Israel to build more settler homes

Plan for several hundred units in occupied West Bank announced a day after Palestinian attacker killed settler family. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 08:04 GMT

A 10-month Israeli freeze on new settlement construction expired in September last year [Reuters] The Israeli cabinet has approved the building of hundreds of new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, a day after five members of a settlement family were killed. The Israeli prime minister's office said the approval was a stern political message to Palestinians following the incident in a remote settlement over the weekend. A statement from Binyamin Netanyahu's office said the ministerial team on settlements decided on Saturday night to approve the construction of several hundred units at Gush Etzion, Maale Adumim, Ariel and Kyriat Sefer. According to The Associated Press news agency, the prime minister's office said in a text message to reporters that the construction will be in major settlement blocs that Israel expects to hold on to in any final peace deal. Netanyahu is expected to deliver a major policy speech soon, possibly proposing a Palestinian state within temporary borders as a way out of a longstanding negotiations impasse. But the Palestinians vehemently oppose such proposal, as it falls short of a contiguous Palestine state. The knife attack on Friday killed two young children, a baby and their parents, and is reported to be the deadliest in years. The Israeli military said suspects had been taken into custody but released no further details. The attack and housing approval both come at a delicate time, with pressure building on Israel to launch a new peace initiative and the Palestinians pushing for international recognition of an independent state – with or without a peace deal. The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Sunday condemned the "decision of the Israeli government to speed up and increase the building of settlements", said Saeb Erakat, the former chief Palestinian negotiator and senior PLO official. "[The PA] strongly condemns the settler attacks against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and we ask the Quartet [the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russia] to urgently intervene to stop the actions of the settlers," Erakat said. Nabil Abu Rudeina, a spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, also denounced the move as "a mistake" which was likely to create "big problems". "The decision taken to build new settlements is a mistake and unacceptable," he said in a statement. "It will destroy everything and will lead to big problems."

Source: Agencie

Oman ruler shifts lawmaking powers

Sultan Qaboos grants legislative powers to two councils, one elected and another appointed in a bid to stem protests. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 11:32 GMT

The decision is seen as an attempt to quell protests that rocked the Gulf country [AFP] Oman's ruler is granting lawmaking powers to officials outside the royal family in the boldest reforms yet aimed at quelling protests for jobs and a greater public role in politics. Sunday's decree by Sultan Qaboos bin Said follows sweeping cabinet shake-ups and promises for thousands of new civil service posts since demonstrations began late last month in the tightly ruled nation. The decree gives the abilities to make laws and regulations to two councils one elected and another appointed by the sultan. But it is not immediately clear if the sultan would retain veto power. Oman's protests are limited compared with the unrest Bahrain, but both nations are promised $10 billion each in aid from the Gulf Cooperation Council. Cabinet reshuffle Sultan Qaboos had last week ordered a major cabinet reshuffle after weeks of anti-government protests in the strategic Gulf state. The directive follows a mini-cabinet reshuffle that resulted in three senior government officials being replaced while protesters pressed demands for more reforms and an end to corruption. "The sultan of Oman has ordered a reshuffle of the council of ministers," a television announcer said, before reading the names of members of the reshaped cabinet. One protester was killed in clashes between police and demonstrators in the northern industrial city of Sohar last week, but Oman has been spared the turmoil that has gripped regional states like Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. A peaceful sit-in at a roundabout in Sohar entered its ninth day on Monday, with activists demanding the sacking of more ministers for alleged corruption. Another crowd has maintained an anti-corruption sit-in outside the consultative council in Muscat, the capital, which is the sultanate's equivalent of parliament but without legislative authority. Oman is the co-guardian with Iran of the strategic Strait of Hormuz entrance to the oil-rich Gulf. It has been ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said since he overthrew his father, Sultan Said bin Taymur, in a bloodless coup in 1970.

