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Students wounded at King Khaled University protest in Saudi Arabia

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:17:04 GMT

Friday, March 9, 2012

Saudi Arabia

Other stories from Saudi Arabia

9 March 2012: Students wounded at King Khaled University protest in Saudi Arabia
9 March 2012: Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton present 2012 International Women of Courage Awards
10 February 2012: Egypt struggles to recover tourism, investment
25 January 2012: One year on: Egyptians mark anniversary of protests that toppled Mubarak
13 January 2012: Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world

...More articles here

Location of Saudi Arabia

To write, edit, start or view other articles on Saudi Arabia, see the Saudi Arabia Portal

Dozens of female students were injured on Wednesday after police and security forces stormed a demonstration at Abha's King Khaled University. Up to 1,000 students were protesting alleged corruption, discrimination, and failure to remove rubbish at two female campuses.

The protests were in the city of Abha.
Image: Fayez Salman.

University officials said law enforcement moved in after students attacked staff, and said intimidation by a guardian was behind the failure to clean rubbish. Awad Al-Qarni, the uni's head of PR, said students "saying their demands were not fulfilled" attacked staff on Tuesday. The next morning, he said, the administration offered dialogue to protestors but began using fire hoses and extinguishers on them when they "started destroying university property".

Students have said cleaning was never done properly. Reports suggest a crush of people injured some, with one report claiming a woman died in hospital after having a seizure, and another miscarried.

As well as police and security forces, the Department of Health, the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia), and the Red Crescent were on the scene. An Asir Department of Health spokesperson said twenty-two casualties were distributed between, at least, Asir Central, Ahad Rafidah General, Abha General, and Khamis Mushayt General hospitals, and military hospital, with 31 more treated on-site. Haia sent 50 commissioners and area spokesman Awad Al-Asmari denied they had injured anyone, saying they provided assistance to the protestors. "On the other hand," he said, "the Haia presence created a sense of peace and security in the girls".

	Faculty members and administrative officials treat us badly
—Student

One student said there were not enough chairs in lecture theaters, and that the administration ignored students; another said she "[doesn't] go to classes often because of the poor conditions in the university. Faculty members and administrative officials treat us badly." She described having "to walk on mounds of garbage that have accumulated close to the cafeteria". A parent said water taps did not work. All wished to remain anonymous or went only by their initials.

It is reported thirty professors have stepped down, with a protest demanding the president's resignation scheduled for tomorrow.

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Sources [edit]

"One dead after police storm Saudi women's university protest" — The Australian, March 10, 2012
"University students hurt in protests" — Arab News, March 9, 2012
"Women 'injured' in Saudi university protest" — BBC News Online, March 8, 2012

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Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton present 2012 International Women of Courage Awards

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:54:24 GMT

Friday, March 9, 2012

Human rights

Sister links [edit]

Category:International Women of Courage Award

Sources [edit]

"2012 International Women of Courage Award" — U.S. Department of State, March 8, 2012
"2012 International Women of Courage Award Winners" — U.S. Department of State, March 8, 2012
"Women Honored for Fighting for World ‘As They Know it Should Be’" — Voice of America, March 8, 2012
"Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton celebrate International Women’s Day at the State Department" — thepoliticalgirl.com, March 8, 2012
"First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks at the International Women of Courage Awards" — whitehouse.gov, March 8, 2012

External links [edit]

International Women’s Day
"International Women’s Day: 10 ways to celebrate" — The Washington Post, March 8, 2012
"International Women's Day: How it's celebrated around the globe" — CSM, March 8, 2012

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Egypt struggles to recover tourism, investment

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:36:41 GMT

Friday, February 10, 2012

Egypt

Tourism [edit]

The Sphynx was said to guard the city of Thebes by killing anyone who couldn't answer a riddle.
Image: Schreibkraft.

Egyptian tourism suffered this past year as a result of a revolution, a transition to an elected government, and continuing signs of unrest and instability.

The Egyptian Revolution began on January 25 last year and President Hosni Mubarak resigned over two weeks later on February 11. The protests have continued as Egyptians grew uncomfortable with the military's control over the transition. At the start of this month, 79 people were killed at a soccer event in Port Said.

Tourism in Egypt accounted for US$12.5 billion in 2010 but fell 30 percent, or US$8.8 billion, in 2011, according to Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, Egypt's tourism minister. Tourism accounts for 11.6 percent of Egypt's GDP.

Tourists visit The Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It holds 63 tombs and chambers for Pharaohs and nobles of the New Kingdom era. The valley is on the west bank of the Nile across from Thebes.
Image: Markh.

Last week, two U.S. female tourists and their Egyptian guide were abducted in the Sinai peninsula by Bedouin tribesmen and released shortly afterward.

