Makkah to have world’s longest walkway

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 13:57 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 Makkah (IINA) – The new pedestrian road leading to Arafat from Makkah is nearing completion and will be opened before the next Haj season, according to a senior official of Makkah Municipality.  Hisham Shilly, director of the municipality's department of parks and public utilities, told the Makkah newspaper that the first and second stages of the road project have already been completed and work is going smoothly on the third and final phase. “The road will no doubt be the longest walkway in the whole world,” he said. Shilly recalled that work on the road project started about two years ago and will be officially launched sometime in September. “After completion, the use of the long walkway will not be restricted to the pedestrian pilgrims only but will also be used as a public park by Makkah residents,” he said. Shilly said the walkway is part of a network of roads for pedestrian pilgrims to use between Arafat and the Grand Mosque. “This network includes the parallel road of Namira Mosque and Al-Mishaer Al-Haram Road in Muzdalifah,” he said. The director said the third and final phase of the walkway will be covered by tiles and rugs and supported by other utilities consisting of sales points, security centers, ambulance services and others. He said the municipality has already opened 13 new pedestrian roads and added that some of the valley bottoms will be used as pedestrian roads. Shilly said the converting of valley bottoms into roads has given the area a civilized look and put an end to the bad smell, flies and mosquitoes. HA/IINA

Gulf foreign ministers to discuss Yemen crisis on Thursday

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 13:55 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 Riyadh (IINA) – Gulf foreign ministers will meet this week with focus on Yemen, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Abdullatif Zayani said Monday. Thursday’s meeting in Riyadh would cover “issues vital to the operations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and developments in the region, including the crisis in Yemen,” said Zayani. It comes ahead of a leaders’ summit on May 5. Meanwhile, Yemen’s government of President Abdrrabbu Mansour Hadi on Monday declared three areas in the country as “disaster” zones, including the southern port city of Aden. The government raised the alarm for Aden as well as the cities of Taiz and Dhale, saying there is no electricity or water there and that these cities have run out of fuel, medical and food supplies. “These cities are on verge of collapse,” said Minister of Communications Nadia Saqqaf. The three cities have also been the aim of a pressing offensive by the Houthis and forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Another minister, Ezz Eddin Al-Asbahi, said the Houthis and Saleh’s forces are turning hospitals, clinics and schools into weapons caches. Al-Asbahi, who is the human rights minister, said nine million Yemenis are in need of some form of medical intervention. The Houthis have imposed a siege of Aden, cutting of fuel supplies, leaving large parts of the city in darkness. And because there is no fuel, hospital generators cannot work, Al-Asbahi added. A coalition of Arab states vowed to coordinate political and military efforts to restore order in Yemen. Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, the Abu Dhabi crown prince and Armed Forces chief of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said the coalition is now working on military and political fronts to reestablish the legitimate authority in Sana’a. The campaign’s new phase is based on a “multilayered strategy, including military, as well as politics and development, to reestablish the legitimacy,” he said on a visit to his troops in Saudi Arabia taking part in the coalition. HA/IINA

Tunisia, South Korea discuss ways to enhance cooperation

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 13:48 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 Tunisian-S. Korean relations (TAP photo) Tunis (IINA) – Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid and President of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Kim Young-mok discussed here on Monday ways to strengthen cooperation between Tunisia and South Korea, particularly in training and higher education, Tunisia Press Agency (TAP) reported. The two sides also discussed the "e-people" program funded by South Korea with a donation of 5 million dinars.  This platform involves aspects of good governance and whistleblowing, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's office. Tunisia has already begun the preparation of this program and made progress pending its implementation. KOICA President welcomed the success of the democratic transition process in Tunisia and the opportunities offered in different fields. He also commended the efforts of the Tunisian government to achieve economic transition. The South Korean official reiterated the agency's commitment to further support cooperation between his country and Tunisia in different fields and its readiness to expand into new sectors to help Tunisia achieve more progress and development. AB/IINA

Algerian PM Sellal to begin China visit today

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 12:16 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 PM Abdelmalek Sellal (APS photo) Algiers (IINA) – Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal will begin a three-day official visit to China on Tuesday. The visit is in response to an invitation from Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang, Algeria Press Service (APS) reported, citing a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. During the visit, Sellal will examine with his Chinese counterpart and senior officials the ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, pursuant to the decisions of the two heads of state to enhance relations between the two countries within the framework of a comprehensive strategic partnership, the statement said. The visit follows the seventh session of the Algerian-Chinese Joint Cooperation Commission, held in Algiers. During the visit, which will be crowned with the signing of several cooperation agreements in various fields, Prime Minister Sellal will be accompanied by a large delegation comprising members of the government and the national economic operators. AB/IINA

Jordan, Saudi discuss labor cooperation and exchange of expertise

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 12:05 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (Image from Petra) Amman, (IINA) - A high-level delegation from the Saudi Ministry of Labor arrived in the Jordanian capital to discuss ways to bolster labor ties and to take part in a number of labor related activities, Petra reported. In the first visit of its kind, the delegation led by Prince Saud bin Talal Al Saud began the working visit by attending two workshops to discuss means to promote cooperation and the exchange of expertise. At Jordan's labor ministry, joint talks took place to discuss cooperation prospects in the services provided to the customers, in addition to ways in which Jordan can benefit from the Saudi Nitaqat program which links government facilities provided to the private sector institutions. SM/IINA