Source: Agencies

Egypt opens up political space

Military rulers move to scrap law that gave ex-president Mubarak virtual veto over establishment of political parties. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 09:36 GMT

The protesters complain that power handover is coming soon and will deny parties a chance to campaign [Reuters] Egypt's military rulers are opening up political space by scrapping a law that has severely restricted the formation of new political parties, a government official has said. The official, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to reporters, said on Saturday that the restrictions that gave ousted President Hosni Mubarak a virtual veto over establishment of political parties would be lifted after a referendum next week on constitutional changes. The move, the latest liberalisation of the strict regime of Mubarak, would pave the way for fair parliamentary and presidential elections. It comes days after Essam Sharaf, the new prime minister, unveiled a cabinet that includes new ministers for the key posts of foreign, interior and justice. The official said new political parties would only need to notify authorities of their formation. Under Mubarak, they had to receive approval from a committee dominated by the National Democratic Party (NDP), the ruling party which ensured the president's control over his rivals. 'Changes not enough' The referendum scheduled for March 19 asks Egyptians to vote on changes that would loosen restrictions on who could run for president, opening the field to independents and candidates from small opposition parties. Also, it would impose a two-term limit on future presidents. The previous system allowed Mubarak to rule for three decades and gave the NDP a veto over who could run against him. Critics say the changes are cosmetic and will neither change what they view as a faulty constitution, nor limit the powers of the next president. The protesters also complain the plan to hand over power to a civilian administration six months after the military took charge means that parliamentary elections would come too soon and deny new political parties a chance to campaign. They fear that political players, such as the NDP or the Muslim Brotherhood, would take control of a new parliament. The Brotherhood, Egypt's hitherto banned but best organised political group, welcomed the proposed amendments and said it will vote in favour. The group's spokesman, Essam el-Erian, said in a statement on the group's website on Saturday that the changes require a new parliament to write a new constitution that would meet further calls for change. Sadat suspects released Meanwhile , two cousins jailed for their role in the assassination of Egypt's president Anwar Sadat in 1981 were released on Saturday to a huge welcome, their lawyer, Nizar Ghorab, said. The military council ordered their release on Thursday. Abboud and Tarek el-Zomor served multiple sentences for the fatal shooting of Sadat during a Cairo military parade. Ghorab said they were kept in prison because Mubarak's regime feared their return to political life. The pair were convicted in 1984 of plotting the assassination and of belonging to the outlawed Islamic Jihad group - but not of actually killing Sadat. The five prime suspects, including the shooter, were captured and executed. Tarek el-Zomor was ordered released in July 2005, but he stayed in prison because of an interior ministry's discretionary power to hold a prisoner for up to five more years on security grounds. Abboud el-Zomor was also expected to be released after serving his term, but was kept behind bars on the same grounds.

Source: Agencies

Libyan rebels 'cleared of Brega'

State TV says forces loyal to Gaddafi "purged" rebels out of Brega, a major oil town as heavy shelling pounds the city. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 10:36 GMT

The rebels, most of them untrained fighters, have suffered a series of defeats at the hands of pro-Gaddafi forces [AFP] The Libyan armed forces, loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, have cleared "armed gangs" from the oil-rich town of Brega in the east, an army source said on Sunday on state TV. "Brega has been cleansed of armed gangs," the military source was quoted on Libyan state TV as saying. The report could not immediately be verified. Libyan TV has in the past issued faulty reports claiming territory. Pro-Gaddafi forces have been swiftly advancing on the poorly equipped and loosely organised rebels who had seized much of the eastern parts of the country. On Saturday, Gaddafi forces pushed the front line miles deeper into rebel territory to just 40km outside Brega, the site of a major oil terminal. The claim comes amid a string of setbacks for the rebels who lost several cities in the east to pro-Gaddafi forces. If confirmed, Brega's fall in the hands of Gaddafi loyalists would deal a serious blow to the opposition's morale and momentum. The AFP news agency quoted rebel sources as saying government forces were advancing from the west after seizing the town of Uqayla and the village of Bisher 20km from Brega. The sources said a few pockets were holding out near Bisher. Retreating fighters, most of them young, were seen on trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns along the coastal road heading towards Ajdabiya, 80km away, the gateway to the main rebel cities of Benghazi and Tobruk. No air activity was seen but artillery bombardments were continuing, according to rebel sources. An initial rush westward from their eastern strongholds had taken the rebels to beyond Ras Lanuf, 40km west of Brega, last week. But Gaddafi's deployment of superior forces has sent them beating a hasty retreat. Apart from defectors from Gaddafi's army, the rebels have no military experience and have few heavy weapons and are virtually powerless against air attack. Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, said: "We have to remember that this is not an organised army. This is a group of teachers, engineers, street cleaners - people who have had no association with weapons whatsoever. "And now they're coming up against very strong, well-equipped forces. And we are seeing a lot of casualties. Basically if it is not sorted out soon, then those casualty figures are going to go up and up and up. "It's not a very good situation at the moment; it is not looking very positive, quite the reverse." International pressure is growing for a no-fly zone to be imposed over Libya but the move, approved in a key resolution by the Arab League on Saturday in Cairo, still faces opposition from UN Security Council heavyweights Russia and China. The US, however, has hailed the Arab League decision as an "important step".