The kidnapping took place in broad daylight on a busy road while the tourists travelled after a visit to St. Catherine's Monastery. Masked tribesmen stopped their bus, abducted the tourists by gunpoint, and escaped into the mountains. Three other tourists of unknown nationalities were left on the bus. Local authorities organized a search which ended in negotiations with local Bedouin tribesmen. The Bedouin demanded the release of recently apprehended tribesmen, who had been detained for drug trafficking and robbery. The US hostages were released unharmed, Abdel Nour said.

As a location, Egypt boasts ancient pyramids, the Nile River, Biblical sites like Mount Sinai, museums, and Red Sea coastal resorts. Last year the number of tourists plunged from fifteen million people down to nine million, which is a 40 percent drop.

A camel resting between rides at the Pyramids in Egypt.
Image: Crashsystems.

The low amount of tourism to Egypt has also affected tourism in other countries. Stas Misezhnikov, Israeli tourism minister, said that Israeli tourism is down because the flow of tourism from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh resort is "almost nonexistent right now."

Investment [edit]

Egypt's current investment climate is also severely hampered by the perception that the climate is not yet right for investment.

Mulyani Indrawati, managing director of the World Bank, said investors were not ready to get back into the markets of the Arab Spring countries until stability is restored but the situation has also been exacerbated by the precarious state of the regional and international economy.

Egypt's domestic politics is threatening one of the country's largest stable sources of foreign investment. The United States' annual military aid to Egypt accounts for US$1.5 billion. U.S. politicians have threatened to withhold that aid package, however, because of an investigation into pro-democracy NGOs that involve 19 American citizens and more U.S. money. Senator John Kerry said the Egyptian investigation is a "dangerous game that risks damaging both Egypt's democratic prospects and the U.S.-Egyptian bilateral relationship."

Faiza Abou el-Naga, who is the Egyptian minister who distributes Egypt's aid money, a former Mubarak loyalist who survived through the transition, and one of Egypt's most visible female politicians, claims the NGOs are meddling in her country's sovereignty. Both the Muslim parties who won the election and the generals in power are backing those hearings. Her argument that foreigners are meddling in Egypt also has a populist appeal.

The military government's slow transition is also stalling foreign investments. Khaled bin Mohamed al-Attiya, foreign minister of Qatar, said a few weeks ago his government is holding back from making US$10 billion in investments because power has not been transferred to an elected government. The other Middle Eastern countries that pledged investments, such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates are also waiting.

The Egyptian government announced this week that it was investigating Yasser el-Mallawany, an investment banker with EFG Hermes based in Cairo, for allegedly paying soccer fans to riot at Port Said, a charge which el-Mallawany dismissed and attributed to gossip.

Meanwhile, investors within Egypt are looking for other investment vehicles such as real estate as they fear holding cash in a period of devaluation.

Florence Eid, who is an expert on Middle Eastern economies at U.K. Arabia Monitor, said the situation throughout the Middle East could get worse. "People are frustrated because the reasons that they revolted against to begin with, are still there," Eid said. "Whoever said this was going to be smooth was naive."

Related news [edit]

"One year on: Egyptians mark anniversary of protests that toppled Mubarak" — Wikinews, January 25, 2012

Sources [edit]

"S&P downgrades Egypt on politics, currency fears" — The Economic Times, February 10, 2012

Alaa Shahine and Saleh Sarrar. "News Analysis: Egypt traders seek security in dollar" — Business Day, February 9, 2012

Patrick Werr (Reuters). "Egypt foreign reserves fall, add to pressure on pound" — The Daily News Egypt, February 8, 2012

Suleiman Al-Khalidi (Reuters). "Unrest clouds Mideast outlook: World Bank" — ArabNews.com, February 8, 2012

Ernesto Londono. "Woman behind Egypt's NGO pursuit a Mubarak holdover" — CBS News, February 8, 2012

Associated Press. "EFG Hermes’s CEO says travel ban is part of the pain of Egypt’s revolution" — The Washington Post, February 5, 2012

Eva Tasche. "Arab world battles to regain tourism market share after revolutions" — Bikyamasr, February 7, 2012

Ken Stephens. "Tourism’s mixed picture in ‘11" — The Jewish Week, February 7, 2012

Ashraf Sweilam, AP. "Gunmen free 2 Americans, Egyptian guide kidnapped near Mount Sinai" — Winnipeg Free Press, February 3, 2012

"US tourists seized in Egypt's Sinai peninsula freed" — BBC News Online, February 3, 2012

"Death Toll Climbs After Egypt Soccer Protests" — Channel3000.com, February 4, 2012

David D. Kirkpatrick. "Egyptian Soccer Riot Kills More Than 70" — New York Times, February 1, 2012

Al-Masry Al-Youm. "Qatar waiting for 'stability' before launching Egypt investment projects" — Egypt Independent, January 26, 2012

