Saboteurs blow up Egypt gas pipeline to Israel
Mubarak hangs on after mass protests in Egypt
Millions of expats don't understand a word of Friday sermon
Indian Union Muslim League attacks Kerala chief minister's office
Car bomb blast kills three in Khyber
Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan bombings
7 killed in northern Iraq plane crash
Dog ordered to leave Madinah
Zardari secretly married to NY physician?
Bangladesh hands over 2 top ULFA leaders
Plans to distance Mubarak from power being discussed, says report
Campaign against graffiti in Madinah
Mubarak ‘fed up’ but will not go just yet
Tahrir Square reveals festive side of Egypt
Egypt chaos hikes food prices in Kingdom
Journalist dies of injury in Egypt protests: Jazeera
Ex-trade minister of Egypt barred from traveling
Chip in with your ideas for a solution, Chidambaram tells Congress in J&K
Gujarat questions IPS officer for furnishing riots call data
Omar Abdullah tweets: 'How can one not condemn the death of Manzoor?'
26/11 martyr Major Unnikrishnan's uncle dead
Pakistan regrets slow Indian investigation into Samjhota Express blasts
Militants kill four ‘spies’ in northwest Pakistan: police
Seven killed in road accident near Hyderabad
LeT hideout busted, OGW arrested in Jammu region
Foreign secretaries of India, Pak to meet tomorrow in Thimphu
British officials described Zardari as numbskull: WikiLeaks
U.S. plotting Mubarak's exit: reports
Student killed during Army's ambush operation in Kupwara
Gilani may dissolve Cabinet soon
3 Pak ‘Spot-Fixers’ Face Criminal Charges In UK
Pak to Release US Diplomat?
As protests linger, Mubarak holds meeting with economy team
Archaeologist in Australia finds ancient sites near Jeddah via Google Earth
Families frown upon marriage for younger daughter before older
Iraq PM says he'll cut his salary by half
Israel bars Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa
Michigan mosque plot suspect gets rid of 'Shi'ite' lawyer
Um Al-Khayr Dam burst because of washed-away vehicles: Official
UAE statute
respects free speech, says
Nahyan (Wam)
Israel, Palestinians float Gaza gas rapprochement
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Flames are seen after an explosion at a gas terminal in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula on Saturday
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Saboteurs blow up Egypt gas pipeline to Israel
Feb 5, 2011
CAIRO: Saboteurs blew up a pipeline that runs through Egypt's North Sinai and supplies gas to Israel, state television and other sources reported on Saturday.
State TV quoted an official as saying that the "situation is very dangerous and explosions were continuing from one spot to another" along the pipeline.
"It is a big terrorist operation", a state TV reporter said. A security source said the Egyptian army closed the main source of gas supplying the pipeline.
"The armed forces and the authorities managed to close the main source of flow and are trying to control the fires," the source said.
Israel's National Infrastructure Ministry said it was looking into the incident.
Egypt is a modest gas exporter, using pipelines to export gas to Israel and also to Jordan and other regional states. It also exports via liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities on its north coast, but those are not in the Sinai region.
State television said the pipeline that was attacked supplied both the Israeli and Jordanian gas lines.
Israel imports 40 percent of its natural gas from Egypt, in a deal built on their 1979 peace accord.
The SITE intelligence group, which monitors al Qaida and other Islamist websites, said some groups had been urging Islamic militants to attack the pipeline to Israel.
"Saboteurs took advantage of the security situation and blew up the gas pipeline," a state television correspondent reported, saying there was a big explosion.
Residents in the area also reported a huge explosion and said flames were raging in an area near the pipeline in the El-Arish area of north Sinai.
"Jihadists suggested that Muslims in Sinai take advantage of Egyptian unrest and strike the Arish-Ashkelon gas pipeline, arguing that it would have a major impact on Israel," SITE said.
Site quoted one Islamist website author as saying: "To our brothers, the Bedouins of Sinai, the heroes of Islam, strike with an iron fist, because this is a chance to stop the supply to the Israelites."
Sinai Bedouins have long grumbled about being neglected and have often sporadically clashed with Egyptian security forces. Many Bedouin were rounded up after a series of explosions in Sinai tourists resorts between 2004 and 2006.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Saboteurs-blow-up-Egypt-gas-pipeline-to-Israel/articleshow/7430970.cms#ixzz1D5bERfOW
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Mubarak hangs on after mass protests in Egypt
Feb 5, 2011
CAIRO: Demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak dragged into a 12th day on Saturday with no sign of an end to a confrontation which has pitted the 82-year-old leader against thousands of anti-government protesters.
Vice President Omar Suleiman was due to meet a group of prominent figures on Saturday to examine a proposed solution under which he would assume the president's powers for an interim period, one of the group's members said.
But with some of the protesters insisting they wanted not just Mubarak but also his allies out, it was unclear that would be enough to end the crisis.
Mubarak said on Thursday Egypt faced chaos if he resigned now, though he has promised to step down in September.
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians held mostly peaceful demonstrations across the country on Friday to demand an immediate end to Mubarak's 30-year rule.
And in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the hub of demonstrations, protesters occupying the usually busy intersection in the heart of the city said they were not giving up.
"Mubarak must go, Mubarak must go," someone shouted over a loudspeaker after brief burst of heavy gunfire echoed across the square shortly before 2 am (0000 GMT) on Saturday.
