16 December 2014
MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN 16 DECEMBER 2014 NO: 1864 1. IRAQ, .................................................................................................................................... 4 Abadi To UAE ................................................................................................................................4 Iraq, Southern Korea conclude MoU in military cooperation ......................................................4 MP calls government to start security operation to liberate Tikrit district .................................4 Speaker: Freedom of media outlets considered priority to political multiplicity ........................5 Abadi shows surprise over HRW's call to cancel death verdict against Alwani, Hashimi's Secretary...............................................................................................................................................5 PM meets with Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi................................................................................5 Allawi calls tribes to combat ISIL terrorists ..................................................................................5 Barzani ratifies Official Languages law in KR ................................................................................6 MP calls Abadi to reconsider distribution of Iraqi missions abroad.............................................6 Speaker, Mladenov discuss relieving displaced citizens ..............................................................6 Romania stresses its desire to consolidate mutual relations with Iraq .......................................7 Iran hails high security of Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq..................................................................7 Permanent Representative of Iraq in New York meets President of Security Council ................7 Maliki's coalition calls for the division of Tikrit and targets it by Sukhoi and artillery .................7 Tribal leader: We have not received one dinar from the government’s allocations and Abadi must move ............................................................................................................................................8 Jubouri: We will stand in front of any vague legislation that undermines the freedom of expression ............................................................................................................................................8 15 ministers, civil and military Emirati official receive Abadi and his accompanying delegation 8 Iraq grateful for the contribution of UAE in responding to ISIS ...................................................9 ISIL threatens to commit a massacre in Heet ...............................................................................9 Iraq says 2,700 missing since ISIS onslaught in June ................................................................. 10 Iraq’s Premier Has Narrowed Nation’s Divide ........................................................................... 10 China Signaled It May Join Operations Against ISIS In Iraq ....................................................... 10 ISIS in Iraq release pictures of mass execution ......................................................................... 11 2. SYRIA ...................................................................................................................................11 Australians returning from Iraq and Syria, are likely responsible for "Chocolate Lint" ............ 11 French Police Dismantles Takfiri Network Sending Fighters to Syria, Iraq ............................... 11 EU support UN efforts for Aleppo ceasefire.............................................................................. 12 Syria PM in Iran for talks with key ally ...................................................................................... 12 Syria rebels capture key Idlib army bases ................................................................................. 12 Lebanese minister says negotiations with ISIS, Nusra "back to zero"....................................... 13 EU ministers discuss how to freeze Syrian fighting ................................................................... 13 Islamist rebels capture 2 key army bases in Syria ..................................................................... 13 Cairo Calls for Finding Political Solution to Crisis in Syria.......................................................... 14 Indonesian nabbed in Malaysia for helping militants go to Syria ............................................. 14 Female fighters battle for freedom and equality in Syria ......................................................... 14 Journalist murders in Syria a shocking new trend -press freedom report ................................ 14 UN resolution violated in Syria, says humanitarian chief ......................................................... 15 Sayfa 1 Nearly 300 Chinese fighting alongside IS in Iraq, Syria: Report ................................................ 15 IRAN ....................................................................................................................................16 Iran condemns deadly Sydney hostage-taking, identifies gunman by another name .............. 16 Terror bomb victims demanding Iran's .ir will appeal US ruling ............................................... 16 Iran’s oil minister in Doha for GECF........................................................................................... 16 Iran ready to exports food stuff to Russia ................................................................................. 17 S Khorasan vies for foreign investment ..................................................................................... 17 Iran Book Capital, opportunity for private sector ..................................................................... 17 Mutual trust key factor in expansion of Iran-Armenia cooperation ......................................... 18 Daily comments on advantages of Iran-Turkey proximit .......................................................... 18 P5+1 internal discord can ruin talks .......................................................................................... 18 ISRAEL – PALESTINE..............................................................................................................19 Palestinians push UN bid to end Israeli occupation .................................................................. 19 Displaced Gazans struggle to rebuild ........................................................................................ 19 Israeli soldiers shoot, kill Palestinian man during arrest ........................................................... 19 Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian near Ramallah............................................................................ 20 Israel prime minister seeks US veto on statehood for Palestine .............................................. 20 Israel seeks US block of Palestine statehood bid ...................................................................... 20 Palestinian killed in early morning clash with troops ................................................................ 20 UN Security Council discusses Palestinian issue........................................................................ 21 Liberman: We Will Not Be Dictated by the PA's Demands ....................................................... 21 JORDAN and LEBANON.........................................................................................................22 3. 4. 5. Jordan says no plan to push for quick U.N. vote on Palestine .................................................. 22 Jumblatt rejects 'false promises' in hostage crisis .................................................................... 22 Lebanon, U.N. seek $2.14B for refugees ................................................................................... 22 Saudi deputy crown prince calls for presidential solution ........................................................ 23 Doubts cast over hostage mediator appointment .................................................................... 23 Jordan, Saudi kings discuss ISIS in talks ..................................................................................... 23 Lebanon, UN unveil response plan to Syrian refugee crisis ...................................................... 24 KRCS launches new "Ragheef" campaign for Syrian refugees in Jordan................................... 24 Improved ranking on corruption index due to integrity, good governance initiatives — Khawaldeh ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Jordan says no plan to push for quick UN vote on Palestine .................................................... 25 Community violence a ticking time bomb — officials ............................................................... 25 6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA ....................................................................25 Saudi policeman killed in Riyadh hostage-taking ...................................................................... 25 Saudi security officer killed in Riyadh ........................................................................................ 26 Fingerprinting declared compulsory in Saudi Arabia ................................................................ 26 Top separatist shot dead in South Yemen................................................................................. 26 New Saudi ministers take oath of office ................................................................................... 27 GCC states offer excessive care to Syrian refugees in Lebanon ................................................ 27 Hamad affirms Bahrain’s commitment to fighting terrorism.................................................... 27 Reward offered for absconding domestic worker..................................................................... 28 Leadership congratulated by Senior Royal family members and officials ................................ 28 Sayfa 2 HM King Hamad pardons 105 convicts ..................................................................................... 28 Qatari Premier receives Vietnamese Deputy Premier .............................................................. 29 EGYPT ..................................................................................................................................29 Egypt briefly detains three over alleged sabotage talk ............................................................. 29 Muslim clerics urge Interpol to "rapidly" remove Qaradawi from wanted list ......................... 29 British embassy in Cairo re-opens after nine-day hiatus .......................................................... 30 World Bank urges Egypt to make reforms before investor conference.................................... 30 Rationale of ruling banning the return of the Campus Guard .................................................. 30 Russian Deputy prime minister in Cairo ahead of 2015 Putin Visit........................................... 30 40 alleged Brotherhood members referred to military court over vandalism acts .................. 31 Egyptian presidency approves US-Egypt agreements ............................................................... 31 Court revision of electoral constituencies law makes it constitutional: Official ....................... 31 Egypt's top religious authority condemns Sydney attack ......................................................... 32 NORTH AFRICA.....................................................................................................................32 Libya clashes force oil port closure ........................................................................................... 32 Algeria presses for Libya dialogue ............................................................................................. 