Ahmed Kamel. "Business: A year of ups and downs" — The Egyptian Gazette, January 25, 2012

External links [edit]

Egyptian Pound (EGP) in US Dollar (USD)

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One year on: Egyptians mark anniversary of protests that toppled Mubarak

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:32:07 GMT

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Egypt

Sources [edit]

Carina Kamel. "Egypt's economic crisis" — al-Arabiyah, January 25, 2012
Patrick Werr. "Tahrir Square on revolution anniversary" — Reuters, January 25, 2012
Tom Barkley. "US, Egypt Agree To Improve Trade, Investment In Wake Of Uprising" — The Wall Street Journal, January 25, 2012
"Jordan-Egypt trade weathers turmoil, continues to grow" — albawaba, January 25, 2012
Oren Kessler. "Egypt frees pro-Israel blogger after 10 months" — The Jerusalem Post, January 25, 2012
"Rifts on show a year after Egypt's uprising" — Reuters, January 25, 2012
Charles Levinson and Matt Bradley. "Egyptians Rally to Mark Revolution" — The Wall Street Journal, January 25, 2012
"Egyptians congregate in Tahrir to honor revolution" — The Tehran Times, January 25, 2012
Desmond Shepherd. "Egypt court calls for retrial of Hisham Talaat Mustafa murder case" — Bikya Masr, January 16, 2012
"Egypt tycoon Hesham Talaat Moustafa gets retrial-court" — Reuters, January 16, 2012
"Court quashes murder conviction of businessman linked to Mubarak" — Egypt Independent, January 16, 2012
Associated Press. "Mubarak prosecutor calls for death penalty" — The Associated Press, January 5, 2012
"Hosni Mubarak: Egypt prosecutors seek death penalty" — BBC News Online, January 5, 2012

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Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:47:37 GMT

Friday, January 13, 2012

Human rights

US-based action [edit]

Reports from across the United States show a number of communities taking local action to solve, or otherwise highlight, this global problem.

In Southern California, Sister Caritas Foster is an advocate for the area's victims of human trafficking. Commenting on the area's involvement, she stated: "We in the San Francisco Bay Area are one of the largest receiving areas with our borders and coasts". For over four years, Foster has worked on educating the public on human trafficking, speaking to civic and religious groups and describing the power traffickers hold over their victims through vivid accounts of situations trafficked individuals find themselves in. Many have no idea where they are located, suffer under the constant threat of deportation, and most often lack the language abilities to seek help.

Los Angeles politician Don Knabe said human trafficking was not a distant problem but one that hits close to home. As the county supervisor overseeing the fourth district in Los Angeles County, Knabe cited figures from the Probation Department showing 84 percent of arrests of children on prostitution charges in 2010 were in his district; he believes the overall problem for the county is much larger, and wants the Probation Department to establish a special unit dedicated to sexually exploited minors.

Northward in Seattle, Washington, members of the King County Sheriff's department realized that law enforcement had to deal supportively with the symptoms of human trafficking — rather than putting victims in jail. This gave birth to the "Genesis Project" where sheriff's deputies offer potential victims of trafficking a comfortable safe haven with amenities for 24 hours, and put them in touch with social services for counselling, job training, and education advice.

Politicians from several states have sought to address the connection between tourism and human trafficking; Indiana's state Senate unanimously passed a human trafficking bill on Tuesday morning. Current legislation only considered forced marriage and prostitution as human trafficking; loopholes in the existing laws allowed some forms of human trafficking to escape prosecution. Lawmakers in the state hope to toughen their human trafficking laws, and have new legislation on the statute books in time for the Super Bowl, due to be held in Indianapolis on February 5. The just-passed bill now goes to the House for approval.

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Also on Tuesday, lawmakers from Hawaii held a special hearing on human trafficking. Kathryn Xian, of Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, says traffickers capitalize on the state's tourist-based economy. She introduced a package of seven bills she says will help prevent human trafficking in the state.

At a national level, the US government continues to work abroad on the issue of trafficking; Luis CdeBaca, a special ambassador for human trafficking, is working with Myanmar, commonly known as Burma, as the country seeks to improve diplomatic relations with the United States. Myanmar was identified by the US State Department as having one of the worst records of forced labor, and as a country that lacks necessary laws to curb human trafficking.

Trafficking, the global picture [edit]

File image of a Nepali mother who travelled to Mumbai, India, hoping to rescue her teenage daughter from an Indian brothel.
Image: Kay Chernush, US State Dept..

Although National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is a US-based effort to recognise, and highlight, this issue — as a topic of global concern being highlighted through the United Nations, others around the world continue efforts to increase public awareness and tackle trafficking.