Apart from the gunfire -- which one protester attributed to the army firing in the air to keep away Mubarak loyalists who clashed with anti-government protesters earlier in the week -- the night passed quietly.
With the unrest crippling the economy in Arab world's most populous nation, some Egyptians are anxious to return to normal. Banks were due to reopen on Sunday, the start of the week in Egypt, and the stock market on Monday.
The United States has also been pressing the 82-year-old Mubarak to begin a transfer of power and pave the way for democracy in a country which has been dominated by the military since it toppled the monarchy in 1952.
But seeking to deflect criticism of interference in Egypt's affairs, President Barack Obama said on Friday: "The future of Egypt will be determined by its people."
No one, however, can see an easy compromise which would satisfy the protesters' demand for change, with Mubarak's military backers' desire to maintain their influence and find an honourable exit for the president.
Discussing the constitution
Ex-intelligence chief Suleiman was due to discuss with the group of prominent figures an article in the constitution covering Mubarak handing over power to his vice president, one of the group's members, Diaa Rashwan, told Reuters.
Mubarak would stay on in a symbolic position under the proposal being promoted by the group of Egyptians calling itself the "The Council of Wise Men", allowing him to serve out his tenure with some dignity.
Many protesters however say they want a complete break with the past, while Obama has also called for "meaningful" change.
And while some analysts say transferring powers to Suleiman could help defuse the crisis, others argue it needs a bigger step shift to pave the way for free and fair elections.
"The best way to support democracy is to support democracy; not to enable authoritarians to take over the political system and hope they'll negotiate their way out of power," Steven Cook at the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations said on its website.
On Friday, people in cities across Egypt demonstrated in what organisers billed a "Day of Departure".
Tahrir Square was crammed with people chanting "We're not leaving, You are leaving!", waving Egyptian flags and singing the national anthem, with a beefed-up military presence keeping pro-Mubarak activists out to prevent any bloodshed.
The mood was festive as secular and religious Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, professionals and poorer members of society, mingled with members of the mass Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood.
Turnout nationwide seemed short of the more than one million seen on Tuesday. Mubarak went on television that night to tell Egyptians he would leave office in September.
Despite mass street protests and concessions by government, Mubarak's fate now lies as much in deals struck among generals keen to retain influence and Western officials anxious not to see Egypt slide into chaos or be taken over by Islamists.
Egypt has been a US ally throughout Mubarak's rule and it is strategically vital to American interests because of its 1979 peace treaty with Israel and its control of the Suez Canal.
Mubarak had also presented himself as a bulwark against militant Islam.
The United Nations estimates 300 people have died in the unrest, inspired in part by protests in Tunisia which forced veteran strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to flee last month.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Mubarak-hangs-on-after-mass-protests-in-Egypt-/articleshow/7430685.cms#ixzz1D5b2VMjc
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Millions of expats don't understand a word of Friday sermon
By MARIAM NIHAL
Feb 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Muslim expatriates in the Kingdom say there are no mosques that deliver Friday sermons (khutbah) in their languages.
"The whole point of a sermon is to understand and spread the word of Allah, but it seems no one cares enough to delve into the matter. People repeat verses or utter 'Ameen' without understanding what is being said. It has become a formality that they just want to get over with. That is not the purpose or way of preaching Islam," Indian expatriate Hannah told Arab News.
The khutbah is used to preach about Islamic issues during Friday prayer. The expatriate population in Saudi Arabia was 8.4 million as of August 2010, compared to 18.7 million Saudis, according to General Statistics Department of the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
“Most expatriates do not understand or speak Arabic. No one thinks about these 8.4 million people who are hampered by language barriers. We all want to learn about Islam, the difference is no one wants to walk that extra mile and help us to connect with society,” Indian expatriate Hussein told Arab News.
“At the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), mosques used to be full of knowledgeable and meaningful debates about Islam. The purpose of the khutbah is defeated because most of us do not understand a word but we go (to the mosque) because we are obliged to.”
Other countries in the Middle East where Arabic is the first language have mosques that deliver Friday sermons in English. Shaista, a Pakistani national, said: "When I lived in Dubai, our whole family and children would make it a ritual duty to go to the mosque where the khutbah was delivered in English every Friday. It was enlightening and taught us so much more about Islam."
Middle Eastern society experienced profound changes in the 19th century due to the impact of European expansion. In time, ideas about politics changed as technology advanced and a diverse culture was introduced. Mixed marriages and foreign minds began to infiltrate Arab society.
Bangladeshis, Indians, Indonesians, Pakistanis, Filipinos and Africans started to make their presence felt in the labor force. However, Arabic is not the first language of any of these nationalities. English is a common second language spoken by nurses, assistants and salesmen in contrast to Arabic.
“Society should cater to others’ needs and instill a sense of unity at the mosque, as the purpose of religion is to come together to share the same beliefs and follow them. It is unfair to hear talk about equality and brotherhood at the khutbah when none of the brothers cares to ensure his expatriate brothers even understand what is being said. Islam is not limited to one language,” said Mohammed, a Filipino.
Lubna, a local Saudi said: “We all know the best way to preach Islam is through compassionate dialogue. If the Arabic khutbah has been going on for centuries, we must adapt it to our culture so our Muslim brothers and sisters in the country can also follow the message of Islam.”
Young male expatriates told Arab News most of them do not understand the khutbah but nevertheless attend the Friday prayer because it is an Islamic duty.
