14 January 2015
MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN 14 JANUARY 2015 NO: 1877 1. IRAQ, .................................................................................................................................... 5 Allawi discuss with the French ambassador in Iraq, bilateral relations and cooperation in the fight against terrorism ..........................................................................................................................5 Barzani Meets US President's Envoy ............................................................................................5 British Defense Minister: Defeating Daash Needs International Cooperation ............................5 The House Is Working To Legalize Parties, Oil and Gas Laws After The Adoption Of The Budget6 Abdul Mahdi, Shamkhani discuss joint cooperation ....................................................................6 ICO delegation arrives in Baghdad ...............................................................................................6 Finland plans to send noncombat troops to Iraq .........................................................................6 Rafsanjani: Iraqi's victories against ISIL showed that terrorism defeat begins in Iraq .................7 Masoum arrives at parliament to meet Speakership ...................................................................7 MP Hamid expects endorsing budget law soon ...........................................................................7 CoM approves erecting Commercial Airport in Diwaniya ............................................................8 KSA denies separating borders with Iraq .....................................................................................8 Salah il-Din Chieftains Council calls to investigate occupying Salah il-Din by ISIL ........................8 Masoum, Jobouri assure importance of expediting endorsing Budget law .................................8 Sweden hints to send a military force to Iraq ..............................................................................9 Zarif and Mahdi discuss in Tehran "mechanism" to confront terrorism......................................9 Barzani to the US envoy: Paris events proved threat of terrorism globally .................................9 The Tribe of Former commander of ground forces organizes a protest rally due to Ghraoui’s abuse to its leader ............................................................................................................................. 10 Saudi Arabia issues a clarification about "removing" villages in the isolation zones with Iraq 10 Maliki calls Abadi’s government to pay attention to all the neighborhoods and cities of Baghdad ............................................................................................................................................. 10 Iraq submits a tender for the purchase of 30 thousand tons of rice ........................................ 11 France extends airstrikes in Iraq on Islamic State ..................................................................... 11 More Australian military involvement in Iraq ........................................................................... 11 A blast bomb exploded in the west of capital Baghdad ............................................................ 11 2. SYRIA ...................................................................................................................................12 Syrians struggle to cope with winter hardship .......................................................................... 12 Syrian regime denies report of secret nuclear plant ................................................................. 12 Coalition strikes pound ISIS targets in Syria, Iraq ...................................................................... 12 14 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syria's Deir Ezzur .............................................................................. 13 Nusra Militants Withdraw from Beit Sahm, Syria ..................................................................... 13 UN aid chief wants more Syria intervention ............................................................................. 13 Islamic State video shows boy executing alleged Russian spies in Syria................................... 13 Syria mirrors Algeria, Afghanistan ............................................................................................. 14 ‘1,000 recruits joining fight in Syria and Iraq each month’ ....................................................... 14 Europol: 5 000 EU fighters in Syria pose risk ............................................................................. 14 IRAN ....................................................................................................................................15 China to Finance Iran's Energy Development Projects ............................................................. 15 3. Sayfa 1 Iranian FM Arrives in Geneva for Bilateral N. Talks with American Counterpart ..................... 15 President: Illogical Demands to Harm Powers in Talks with Iran .............................................. 15 Official: Over 40 Canadian, European, Asian Companies Eying Iran's Gas Projects.................. 16 New US bans on Iran to spoil nuclear talks: Afkham................................................................. 16 Iran FM heads to Geneva to meet Kerry ahead of fresh nuclear talks ..................................... 16 Iran to build 2 more nuclear plants: Rouhani............................................................................ 17 Iran won’t be pressured by slump in oil prices: Rouhani .......................................................... 17 Rouhani: 11 key projects launched in Bushehr ......................................................................... 17 Iran, Malay World to boost cultural ties ................................................................................... 17 S. Arabia, Kuwait will suffer more from oil price plunge: Rouhani ........................................... 18 ISRAEL – PALESTINE..............................................................................................................18 Obama to Netanyahu: US committed to 'comprehensive' Iran deal ........................................ 18 Hamas employees begin sit-in at unity government HQ in Gaza .............................................. 18 Israel closes Muslim charities for alleged Hamas ties ............................................................... 19 Israel's facing worsening international isolation, warns Foreign Ministry paper ..................... 19 Group of new immigrants from France arrives in Israel ........................................................... 19 Rivlin: European leaders must return security to their Jewish communities ........................... 19 Jerusalem begins diplomatic fight against UN Commission inquiry on Gaza............................ 20 Former ICC top prosecutor: Israel must investigate IDF's alleged war crimes to avoidCprobe 20 Studies show Germany viewed favorably by both Israelis and Palestinians ............................. 20 Ashrawi meets with EU, UK officials, calls for support for Palestine ........................................ 20 Spanish FM urges more help for rebuilding on Gaza visit ......................................................... 21 Hamas employees start hunger strike over unpaid wages ....................................................... 21 Senate bill seeks to force embassy move to Jerusalem ............................................................ 21 JORDAN and LEBANON.........................................................................................................21 UAE summons Lebanon envoy over Nasrallah's 'hateful' remarks on Bahrain ........................ 21 Hariri underlines dialogue in letter to Aoun.............................................................................. 22 Jumblatt green lights Naameh landfill extension ...................................................................... 22 Cannabis cultivation should come with security plan: Jumblatt ............................................... 22 Hezbollah deputy chief rules out imminent presidential election despite dialogue ................ 22 Deputies discuss amendments to anti-money laundering bill .................................................. 23 Arab women MPs discuss efforts needed to combat gender violence ..................................... 