32 Speaker of HPR receives members of Kheireddine Circle ......................................................... 33 France willing to support Tunisia in what remains of its transition .......................................... 33 US Expert Praises Morocco’s Reforms in Religious Field .......................................................... 34 Italian Senate delegation to visit Tunisia soon .......................................................................... 34 Libya’s crisis: more co-ordination between Maghreb states and European partners urged.... 34 Ras Jedir open and under full control of Libya Dawn ................................................................ 35 EU to Back Morocco’s Justice and Health Reforms With MAD 1.76 Billion .............................. 35 Decentralisation and local governance in era of decentralised democracy ............................. 35 AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN ..................................................................................................36 7. 8. 9. Medvedev, Abdullah Meet In Astana ........................................................................................ 36 Afghan forces kill 19 militants in several provinces .................................................................. 36 Explosive laden vehicle seized in Kabul ..................................................................................... 36 Malala, Satyarthi in Oslo for Nobel Peace Prize ceremony ....................................................... 36 Scores killed in attack on Pakistan school ................................................................................. 37 Pakistan Taliban 'kill 100' in assault on Peshawar school ......................................................... 37 10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................................................................37 King inaugurates KADDB joint venture with Turkish company ................................................. 37 Turkey condemns terrorist attacks in Afghanistan ................................................................... 38 Turkish defense firm launches joint venture with Jordan ......................................................... 38 Turkish aid agency supports Gaza's needy ................................................................................ 38 Sayfa 3 1. IRAQ, Abadi To UAE Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi headed to the United Arab Emirates on an official visit, at the official invitation for talks on the development of cooperation between the two countries in all fields. " A statement from the Information Office of the Prime Minister said today, " Abadi will discuss with officials in Emiratis issues related to the fight against terrorism, and the processes of construction, investment and support the reconstruction of the liberated cities, as well as for closer cultural ties between the two countries." More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HIJEIG Iraq, Southern Korea conclude MoU in military cooperation Iraq has singed a Memorandum of Understanding with Southern Korea in military cooperation field on Monday. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense declared in a statement received by Iraqi News ”The Minister of Defense, Khalid Motup al-Obaydi, concluded the memorandum with his Korean counterpart where Korea pledged to offer all the support for the Iraqi security forces in the field of military training to support the Iraqi forces in their battle against the terrorism forces such as what is so called the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.” More Details: http://www.iraqinews.com/features/iraq-southern-korea-conclude-mou-in-military-cooperation/ MP calls government to start security operation to liberate Tikrit district MP, Muafaq al-Rubaiye, of the Iraqi National Alliance called the government to start a security operation to liberate Tikrit district from the ISIL terrorists. Rubaiye stated in a press statement received by IraqiNews.com “The government must conduct a wide security operation in Tikrit district to liberate it from the ISIL terrorists who will result in liberating Salah il-Din province compeletely.” More Details: http://www.iraqinews.com/features/mp-calls-government-to-start-security-operation-to-liberatetikrit-district/ Sayfa 4 Speaker: Freedom of media outlets considered priority to political multiplicity The parliament Speaker, Saleem al-Jobouri, stated during the Iraq and the National Directions Conference for the Freedom of Media that the freedom of the media outlets is considered as a priority to the political multiplicity. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61883-speaker-freedom-of-mediaoutlets-considered-priority-to-political-multiplicity.html Abadi shows surprise over HRW's call to cancel death verdict against Alwani, Hashimi's Secretary The Premier, Haider al-Abadi, showed surprise over the call of the Human Rights Watch to cancel the death verdicts issued against the former MP, Ahmed al-Alwani, and Rasha al-Husseini the Secretary of the former Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi. A statement by Abadi's office received by AIN cited "Abadi is surprised over this call where the government supports the judiciary and never interfere in the judicial decisions where Abadi has no authority to interfere in this issue." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61884-abadi-shows-surprise-over-hrwscall-to-cancel-death-verdict-against-alwani-hashimis-secretary.html PM meets with Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi The Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, met with the Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayyid Al-Nihayan. A statement by Abadi's office received by AIN cited "Abadi and the accompanying delegation were received by Al-Nihayan at Abu Dhabi International Airport where Abadi stated that his visit aims at developing the mutual relations and help in sustain security in the region." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61886-pm-meets-with-heir-apparent-ofabu-dhabi.html Allawi calls tribes to combat ISIL terrorists The Vice-President, Ayad Allawi, called the tribes to participate in combating the ISIL terrorists. A statement by Allawi's office received by AIN cited "Allawi met with a tribal delegation of Madain and Jisr Diyala areas where he assured that the last chance for saving Iraq is to cooperate with the government in fighting the ISIL terrorists and eliminate the corrupted officials within the governmental institutions." Sayfa 5 More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61885-allawi-calls-tribes-to-combat-isilterrorists.html Barzani ratifies Official Languages law in KR The President of Kurdistan Region ratified the law of the Official Languages in Kurdistan Region. Barzani's Media Advisor, Tariq Jawhar stated to AIN "Barzani ratified the Official Languages law which was endorsed by the parliament." Jawhar added "The law refers to the Kurdish and Arabic languages as official one in KR, whereas the other Turkmen, Siryan and Arman are considered officials in the areas that are of their majority residents." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61887-barzani-ratifies-official-languageslaw-in-kr.html MP calls Abadi to reconsider distribution of Iraqi missions abroad MP, Hamdiya al-Husseiny calls the Premier, Haider al-Abadi, reconsider the distribution of the Iraqi missions abroad. Speaking to AIN, she said "The funds and the privileges that the officials get in the Iraqi embassies abroad are considered a means for wasting the public fund in addition to the funds that they spend to educate their children on the expenses of the Iraqi State." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61889-mp-calls-abadi-to-reconsiderdistribution-of-iraqi-missions-abroad.html Speaker, Mladenov discuss relieving displaced citizens The Parliament Speaker, Salim Al-Jubouri discussed with the UN Representative for Iraq, Nikolay Mladenov the means for enhancing the international support to Iraq in field of relieving the displaced people. The Speaker Jubouri welcomed the UN representative for Iraq on Monday where they discussed the UN efforts in relieving the displaced families and returning them to their regions. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61908-speaker-mladenov-discussrelieving-displaced-citizens.html Sayfa 6 Romania stresses its desire to consolidate mutual relations with Iraq The head of the Foreign Policies Council associated to the Romanian parliament, Pietro Philip, stressed his country's keenness to upgrade the bilateral relations between both countries. The Iraqi Ambassador for Bucharest, Omar Al-Barazanchi met with the Philip where the ambassador reviewed the political developments in Iraq and the Iraqi government's steps towards eliminating terrorism as well as the country's need for friends. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61904-romania-stresses-its-desire-toconsolidate-mutual-relations-with-iraq-.html Iran hails high security of Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on Monday hailed security of the Arbaeen mourning ceremony in Iraq. In a message to Iraqi Prime Minister Heydar al-Ebadi, he congratulated the Iraqi government, armed forces and the volunteers' ability to guarantee security of the Arbaeen mourning ceremony. Shamkhani thanked Iraqi nation for their hospitality towards Iranian pilgrims. Success of the security plan set for the event showed the fact that the Iraqi nation can overcome its enemies including the Takfiri terrorist groups without the help of foreign troops, he added. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61916-iran-hails-high-security-ofarbaeen-pilgrimage-in-iraq.html Permanent Representative of Iraq in New York meets President of Security Council The Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations, Mr. Mohammed Ali Hakim, met Head of the UN Security Council for the current month Ambassador Sharif Mohammed Zini. A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received by AIN cited "The two sides discussed the draft resolution on the smuggling of Iraqi antiquities and property." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/61917-permanent-representative-of-iraqin-new-york-meets-president-of-security-council.html Maliki's coalition calls for the division of Tikrit and targets it by Sukhoi and artillery Member of State of law coalition, Mwafaq al- Rubaie called on Monday, the government to begin a security process for the Liberation of Tikrit from ISIS terrorist organization, in preparation for the Liberation of the entire province of Salahuddin. Rubaie said in a statement issued by the media Office Sayfa 7 received by “Shafaq News", that "the government must implement a large-scale security operation in Tikrit district in preparation for the Liberation of the entire province of Salahuddin." More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12472-maliki-s-coalition-calls-for-the-division-of-tikritand-targets-it-by-sukhoi-and-artillery Tribal leader: We have not received one dinar from the government’s allocations and Abadi must move Albu Mahal clan western Ramadi city called on Monday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to open an investigation into the disappearance of funds allocated from the federal government to provide support to the clans that are fighting ISIS organization . Ashour Hammadi , one of the clan elders Albu Mahal told “Shafaq News", that "we were surprised by yesterday's remarks of the President of the Provincial Council , Sabah al-Karhot in which he said that he gave the clans amounts allocated by the federal government for their support in fighting ISIS elements . More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12473-new-scandal-tribal-leader-we-have-notreceived-one-dinar-from-the-government-s-allocations-and-abadi-must-move Jubouri: We will stand in front of any vague legislation that undermines the freedom of expression Iraqi Parliament Speaker, Salim al-Jubouri