“Even though we don’t understand a word, I make sure I go to listen to the khutbah because it’s obligatory and I do not want to miss out on the rewards from Allah. There is no choice. If there was a choice of a few mosques where they deliver the khutbah in Urdu, then it would be up to us to go,” Indian expatriate Faisal said.
Saira, an Indian expatriate, said: “We have a lot of non-Muslim friends who would be interested in listening to the words of Islam. However, they are rather stumped by the fact that we do not have access to a sermon in our language and I wish we had a few mosques specifically for us so even if women hear the sermons at home through loudspeakers, they will gather so much more knowledge and wisdom about."
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article251371.ece
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Indian Union Muslim League attacks Kerala chief minister's office
Feb 5, 2011
KOZHIKODE (KERALA): The Indian Union Muslim League Saturday accused the Kerala chief minister's office of conspiring to rake up the ice cream parlour sex scandal case in which the party's leader P.K. Kunhalikutty was involved.
"We have evidence to prove that a conspiracy was hatched in the office of chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan to malign our party. We will make it public very soon," said the party's Lok Sabha member E.T. Mohammed Basheer.
The IUML's top leaders met in a hurriedly called meeting Saturday to discuss the controversy.
The meeting followed Kunhalikutty's disclosure in a television interview Friday that the latest allegations against him were raised with the help of India Vision channel.
Former IUML minister and party office bearer M.K. Muneer is the channel's chairman. There have been media reports about alleged intra-party rivalry between Kunhalikutty and Muneer.
"The manner in which India Vision took up the issue is against all media ethics. We have found that Muneer had no role in it. We will reveal more about the conspiracy after a meeting Sunday, which will be attended by the party's national president, federal minister E. Ahamed", added Bashee.
The case of sexual abuse of a minor girl, which involved Kunhalikutty, a former industry minister, was closed by the courts, including the Supreme court, in 2006.
The alleged sex racket in early 1990s used an ice cream parlour in Kozhikode as its base, giving the scandal its name.
The case once again hit the headlines last Friday when Kunhalikutty said he faced a threat to his life from K.A. Rauf, his close relative (their wives are sisters), and that he suspected a forged CD was to be released soon.
Rauf later named two former high court judges, Narayana Kurup and K. Thankappan, who, he alleged, were instrumental in making the case favourable for the ex-minister.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indian-Union-Muslim-League-attacks-Kerala-chief-ministers-office/articleshow/7431266.cms#ixzz1D5ZlT5Ca
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Car bomb blast kills three in Khyber
Feb 5, 2011
PESHAWAR: A bomb planted in a car exploded Saturday killing three passengers and wounding two pedestrians in the northwestern Khyber tribal region, officials said.
The bomb, which was on a timer, exploded in a moving car at Bar Qambarkhel area in the tribal region, they said.
“Three people were killed and two pedestrians were wounded when a time bomb planted in a car exploded,” Khyber’s top administrative official Shafirullah Khan told AFP.
The wounded were in stable condition, he added.
Local intelligence officials confirmed the incident and the death toll.
Khyber is home to Taliban insurgents and militants from the extremist group Lashkar-i-Islam, led by local warlord Mangal Bagh.
Washington has branded the tribal belt a global headquarters of al Qaeda and wants Pakistan to do more to fight insurgents streaming across its border into Afghanistan.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/05/blast-in-khyber-tribal-region.html
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7 killed in northern Iraq plane crash
Feb 4, 2011
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq: Officials say a small commercial plane has crashed while taking off from a regional airport in northern Iraq, killing seven passengers.
The plane caught on fire as it was flying out of the Sulaimaniyah airport around 5 p.m. Friday.
Two senior airport officials and a policeman say at least three of the dead were crew members.
It was not known what airline the plane belonged to or whether there were any survivors.
The officials said some of the passengers worked for AsiaCell, one of Iraq’s largest mobile phone companies.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Sulaimaniyah is 160 miles (260 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251315.ece
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Dog ordered to leave Madinah
Feb 4, 2011
MADINAH: A dog that bit a young girl in Madinah was ordered by a judge in the holy city's summary court to leave the area. The court also fined the dog's owner SR1,500 as compensation, local daily Al-Watan reported Friday.
The girl's father reportedly filed a lawsuit against the dog's owner at the summary court asking for compensation and for the dog to be taken out of the area. Neither the name of the father nor of his daughter was published.
The owner denied that his dog was responsible for the incident, although medical reports proved otherwise. The judge reportedly based his verdict on an Islamic ruling that harm must be dealt with immediately.
http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article251392.ece
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Zardari secretly married to NY physician?
Feb 04 2011,
The ruling Pakistan People's Party has condemned an internet rumour that its chief, President Asif Ali Zardari, has secretly remarried three years after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, describing it as a "vicious and unethical tirade".
The rumour, floated on several hitherto unheard of blogs and websites late on Wednesday, claimed Zardari had
married Tanveer Zamani, a New York-based physician and PPP loyalist.
The rumour was laced with innuendoes, including a claim that the so-called wedding was solemnised according to Shia customs.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said: "The Pakistan People's Party deplores and condemns the launch of a vicious and unethical tirade on the net against PPP co-chairman, President Asif Ali Zardari, insinuating that the President had recently re-married secretly."