Forty-six women from the international group Operation Mobilization sought to raise awareness by climbing Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro. The summit is called "Uhuru Peak", with Uhuru meaning "freedom" in Swahili. Each of the non-professional climbers raised US$10,000 to help those affected by human trafficking.

In the Middle East, several countries are reported to have problems with human traffickers recruiting unemployed gay Kenyan men to become sex slaves. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supposedly the more-common destination countries into which Kenyans are lured with offers of high-paying jobs. However, in the United Arab Emirates — where no law prohibits trafficking, but homosexuality is illegal — the problem is compounded.

Enforcement of existing laws, and acting against trafficking, are seen as key steps in reducing the activity. Showing that no country is unaffected, Northern Ireland police are currently investigating five sex trafficking cases; and, on Monday, Filipino police rescued fifteen women following a tip-off regarding women recruited, and being held, prior to being sent to work abroad.

In the Northern Ireland situation, Detective Superintendent Philip Marshall stated that fifteen men are to be contacted, suspected of having paid for sex with trafficked women. Identifying victims within the UK, or victims seeking help, is becoming more challenging with the sex industry having switched to using hotel rooms as-opposed to street corners. Many victims of trafficking are found to be unaware of where within the country they are.

In the Philippines situation, Zamboanga City police are still seeking the recruiter of the fifteen women rescued in Rio Hondo.

A range of complexities are involved in the sentencing of both those convicted of human trafficking, and their victims. In one Canadian case, 43-year-old Hungarian Lajos Domotor pled guilty to trafficking men and women into forced labor. Following being charged with conspiracy to commit human trafficking, he developed terminal stomach cancer and has been given a 10 to 15 percent chance of living five years.

In the UK, officials are seeking to detect exploitation prior to sentencing — as a counter to the high number of foreign women in jails, frequently having been victims of trafficking. One in seven women prisoners across England and Wales are foreign, with the primary offenses being drug or immigration-related. A report into the issue recommends sentencing decisions should consider the role of women, and of coercion, in such cases.

Artists also have a special role to play in the education and awareness of the public. The first opera about sex trafficking will premiere in Liverpool, England, on March 7. Anya17 was composed by Adam Gorb with a libretto written by Ben Kaye. Performers will come from Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic contemporary music ensemble 10/10. Funding for the production was provided in part by the United Nations.

Sources [edit]

This article is a featured article. It is considered one of the best works of the Wikinews community. See Wikinews:Featured articles for more information.

AP. "US Envoy: Myanmar Weak Against Human Trafficking" — ABC News (United States), January 11, 2012
"PSNI to visit men who paid for sex with trafficked women" — BBC News Online, January 11, 2012
Liz Dossa. "The lure of a better life: Human trafficking in the Bay Area" — Catholic San Francisco, January 11, 2012
Press Association. "Women 'coerced into offending'" — Mid Sussex Times, January 11, 2012
"Women's climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro shouts for Freedom from trafficking" — Mission Network News, January 11, 2012
Brandi Kruse. "Project rescues victims of sex trade in King County" — MyNorthwest.com, January 11, 2012
Bong Garcia. "15 human trafficking victims rescued" — Sun.Star, January 11, 2012
Krista Henery. "Human trafficking bill passes Senate" — WLFI-TV, January 11, 2012
Nicole O’Reilly. "Human trafficker pleads guilty" — The Hamilton Spectator, January 11, 2012
Malia Zimmerman. "Sex Trafficking Victims, Advocates, Lobby Hawaii Legislators for Stronger Laws" — HawaiiReporter.com, January 10, 2012
Paul Chavez (Marina del Rey Patch). "Knabe Raises Issue of Child Prostitution" — Patch Media, January 10, 2012
"Gay Kenyan men trafficked as sex slaves" — UPI, January 10, 2012
Helen Carter. "Opera aims to tackle the issue of human trafficking" — The Guardian, January 9, 2012
Hillary Clinton. "Remarks on the Release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report" — U.S. Department of State, June 27, 2011
Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. ""What Is Trafficking in Persons?", Trafficking in Persons Report 2011" — U.S. Department of State, June 27, 2011

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Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia dies

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:05:30 GMT

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Saudi Arabia

Other stories from Saudi Arabia

9 March 2012: Students wounded at King Khaled University protest in Saudi Arabia
9 March 2012: Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton present 2012 International Women of Courage Awards
10 February 2012: Egypt struggles to recover tourism, investment
25 January 2012: One year on: Egyptians mark anniversary of protests that toppled Mubarak
13 January 2012: Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world

...More articles here

Location of Saudi Arabia

To write, edit, start or view other articles on Saudi Arabia, see the Saudi Arabia Portal

Prince Sultan, in 1990.
Image: US federal government.

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, died in his eighties. He was King Abdullah's half brother and had been battling colon cancer since 2004.

