Islamic World

Israel, June 24: Israelis moving to the West Bank accounted for more than a third of settler population growth in recent years, undercutting Israel’s argument that it is continuing settlement construction only to accommodate growing families already living there.

The so-called “natural growth” rationale for building on land the Palestinians claim for a future state has vaulted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into an unusually vocal and public clash with the Obama administration, which has come out strong against continued settlement expansion.

London, June 24: Anguish and angst… a young Iranian woman who bled to death on a Tehran pavement after being shot at has become the symbol of a new Iran for hundreds of netizens who have flooded networking sites with their postings.
Neda Soltan, 26, was shot in the chest Saturday during an anti-government demonstration against the presidential election that voted Mahmoud Ahmedinejad back to power. As she fell to the ground on the crowded Tehran street, her last moments were captured on a mobile phone.

Makkah, June 24: A huge fire tore through the 46-year-old historic Makkah TV building in old Zaher District Tuesday, leaving behind a pile of debris, but the transmission from Makkah will remain in full swing, authorities said.

The fire started at 3:00 P.M. due to a short circuit of the air-conditioner in the photocopying unit, according to preliminary investigations, said Lt. Gen. Adel Zamzami, Chief of the Makkah Civil Defense Department.

Tehran, June 24: A losing candidate in Iran’s disputed presidential election formally withdrew complaints of vote rigging Wednesday, state television reported, opening a rift among those who had challenged the outcome even as other opponents called for continued protests.

Iran Mohsen Rezai, a former hardline commander of the Revolutionary Guards, had complained that he had evidence of 900,000 votes cast for him, while the official count was 680,000, less than two percent of the turnout in the official tally of 40 million.

Tehran, June 24: Iran’s Air Force has successfully conducted the final phase of a large aerial maneuver over the Persian Gulf.

“At the final stage of the aerial maneuver, dubbed Milad-Noor-Velayat, on Wednesday, fighters of the Iranian Air Force successfully hit predetermined targets to test new domestically-made armaments,” Air Force pilot Brigadier Hossein Chit-Foroush, spokesman for the maneuver, told reporters.

Tehran, June 24: Iranian riot police and militiamen appear to have halted protests in the capital, Tehran, after days of clashes over the country’s disputed election.

Residents say the city is quiet, but opposition supporters have called for a day of mourning on Thursday for those killed during the protests.

Barack Obama has condemned the “unjust” violence used against protesters.

Meanwhile, reports say four Iranian footballers who appeared to show solidarity with them have been banned.

Diplomats expelled

Riyadh, June 24: As part of the ongoing urgent measures to combat swine flu, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health is set to present a comprehensive precautionary plan to the Royal Court for final approval.

The ministry has also constituted an extensive scientific committee to take up urgent steps within the coming fortnight. This was disclosed by Dr. Khaled Al Zahrani, assistant undersecretary for preventive medicine at the ministry.

Tehran, June 24: Iran’s economy stood in shambles and its international status was at a nadir. Disturbed by the leadership of then-President Ali Khamenei, Prime Minister Mir Hussain Mousavi wrote him a letter and threatened to resign, according to news accounts at the time.

Today, Mousavi, 67, finds himself again facing off against Khamenei, now the country’s spiritual leader, as the figurehead of a surprise reform movement.

Dubai, June 24: Close to one thousand Iranian residents gathered in Dubai for a silent candle-lit vigil to mourn the killing of Neda Agha Sultan, the woman who has become the symbol of the movement contesting the Iranian presidential election results.

The group gathered on the beach next to the Hilton hotel in Jumeirah Beach Residence holding candles and posters. While most of the posters showed pictures of Neda, few were of political slogans calling for Iran’s “freedom.”

Ramallah, June 24: Critics accused Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of exceeding his mandate and challenging President Mahmoud Abbas by declaring a goal of statehood within two years.

Fayyad, a former IMF economist, is far from popular with many in the Fatah party, the dominant faction of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) which, led by Abbas, is the strongest political force in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Cairo, June 24: Leading scholars have reacted sharply to the controversial remarks made by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy on the wearing of burqas by Muslim women.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is “not qualified” to judge Muslim women’s dress code, said Muslim clerics in Cairo, reacting to his branding of full-body veils as a sign of servitude.

“This man is not qualified to tell Muslim women what they should or should not wear,” said Mustafa Al Shaka, a member of the Islamic Research Centre, an influential arm of Al Azhar – the Sunni world’s prestigious institution.

Dhulum, June 23: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) issued warning Monday against 48 brands of cookie products which have been found to be tainted with a potentially deadly form of E. coli.

Some of these products are feared to be locally available.

The SFDA is taking measures that these products are taken off the shelves.

The warning comes after 66 people in 28 US states fell sick after eating the tainted cookie dough.