pledged on Monday, that the parliament will prevent any legal legislation that could lead to a reduction of the freedom of expression of opinion regarding audio-visual and print media in the country. Jubouri said in a speech during a conference held by the media and telecoms board for freedom of expression globally, attended by "Shafaq News", that "We have proven today that the press and the media in our country has become an indispensable space, and through what you are doing to deliver voices of public opinion, and work to educate citizens in the aspects of democratic transition in the country. " More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12475-jubouri-we-will-stand-in-front-of-any-vaguelegislation-that-undermines-the-freedom-of-expression 15 ministers, civil and military Emirati official receive Abadi and his accompanying delegation Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his accompanying delegation have arrived, on Monday to the United Arab Emirates on an official visit to the state. According to the official WAM news agency Sayfa 8 reported in news that, General Sheikh Mohammed bins Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces were in the airport upon Abadi’s arrival to greet him”. The agency said that Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr , Chairman of the Federal National Council, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor to the Vice President of the Executive Council , Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister ,Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of Presidential Affairs , Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister ,Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy , Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs , Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi , Minister of Justice, head of the honorary escort mission that accompany the guest mission in the country , Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Mazrui, Minister of Energy , Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi , Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs , Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Ali Bin Hamad Al Shamsi, Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Council, Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Deputi of the office of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Abdullah Ibrahim al-Zoee al- Shehhi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq were all in the reception of Abadi. More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12476-15-ministers-civil-and-military-emirati-officialreceive-abadi-and-his-accompanying-delegation Iraq grateful for the contribution of UAE in responding to ISIS Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi confirmed the gratitude of his country to the UAE for supporting it in facing ISIS and its contribution to its reconstruction, at a time when the Crown Prince of the UAE , Mohammed bin Zayed said that his country is ready to stand with the Iraqi people to achieve security, stability and prosperity. Abadi, who arrived the UAE today said that he is looking forward that this visit would achieve its goals to expand cooperation in all fields, pointing out that "This visit comes as a part of the Iraqi government to open up to the brotherly countries so as to promote common interests, security, stability and progress for all peoples and nations of the region." More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12480-iraq-grateful-for-the-contribution-of-uae-inresponding-to-isis ISIL threatens to commit a massacre in Heet A senior security official in the Ministry of Defence said that the so called the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant threatens to kill all employees and citizens in a number of villages in Heet sub- district. The Official stressed that all security forces and tribal fighters must take all preparations to prevent a major disaster and rescue those employees and citizens. He told PUKmedia that ISIL distributed message in the district of Heet threatening government officials and demanding them to join their Sayfa 9 work in 4 days, and anyone who contravene the decision, he will be punished and his house will be confiscated. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=25533 Iraq says 2,700 missing since ISIS onslaught in June At least 2,700 people, mostly soldiers, are missing as a result of attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group in Iraq, the Iraqi human rights ministry said on Monday. More than half of those registered as missing by the government are soldiers who were at the Speicher base which the jihadists captured six months ago near Tikrit. "The number of missing from Speicher base has reached 1,660, from Badush prison 487, in addition to 554 from other areas, including 38 women," the ministry said in a statement. Badush is a prison outside the northern city of Mosul, which ISIS has used as its main hub in Iraq since it launched an offensive in June and captured large swathes of territory in the country. The ministry said those numbers are based on applications filed by relatives and subsequent checking with the relevant ministries. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=25532 Iraq’s Premier Has Narrowed Nation’s Divide When an Iraqi court sentenced a prominent Sunni politician to death recently, it seemed like an unmitigated disaster for the country’s new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi. Mr. Abadi, after all, had taken office with an international mandate to create a more inclusive government, and win the trust of Iraq’s disaffected Sunnis so they would fight Islamic State militants rather than support them. But the verdict, on capital murder charges brought by the previous government against the politician, Ahmed al-Alwani, prompted the defendant’s Alwani tribe to threaten that it would stop battling the Islamic State. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=25531 China Signaled It May Join Operations Against ISIS In Iraq As the US-led campaign against the Islamic State grinds on, China has unexpectedly offered to help in the war effort, Najmeh Bozorgmehr and Lucy Hornby report for the Financial Times. Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, has offered to help the Iraqi military defeat the militant group by providing support for ongoing air strikes. However, Chinese assistance would come unilaterally and outside of the framework of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State. “[Mr Wang] said, our policy does not Sayfa 10 allow us to get involved in the international coalition,” Ibrahim Jafari, Iraq's foreign minister who was in talks with Yi, told the Financial Times. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=25528 ISIS in Iraq release pictures of mass execution The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group on Monday released pictures of the execution of 13 men described as anti-jihadist Sunni tribal fighters near the northern city of Tikrit. Three pictures published on a jihadist forum and pro-ISIS social media accounts show the execution of the men wearing orange jumpsuits. Local residents confirmed to AFP that a mass execution had taken place on a large roundabout six kilometers (four miles) east of the city of Tikrit at around 3:30 p.m. (1230 GMT). The first picture shows 11 men kneeling, heads bowed, with one black-clad and masked gunman behind each one and black ISIS flags in the background. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=25526 2. SYRIA Australians returning from Iraq and Syria, are likely responsible for "Chocolate Lint" Five people have escaped from a popular Sydney cafe after they had been taken hostage-- with others still held inside as neighboring blocks remain locked down, according to media report. Two people inside the cafe were seen holding up a flag with Arabic writing on it that has been used by extremists in the past -- raising fears that a terror attack was unfolding in Australia's largest city. The first three people who fled sprinted out of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney six hours into the standoff, while two women -- wearing aprons -- frantically ran from a side exit and into the arms of heavily-armed SWAT team police officers waiting outside. More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12478-australians-returning-from-iraq-and-syria-arelikely-responsible-for-chocolate-lint French Police Dismantles Takfiri Network Sending Fighters to Syria, Iraq French police launched raids across the country early on Monday, dismantling a network sending Takfiri fighters to Syria, a police source said. Elite and anti-terror police units descended on around a dozen targets, mostly in the Southern region of Toulouse, but also around Paris and in the Northern Sayfa 11 region of Normandy, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity, Al-Akhbar reported. It was not immediately clear how many people were arrested. More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12481-french-police-dismantles-takfiri-networksending-fighters-to-syria-iraq EU support UN efforts for Aleppo ceasefire The EU backed UN efforts to arrange a ceasefire in Syria's second city Aleppo on Monday as one of the few good options left in a conflict which has claimed more than 200,000 lives. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said special UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura had briefed foreign ministers Sunday on plans for a "freeze" between government and rebel forces in Aleppo. The aim is a limited local truce to help ease the desperate plight of the civilian population and provide some way forward after repeated efforts to end the war have failed. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69297 Syria PM in Iran for talks with key ally Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks with key ally Iran, his country's main backer in its civil war. Halaqi was accompanied by the oil, industry, health and electricity ministers, state news agency IRNA reported, without specifying the duration of the trip. On Tuesday he will hold talks with Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, the government's website said. Halaqi's visit comes one week after Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in Tehran and said the Islamic republic would back a Russian plan to end his country's more than three-year conflict. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69303 Syria rebels capture key Idlib army bases The Syrian army has lost control of two strategic bases in the northwestern province of Idlib to alQaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and other rebel factions following heavy fighting, a monitoring group said. Al-Nusra Front, in coordination with rebel groups of Jund al-Aqsa and Ahrar al-Sham, seized Hamidiyeh and Wadi al-Deif army bases on Monday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Al-Nusra initially reported a victory in Wadi al-Deif, putting large areas of Idlib province, which borders Turkey, under their control. The Observatory said at least 31 government soldiers and 12 rebel fighters had been killed in the clashes that began on Sunday. Sayfa 12 More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/12/syria-rebels-capture-key-idlib-army-bases20141215124811678445.html Lebanese minister says negotiations with ISIS, Nusra "back to zero" "The negotiations are back to zero," Health Minister Wael Abu Faour told the families of the kidnapped Lebanese soldiers Monday, hours after militants threatened to execute one of the 25 captives. "The Lebanese government neither ended negotiations with the militants nor considered the kidnapped soldiers martyrs of war," Abu Faour said in response to rumors that, according to the families, prompted the militants to issue new threats. "However, unfortunately, the negotiations are back to zero," Abu Faour added. More Details: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanese-army-arrests-then-releases-cleric-mediating-nusrahostage-crisis EU ministers discuss how to freeze Syrian fighting European Union foreign ministers are discussing how they can help implement a U.N. plan to freeze fighting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said she hopes the ministers can agree on "concrete" ways to help at a meeting Monday in Brussels. The foreign ministers met informally Sunday with the U.N. special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura. The U.N. has been trying to bring about a strategic de-escalation of violence in Syria to permit the delivery of humanitarian aid and set the stage for peace talks. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/EU-ministers-discuss-how-to-freezeSyrian-fighting.html Islamist rebels capture 2 key army bases in Syria Al-Qaeda-linked and other Islamist fighters captured two key Syrian army bases on Monday in the northwestern province of Idlib after two days of intense battles with government troops that killed dozens on both sides, activists said. The fall of the two bases - Wadi Deif and Hamidiyeh, both located near the town of Maaret al-Numan - is a significant blow to the Syrian army, which had managed to hold on to them for more than two years, repelling repeated attacks by an array of opposition groups. More Details: Sayfa 13 http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/Islamist-rebels-capture-2-armybases-in-northwest-Syria.html Cairo Calls for Finding Political Solution to Crisis in Syria Egyptian Foreign Minister Samih Shukri affirmed that his country calls for finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria according to the will of the Syrians. "Egypt supports a political solution to the events in Syria in light of the will of the Syrians and internal reconciliation to avoid the suffering of the people and the foreign intervention," Shukri told MENA news agency from Kuwait. He added Egypt cooperates with all sides concerned, whether inside Syria or abroad, to find a way that encourages the political solution to specify a framework through which the political solution will be productive, SANA reported Monday. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930925000309 Indonesian nabbed in Malaysia for helping militants go to Syria An Indonesian man suspected of facilitating trips by fellow militants from Indonesia to Syria has been nabbed near Selangor. He is among seven Indonesians, aged 25 to 35, arrested by Malaysian police's counter terrorism division for their alleged involvement in militancy. More Details: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/indonesian-nabbed-malaysia-helpingmilitants-go-syria-20141216? Female fighters battle for freedom and equality in Syria Every night before 27-year-old Arin goes to bed, she hangs her Makarov, a Russian semi-automatic pistol, from a steel coat rack by the entrance to her one-bedroom apartment in a small, dusty town on the Syrian border with Iraq. The pistol was an award for her success on the front line in the battle to protect Kurdish areas of northeastern Syria and is a far cry from her life a year ago when she was working as a nurse in Cologne in Germany. More Details: https://in.news.yahoo.com/female-fighters-battle-freedom-equality-syria-065825756.html? Journalist murders in Syria a shocking new trend -press freedom report The beheading of journalists by Islamist militants in Syria this year showed that reporters face a dangerous new threat, media freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday. Sayfa 14 While the overall number of journalists killed around the world was down 7 percent on 2013, to 66, the nature of some of the killings was of great concern, the Paris-based group said in an annual report. "The Reporters Without Borders round-up for 2014 highlights an evolution in the nature of violence against journalists and the way certain kinds, including carefully-staged threats and beheadings, are being used for very clear purposes," it said. More Details: https://in.news.yahoo.com/journalist-murders-syria-shocking-trend-press-freedom-report065403007.html? UN resolution violated in Syria, says humanitarian chief Syria's civilian populated areas have been continuously pulverized by the Assad regime's bomb attacks despite a February UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to their indiscriminate use, the UN’s humanitarian chief said Monday. “In many parts of Syria the level of violence has worsened, with civilians continuing to pay heavily with loss of life," Valerie Amos told the Security Council. She said the use of barrel bombs -- oil drums filled with explosives and shrapnel and dropped by aircraft - was particularly acute in the cities of Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, Rural Damascus, Deir Ez-Zor, Ar-Raqqa and Da’ra. More Details: http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/435963--un-resolution-violated-in-syria-says-humanitarian-chief? Nearly 300 Chinese fighting alongside IS in Iraq, Syria: Report A report has said that nearly 300 Chinese people are fighting alongside the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. A news report published in a state-run tabloid on Monday said that the Chinese militants of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) are travelling to Syria via Turkey to join the ranks of the IS, reported the Dawn. While Beijing has expressed concern over the rise of the IS in the Middle East and the impact it could have on its Xinjiang region, it has not shown willingness to join the United States-led coalition that is battling the terror group in Iraq. More Details: http://www.aninews.in/newsdetail4/story195947/nearly-300-chinese-fighting-alongside-is-in-iraqsyria-report.html? Sayfa 15 3. IRAN Iran condemns deadly Sydney hostage-taking, identifies gunman by another name Teheran on Monday condemned the deadly hostage-taking in Australia reportedly by an Iranian-born gunman, branding it an act foreign to Islam, state media quoted a government official as saying. "Undertaking such inhuman acts and provoking fear and panic in the name of merciful Islam is not in any way justifiable," Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said, according to IRNA news agency. Hostage-taker, Man Haron Monis, an Iranian granted political asylum in Australia in 1996, was killed along with two of his 17 hostages when police stormed a Sydney cafe early Tuesday to end a day-long siege. More Details: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/middle-east/story/iran-condemns-deadly-sydneyhostage-taking-identifies-him-another-name-? Terror bomb victims demanding Iran's .ir will appeal US ruling A US judge's decision that Iran's internet registry cannot be seized by victims of an Iranian-backed bomb attack will be challenged in Washington DC. The decision last month by Judge Royce Lamberth that the .ir country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is not "attachable property" was the latest twist in a decade-long lawsuit brought by Israeli law center Shurat HaDin – which is seeking compensation for nine US citizens injured in an Iran-financed bombing in Jerusalem in 1997. The ruling pulled domainname overseer ICANN out of the legal fight for .ir, averting a diplomatic crisis. The injured citizens want the ccTLD as part of their compensation for the attack. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/16/terror_bomb_victims_appeal_iran_domain_judgment/? Iran’s oil minister in Doha for GECF Iran’s oil minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh is in Qatari capital city of Doha to participate in the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) which is scheduled for Dec. 16, the official SHANA news agency reported. During the meeting, the member countries of GECF will examine the evolution of international gas markets, the reports of activities of the Executive Council and the Forum Secretariat as well as the organic matters including those related to its new organization. More Details: http://en.trend.az/iran/business/2344161.html? Sayfa 16 Iran ready to exports food stuff to Russia Iran’s Agricultural Minister Mahmoud Hojjati said that preparations have been made for exporting dairy products and other food stuff to Russia. "The ministry will help private companies to increase their exports to Moscow," he said, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported on Dec. 15. He made the remarks at a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanai in Moscow. Sanai, for his part, said that the two countries have great potential to increase their bilateral trades. Russia has issued licenses for 18 Iranian companies to export fisheries to Moscow. The Head of Iran Fisheries Organization Hasan Salehi said on Dec. 8 that Iran will send the first consignment of fisheries to Russia in the next 20 days. More Details: http://en.trend.az/iran/business/2344198.html? S Khorasan vies for foreign investment South Khorasan Governor General Vajhollah Khedmatgozar in an exclusive interview with 'Iran Daily' published Tuesday explained investment opportunities in the province that borders Afghanistan. In reply to a question by the daily to give an overview of the province, as the governor general of South Khorasan, khedmatgozar noted that the province was created in 2004 when the Majlis passed a bill ordering the partition of Khorasan into three provinces. South Khorasan has a 300-kilometer border with Afghanistan. The province, with an area of 151,196 square kilometers and a population of 700,000, consists of 11 counties, 28 cities and 25 districts. More Details: http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81427759/? Iran Book Capital, opportunity for private sector The Book Capital plan is a successful program for handing over the works to non-governmental sectors, said the Spokesman for the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Hossein Nooshabadi. “Today, Iranian publishers play an active role in the field of publication and their presence indeed leads to different festivals including the Iran Book Capital. The plan can encourage the private sector to be active, and book-related issues can gradually be handed over to its main owners which are people, publishers, writers and the specialized guilds”, Nooshabadi said on Monday. More Details: http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81428043/? Sayfa 17 Mutual trust key factor in expansion of Iran-Armenia cooperation Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Yervand Zakharian said mutual trust between Iran and Armenia is a key factor in expansion of bilateral cooperation. Speaking at Iran-Armenia joint economic cooperation session, he said the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to relations with Iran which is based on bilateral interests and friendship between the two countries. He said each of the two sides has played its role and used its position in the advancement of previous targets as well as in proposing new plans and as presidents of the two countries have acknowledged despite the good bilateral political relations – that economic relations are not in satisfactory condition and only a small part of economic potentials has been activated. More Details: http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81428041/? Daily comments on advantages of Iran-Turkey proximit An English-language paper on Tuesday assessing the advantages of Iran-Turkey proximity, said that both nations are big powers that profoundly influence regional developments. Although major major divergent stances between Tehran and Ankara over regional developments exist, Turkey spares no efforts to take advantage of Iran’s economic potentials, added Tuesday's edition of 'Iran Daily'. Ankara has devised comprehensive plans to benefit from Iran’s energy market while seeking to profit from the energy markets of Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region as well as Syria. The country is also eying to establish a pipeline to transfer energy from Qatar to Europe, noted the paper in its Opinion column More Details: http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81427943/? P5+1 internal discord can ruin talks 'Iran Daily' on Tuesday commented on the upcoming new round of nuclear talks in Geneva, on Wednesday, between Iran-P5+1 following their failure to come to a final deal in Vienna last month. Elucidating on the issue, the English-language paper expressed its belief that a final deal with be achieved if Iran and the US settle their disagreements. Although Washington is the leading member of the P5+1, Iran should not overlook the role of other members. The country should have a comprehensive outlook in this respect since other members can become troublemakers. Last year, France was about to kill an interim deal, known as the Geneva plan of action, noted the paper in its Opinion column. More Details: http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81427840/? Sayfa 18 4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE Palestinians push UN bid to end Israeli occupation US Secretary of State John Kerry was Monday to meet the Israeli prime minister two days before Palestinians push for a draft UN resolution to end the Israeli occupation. Amid a high-stakes diplomatic drive by the top US diplomat, the Palestinians upped the ante late Sunday by revealing in a surprise move they would put the draft text before the UN Security Council on Wednesday. It would set a two-year deadline for Israeli troops to withdraw from the West Bank -- a timetable which the United States has already opposed as complicating the stalled peace negotiations. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69294 Displaced Gazans struggle to rebuild In this largely agricultural area of the northern Gaza Strip, local Palestinians were hit particularly hard during the 51 days of war with Israel that concluded with a ceasefire in August. "We fled when Israel launched its invasion on Gaza," Abu Rashad Safiyya, 22, told Al Jazeera. "We tried to come back to our home during a ceasefire, but we found it completely destroyed by the Israeli military." Safiyya and his family sought shelter in nearby schools administered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). "We came back after the war finally ended and have been living here in a nylon tent ever since," he said, citing apocalyptic scenes of destruction upon his return. "Cars were upside down and burned out. Houses were flattened and still smoking for days, and most our animals, sheep and cows, were dead and strewn across the fields." More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/12/displaced-gazans-struggle-rebuild201412139957986683.html Israeli soldiers shoot, kill Palestinian man during arrest Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man during an arrest operation Tuesday in the West Bank, the military said. It said Palestinians in the refugee camp of Qalandiya, north of Jerusalem, began throwing stones and explosive charges at soldiers during the operation and that they responded with live fire, killing one man, and wounding another. Palestinian medical officials identified the dead man as 20-year-old Mahmoud Abdalla. More Details: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/12/16/israeli-soldiers-shoot-kill-palestinian-man-duringarrest/? Sayfa 19 Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian near Ramallah Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian Tuesday in confrontations during which they said protesters hurled bombs at them. Mahmoud Udwan, 21, was dead on arrival at Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, with a bullet wound to the head, sources at the complex said. The soldiers had come under fire during a pre-dawn Special Forces operation in Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah, an Israeli military statement said. More Details: http://www.dpa-international.com/news/international/israeli-soldiers-kill-palestinian-near-ramallaha-43615174.html? Israel prime minister seeks US veto on statehood for Palestine Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday sought assurances from US Secretary of State John Kerry that Washington would block efforts by Palestinians and Europeans on Palestinian statehood. "Our expectation is that the United States will stand by its position for the past 47 years that a solution to the conflict will be achieved through negotiations, and I do not see a reason for this policy to change," Netanyahu told reporters after a meeting in Rome that lasted some three hours. More Details: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/israel.prime.minister.seeks.us.veto.on.statehood.for.palestin e/44486.htm? Israel seeks US block of Palestine statehood bid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday sought assurances from US Secretary of State John Kerry that Washington would block efforts by Palestinians and Europeans on Palestinian statehood, according to Reuters news agency. "Our expectation is that the United States will stand by its position for the past 47 years that a solution to the conflict will be achieved through negotiations, and I do not see a reason for this policy to change," Netanyahu told reporters after a meeting in Rome that lasted some three hours, Al Arabiya reported. Netanyahu declined to comment on whether he was given an assurance by Kerry that the United States would exercise its veto. More Details: http://en.trend.az/world/israel/2344111.html? Palestinian killed in early morning clash with troops Israeli forces killed one Palestinian man and wounded another in a firefight in the West Bank early Tuesday morning, officials said. The army said special forces shot the man after coming under fire during an arrest raid in the Qalandiya refugee camp north of Jerusalem during an operation. Sayfa 20 The killed Palestinian man was identified as Mahmoud Adwan, 20, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported. He was hit in the head with a bullet, according to the report. More Details: http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-killed-in-early-morning-clash-with-israeli-troops/? UN Security Council discusses Palestinian issue The United Nations Security Council on Monday night held a session that focused on the IsraeliPalestinian issue and the situations in Syria and Lebanon. During the session, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, said in a briefing that the quest for peace between Israel and the Palestinians has reached a "dramatic" crossroads, warning that the region’s future remains "more uncertain than ever." Speaking to the 15-member body in New York, Serry said "now is the time to deescalate and refrain from provocative steps, re-build trust and set conditions for a return to negotiations that will resolve this conflict. "hope for a lasting solution to the conflict must be restored before it is too late." he added. More Details: http://petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?Site_Id=1&lang=2&NewsID=176394&CatID =-1 Liberman: We Will Not Be Dictated by the PA's Demands Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman urges Israel to be proactive in fighting international pressure, forge ties with 'moderate' Arab world. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman criticized the UN Security Council's pressure on Israel Tuesday, noting that the Palestinian Authority's (PA) demands to force Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria within a strict two-year timeline is part of "a political attack" on the Jewish state, fomented by the EU. "Even the European Parliament [itself] will vote tomorrow to recognize [the PA as] a 'Palestinian state' in Luxembourg," Liberman said. "In addition, the Luxembourg Court of Justice will petition to remove Hamas from the EU's blacklist of terrorist organizations and the Geneva Conference will convene to sign the Geneva Convention - another step designed by Palestinians to condemn Israel and present it as aggressive and a violator of human rights." More Details: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/188718?#.VI_9g9KsUqM Sayfa 21 5. JORDAN and LEBANON Jordan says no plan to push for quick U.N. vote on Palestine Jordan said Monday it had no immediate plans to push for a vote on a U.N. Security Council resolution to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories despite Palestinian statements that the move was imminent. Jordan’s U.N. Ambassador said she was awaiting the outcome of meetings that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is having with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European governments on the next step at the United Nations. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/Jordan-says-no-plan-to-push-forquick-U-N-vote-on-Palestine-.html Jumblatt rejects 'false promises' in hostage crisis MP Walid Jumblatt says that no progress has been made in the Lebanese hostage crisis, refusing to give false hopes to the families of the kidnapped servicemen. “We don’t want to give people false promises,” Jumblatt told local daily As-Safir in remarks published Tuesday. “There is nothing new in this [issue].” He criticized the Internal Security Forces for being distracted from the hostage crisis by a separate issue which is preoccupying their attention: green diesel fuel. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Dec-16/281215-jumblatt-rejects-falsepromises-in-hostage-crisis.ashx Lebanon, U.N. seek $2.14B for refugees Stabilizing Lebanon amid a deluge of 1.2 million Syrian refugees was the focus of a joint response plan launched Monday which highlighted support for host communities and public institutions. The government and the United Nations are asking the international community for a record $2.14 billion in funds to finance next year’s refugee response plan, which uniquely emphasizes investing in Lebanese services, communities and institutions, reaching 2.9 million people in the poorest parts of the country. On hand to launch the plan alongside Prime Minister Tammam Salam was United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Dec-16/281203-lebanon-un-seek-214b-forrefugees.ashx Sayfa 22 Saudi deputy crown prince calls for presidential solution After meeting Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea in Riyadh Monday, a high-ranking Saudi official called for the swift election of a new president in Lebanon, according to a statement issued by Geagea’s office. Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz also pledged continued support to strengthen Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty. Geagea arrived in Riyadh Sunday on an official visit for talks with senior Saudi officials on regional developments and the 6-month-old presidential stalemate. He is also expected to meet former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to discuss ways to end the vacancy in the country’s top Christian post. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Dec-16/281192-saudi-deputy-crownprince-calls-for-presidential-solution.ashx Doubts cast over hostage mediator appointment Doubts were cast Monday over the rumored appointment of a new mediator in negotiations to secure the release of 25 Lebanese servicemen held hostage by ISIS and the Nusra Front. While the Nusra Front’s official Twitter page did not mention the alleged appointment of Tripoli Sheikh Wissam Masri as a mediator, media reports quoted Masri as saying he had been commissioned by the group. Muslim Scholars Committee member Sheikh Adnan Amama claimed that the Nusra Front officially announced Masri’s appointment, basing his account on a statement purportedly circulated on WhatsApp by the extremist group, he told The Daily Star. The authenticity of the statement, which was attributed to the Nusra Front, could not be verified. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Dec-16/281206-doubts-cast-over-hostagemediator-appointment.ashx Jordan, Saudi kings discuss ISIS in talks Jordan’s King Abdullah II met his Saudi counterpart in Riyadh on Sunday for talks as both nations participate in a US-led bombing campaign against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group extremists in Syria. The official Saudi Press Agency said King Abdullah received the Jordanian monarch at his palace. Since September both kingdoms, along with Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, have been taking part in American-led air strikes against the ISIS jihadists in Syria. Jordan’s king warned this month that the fight against ISIS is a “third world war”. The group has declared a “caliphate” in parts of Syria and Iraq, the nation bordering both Jordan and Saudi Arabia. More Details: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/26d9a2be-5545-4061-9b1c-7b3c3a3d7659.aspx? Sayfa 23 Lebanon, UN unveil response plan to Syrian refugee crisis Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam and UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson jointly launched on Monday "Lebanon Crisis Response Plan" aiming to secure international aid amounting to USD 2.1 billion for the country to address the impacts of the Syrian conflict. The document will serve as a roadmap that will galvanize the international community into shouldering their political and moral responsibilities for helping the victims of the Syrian crisis, the prime minister said at the launching ceremony. It will help donors to specify the priorities of relief efforts for the Syrian refugees and bring about change in the situations at the refugees camps," he said. More Details: http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2414361&Language=en KRCS launches new "Ragheef" campaign for Syrian refugees in Jordan Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) launched here on Monday a new round of the "Ragheef" campaign, in aid for Syrian refugees in Jordan. "Ragheef" (Arabic for loaf of bread) one monthcampaign is offering bread for a total of 7,000 Syrian refugees in various parts of Jordan, Head of the Kuwaiti delegation and Public Relations in KRCS, Khalid Al-Zaid told KUNA. KRCS signed agreements with a total of 35 bakeries in the Hashemite Kingdom to supply refugees with bread, he said. The Kuwait Red Crescent is committed to its humanitarian mission and works to alleviate the suffering of the refugees, especially during this harsh winter season, he affirmed. He praised the efforts of Jordanian Red Crescent Society in offering assistance to reach all families of Syrian refugees. More Details: http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2414158&Language=en Improved ranking on corruption index due to integrity, good governance initiatives — Khawaldeh The government considers the recent improvement in Jordan's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2014 as a positive indicator, but also a starting point to achieve better standing in the future, Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh said Monday. In the annual index, released earlier this month, Jordan ranked 55th among 175 countries, scoring 49 out of 100, while last year, the Kingdom ranked 66th among 177 countries and territories, scoring 45 out of 100. In an interview with The Jordan Times, Khawaldeh attributed the progress to several factors, such as the formation of the Royal Committee for Enhancing the National Integrity System, which released the National Integrity Charter and the Executive Plan last year. More Details: Sayfa 24 http://jordantimes.com/improved-ranking-on-corruption-index-due-to-integrity-good-governanceinitiatives----khawaldeh Jordan says no plan to push for quick UN vote on Palestine Jordan said Monday it had no immediate plans to push for a vote on a UN Security Council resolution to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories despite Palestinian statements that the move was imminent. Jordan's permanent envoy to the UN, Dina Kawar, said she was awaiting the outcome of meetings that US Secretary of State John Kerry is having with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European governments on the next step at the United Nations. Jordan, which represents the Arab League at the council, had circulated the Palestinian text setting a deadline of November 2016 for a full Israeli withdrawal. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/jordan-says-no-plan-to-push-for-quick-un-vote-on-palestine Community violence a ticking time bomb — officials Experts and officials on Monday agreed that societal violence, if not properly addressed, will become a time bomb threatening every individual in Jordan. They reached this conclusion during a one-day event, titled “Societal Violence... Societal Security”, where participants blamed a lack of social justice for the majority of violent incidents in the country. “One of the main reasons for social violence is the feelings of injustice and inequality among individuals when it comes to education and health rights,” Interior Minister Hussein Majali said. The lack of transparency when it comes to employment and acceptance at universities is also adding to their frustration, Majali told participants. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/community-violence-a-ticking-time-bomb----officials 6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA Saudi policeman killed in Riyadh hostage-taking A Saudi policeman was killed in a clash with a man armed with a machinegun who took three workers hostage near Riyadh, the state news agency SPA reported Monday. Security forces came under heavy fire when they responded to the hostage-taking on Sunday night in Rawdhat Sider, in the Mujamma region close to the capital, it said. The gunman, whose motives were not disclosed, was wounded and arrested, and the hostages were released, SPA said. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69296 Sayfa 25 Saudi security officer killed in Riyadh A security officer has been killed by an armed man holding three labourers hostage in Riyadh after police tried to free the captives, authorities in Saudi Arabia say. The labourers were freed and the hostage-taker was later arrested, a Saudi police statement on Sunday’s incident said. No immediate word was given on the man's identity or his reasons. "An unknown man carrying an automatic weapon took three labourers hostage near al-Hamoud mosque ... and threatened to shoot passersby," state news agency SPA quoted a Riyadh police spokesperson as saying in a statement. "When police surrounded him and asked him to drop his weapon, he opened fire heavily." More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/12/saudi-security-officer-killed-riyadh201412158943320351.html Fingerprinting declared compulsory in Saudi Arabia Fingerprint registration for male and female expatriates will be completed by Dec. 23, 2014, for all Passports Department (Jawazat) services except the renewal of residence permits (iqamas), Jawazat spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmed Fahd Al-Luhaidan said on Sunday. The deadline for fingerprint registration for the renewal of iqamas is Jan. 21, 2015. Expatriates will not be able to use any Jawazat services if their fingerprints are not registered. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/Fingerprinting-declared-compulsoryin-Saudi-Arabia.html Top separatist shot dead in South Yemen A separatist activist was shot dead in southern Yemen Monday as secessionists staged a day of civil disobedience, witnesses and activists said of a killing Amnesty International called an “execution.” Khaled al-Junaidi, a prominent figure in the Southern Movement, was shot in the chest when security forces opened fire while trying to arrest him, activists told AFP. Junaidi was released from prison earlier this month after serving five months for separatist activities, and had been preparing to take part in Monday’s day of action, witnesses said. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/Top-separatist-shot-dead-in-SouthYemen.html Sayfa 26 New Saudi ministers take oath of office Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz called on new ministers to take up their ministerial duties “with honesty,” after Saudi Arabia’s new cabinet took its oath of office before the monarch in Riyadh on Sunday. “Start your tasks with honesty. I do not want anyone of you to come to me for education. I want him to educate me,” the Saudi monarch said in his statement to the new ministers. King Abdullah appointed nine new ministers last week, one of the largest cabinet reshuffles in years. The newly-appointed ministers took their oath of office before the Saudi King at the royal palace in Riyadh on Sunday evening. The new ministers are: Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Abalkhail; Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Bin Abdullah Al-Sabti; Minister of Health Dr. Mohammed Bin Ali Bin Hayaze’a Al Hayaze’a; Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al-Khudairi; Minister of Agriculture Waleed Bin Abdulkareem Al-Khuraiji; and Minister of Transport Abdullah Bin Abdulrahman Al-Muqbel. Dr. Isam Bin Saad Bin Saeed also took the oath of office after being appointed Chief of the Commission of Experts for the Council of Ministers at the rank of Minister of State. More Details: http://www.aawsat.net/2014/12/article55339501 GCC states offer excessive care to Syrian refugees in Lebanon Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Al-Marri praised the role of the Red Crescent societies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in supporting Syrian refugees in various countries. He added in remarks to KUNA following his meeting with GCC Red Crescent societies' chairmen and Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Rasheed Derbas, that he hopes the aid offered to Syrian refugees by GCC countries would contribute in the alleviation of their suffering. The meeting was also attended by Kuwait's Ambassador to Lebanon Abdelaal Al-Qenaei, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Asiri and the UAE Charge D'Affaires in Lebanon, Hamad Al-Junaibi. More Details: http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2414397&Language=en Hamad affirms Bahrain’s commitment to fighting terrorism King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa has reiterated Bahrain’s commitment to promoting security and sound international relations and to fighting terrorism and extremism. “The Kingdom of Bahrain has been, and will be, extending its hand for cooperation and peace to all the countries, and it will always call for international relations, based on mutual respect and non-interference in the domestic affairs of the other states,” King Hamad said as he addressed the first session of the newly elected parliament. More Details: Sayfa 27 http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/hamad-affirms-bahrain-s-commitment-to-fightingterrorism-1.1427125 Reward offered for absconding domestic worker A Saudi woman is offering a SR50,000 (Dh48,927 or about $13,322) reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of a Filipina domestic helper. The worker reportedly absconded with her lover after trying to poison a family in the capital Riyadh. The Saudi woman, Noha Al Jamahdi, also took the unusual step of posting copies of the worker’s passport and work permit on a Facebook page to help with her arrest, local news site Ajil reported on Monday. More Details: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/reward-offered-for-absconding-domestic-worker1.1427183 Leadership congratulated by Senior Royal family members and officials His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today received cables of congratulations marking Bahrain's celebrations of its National Days on December 16 and 17, marking the anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Bahrain as an Arab and Muslim country in 1783 by its founder Ahmed Al-Fateh, the 43rd Anniversary of its accession to the UN as a full member and the 15th Anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's Accession to the Throne. More Details: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/645994 HM King Hamad pardons 105 convicts His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa issued a decree pardoning 105 convicts who served part of their prison terms. The royal pardon is part of festivities on Bahrain's celebrations of its National Days on December 16 and 17, marking the anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Bahrain as an Arab and Muslim country in 1783 by its founder Ahmed Al-Fateh, the 43rd Anniversary of its accession to the UN as a full member and the 15th Anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa's Accession to the Throne. The royal gesture also reflects HM the King's keenness on providing the pardoned convicts the opportunity to integrate their society and take part in the national march of development and progress. More Details: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/645992 Sayfa 28 Qatari Premier receives Vietnamese Deputy Premier Qatari Prime Minister and Interior Minister Shaikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani today received Vietnamese Deputy Premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc , currently on an official visit to Doha. The Qatar News Agency said that the two sides discussed joint cooperation and means of bolstering bilateral relations in all fields, in addition to issues of mutual interest . More Details: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/645752 7. EGYPT Egypt briefly detains three over alleged sabotage talk Cairo police briefly detained three Egyptians, including two with British citizenship; after a man told them he overheard them discussing ways to destabilize the country during next month’s anniversary of the 2011 uprising, a security official and a British diplomat said Sunday. The Egyptian official said that a brother and sister, both Egyptians with British nationality, and their Egyptian cousin were apprehended at a subway station Saturday night after a passenger told police they were speaking in English about burning homes and businesses on the anniversary of the January 2011 uprising which led to the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/12/15/Egypt-briefly-detains-3-over-allegedsabotage-talk.html Muslim clerics urge Interpol to "rapidly" remove Qaradawi from wanted list Dozens of Muslim clerics on Monday urged Interpol to "rapidly" remove the name of influential Egypt-born preacher Yousef al-Qaradawi from its wanted list. The Qatar-based Islamist scholar is seen as a spiritual guide of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood, the movement of ousted president Mohammed Mursi. Egypt approached Interpol seeking Qaradawi's arrest and in November the international police organization put him on his wanted list. An Interpol Red Notice said the Qatarbased Qaradawi is wanted by Egypt for "agreement, incitement and assistance to commit intentional murder, helping the prisoners to escape, arson, vandalism and theft." More Details: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/muslim-clerics-urge-interpol-rapidly-remove-qaradawiwanted-list Sayfa 29 British embassy in Cairo re-opens after nine-day hiatus The British Embassy in Cairo re-opened on Tuesday after suspending public services nine days ago for security reasons, the embassy said in a statement. "I am very grateful for the close co-operation from the Egyptian Government which has made this re-opening possible," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in the statement. Britain closed its embassy to the public on Dec. 7, and the Canadian embassy closed its doors a day later. Canada's embassy has yet to re-open, according to the mission's emergency telephone service. Egypt is battling an Islamist insurgency largely centred on Sinai, near the border with Israel, Gaza and the Suez Canal. More Details: http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/british-embassy-cairo-re-opens-after-nine-day-hiatus World Bank urges Egypt to make reforms before investor conference A senior World Bank official on Monday called on Egypt to implement promised legal and bureaucratic reforms ahead of an international conference in March where the government hopes to attract more than $12 billion in investments. The government has said for months it would amend investment regulations and create a one-stop-shop to help foreign investors avoid the country's bureaucracy. But investors say they have only seen the general outlines of those reforms and need details before they can plan new investments or expand existing ones in an economy battered by political turmoil since a 2011 uprising. More Details: http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/world-bank-urges-egypt-make-reforms-investorconference Rationale of ruling banning the return of the Campus Guard The Supreme Administrative Court banned the return of the campus guard, arguing that no law obliges the Interior Ministry to deploy guards in all universities. The ruling, the court said, does not denigrate the role of the police, which in Article 3 of the Police Authority Act says the police are tasked with maintaining public order, security and morals, protect the lives and properties of citizens, and prevent crimes. More Details: http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/rationale-ruling-banning-return-campus-guard Russian Deputy prime minister in Cairo ahead of 2015 Putin Visit Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich arrived in Cairo Monday night to prepare for Russian President Vlaidmir Putin’s visit in 2015, MENA reported. Diplomatic sources told MENA the Sayfa 30 Russian official is to meet Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab to explore ways of cooperation in the economy and investment sectors. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited Moscow in August, and announced plans for cooperation between both countries in the trade, energy, economy and investment sectors. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/118034/Egypt/Politics-/Russian-Deputy-primeminister-in-Cairo-ahead-of--P.aspx 40 alleged Brotherhood members referred to military court over vandalism acts Egypt’s prosecution has referred 40 alleged members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group – nine of which are women – to a military court for charges of vandalism and inciting violence, a crackdown on Islamists has been launched by authorities since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. The defendants were referred in Egypt’s Ismailia two days ago. Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued on 27 October, a new law which refers crimes committed against the state's public and "vital" facilities to the military judiciary. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/118022/Egypt/Politics-/-alleged-Brotherhoodmembers-referred-to-military-.aspx Egyptian presidency approves US-Egypt agreements Egypt’s presidency approved cooperation agreements with the United States on Monday, presidential spokesperson Alaa Yousef said. The agreements included an LE55 million aid agreement between Egypt, the US and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) for Egypt to finance a power plant in the southern city of Assiut. Yousef stated that other agreements approved include development cooperation in the fields of science and technology, higher education, agricultural development, trade and investment. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/118019/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-presidencyapproves-USEgypt-agreements.aspx Court revision of electoral constituencies law makes it constitutional: Official After five days of deliberations, the State Council (administrative court) has finalised revisions of Egypt's electoral constituencies law, a step which paves the way for holding the country's longawaited parliamentary polls. In press statements to parliamentary reporters, Ali Abdel-Al, a member of a technical committee which drafted the law, indicated that the State Council introduced some Sayfa 31 changes to the draft to make sure that it goes in line with Egypt's new constitution passed in a public referendum last January. Abdel-Al said the number of electoral constituencies reserved to competition among independent candidates increased from 232 to 237. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/118013/Egypt/Politics-/Court-revision-of-electoralconstituencies-law-mak.aspx Egypt's top religious authority condemns Sydney attack Egypt's top religious authority condemned on Monday a siege at a cafe in Sydney, Australia which hostages were taken by a gunman and an Islamic flag was displayed. "This terrorist act has nothing to do with Islam and all Muslims denounce such radical practices," Grand Mufti Shawki Allam, Egypt's top Muslim cleric, said in a statement, emphasising that Islamic law calls for "coexistence, peace and not terrorising others." More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/117991/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-top-religiousauthority-condemns-Sydney-att.aspx 8. NORTH AFRICA Libya clashes force oil port closure Libya's eastern Es Sider oil export port has stopped working due to clashes nearby, according to an oil official. The Ras Lanuf port, east of Es Sider, is still working, the official told Reuters news agency on Sunday, but al-Waha Oil Company which runs the Es Sider port had halted work. Armed groups on Saturday launched an attack against al-Hilal, a key oil region in the country. Fighters from Fajr Libya, an anti-government coalition, attacked al-Hilal from three sides on Saturday but the air force repelled them, Brigadier-General Saqr Jarushi said. More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/12/libya-clashes-close-oil-port20141214838777574.html Algeria presses for Libya dialogue Algeria is heightening diplomatic efforts to rally international support for a dialogue between warring parties in Libya. "The situation in Libya, our brotherly neighbour, which has been facing an internal crisis for years, challenges all African countries," Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said Tuesday (December 9th). Dialogue among Libyans is the only way to achieve national reconciliation, Sayfa 32 he said, noting that the United Nations, the African Union and countries of the region supported Algeria’s initiative. Algeria would continue its efforts to reunite Libyan parties, Lamamara told the press last week. He acknowledged, however, that reaching an outcome required time, as the situation was "very complicated". More Details: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/12/15/feature-01 Speaker of HPR receives members of Kheireddine Circle Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) Mohamed Ennaceur received, on Monday in Bardo, members of the Kheireddine Circle who came to congratulate him on his election as head of the parliament. According to a press release of the HPR, the meeting focused on the activities of the Forum and its future programmes including the consolidation of its relations with the HPR through the organisation of meetings around issues related to parliamentary action. Emphasis was placed on the role of the civil society in promoting the efficiency of the parliamentary institution. The Kheireddine Circle is a multidisciplinary NGO bringing together economist, academics, engineers, businessmen, trade unionists, intellectuals and former senior officials. More Details: http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/23359-speaker-of-hpr-receives-members-ofkheireddine-circle France willing to support Tunisia in what remains of its transition France is ready to support Tunisia in what remains of its transitional phase, said Ambassador of France in Tunis François Gouyette. He reiterated, at his meeting Monday in Bardo with Speaker of the House of People's Representatives (HPR) Mohamed Ennaceur, his country's willingness to continue supporting Tunisia to bring its transition to a successful end, stressing the strength of the bonds between the two countries. The French diplomat welcomed the steps taken by Tunisia in is democratic transition process. He emphasised the key role of lawmakers in strengthening bilateral co-operation, particularly through the creation of friendship groups and stepping up meetings and exchange of visits and expertise. More Details: http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/23353-france-willing-to-support-tunisia-in-whatremains-of-its-transition