Month: March 2011

Beirut, March 01: Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt said Monday Lebanon would have to either side with the Arab-Muslim axis or the Israeli-Western one after neutrality proved to be a non-existent choice in politics.

Jumblatt, who realigned fully alongside Syria and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah after withdrawing his support for caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s March 14 coalition, said Hezbollah’s weapons were a guarantee against Israeli aggression.

Beirut, March 01: Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri began his first day in the opposition Monday with a blistering attack on Hezbollah, saying the group’s weapons have become a national problem that was poisoning the political and cultural life in Lebanon and needed a national solution.

Hariri also accused Hezbollah of using its weapons internally in the past three years to influence political disputes in its favor, culminating recently with the ouster of Hariri’s Cabinet and the subsequent appointment of Hezbollah-backed former Prime Minister Najib Mikati to form a new government.

Ankara, March 01: The Turkish Prime Minister yesterday issued a stinging rebuke to Germany over its treatment of Turkish immigrants.

In remarks that highlight the resentment that has built up over the European Union’s continued refusal to allow Turkey to join the club, Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted the Berlin Government’s attempts to integrate its 3.5 million Turkish immigrants, and said policies that encouraged them to renounce their culture and speak German were a “violation of international law”.

Cairo, March 01: The European Union has imposed an arms embargo, travel bans and other sanctions on the Libyan regime amid mounting pressure against Tripoli’s killing of protesters.

The EU approved a package of sanctions, including an arms embargo and bans on travel to the bloc, against Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi and his closest advisers on Monday, Reuters reported.

The bloc’s 27 member states also agreed to freeze the assets of Gaddafi, his family and government, and ban the sale of goods such as tear gas and anti-riot equipment that can be used against pro-democracy protesters.

Manama, March 01: Mass protests in Bahrain have shown no sign of a decline after nearly two weeks as protesters are demanding the ouster of the ruling regime and parliamentarians to resign.

Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters marched out of Pearl Square in Manama on Monday towards Bahrain’s appointed chamber of parliament, Reuters reported.

They gathered outside the parliament building, demanding that all deputies resign over the government’s use of deadly force against protesters.

Sohar, March 01: Protesters set a supermarket ablaze and rallied at two places in this seaside town today in a third consecutive day of unrest that has included deadly clashes in the strategic Gulf nation.

Security forces sealed off main roads to Sohar, about 120 miles (200 kilometres) northwest of the capital of Muscat, in an attempt to isolate the protesters and keep crowds from swelling.Omar al-Abri, an official at the state-run Oman News Agency, said one person was confirmed dead Sunday after police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in Sohar.

Tehran, March 01: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Western policies have led to atrocities by dictatorial regimes and the consequent suffering of people in the Middle East.

Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, Salehi criticized the West for its support of authoritarian rulers around the region, and urged Western countries to heed the Middle East nations’ calls for independence and basic rights, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Tripoli, March 01: At least two people have been killed and another seriously injured as armed loyalists of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi open random fire on people.

The incident occurred in the city of Misrata when “pro-Gaddafi gunmen opened fire on passersby in a drive-by shooting,” AFP quoted a witness as saying on Monday.

“Two people were martyred and one was seriously wounded,” the witness added.

Fighting flared earlier in the day in Misrata, Libya’s third city which lies 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Tripoli.

Riyadh, March 01: Saudi Arabia is sending some 30 tanks to Bahrain which were sighted late Monday along the King Fahd causeway linking the two countries, witnesses say.

Pro-democracy protests in Bahrain have shown no sign of decline after almost two weeks. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the government, constitutional reforms and the king’s abdication.

Witnesses said that the causeway was blocked as “15 tank carriers carrying two tanks each were heading towards Bahrain,” Egypt’s al-Masry al-Youm daily reported in its latest edition.

Tehran, March 01: Israeli soldiers have shot dead a Palestinian scrap collector near a town along the Gaza Strip’s northern border, Palestinian medical sources say.

The Palestinian man was gathering gravel on Monday in an area north of Beit Lahiya when an Israeli soldier fired at him, killing him on the spot, Adham Abu Selmiya, a spokesman for medical services in Gaza, told AFP.

“A Palestinian worker collecting gravel was martyred after being shot by Israeli occupation forces,” he said, adding that the victim’s body was taken to Kamal Adwan hospital in the Gaza City.

Tehran, March 01: Iranian craftsmen have unveiled the whole text of the holy Qur’an woven in carpet pages in a meeting with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the exquisite handicraft during the Monday ceremony, describing it a great honor for the Islamic Republic.

Cairo, March 01: Egypt’s public prosecutor has frozen the assets of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and banned him and his family from travelling abroad while investigating accusations of fraud and corruption.

The prosecutor issued an order freezing the accounts and assets of Mubarak, his wife Suzanne, his two sons Ala and Gamal, and their wives, on Monday, a spokesman for the prosecutor said.

A Cairo criminal court has set March 5 as the date to look into the complaints that Mubarak and his family had acquired wealth through illegal means.

Kabul, March 01: Separate militant attacks and bomb explosions have killed several US-led soldiers across war-ravaged Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan officials say.

The causalities come after an improvised explosive device (IED) struck a military patrol in an area of western Herat Province, a Media correspondent reported.

Officials say at least one Italian soldier was killed and four others were wounded in the powerful explosion.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack and said five Italian soldiers lost their lives in the assault.