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Tear gas used on Bahrain protesters

Riot police also use rubber bullets to clear anti-government demonstrators from key financial hub in Manama. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 08:32 GMT

Police forced back protesters who had blocked a major road in the key financial district in the capital [Reuters] Riot police in Bahrain used tear gas and rubber bullets to force a group of anti-government protesters from a key financial hub, witnesses said. A large number of officers reportedly fired "dozens" of tear gas canisters to clear the area in front of the Bahrain Financial Harbour, a commercial district in the capital Manama. Demonstrators have been camped out in front of the site for more than a week, and on Sunday they threatened to form a human chain to block access to the facility. A number of people were injured in the Sunday morning crackdown and have been taken away in ambulances. Witnesses say riot police have also encircled Pearl Roundabout, which has been the focal point of protests in Bahrain for nearly a month. They reportedly used tear gas on demonstrators camped in the roundabout. "They are using tear gas in Lulu [Pearl Roundabout], and the riot police have circled the roundabout," a witness told Al Jazeera. "There were many injured because of the rubber bullets that they used in BFH [Bahrain Financial Harbour]." Hundreds of protesters are now reportedly moving towards Pearl Roundabout to join the group already there. Mohammed Al Maskati, the president of the Bahraini Youth Society for Human Rights who was participating in today's protests, told Al Jazeera that police used batons, tear gas and rubber bullets despite being told it was a peaceful protest. Al-Maskati said police continued to fire tear gas on people who came to help the protesters following the initial crackdown. Police injured Manama has been paralysed by protests for weeks, with thousands of people, frustrated by unemployment and economic inequality, camped in the main roundabout since mid-February. The protesters have also staged a number of marches on symbolic targets – the prime minister's office, the foreign ministry, and the state television building, among others. But the decision to occupy Bahrain Financial Harbour was controversial within Bahrain's increasingly fractious opposition. The sit-in outside the harbour was organised by a loose coalition of "youth protesters". The country's six formal opposition parties did not endorse the move. Meanwhile, Bahrain's interior ministry said eight police were injured during Sunday's operation to disperse protesters, including removing tents. There were "eight injuries among policemen... all were transferred to hospital," the ministry said on its Twitter page after announcing that police had fired tear gas to disperse some 350 protesters. The ministry urged protesters to "remain in the [Pearl] roundabout for their safety", insisting the operation was aimed at reopening King Faisal Highway next to the financial centre. Security forces had avoided the area since February 17 after six protesters were shot dead in a pre-dawn assault. A seventh died later of his wounds.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Japan on high nuclear alert