Sayfa 33 US Expert Praises Morocco’s Reforms in Religious Field Morocco is a “unique” case in the region of North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) in terms of religious field reforms through the centrality of the institution of the Commander of the Faithful, Haim Malka, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said Monday in Washington. “There are countless lessons that we can learn from the Moroccan model of religious field reforms, which establish Morocco as a unique case because of the centrality of the institution of the Commander of the Faithful incarnated by king Mohammed VI”, Malka underlined at a meeting to present the book entitled “Religious Radicalism after the Arab Uprisings” (CSIS, Editor John B. Alterman). More Details: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/12/147006/us-expert-praises-moroccos-reforms-inreligious-field/ Italian Senate delegation to visit Tunisia soon A delegation of the Italian Senate Foreign Affairs Committee will visit Tunisia soon, Italian Ambassador in Tunis Raimondo De Cardona announced at a meeting Monday in Bardo with Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) Mohamed Ennaceur. The Italian diplomat stressed the need to work together to boost parliamentary co-operation between Italy and Tunisia through parliamentary groups by stepping up the exchange of visits. He said his country is considering the future of Tunisia’s transition confidently and looks forward to continue developing co-operation with Tunisia, given the geographical proximity and the historical relations between the two countries. More Details: http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/23349-italian-senate-delegation-to-visit-tunisia-soon Libya’s crisis: more co-ordination between Maghreb states and European partners urged The rapid developments in the Maghreb region, in particular the deterioration of the situation in Libya have increased considerably the challenges and impose more co-ordination between Maghreb states and more co-operation with the European partners to protect the region from all threats, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Fayçal Gouia said. More Details: http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/23346-libya-s-crisis-for-more-co-ordination-betweenmaghreb-states-and-european-partners Sayfa 34 Ras Jedir open and under full control of Libya Dawn The Ras Jedir border crossing between Libya and Tunisia was today under full control of Libya Dawn and, although quiet, was fully open on both sides. “The border is open and working normally today,” director of the Border Guard on the Libyan side of Ras Jedir Kamel Saud Musa told the Libya Herald. “Today is busier than yesterday but it is still quiet because of the bombing nearby yesterday.” The border crossing today was seen to be fully-operational from the Libyan side, with people crossing both on foot and in cars. More Details: http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/12/15/ras-jedir-open-and-under-full-control-of-libyadawn/#axzz3M3LE0nhc EU to Back Morocco’s Justice and Health Reforms With MAD 1.76 Billion The reforms carried out by Morocco in the justice and health sectors will benefit from a new European support totaling 1.76 billion dirhams, the EU delegation in Rabat has announced on Monday. Two new support programs for Morocco’s justice and health reforms worth 1.76 billion dirhams will be signed in 2015, said the delegation in a statement. The EU proposes to back the ambitious reform of the legal system which was unveiled by Morocco in September 2013 with a 70 million euro program (over 770 million MAD) with the aim of ensuring equal access to justice. More Details: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/12/147001/eu-to-back-moroccos-justice-and-healthreforms-with-mad-1-76-billion/ Decentralisation and local governance in era of decentralised democracy Local Governance in Political Transition Period: Principles, Operationalisation and Support Institutions » is the theme of an international conference held, Monday in Tunis, by the International Centre for Innovative Local Governance (CILG) in partnership with the International Co-operation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG International). More Details: http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/23340-decentralisation-and-local-governance-in-eraof-decentralised-democracy Sayfa 35 9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN Medvedev, Abdullah Meet In Astana Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Afghan counterpart Abdullah Abdullah held talks on the sidelines of a gathering of prime ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, on December 15. Abdullah said Russia had provided huge support to Afghanistan's people and expressed hopes that Kabul-Moscow ties will continue to develop. Medvedev wished success to Abdullah, who became Afghanistan’s prime minister earlier this year. More Details: http://www.aopnews.com/today.html Afghan forces kill 19 militants in several provinces Nearly 20 Taliban militants have been killed and several others wounded during anti-militancy operations launched by Afghan national security forces across the war-torn country. The Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement that the operations were jointly carried out by Afghan police and army forces in the provinces of Kunduz, Faryab, Badakhshan, Sar-e-Pul, Ghazni, Herat, and Ghor on Sunday. At least 19 Taliban militants were killed, some 11 injured and five others arrested during the operations. Afghan forces also managed to defuse 32 impoverished explosive devices (IEDs) in different areas, according to the statement. More Details: http://www.aopnews.com/today.html Explosive laden vehicle seized in Kabul Interior ministry of Afghanistan says that police recovered an explosive laden truck in the 5th police district of Kabul city on Sunday. A statement from the ministry says that beside explosives a huge amount of deferent types of weapons rounds were also placed in the vehicle. Ministry released statement states that the vehicle was prepared for a suicide attack in Kabul city. More Details: http://www.aopnews.com/today.html Malala, Satyarthi in Oslo for Nobel Peace Prize ceremony Malala Yousafzai arrived in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony tomorrow, where she will be honoured along with her co-winner Indian children rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Addressing the media, along with Satyarthi, Malala said that those who stand Sayfa 36 against education are “indoctrinated, but not educated” “I believe Islam is a religion of peace and humanity. However, some people know they are Muslims but they do not understand their religion,” Malala said. More Details: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2014/12/09/national/malala-satyarthi-in-oslo-for-nobel-peaceprize-ceremony/ Scores killed in attack on Pakistan school At least 84 people have died in an attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters on a military-run school in Peshawar in Pakistan's northwest, according to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's top official. Pervez Khattak, the region's chief minister, told local media that Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital had taken 24 of the dead, while the Combine Military Hospital had taken at least 60. More than 83 people were injured, Khattak said, when the fighters stormed the Army Public School on Tuesday morning. More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/12/fighters-attack-army-run-school-pakistan20141216742794184.html Pakistan Taliban 'kill 100' in assault on Peshawar school At least 100 people, 80 of them children, have been killed in a Taliban assault on an army-run school in Peshawar, Pakistani officials say. Five or six militants wearing security uniforms entered the school, officials said. Gunfire and explosions were heard as security forces surrounded the area. The army says most of the school's 500 students have been evacuated. It is not clear how many are being held hostage. A Taliban spokesman says the assault is in response to army operations. More Details: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30491435 10.TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST King inaugurates KADDB joint venture with Turkish company His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), on Monday inaugurated a joint venture between ASELSAN Corporation and the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB). Under the project, implemented at the KADDB Industrial Park in Mafraq Governorate, night vision and thermal imaging systems and equipment are produced to cover the needs of JAF, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Chairman of ASELSAN Middle Sayfa 37 East and KADDB Director General Omar Khaldi said the establishment of the company is part of the King's efforts to initiate partnerships with regional and world countries in the area of technology. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/king-inaugurates-kaddb-joint-venture-with-turkish-company Turkey condemns terrorist attacks in Afghanistan Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. A statement made by the Foreign Ministry reminded that terrorist attacks in the capital Kabul and Helmand province left 27 people dead and 18 injured. “We strongly condemn the attacks in question. Turkey believes that progress made in Afghanistan in the past 13 years will be maintained and further strengthened and an environment of stability that every individual in the brotherly Afghan people will benefit from will be established despite the target to drag the country into chaos once again through efforts made to create a spiral of violence in the country” the statement said. More Details: http://www.trt.net.tr/english/turkey/2014/12/15/turkey-condemns-terrorist-attacks-in-afghanistan128228 Turkish defense firm launches joint venture with Jordan King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday attended the inauguration of a new joint venture between Jordan and Turkish military electronics company Aselsan Middle East. King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday attended the inauguration of a new joint venture between Jordan and Turkish military electronics company Aselsan Middle East. Attending the inauguration with the Jordanian King was Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Kemal Yardimci and Aselsan board chairman Hasan Canpolat, along with a host of military officials. More Details: http://www.worldbulletin.net/turkey/150842/drop-in-oil-prices-big-advantage-for-turkey-minister Turkish aid agency supports Gaza's needy Several Turkish charities and humanitarian organizations have opened branches in the Gaza Strip to offer aid to struggling residents of the war-battered coastal territory A Turkish charity has distributed financial and material assistance to a number of needy families in the Gaza Strip, including several affected by Israel's recent military onslaught on the embattled enclave. "The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) has distributed in-kind and financial aid and food packages to several families across the Gaza Strip," IHH representative Mehmet Kaya told The Anadolu Agency. More Details: Sayfa 38 http://www.worldbulletin.net/turkey/150798/turkish-aid-agency-supports-gazas-needy *This media summary is prepared by ORSAM Middle East Research Assistant Firuze Yağmur Gökler. It covers news and commentaries as reported by the national media sources publishing in the Middle Eastern countries. The views expressed are not those of ORSAM and their inclusion does not imply factual accuracy. *Bu bülten ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman Yardımcısı Firuze Yağmur Gökler tarafından hazırlanmaktadır. Bülten Ortadoğu ülkelerinin yerel haber kaynaklarından derlenmektedir. Belirtilen görüşler bölge ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü yansıtmamaktadır. Sayfa 39
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