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/zardari-secretly-married-to-ny-physician/746049/
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Bangladesh hands over 2 top ULFA leaders
February 05, 2011
Bangladeshi security forces on Saturday pushed back two top ULFA leaders through the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya where BSF took their custody, official sources said. ULFA 'Captain' Antu Chaudang and 'Second Lieutenant' Pradeep Chetia were pushed back through the Dawki border early Saturday
morning, the sources said
They were being taken to Guwahati by a team of Assam Police.
In an e-mail to the media on December 18 last, ULFA 'Publicity Secretary' Arunudoy Dohotia had claimed that these two leaders had been picked up by Indian intelligence agencies in Bangladesh and since then the duo’s whereabouts were not known.
Chaudang was the third top ULFA leader on the run after 'C-in-C' Paresh Barua and 'Commander' Jibon Moran.
Indian security agencies had said earlier that Chaudang was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in December and was undergoing treatment in Bangladesh.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/meghalaya/Bangladesh-hands-over--2-top-ULFA-leaders/Article1-658829.aspx
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Plans to distance Mubarak from power being discussed, says report
Feb 5, 2011
WASHINGTON: New Egyptian vice president Omar Suleiman and top Egyptian military leaders are discussing plans to limit President Hosni Mubarak's authority and possibly remove him from the presidential palace in Cairo, The New York Times reported on Saturday.
Citing unnamed US and Egyptian officials, the newspaper said these plans did not call for him to be removed from presidency immediately. But they would allow for the formation of a transitional government headed by Suleiman, which would negotiate with opposition figures amendments to Egypt's constitution and other democratic changes.
In Cairo, state news agency MENA said Mubarak held talks with members of his newly-appointed cabinet but gave no further details.
The ageing leader has shown no intention of stepping down imminently, despite huge demonstrations on Friday at Cairo's Tahrir Square -- the epicentre of the protests -- and in Alexandria.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Plans-to-distance-Mubarak-from-power-being-discussed-says-report/articleshow/7431844.cms#ixzz1D5add79L
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Campaign against graffiti in Madinah
Feb 4, 2011
JEDDAH: The municipality of Uhud district in Madinah has launched an awareness program entitled "Towards a Clean District" aimed at eradicating graffiti on walls and in public parks, bridges and tunnels, chairman of the municipality Hamza bin Jafaar Sabiyah was quoted as saying in a local Arabic daily newspaper on Friday.
He said the program was being implemented in collaboration with imams of mosques in the district, as well as public and private organizations and businesses, students, municipal officials and residents. He explained that the program would cover all the areas belonging to the municipality.
"We want to give a civilized look to our district," Sabiyah said, adding that the program had been warmly welcomed by local residents.
Many residents had complained about the foul language written on walls of houses and other buildings and urged officials to do something about such uncivilized behavior.
Sabiyah thanked all the participants for their efforts which he said were helping to make the program a success. He called for similar programs in other districts of the holy city of Madinah.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article250996.ece
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Mubarak ‘fed up’ but will not go just yet
February 05, 2011
But Egypt prez Hosni Mubarak refuses to resign immediately saying there will be chaos
HOSNI Mubarak revealed on Thursday night that he was “fed up and wants to go” as bloody clashes continued in Cairo. But the Egyptian president said he would not resign immediately — because he feared there would be “chaos”. “I don't care what people say about me.
Right now I care about my country, I care about Egypt,” said an embattled Mubarak, who has been under intense pressure to step down following a political upheaval that has turned violent and left many dead and injured. He was responding to a question on Friday being the deadline for him to step down.
“I am fed up. After 62 years in public service, I have had enough. I want to go,” he said. Mubarak, who has been in office for 30 years, told ABC News that he was troubled by the violence in Tahrir Square but claimed his government was not responsible for it.
The interview took place in the presidential palace where Mubarak is with his family, heavily guarded by armed soldiers, tanks and barbed wire.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Tahrir Square reveals festive side of Egypt
February 05, 2011
BEYOND the barricades, beyond the sniping from the edges by people acting on behalf of Hosni Mubarak, a new, festive and diverse slice of Egypt has suddenly appeared in the heart of Cairo.
Tahrir Square has free food and drinks, a bandstand with live music, dedicated medical staff and a sense of community which Mubarak’s opponents say makes them proud of their country for the first time in decades. When they do bag and body searches, the volunteer security staff are friendly and apologetic.
Unlike the thugs roaming Cairo, they want everyone to bear witness to an achievement they see as miraculous. “Welcome” and “come in” are the usual greetings. Even when they catch an intruder in battle, they do not give them the treatment to which Egyptians who fall foul of the police are accustomed. A dozen men escort them to a makeshift security office.
Full report at:
http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=522011
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Egypt chaos hikes food prices in Kingdom
By SULTAN AL-TAMIMI
Feb 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Egyptian protests in its second week has triggered a severe price hike on vegetables and fruits coming from that country to Saudi Arabia’s market. With Egyptian ports shut, no exports are arriving in Saudi Arabia and prices have almost doubled.
Several local vegetable shops in Jeddah dependent on these goods told Arab News on Friday that they are closely watching the Egyptian situation on television like many other people.
“We imported a fairly large quantities of Egyptian oranges, guava, strawberries, onions, lemons and sweet potatoes, however from the looks of things in Egypt, I do not expect these quantities to last for long,” said 55-year-old Abu Abdullah, a wholesaler in Jeddah.
“Events in Egypt came at no better time; work at Jeddah’s Islamic Seaport is almost at a dismal level because of Wednesday’s (Jan. 26) flooding. Also some city warehouses of wholesalers and importers situated in south Jeddah are still flooded.”