Official says a partial meltdown is "highly possible" as police chief says death toll could top 10,000. Last Modified: 13 Mar 2011 11:57 GMT A partial meltdown is likely under way at one nuclear reactor, a senior Japanese official has said, as operators frantically tried to keep temperatures down at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant's other units following a devastating earthquake and tsunami that may have killed as many as 10,000 people. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters on Sunday that a partial meltdown in Unit 3 of the Fukushima facility was "highly possible". "Because it's inside the reactor, we cannot directly check it but we are taking measures on the assumption of the possible partial meltdown," he said. About 170,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the area covering a radius of 20km around the plant. LIVE BLOG The Japanese prime minister said the current situation is the worst disaster the country has faced since the Second World War. "As to Friday's earthquake and tsunami and the current situation of the power plants in Fukushima, in the 65 years after the end of World War Two, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan in that period," Naoto Kan said in a televised address to the nation. He also said Japan is at risk of large-scale power outages and must save energy after the earthquake shut down some atomic power plants. He said that the power supply situation in affected areas was "extremely severe" and appealed for people's understanding of the need for phased, scheduled power cuts to avoid unscheduled power cuts which could cause enormous damage. Bodies recovered Japan dealt with the nuclear threat as it struggled to determine the scope of the earthquake, the most powerful in its recorded history, and the tsunami that ravaged its northeast on Friday with breathtaking speed and power. Hundreds of bodies were recovered on Sunday and Naoto Takeuchi, chief of Miyagi prefecture's policy force, said the death toll could top 10,000. He told state broadcaster NHK he had "no doubt" of that number of fatalities just in his prefecture - the region hardest hit by Friday's disaster. New footage shows the moment the massive tsunami slammed into Japan's coastline Strong aftershocks continued to shake Japan's main island as the search pressed on for survivors. Thousands of people have been taken to emergency shelters along the northeastern coast. The quake and tsunami damaged three reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which lost their cooling functions necessary to keep the fuel rods working properly. Dr Ilham al-Qaradawi, a professor of nuclear physics at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that even if a meltdown occurs, it might not necessarily become dangerous. "It depends on how this is going to be contained by the containment of the reactor," she said. "It could be that the reactor core would be completely damaged but there is no releases of radioactivity and that's the important part.. "Chernobyl is a much worse situation than this case. Despite the slight release of radiation I think these reactors have proven to be very good reactors ... so far in terms of radiation, contamination has not been very pronounced." Operators released slightly radioactive air from Unit 3 on Sunday, while injecting water into it as an effort to reduce pressure and temperature to save the reactor from a possible meltdown, Edano said. A meltdown refers to a very serious collapse of a power plant's systems and its ability to manage temperatures. A complete meltdown would release uranium and dangerous byproducts into the environment that can pose serious health risks. Explosion risk Edano warned of the risk of a second explosion at the Fukushima plant on Sunday, a day after a blast destroyed the building housing another reactor. However, he said the reactor would withstand it and there would be no adverse affect on the health of nearby residents. He said radiation levels briefly rose above legal limits, but that it has since declined significantly. On Saturday, an explosion destroyed the building housing the Unit 1 reactor, but not the reactor itself, which is enveloped by stainless steel 15cm thick. The cause of the blast was apparently a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen as some hydrogen gas was released to relieve pressure inside the reactor. Officials have said that radiation levels at Fukushima were elevated before the blast. At one point, the plant was releasing each hour the amount of radiation a person normally absorbs from the environment each year. Workers in protective clothing were scanning people arriving at evacuation centres for radioactive exposure. Officials said 22 people were known to have been exposed to radiation. Virtually any increase in dispersed radiation can raise the risk of cancer, and authorities were planning to distribute iodine, which helps protect against thyroid cancer. It is the first time Japan had confronted the threat of a significant spread of radiation since the greatest nightmare in its history, a catastrophe exponentially worse: the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States, which resulted in more than 200,000 deaths from the explosions, fallout and radiation sickness. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

South Sudan accuses north of plot to overthrow government

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM | Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:11am EST

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - South Sudan on Saturday accused Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir of plotting to overthrow the south's government before the secession of the oil-producing region in July.

Senior southern official Pagan Amum said the south would suspend talks with Bashir's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) about plans for the secession and would look into alternative routes for sending its oil to market, away from the north.

Southerners overwhelmingly voted to declare independence from the north in a January referendum promised in a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of north/south civil war.

"We in SPLM (the south's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement) have details of a plan by the NCP (Bashir's ruling National Congress Party) to overthrow the government of south Sudan before July," Amum, SPLM secretary general, told journalists.

"The NCP has been creating, training, supplying and arming militia groups in southern Sudan with the aim to destabilize and overthrow the government before July. This plan is being overseen by the president of the republic Omar Hassan al-Bashir himself."

Amum added southern President Salva Kiir had phoned him and asked the SPLM's negotiating team to look into finding alternative routes for the south's oil -- the lifeblood of the economies of both north and south Sudan.

"(Kiir) has directed us in the negotiating team to look into a possibility of stopping the export of oil of south Sudan through the north in July and see possibilities of alternative routes of transport other than northern Sudan," said Amum.

Amum said the SPLM had complained to the United Nations Security Council about a series of militia raids in its territory which it were being backed by Khartoum.

"For all these reasons, the SPLM is suspending discussions and negotiations with the NCP until they stop this conspiracy or until the Security Council investigates these and takes appropriate measures," said Amum in a news conference in Khartoum.

(Editing by Jon Boyle)