Lebanese trade not affected by Syrian crisis: World Bank

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 12:02 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (File image) Beirut, (IINA) - Lebanese trade has been less affected by the Syrian conflict than other regional countries, a World Bank study released on Monday said, Lebanese Daily Star reported. The study findings were unveiled by World Bank trade economist Massimiliano Cali during a presentation in Beirut’s Crowne Plaza Hotel. The study noted that the Syria conflict had no impact on Lebanese merchandise and services exports at the aggregate level. While the growth in total Lebanese goods’ export has turned negative since 2012, the World Bank analysis suggests that the drop is unrelated to the Syrian war. According to the World Bank findings, the decline in the total Lebanese export of goods has been mainly driven by a drop in the exports of pearls, precious stones and other metals, which are subject to fluctuations in international demand. More than 20 percent of total Lebanese exports and about 6 percent of total imports mainly to and from the Arab markets go through Syria. The impact of the Syrian war on Lebanese trade in services, which dominate Lebanese exports, was difficult to assess, the World Bank said. According to Lebanon’s Central bank data, exports of services declined dramatically both in 2012 and 2013. The opposite is true, according to UNCTAD data, while the IMF records a flat trend, the World Bank study noted. According to the World Bank, a one percent increase in the number of registered refugees results in a 1.6 percent growth in the exports of services after two months. SM/IINA

Jamaica Muslim Center in New York welcomes conversion of one-way street

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 11:59 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (Image from timesledger) New York, (IINA) - City and state leaders as well as residents in New York were joined by dozens of members of the Jamaica Muslim Center  to unveil the conversion of 168th Street to a one-way street from Hillside Avenue to Gothic Drive, which was completed April 10, Time Ledger reported.  “Mayor Bill de Blasio, through his Vision Zero initiatives, has gone to great lengths to improve the safety of New York City streets, and the department of transportation (DOT) has commendably taken swift action on this critical matter,” said David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows). “With this completed conversion of 168th Street, the entire surrounding residents, including the worshipers at the JMC, and the students and parents of the Jamaica and Thomas Edison high schools will now be able to safely travel along this densely utilized street with some sense of peace.” “The new one-way street on 168th Street is a great sign of our city’s commitment to making our streets safer,” said City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest). “I want to thank the DOT for listening to the concerns of the Jamaica Hills neighborhood and transforming a dangerous street into one that will keep local residents safe and meet the community’s needs.” Last year, a 16-year-old boy from the Jamaica Muslim Center who was struck by a speeding vehicle and suffered serious injuries is still under recovery. Since the accident, lawmakers have aggressively pushed for a one-way street, which required Department of Transportation study and approval before beginning any construction. “Our sincere thoughts and prayers are still with the young member of our center, who was seriously injured last year on this exact road,” said Dr. Wahedhur Rahman, president of the center. SM/IINA

UN: Israel killed 44 Palestinians, injured 227 at UN facilities in Gaza

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 11:48 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 UN facility, Gaza (UN photo) New York (IINA) – At least 44 Palestinians were killed and 227 injured by Israeli attacks on seven UN facilities during last summer’s offensive on the Gaza Strip, said a report issued on Monday by the UN Board of Inquiry into incidents in Gaza. In a letter transmitting to the Security Council the public summary of a report of the Board of Inquiry regarding incidents in Gaza during the recent conflict, UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed his "profound and continuing concern” over targeting civilian populations of the Gaza Strip and Israel. “The agony of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and the tragic, decades-long predicament they endure there, is reflected in the report of the Board of Inquiry,” Ban said in the letter. The report also said that three incidents involving weapons found in UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools, including instances in which Palestinian armed groups “may have used” UNRWA school premises to launch attacks. Reports of Israeli assaults against UN schools providing shelter to thousands of displaced Palestinians prompted the UN chief last November to set up a commission to analyze specific incidents in which civilians were killed and damage done to premises. AB/IINA

Saad Hariri: “We won’t allow a return to civil war” in Lebanon

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Tuesday 28 Apr 2015 - 11:41 Makkah mean time-9-7-1436 (Image from dailystar.lb) Washington, (IINA) - Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said here on Monday “we will not allow a return to civil war” in Lebanon and “we will not revert to violence,” according to Lebanese media reports. During his speech at the Wilson Center, Hariri also noted the need to elect a new president in Lebanon stressing that “the vacancy is very dangerous and involved in the paralysis of state institutions.” He also stressed the importance of Baabda Declaration, which calls for distancing Lebanon from the Syrian conflict. The former PM said his focus was on preventing the Syrian war from reigniting civil strife in Lebanon. Speaking during a talk at the Wilson Center in Washington as part of his current visit to the US, Hariri stressed that his flurry of regional and foreign political activity was primarily aimed at protecting Lebanon from the repercussions of regional turmoil, particularly the 4-year-old war in neighboring Syria. On the other side, Hariri said, “We argue that the Lebanese security agencies, namely the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces, need to fight against terrorism which is why I am doing everything in my capacity to provide support and assistance to them.” In order to fight extremism, Hariri called for a clear international policy to support the voices of moderation in the region. Hariri, on his first visit to Washington since 2011, met with Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior US officials. SM/IINA