Hussain, a 35-year-old shopkeeper, said prices of Egyptian produce at the local vegetable wholesale market have risen 60 percent.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article251455.ece
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Journalist dies of injury in Egypt protests: Jazeera
5 February 2011
CAIRO - An Egyptian journalist wounded in protests against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak has died of his injuries, his wife told Al Jazeera television on Friday.
Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud, who worked with state-owned daily al-Ahram, was wounded on Jan. 29 during protests that began four days earlier against poverty, corruption and political repression. He is the first journalist known to have died in the unrest.
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday the rights of journalists must be respected.
The Egyptian health minister said on Friday that 11 people have died since Wednesday when Mubarak supporters began attacking protesters in Tahrir Square in central Cairo.
The United Nations estimates 300 people have died in the protests, which shocked Arab and Western governments who have long backed Mubarak as a bulwark against Islamist groups.
Mahmoud's wife, whose name the channel did not give, said he was shot in the head while filming clashes from the balcony of his home.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/February/middleeast_February149.xml§ion=middleeast
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Ex-trade minister of Egypt barred from traveling
Feb 5, 2011
CAIRO: Egypt imposed a travel ban on former Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid on Friday and froze his assets, the state news agency MENA said.
"The public prosecutor's decision is part of the precautionary measures taken against some officials after prosecutors received complaints of theft of public money," MENA said.
The prosecutor imposed a travel ban on other ministers from the former government and a former ruling party official on Thursday, the agency said. It also froze their assets.
In an interview with Al Arabiya television, Rachid said he had not been formally notified of the ban or frozen accounts, but had heard about it on television on Friday. He said he did not know what the accusations were against him.
"I am a man who served my country for six and a half years and believe I have done all my duties. I am ready to confront anyone, I have no problem, but someone please tell me what is going on and what the accusation against me is," he said.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251420.ece
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Chip in with your ideas for a solution, Chidambaram tells Congress in J&K
Shujaat Bukhari
February 05, 2011
Meets both factions of the party; reviews security situation with Omar Abdullah
FOCUS ON PEACE:Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Kishtwar during his visit to the State on Friday.
SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday asked the Jammu and Kashmir Congress to contribute to the process of finding a solution to the Kashmir problem and come up with a comprehensive document.
Mr. Chidambaram reviewed the security situation with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Unified Headquarters in the mountainous district of Kishtwar.
The Home Minister, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu, held meetings with both factions of the State Congress — one led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Saifuddin Soz and the other by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Informed sources told TheHindu that he sought their help in making the ongoing process of finding a solution to the Kashmir problem a success.
Without referring to “political documents” like autonomy by the National Conference and self-rule by the People's Democratic Party, Mr. Chidambaram told the Congress men to come up with a comprehensive document that would help find an acceptable solution.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/05/stories/2011020564521300.htm
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Gujarat questions IPS officer for furnishing riots call data
Saeed Khan
Feb 5, 2011
AHMEDABAD: Following the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) report that indicted Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendar Modi for his alleged complicity in the 2002 riots, the state government has taken a senior IPS officer to task for sharing telephone records with various inquiry panels.
The Gujarat administration issued a show-cause notice to senior IPS officer, Rahul Sharma, asking him why he should not be charge-sheeted for handing over the telephone records concerning the 2002 riots to inquiry panels without obtaining due permission from the government.
The in-charge Director General of Police Chitranjan Singh confirmed the issuance of the show-cause notice and added that the government had granted 15-day time to Sharma to reply to the notice.
Sharma was posted in Ahmedabad during riots. He had asked private service providers like Celforce and AT&T to furnish details of calls made across the state during late February and early March of 2002. The CDs obtained by Sharma, however, went missing before it was brought on record by the investigating agency, the city crime branch that probed three major massacres of the city at Naroda Patia, Naroda Gam and Gulbarg Society.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gujarat-questions-IPS-officer-for-furnishing-riots-call-data/articleshow/7431553.cms#ixzz1D5XVaB7c
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Omar Abdullah tweets: 'How can one not condemn the death of Manzoor?'
Feb 5, 2011
SRINAGAR: Condemning the killing of a youth in an Army operation in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the incident could have been avoided if a "suggestion" made by him at a meeting of the Unified Headquarters had been implemented.
However, he did not elaborate as to what the suggestion was.
"How can one not condemn the death of 21-year-old Manzoor at the hands of the Army late last night. Another needless death in a bloody Kashmir," Omar posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Omar-Abdullah-tweets-How-can-one-not-condemn-the-death-of-Manzoor/articleshow/7430729.cms#ixzz1D5ZSVvia
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26/11 martyr Major Unnikrishnan's uncle dead
Feb 5, 2011
NEW DELHI: Mumbai attack martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's uncle, who attempted self immolation to protest the government's alleged apathy in treating victims of the 26/11 strike, succumbed to injuries, police said on Saturday.
56-year-old K Mohanan, who had suffered 98 per cent burn injuries, died at 11:55pm on Friday night at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here.
While undergoing treatment, he had also suffered a heart attack.
Mohanan, a native of Kozhikode in Kerala, had poured kerosene and set himself on fire outside Gate No 4 of Parliament House near Vijay Chowk on Thursday.
Mohanan had told doctors that he was unhappy at the way the victims of the Mumbai attacks were treated by the government. "He was disturbed at the death of Sandeep. He wanted to feel the pain Sandeep might have suffered when he was shot at by the terrorists," the official said.