He died in New York, where he had been getting treatment since 2009 for his terminal cancer.

He served as First Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and was Minister of Defence and Aviation from 1963 to 2011. With his death, Prince Nayef, aged 78, is considered most likely to become the next in line to the throne.

He was also a strong supporter of the US after the events of 9/11.

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Sources [edit]

"Officials: Saudi Arabian crown prince dies at New York hospital" — CNN International, October 23, 2011
"PM sends condolences to grieving Saudi King" — The Star (Malaysia), October 23, 2011
"Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud dies" — BBC News Online, October 22, 2011
"Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz dies in New York" — msnbc.com, October 22, 2011

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Saudi Arabian women gain right to vote, run in elections

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:39:42 GMT

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Saudi Arabia

Other stories from Saudi Arabia

9 March 2012: Students wounded at King Khaled University protest in Saudi Arabia
9 March 2012: Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton present 2012 International Women of Courage Awards
10 February 2012: Egypt struggles to recover tourism, investment
25 January 2012: One year on: Egyptians mark anniversary of protests that toppled Mubarak
13 January 2012: Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world

...More articles here

Location of Saudi Arabia

To write, edit, start or view other articles on Saudi Arabia, see the Saudi Arabia Portal

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced women will be allowed to vote in the country and run for municipal elections there. The modifications will apply from 2012.

Abdullah made this announcement at the start of a new Shura Council term. In a speech, the king said "we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with sharia" and so made the decision "to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from next term". Abdullah clarified that female adults "will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will even have a right to vote." Such changes are to be put in place "according to Islamic principles," he said. Muslim women, he continued, "must not be marginalised in opinion or advice".

Activists have sought women's right to vote in Saudi Arabia for years. As it stands, women in Saudi Arabia cannot drive, nor travel without male permission, based on Sunni Islam principles.

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Sources [edit]

"Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections" — BBC News Online, September 25, 2011
"Saudi king gives women right to vote" — AFP, September 25, 2011

External links [edit]

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia on Wikipedia.

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Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait recall ambassadors to Syria

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:55:06 GMT

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Syria

Sources [edit]

"Syria: Region steps up pressure on Assad regime" — BBC News Online, August 8, 2011
"Three Arab Countries Recall Ambassadors to Syria" — The New York Times, August 8, 2011

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UN passes LGBT rights resolution

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 02:00:03 GMT

Saturday, June 18, 2011

LGBT

Sources [edit]

Frank Jordans (Associated Press). "In first at UN, human rights body passes resolution against gay discrimination" — Toronto Star, June 17, 2011
"UN Human Rights Council passes gay rights resolution" — Deutsche Welle, June 17, 2011

Sister links [edit]

LGBT rights by country or territory on Wikipedia.

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Osama bin Laden killed in U.S. operation in Pakistan, White House says

Mon, 02 May 2011 03:18:48 GMT

Monday, May 2, 2011

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Al-Qaeda

Celebrations in U.S.; European Parliament says world is 'safer'

Following the President's announcement, people started gathering in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., Times Square and Ground Zero—the site of the World Trade Center—in New York, to celebrate; singing the national anthem. Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, said he hoped the death of bin Laden would "bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001".

The U.S. government is reportedly expecting al-Qaeda to soon release what they are likely to call a "martyr tape"—an audio recording made by bin Laden to be broadcast after his death.

Although the death of the 54-year-old bin Laden, who was the most wanted person in the world, was greeted with celebration in the U.S., analysts have warned that al-Qaeda will "undoubtedly" launch a retaliatory attack. "I think the significance of what has happened cannot really be overstated," John Gearson, director of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London, said.

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President Obama's announcement of the news.

"There will be concerns that there could be some sort of retaliation, that al-Qaeda may well want to demonstrate that they are still strong and still in the game." He warned that U.S. officials may "lose their focus" after such a major victory, "and that will provide an opportunity for the remnants of al-Qaeda to reform and grow stronger."

	I can report to the American people and to the world, that the U.S. has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
—Barack Obama

Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, appealed to Islamic militant fighters to use the opportunity of bin Laden's death to abandon their groups. "Our message to the Taliban remains the same, but today it may have even greater resonance: you cannot wait us out," she said. "You cannot defeat us. But you can make the choice to abandon Al Qaeda and cooperate in a peaceful political process."

The president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, said that "we have waken up in a safer world", with the news bringing "safety to millions of people", whilst U.S. senator John McCain sought to remind the American people to "be mindful that al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies are still lethal and determined enemies". The Kremlin reiterated that "revenge is inescapable for all terrorists", and that "only a joint struggle against global terrorism can bring a result".