Jeddah, June 23: The Council of Ministers ordered Monday the expansion of municipalities by dividing them into five groups listed as A,B,C,D, and H. It also ordered to convert 44 rural complexes into Group D municipalities.

The Cabinet chaired by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, also postponed by a few weeks the new academic year for all students at all educational levels. The new academic year will now begin on October 3 instead of September.

Jeddah, June 23: Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who was appointed deputy commander of the National Guard on Sunday, said he would continue his efforts to further strengthen the National Guard in all areas.

Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, he thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan for vesting their confidence in him. “I deem this appointment as a medal of honor conferred upon me,” the prince said, adding that it would encourage him to put greater efforts in the service of the nation.

Jeddah, June 23: The Council of Ministers yesterday highlighted Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s pioneering role in unifying Arab ranks and supporting Arab and Islamic causes in international forums.

“King Abdullah has also worked to strengthen the unity of humanity by fostering international dialogue between followers of different faiths and cultures,” the Saudi Press Agency said quoting the Cabinet.

Tehran, June 23: Iran’s president and new cabinet will be sworn in before parliament between July 26 and August 19 following the presidential election, the official said today.

“Parliament’s board of directors set July 26 to August 19 as the period for the president’s swearing-in and the introduction of the new cabinet,” it said.

It did not specifically mention President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was declared the winner of the June 12 election despite opposition complaints of irregularities.
–Agencies

Cairo, June 23: Iran’s top electoral body said on Tuesday that it found “no major fraud” and will not annul the results of the June 12 election, closing the door to a do-over sought by angry opposition supporters alleging systematic vote-rigging.

Since the vote, Iranian government officials have repeatedly suggested that a revote is extremely unlikely. However, Tuesday’s announcement by Iran’s top electoral body, the Guardian Council, was the clearest yet in ruling out a do-over.

Tehran, June 23: Iran was bracing for pro-government student protests against the British embassy in Teheran on Tuesday as the world voiced increasing alarm at the violent crackdown on opposition demonstrators.

Hundreds of riot police armed with steel clubs and firing tear gas, many riding on motorbikes, put down an opposition rally in the capital on Monday after the Revolutionary Guards warned it would crush further protests.

Cairo, June 23: An analysis by a British think tank highlights profound differences between voting patterns in Iran’s recent election and hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first victory in 2005, casting doubt on whether they could have occurred without manipulation.

The analysis by the London-based Chatham House could provide ammunition for supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the pro-reform candidate who claims he was the true winner in the June 12 election.

Cairo, June 23: Riot police cracked down anew on demonstrators in Iran’s capital on Monday hours after the feared Revolutionary Guard threatened to crush any further post-election protests. A witness described an ‘air of sadness’ marked by people wailing prayers into the night.

Security forces used tear gas and fired live bullets in the air to break up a group of about 200 protesters paying tribute to a young woman whose apparent shooting death was captured on video and circulated around the world, witnesses said.

Cairo, June 23: She lies in the Teheran street with her headscarf half-off, blood pooling around her jeans and white sneakers.

‘Don’t be afraid, Neda dear, don’t be afraid,’ a white-haired man says desperately in Persian. Another man presses on her chest, trying to keep her alive.

Scarlet blood gushes from her nose and mouth and courses across her pale face. Men and women scream in horror as they realize she is dead or dying.

Abu Dhabi, June 23: Around 600 top 10th and 11th grade academic achievers will be offered an opportunity by Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), to travel to Canada, Australia and New Zealand for studying English language and information technology.

Makkah, June 23: A huge fire gutted about 50 shops in the Industrial Estate of the city on Monday.

Over 20 firefighting teams were engaged in dowsing the fire which took them about an hour-and-a-half. Four members of the firefighting teams suffered suffocation and slight injuries and first-aid was provided to them on the spot.

The Civil Defense declared a state of alert as firemen continued to fight the blaze and well-equipped Red Crescent medical vehicles were stationed at the location to respond to any emergent situation.

Dubai, June 23: A cut in service charges at Discovery Gardens by Nakheel has failed to placate apartment owners.

The master developer vowed on Monday to lower service charges by Dh5 per square feet. However, residents claim that the reduction was insufficient.

Michael Aldendorff, spokesman for the 150 apartment owners who have signed a petition to lower the fees, said that the group was considering legal action.

“There is no way that Nakheel can justify these exorbitant service charges,” he said. “We do not even have swimming pools yet, but we pay more than other areas.

Abu Dhabi, June 23: Officials from the General Directorate of Naturalisation and Residency in Al Ain held talks on Sunday with representatives of the Philippine, Sri Lankan and Indonesian embassies to discuss the welfare of domestic helpers in Al Ain City.

“Generally, we were very happy with the officials who wanted to help us in protecting the rights of the household workers in Al Ain,” Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, First Secretary and Consul at the Philippine Embassy told.