Mohanan, the younger brother of Sandeep's father, had told his family that he was leaving for Ernakulam but instead left for the national capital, he said.
Sandeep's father K Unnikrishnan had said, "We are happy with the way the government has treated our son. We have no grievances. Mohanan was very fond of Sandeep. We thought that he had overcome the grief but ended up doing this".
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-martyr-Major-Unnikrishnans-uncle-dead-/articleshow/7430217.cms#ixzz1D5ZcypVJ
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Pakistan regrets slow Indian investigation into Samjhota Express blasts
Feb 5, 2011
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday termed it “unfortunate” that India has been unable to complete investigations into the Samjhota Express blasts, despite passage of four years.
A Foreign Office Spokesman was responding to a question about the progress on the investigation into the Samjhota Express blasts that killed 68 persons, including 42 Pakistani nationals.
“India seems to be lacking courage to unearth culpability of Hindu extremists and their links with some Indian Army personnel,” the spokesman said.
He said it was unfortunate that India, which uses terrorism as propaganda against Pakistan, has still not been able to complete its investigations.
He said despite the passage of four years “India somewhat conveniently asserts that its investigations are incomplete.”
“We do not know how many more years India would need to bring the perpetrators of the Samjhota terrorist act to justice, and provide relief to the families of the victims.
Asked about the way the case was being handled, the spokesman said “it doesn’t inspire much hope.”
The spokesman emphasized that India needs to bridge the gap between what it says and what it does.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/05/pakistan-regrets-slow-indian-investigation-into-samjhota-express-blasts.html
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Militants kill four ‘spies’ in northwest Pakistan: police
Feb 5, 2011
PESHAWAR: Militants shot dead four men for alleged spying and dumped their bodies outside a northwestern Pakistani town on Saturday, police said.
Police said they found four bullet-riddled bodies with notes from militants in their pockets outside Karak, a northwestern town near the lawless North Waziristan tribal district where Taliban militants are active.
“We found bodies of four men, they had been killed by shooting and notes in their pockets said they were spying for Indian and Jewish intelligence agencies,” district police chief Sajid Mohmand told AFP.
“We are trying to ascertain the identities of the dead men,” he said, adding that it was the first such incident in Karak.
The victims were aged between 20 to 40, Mohmand said.
A local intelligence official also confirmed the incident.
Militants frequently kidnap and kill tribesmen in the troubled region, accusing them of spying for the Pakistani government or for US forces in Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters have been waging a vicious insurgency for nine years.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/05/militants-kill-four-spies-in-nw-pakistan-police.html
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Seven killed in road accident near Hyderabad
Feb 5, 2011
KARACHI: Seven people were killed and eight others injured in a road accident at Tando Mohammad Khan Road near Hyderabad on early Saturday morning.
Initial reports said that a passenger van overturned near Hyderabad when its driver failed to control the over-speeding vehicle due to dense fog. The accident occurred near Seri Sugar Mills, a private television channel reported.
Traffic remained suspended on Tando Mohammad Khan Road for some time. The injured and bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/05/seven-killed-in-road-accident-near-hyderabad.html
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LeT hideout busted, OGW arrested in Jammu region
Feb 5, 2011
JAMMU: A joint column of the Army and the Police busted a hideout of LeT terror outfit today in the forests of Danne Top area of Chhatru of Kishtwar District while an Over Ground Worker ( OGW) was arrested in Kalakote of Rajouri district in Jammu region, army said
Following a specific tip off the joint column of the Army and the Police column launched search on the night of 04/05 and busted a hideout today in the forests of Danne Top area of Chhatru of Kishtwar at around 0915hrs here today, the defence spokesperson said.
He said that the troops busted a hide out in natural cave in the Danne Top and recovered a large cache of war like stores from the hide out allegedly belonged to LeT District Commander, Habib Gujjar alias Habibullah alias Salman who in recent times has been evading contact with Security Forces in the Chhatru – Keshwan . "The recoveries included one Pak origin pistol, two Chinese grenades, One Pak grenade, One UBGL grenade, Two magazines of pistol with five rounds, One magazine of AK-47 and 225
rounds of AK-47, One Chinese Binocular (Plastic Body) , Two Blankets and Two Kgs of rice, he added.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/LeT-hideout-busted-OGW-arrested-in-Jammu-region/articleshow/7431189.cms#ixzz1D5ZuUiSO
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Foreign secretaries of India, Pak to meet tomorrow in Thimphu
Feb 5, 2011
THIMPHU: Making a fresh attempt to restart the bilateral dialogue process, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir will meet here tomorrow during which the Indian side is expected to seek an update on the Mumbai attacks investigations and trial.
Rao and Bashir, who are here for the SAARC meeting of foreign secretaries and council of ministers, are expected to take stock of the bilateral ties and discuss whether some confidence-building initiatives could be taken.
This will be the first meeting between the Foreign Secretaries after the failed talks between the foreign ministers in July last year in Pakistan.
India, while keeping low the expectations from the meeting, has made it clear that it was ready to have discussions on all outstanding issues with Pakistan but through a step-by-step approach.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Foreign-secretaries-of-India-Pak-to-meet-tomorrow-in-Thimphu/articleshow/7431119.cms#ixzz1D5aCqfNa
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British officials described Zardari as numbskull: WikiLeaks
Feb 5, 2011
LONDON: In a damning assessment, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has been described by British officials as "highly corrupt" and a "numbskull".