The United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, William Hague, sought to remind people bin Laden was "the world's most prominent leader", going on to say that "it was of great importance that he was still alive and active, and it is unequivocally a good thing that he is no longer able to pursue terror, murder and mayhem in the world". Mentioning that security at British embassies worldwide have been increased in the wake of the news, he reiterated that the death of the al-Qaeda leader was a "serious blow", and that, "like any organisation that has suffered a serious blow, they will want to show in some way that they are still able to operate".

Americans gather at Ground Zero—the site of the World Trade Center—in New York to celebrate the death of bin Laden.
Image: rxb.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, welcomed the news, along with many other European countries. He praised the "tenacity" of the U.S. attack, congratulating the "major blow" the move dealt to al-Qaeda. Eight French citizens were killed last week in a bomb blast in Marrakesh, and, although no group has yet claimed responsibility, it is speculated that al-Qaeda were behind the attack. Sarkozy paid homage to them, as well as other around the world, saying the "victims received justice today and France has thoughts for them and their families".

	It is unequivocally a good thing that he is no longer able to pursue terror, murder and mayhem in the world.
—William Hague, British Foreign Secretary

Pakistani involvement

Pakistani officials were not informed of the planned raid, with the White House saying this was "essential to the security of the operation and our personnel". However Obama emphasised that cooperation with Pakistan had helped in finding bin Laden. The operation, described by one senior White House official as "a surgical raid by a small team designed to minimise collateral damage", was not intended to take bin Laden alive. "It was a kill mission", said one security official. Bin Laden died after being shot in the head.

Witnesses in Abbottabad have described how the U.S. forces carried out the raid on the compound, which had significant security features, including walls up to 18-foot high topped with barbed wire. "We saw four helicopters at around 2am. We were told to switch off lights of our homes and stay inside," one witness, who lives in the town of Bilal in Abbottabad, said. The man confirmed he had seen the wreckage of the U.S. military helicopter which crashed after experiencing mechanical difficulties.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the U.S. "operation was conducted [by] U.S. forces in accordance with declared U.S. policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by the U.S. forces, wherever found in the world", noting that almost "30,000 Pakistani civilians" had been killed in terrorist attacks in recent years, with the "nation fully united in [its] resolve to eliminate terrorism".

	We saw four helicopters at around 2am. We were told to switch off lights of our homes and stay inside.
—Witness in Abbottabad, Pakistan

However, Pervez Musharraf, a former president of Pakistan, criticised the U.S. involvement, describing the operation as a "violation of [Pakistani] sovereignty," and saying the raid was a "a failure of both Pakistani and U.S. intelligence"; he stressed it would have been "far better" if the Pakistani Special Services Group had carried out the attack. Musharraf went on to say he was "surprised" bin Laden was found in Abbottabad, but added the terrorist leader "had declared war against Pakistan", and that the news came as a "victory for the people of Pakistan and all the peace loving people of the world".

The news that bin Laden was hiding just a few hundred metres from Pakistan Military Academy, a similar institution to the U.S. West Point Academy or the UK Sandhurst, has been met with embarrassment on behalf of the Pakistani government, and scepticism from others. "This is a serious blow to the credibility of Pakistan", according to one Pakistani security analyst. Earlier today, Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai maintained he knew bin Laden was in Pakistan: "For 10 years we told NATO and the world community but for ten years they didn't listen to our voice. They burned Afghanistan for ten years but Osama was in Islamabad."

Photograph of Obama and his national security team awaiting updates on the strike mission, yesterday.
Image: The White House.

Whilst many governments worldwide welcomed the death of bin Laden, more than 800 people marched in the Pakistani city of Quetta, paying homage to bin Laden and burning a U.S. flag. According to the organizer, "Bin Laden was the hero of the Muslim world and after his martyrdom he has won the title of great mujahed". At the march, pro-Taliban and anti-United States sentiments were chanted, before the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan have denied that bin Laden has been killed, although in a conference call to several Pakistani media outlets, a rebel spoksperson threatened to seek revenge: "If Bin Laden attained martyrdom, then we will avenge his death and we will attack the governments of Pakistan and the United States and their security forces".

Although no images of bin Laden's body have been released, the Obama administration is, according to ABC News, in possession of gruesome photographs: a "massive head wound" where he took a bullet, with "blood and brains clearly visible".

The price of oil has dropped following the announcement after speculation that the death of bin Laden will lower the risk of supply disruption in the Middle East, with a barrel of crude oil for June delivery falling by $1.92.