The assessment of Zardari was made by officials and military leaders in the months after his election as president in September 2008, The Daily Telegraph reported citing documents leaked by whistle-blower website WikiLeaks.
Sir Jock Stirrup, then chief of the defence staff, told American diplomats that Pakistan was already in an "arguably worse" state a month after Zardari's election.
He said Although Zardari had made "helpful political noises", he's clearly a numbskull.
His comments were echoed by high-ranking British officials who said Zardari had "not much sense of how to govern a country" and "no goals beyond hanging on to power".
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/British-officials-described-Zardari-as-numbskull-WikiLeaks/articleshow/7432086.cms#ixzz1D5aUBP9i
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U.S. plotting Mubarak's exit: reports
Helene Cooper and Mark Landler
February 05, 2011
WASHINGTON: The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately, turning over power to a transitional government headed by Vice-President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military, said administration officials and Arab diplomats on Thursday.
Though Mr. Mubarak has balked, so far, at leaving now, officials from both governments are continuing talks about a plan in which Mr. Suleiman, backed by Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, chief of the Egyptian armed forces, and Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, the Defence Minister, would immediately begin a process of constitutional reform.
The proposal also calls for the transitional government to invite members from a range of opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, to begin work to open up the country's electoral system in an effort to bring about free and fair elections in September, the officials said.
Senior administration officials said that the proposal was one of several options under discussion with high-level Egyptian officials around Mr. Mubarak in an effort to persuade the President to step down now.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/05/stories/2011020564962100.htm
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Student killed during Army's ambush operation in Kupwara
February 05, 2011
A student was killed allegedly during an ambush operation of the Army in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, triggering protests by locals. Manzoor Ahmad Magray, 22, was allegedly shot dead by the troopers of 4 Para of the Army, who had laid an ambush in Chogal area of Handwara town, 85 kms from
Srinagar, in Kupwara district, official sources said.
The sources said the youth had ventured out during the night and the security forces challenged him.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/srinagar/Student-killed-during-Army-s-ambush-operation-in-Kupwara/Article1-658798.aspx
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Gilani may dissolve Cabinet soon
February 04, 2011
The Pakistani capital was today abuzz with reports that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would dissolve the federal cabinet in the next few days though there was no official word on such a possibility. The Pakistan People's Party-led government was reported to be weighing two options – whether to
dissolve the entire cabinet or to reduce its size to half in line with a landmark constitutional reforms package passed by parliament last year.
Reports also said that several key ministers could be dropped during the exercise.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Gilani are expected to chair a crucial meeting of the PPP's central executive committee later in the day to decide the matter, TV news channels reported.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan/Gilani-may-dissolve-Cabinet-soon/Article1-658476.aspx
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3 Pak ‘Spot-Fixers’ Face Criminal Charges In UK
Feb 05, 2011
British prosecutors on Friday initiated criminal proceedings against three Pakistani cricketers — former skipper Salman Butt and fast bowlers Moham-mad Asif and Mohammad Aamer — and a British businessman over spot-fixing allegations in the fourth Test at Lord’s in August 2010.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it “has authorised charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and also conspiracy to cheat” against the three cricketers and Mazhar Majeed, Pakistan-origin British businessman and agent, who was arrested in the spot-fixing scandal.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/3-pak-%E2%80%98spot-fixers%E2%80%99-face-criminal-charges-uk-660
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Pak to Release US Diplomat?
Feb 05, 2011
Washington: Double murder-accused US diplomat Raymond Davis, who is currently under Pakistani police detention, may be released soon, officials have indicated.
Two Pakistani officials in the United States told a foreign news agency that they expect Davis to be free in days, once the court goes over the documents submitted by US officials to prove his diplomatic status, Fox News reported.
US officials say the accused US consulate worker in Lahore acted in self-defence in shooting and killing two armed Pakistani men, who approached him on the street after robbing someone else.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/pak-release-us-diplomat-720
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As protests linger, Mubarak holds meeting with economy team
By SARAH EL DEEB
Feb 5, 2011
CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak assembled his economy team on Saturday in an effort to project calm as the country’s turmoil triggered global economic jitters and the standoff continued, with thousands of anti-government protesters remaining camped out on Cairo’s Tahrir, or Liberation, Square.
The political crisis that engulfed Egypt since Jan. 25 has cost the country an estimated $3.1 billion, with the ensuing violence driving a nation once seen as a pillar of stability to the brink of chaos.
The state MENA news agency said Mubarak’s meetings took place Saturday morning in the presidential palace in Heliopolis, a Cairo suburb miles away from the events in the city center. The report said the oil minister, the financial minister, the Central Bank governor and other top economy officials were present.
On Friday, a rally of nearly 100,000 anti-government protesters failed to force the ruler of 30 years to relinquish power despite pressure from the Obama administration for a swift exit to allow for a path toward democracy.
By noon Saturday, the mood among the crowd in Tahrir was calm, a marked contrast to clashes earlier in the week between anti-government protesters and Mubarak supporters.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251836.ece
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Archaeologist in Australia finds ancient sites near Jeddah via Google Earth
By MICHEL COUSINS
Feb 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Nearly 2,000 archaeological sites have been discovered east of Jeddah by an Australian archaeologist. Bizarrely, professor David Kennedy, from the University of Western Australia, has never set foot in the Kingdom. He discovered the sites from the comfort of his office in Perth, Western Australia, using Google Earth on his computer.