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Sources

Wikipedia has more about this subject:

Death of Osama bin Laden

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Remarks by the President on Osama bin Laden

AFP. "Hundreds join first Pakistan rally to honour bin Laden" — Herald Sun, May 2, 2011
"Press Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Killing of Osama bin Laden" — The White House, May 2, 2011
"Obama’s Remarks on Bin Laden’s Killing" — New York Times, May 2, 2011
"Reports: Osama bin Laden dead Derek Cheng and Hayden Donnell" — NZ Herald, May 2, 2011
Simon Mann. "Osama bin Laden dead: reports" — Sydney Morning Herald, May 2, 2011
Julie Pace. "Sources: Al-Qaida Head Bin Laden Dead" — ABC News, May 2, 2011
"CIA operation kills Osama bin Laden in Pakistan" — Los Angeles Times, May 2, 2011
"Al Qaeda Leader Osama Bin Laden 'Is Dead'" — Sky News, May 2, 2011
Simon Mann. "Osama bin Laden dead" — Brisbane Times, May 2, 2011
Mark Hosenball and Jeff Mason. "Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden dead, Obama says" — Chicago Tribune, May 2, 2011
Associated Press. "Crowds Gather In NYC, DC After Bin Laden Killed" — NPR, May 2,2011
Richard Adams. "Osama bin Laden is dead - reaction" — The Guardian, May 2, 2011
Declan Walsh, Richard Adams. "Osama bin Laden is dead, Obama announces" — The Guardian, May 2, 2011
Press Association. "Al-Qa’ida 'will strike back'" — The Independent, May 2, 2011
Press Release: "Death of Osama bin Ladin" — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Pakistan), May 2, 2011
"Osama bin Laden dead: live news and reaction" — The Guardian, May 2, 2011
Christian Schmollinger and Ayesha Daya. "Oil Drops Most in Two Weeks After U.S. Says Bin Laden Killed in Pakistan" — Bloomberg, May 2, 2011
Press Trust of India. "Osama's killing: US lawmakers warn Al Qaeda exists" — Business Standard, May 2, 2011
Reuters. "U.S. official: Osama bin Laden has been buried at sea" — Haaretz, May 2, 2011
"Russia welcomes killing of bin Laden - agencies" — Reuters, May 2, 2011
Donovan Slack and Farah Stockman. "Bin Laden dead" — The Boston Globe, May 2, 2011
Toby Harnden. "Osama bin Laden killed: how the deadly US raid unfolded" — The Daily Telegraph, May 2, 2011
Reuters. "US team's mission was to kill Osama bin Laden, not capture" — Jerusalem Post, May 2, 2011
Bonnie Malkin, Ben Hazell, Tom Chivers. "Osama bin Laden killed: live coverage" — Daily Telegraph, May 2, 2011
"US has violated our sovereignty: Musharraf" — NDTV, May 2, 2011
Press Release: "Foreign Secretary: "Need to remain vigilant against al-Qaeda"" — UK Foreign Office, May 2, 2011
Vaiju naravane. "Fight against al Qaeda must continue: Sarkozy" — The Hindu, May 2, 2011
"TTP says Osama bin Laden alive" — Yahoo News, May 2, 2011
"Bin Laden´s Death Confirmed, Taliban Vows Revenge" — Escambray (newspaper), May 2, 2011
"Bin Laden remains buried at sea; DNA work confirms death" — The Star, May 2, 2011
"FBI slaps 'Deceased' on bin Laden wanted poster" — Agence France Presse, May 2, 2011
"Osama bin Laden, the face of terror, killed in Pakistan" — CNN, May 1,2011
Peter Baker, Helene Cooper, Mark Mazzetti. "Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says" — New York Times, May 1, 2011
Jake Tapper. "White House Officials Debate Releasing Photographs of Bin Laden’s Corpse" — ABC News, May 2, 2011
"World 'safer' without Bin Laden, says Obama" — BBC News Online, May 2, 2011
S.I. Rosenbaum. "Osama's sister's brain: the Boston Connection" — The Phoenix, May 2, 2011

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Poverty rises as food prices increase

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:27:01 GMT

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Various grains.
Image: Rainer Zenz.

The World Bank, an organization that provides loans to developing countries, warned Thursday that rising food prices are driving millions of people deeper into poverty.

Robert Zoelick, World Bank president, said that food prices have risen 36% over the last year, pushing 44 million more people into poverty since last June. About 1.2 billion people are extremely poor.

He warned that a further increase of 10% in the cost of food would move an additional 10 million persons into extreme poverty, and there was no sign of a near term reversal in the inflation of food prices, which affects the developing world disproportionately.

"We have to put food first and protect the poor and vulnerable, who spend most of their money on food," said Zoellick. “The general trend lines are ones where we are in a danger zone… because prices have already gone up and [food] stocks are relatively low,” he said.

	The general trend lines are ones where we are in a danger zone.
—Robert Zoelick, World Bank president

The cost of the basic foods, such as wheat, maize and soy are all surging. Only rice has shown a slight decrease in price.

The steep rise in the cost of food is being driven by a combination of factors, including bad weather in food exporting areas such as Russia, Ukraine, North America and China, rising energy costs that increase the cost of producing and transporting food, and the incentives for farmers in many countries to produce crops for biofuels instead of for food.

"The linkage between food and fuel is much tighter than it was ten years ago," said Zoellick.

Additionally, the change in diet of the growing middle class in developing countries means they consume more meat and pork products which take increased grain to produce and drives up the price of feed stocks.

	The linkage between food and fuel is much tighter than it was ten years ago.
—Robert Zoelick, World Bank president

National food investment and export policies of some wealthier countries are affecting poorer nations. For example, China is acquiring large amounts of land in Africa to grow food for the needs of the Chinese; Saudi Arabia has given up wheat production to invest overseas for food, and a drought in Russia has led it to implement an export ban on wheat.

Zoellick spoke in Washington at the opening of the meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He hopes to discuss food policies with officials of the G-20 countries to develop a "code of conduct" on export bans and to encourage these countries to do more to increase food production and aid developing countries in managing agricultural problems.

On Saturday, the World Bank and the IMF issued "Global Monitoring Report 2011: Improving the Odds of Achieving the MDGs" which said the world was still on track toward reaching a key goal of reducing the number of the world's people living in extreme poverty and hunger by half, to 883 million, by the target date of 2015. Most of the world's progress is due to fast growth in India and China, while African countries are behind.

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Sources [edit]

Ekow Quandzie. "Increasing food prices pushes people deeper into poverty – World Bank" — Ghana Business News, April 16, 2011
Patrick Kisembo. "Food price inflation threatens world poor -WBank" — IPP Media.com, April 16, 2011
"'More countries closer to MDG targets, but poorest countries need urgent help'" — panapress.com, April 16, 2011
Philip Brasher. "Food prices pushing world to poverty's 'danger zone'" — DesMoinesRegister.com, April 15, 2011
Philip Aldrick. "World Bank: Food prices have entered the 'danger zone'" — The Telegraph, April 14, 2011
"Food prices: World Bank warns millions face poverty" — BBC News, April 14, 2011

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Qatar becomes first Arab country to fly fighter jets over Libya

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:33:50 GMT

Libya

Sources [edit]

Wikipedia has more about this subject:

2011 Libyan uprising

Reuters. "Qatar fighters patrol Libyan air space" — RIA Novosti, March 25, 2011
Hadeed Al-Shalchi (Associated Press). "Qatar becomes 1st Arab country to fly over Libya" — Statesman.com, March 25, 2011
Jason Burke. "Qatar's decision to send planes to Libya is part of a high-stakes game" — guardian.co.uk, March 24, 2011

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Six killed and hundreds injured in Bahrain

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 23:48:35 GMT

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Bahrain

Sources [edit]

"6 killed, 1,000 injured in Bahrain" — PressTV, March 16, 2011
"6 dead as Bahrain security forces sweep into protest camp" — TheGlobeAndMail News, March 16, 2011

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Middle Eastern troops enter Bahrain after protests

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:23:56 GMT

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Bahrain

Sources [edit]

"Gulf states send forces to Bahrain following protests" — BBC News Online, March 14, 2011
"Saudi Arabian troops enter Bahrain as regime asks for help to quell uprising" — The Guardian, March 14, 2011
"Iran slams Saudi invasion of Bahrain" — PressTV, March 14, 2011

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Saudi Arabia announces 149 al-Qaeda arrests in last eight months

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:17:05 GMT

Saudi Arabia

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Saturday, November 27, 2010

149 people have been arrested by Saudi Arabia over alleged al-Qaeda connections in the past eight months, it was announced yesterday. 2.24 million riyals (£400,000; $600,000) has been confiscated, as have weapons.

Mansour al-Turki of the interior ministry identified three wholly independent networks — all unaware of each other — and multiple smaller cells. "We have foiled about 10 attacks... I cannot say if oil installations were also targeted or not," he said, claiming al-Qaeda recruit within the nation, take people abroad to train and then send them back.

The announcement follows a similar one in March in which 113 were arrested over alleged attack plots against oil and security targets. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter. Authorities say targets of the newly-foiled attacks included officials and journalists.

Of the 149, 124 are locals and twenty-five were foreigners. Links to Yemen, Somalia, and Afghanistan are reported; nationalities are given as originating in Africa, South Asia, and the Arab states.

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Sources [edit]

Summer Said. "Saudis Arrest 149 Al Qaeda Suspects" — The Wall Street Journal, November 27, 2010
Margaret Neighbour. "Saudi police arrest 149 suspected terrorists" — The Scotsman, November 27, 2010

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	The resolution before us today ... seeks to initiate a dialogue which will contribute to us ending discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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	The Human Rights Council has taken a first bold step into territory previously considered off-limits.
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