Altogether, Kennedy has identified 1,977 possible sites by looking at satellite images of a 1,240-square km area east of Jeddah. The find has been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. It includes what he thinks are 1,082 ancient stone tombs or “pendants,” so called because they are shaped like tear drops.
The professor, who specializes in archaeology of the Roman Empire in the Middle East and aerial archaeology, has worked mainly in Jordan. By comparing the Jeddah structures with others he has seen there, he thinks they may be 9,000 years old.
But without visiting the area, that cannot be verified.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article251445.ece
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Families frown upon marriage for younger daughter before older
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR
Feb 5, 2011
JEDDAH: Saudi families say they are stopping their younger daughters from marrying if they have older sisters who are unmarried.
They claim to do so might cause their older daughters emotional pain and lead to the perception that they are either unattractive or not good enough for marriage.
“We live in a small society where rumors run faster than light, and I don’t think I would allow my younger daughter to wed before my older one, as I fear people might think she is not good enough,” said Nesreen Jameel, a stay at home mother.
“Even if my younger daughter had more people proposing to her, I would reject them all until my older daughter gets married first.”
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article251349.ece
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Iraq PM says he'll cut his salary by half
Feb 5, 2011
BAGHDAD: Iraq's prime minister says he will return half of his annual salary to the government's treasury in a symbolic effort to narrow the gaps between the nation's rich and poor.
Nuri Al-Maliki's statement Friday came after Iraqi clerics and protesters warned leaders to heed public frustrations about the sagging economy and electricity shortages — or potentially face an uprising like those in Egypt and Tunisia.
Al-Maliki, who narrowly secured a second term in office after months of political negotiations, did not say how much he makes. He is believed to earn at least $360,000 annually.
He said he would cut his salary to reduce the pay disparity between leaders and government employees, as well as differing standards of living around Iraq.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251408.ece
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Israel bars Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa
By MOHAMMED MAR'I
Feb 5, 2011
RAMALLAH: Israeli authorities restricted access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday in a bid prevent demonstrations in support of the Egyptian uprising after prayers, sources said.
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine Sheikh Mohammed Hussein said that the Israeli police prevented thousands of Palestinians from attending the Friday prayers at the holy mosque.
Hussein said that the Jerusalem police allowed Palestinian men over the age of 50 carrying Israeli identity card to enter the mosque for the prayers. He added that the women's entry was not limited. The Israeli police confirmed the move.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article251397.ece
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Michigan mosque plot suspect gets rid of 'Shi'ite' lawyer
By JEFF KAROUB
Feb 4, 2011
DEARBORN, Michigan: A judge has appointed a new lawyer to represent a California man accused of threatening to blow up a Detroit-area mosque.
The change came Friday after 63-year-old Roger Stockham said in court he wanted to get rid of Mark Haidar, saying the defense attorney “is a Shiite” and a “patron of the mosque.”
Dearborn District Court Judge Mark Somers ordered Stockham to a holding area and said he would see about getting him a new counsel. He then appointed criminal defense attorney Matthew Evans.
Stockham made the statements during what was scheduled to be a preliminary examination on charges of making a false report or threat of terrorism and possessing explosives with an unlawful intent.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article250999.ece
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Um Al-Khayr Dam burst because of washed-away vehicles: Official
Feb 5, 2011
JEDDAH: A Jeddah Municipal Council official has said the reason the Um Al-Khayr burst dam on Jan. 26 was because the overflow outlet had been blocked by cars washed into it by flash flooding resulting from the huge downpour. This had caused waters to rise to dangerous levels. The burst dam caused massive flooding and extensive damage throughout the city.
Bassam Akhdar, a council member, displayed a film showing the vehicles that sealed the drainage outlet. He said the barrier had not been renovated over the past 40 years.
He demanded a permanent solution to drain floodwaters adding that the temporary steps taken in the Um Al-Khyar neighborhood were insufficient.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/incoming/article250993.ece
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UAE statute
respects free speech, says
Nahyan (Wam)
5 February 2011
ABU DHABI — The UAE Constitution respects dignity of individual, ensures equality, social justice, religious freedoms, freedom of expression and the press, said Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Friday.
He said this while receiving the visiting Kuwaiti media delegation headed by Ahmed Yousef Behbahani, Chairman of the Kuwait Journalists Association, at his palace here. The visit concurs with the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s National Day, the 20th anniversary of its Liberation Day and the 5th anniversary of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah’s accession to office.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/February/theuae_February120.xml§ion=theuae
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Israel, Palestinians float Gaza gas rapprochement
5 February 2011
JERUSALEM - Israel and the Palestinians are eyeing talks to develop a gas field off the Gaza coast and other initiatives for an independent Palestinian infrastructure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday.
The announcement anticipated a meeting on Saturday of world powers trying to revive peace talks mired by long-running Israeli-Palestinian disputes about West Bank boundaries as well as the inflexibility of Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers.
Middle East diplomacy has been thrown into further disarray by the weeks of political upheaval in neighbouring Egypt — the key regional powerbroker — and other Arab states.
Hosting peace envoy Tony Blair, Netanyahu said the “Gaza Marine” gas field should be tapped together with an Israeli field nearby.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/February/middleeast_February136.xml§ion=middleeast
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saboteurs-blow-up-egypt-gas/d/4072