23 ‘Japan PM due in Jordan next week’ ......................................................................................... 23 Inflation stands at 2.8% at year end .......................................................................................... 24 ‘Jordan exported 380 gigawatt hours of electricity to Egypt in 2014’ ...................................... 24 ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA ....................................................................24 Yemen appoints police chiefs close to Shiite militia, Saleh ....................................................... 24 UAE’s Mazrouei: OPEC cannot protect oil prices ...................................................................... 25 Saudi Arabia Adds 5 Years to Human Rights Lawyer's Prison Sentence ................................... 25 Suicide bomber in Saudi border attack recruited family members to join ISIS: source ............ 25 Strength in Unity ....................................................................................................................... 25 Saudi rail link study on track ..................................................................................................... 26 Fuel smugglers are targeted ...................................................................................................... 26 Bahrain, UK discuss cooperation on reform, rehabilitation ...................................................... 26 4. 5. 6. Sayfa 2 Saudi Arabia increases jail sentence for human rights lawyer .................................................. 26 Qatar denies plans to expel Hamas leader Khalid Mesha’al ..................................................... 27 64 Indian female workers transferred to shelter in Kuwait ...................................................... 27 Kuwait detains ex-MP Saleh Al Mullah for critical tweets ........................................................ 27 Multiple festivals to boost tourism ........................................................................................... 27 EGYPT ..................................................................................................................................28 Canada top diplomat flies to Egypt to push for journalist’s release ......................................... 28 Mubarak corruption conviction overturned ............................................................................. 28 Egyptian Army Finds Missing Policeman’s Dead Body in Sinai.................................................. 28 Egypt court overturns Mubarak verdict, orders retrial ............................................................. 28 Egypt cancels decision to open Rafah crossing ......................................................................... 29 Egyptian cleric warns Charlie Hebdo against publishing "racist" cartoons ............................... 29 Egypt minister says pardon still possible for Al Jazeera journalists .......................................... 29 El-Sisi tells Ethiopian patriarch that Nile is Egypt's 'source of life' ............................................ 29 El-Sisi to political parties leadership: I will not found my own ................................................. 30 Mubarak corruption conviction overturned ............................................................................. 30 Canada top diplomat flies to Egypt to push for journalist’s release ......................................... 30 NORTH AFRICA.....................................................................................................................30 Loss of ‘Tunisia child’ plunges Jewish community into grief ..................................................... 30 Morocco detains three IS suspects up north ............................................................................ 31 Tunisia arrests three Europeans in record drugs haul on yacht................................................ 31 Libya's warring factions in crunch peace talks .......................................................................... 31 Three Libyan Soldiers Killed in Checkpoint Suicide Attack ........................................................ 31 Morocco cracks down on ISIS backers ...................................................................................... 32 Tunisia deals blows to terrorists ............................................................................................... 32 Maghreb 'cyber-jihadists' hack French websites ...................................................................... 32 Tunisian journalists in Libya may be alive ................................................................................. 32 AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN ..................................................................................................33 7. 8. 9. Mansour bin Zayed receives Afghan President ......................................................................... 33 6 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Afghanistan's Ghazni .................................................................. 33 Peshawar school massacre: Five arrested in Afghanistan over Pakistan murders of 150 pupils and teachers ...................................................................................................................................... 33 Afghanistan's Ghani to Visit Iran ............................................................................................... 34 Parents of slain APS students reject Imran, Reham visit ........................................................... 34 Terrorist Network Group Detained In Kandahar ....................................................................... 34 We stand by the parents of the slain: Imran Khan .................................................................... 35 Afghan Intelligence Uncover Suicide Attack Plot in Taliban's Cradle City © AP Photo/ Allauddin Khan ................................................................................................................................................... 35 Democratic government decided to form military courts: PM ................................................. 35 10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................................................................35 House Speaker Visit Turkey Next Saturday ............................................................................... 35 Davutoğlu meets Abbas............................................................................................................. 36 World has 'no perspective' on Syria crisis: Turkey .................................................................... 36 Sayfa 3 Sayfa 4 1. IRAQ, Allawi discuss with the French ambassador in Iraq, bilateral relations and cooperation in the fight against terrorism Vice President Iyad Allawi discussed on Monday with the French Ambassador in Iraq Mark Barete the bilateral relations and the prospects for development. A statement by the Information Office of the Vice President of the Republic today said that Allawi met with the French ambassador, accompanied by a political adviser to the embassy, and journalist Rotcheano Rispoli, in his office in Baghdad, and the meeting discussed the Iraqi-French relations and the prospects for development, and cooperation in the fight against terrorism as an international phenomenon. More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HJFELM Barzani Meets US President's Envoy Head of KRG, Nichervan Barzani discussed with John Allen, the US president's envoy in the coalition to fight Daash the need for the Peshmerga form weapons and training. A statement by the Kurdistan Regional Government said that "Allen praised, during the meeting, which was attended by Brett Makourk, Deputy Assistant of Secretary of State and the US ambassador to Iraq, the US Consul General in the region, the level of cooperation and coordination between the relevant authorities in the Kurdistan region and the international coalition against terrorists who performed their tasks successfully, directing daily fatal blows to the terrorists. More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HJFFEF British Defense Minister: Defeating Daash Needs International Cooperation British Defense Minister, Michael Fallon said "defeating Daash organization in Iraq and Syria needs to strengthen international cooperation and coordination the security efforts, especially with Britain's allies in the Middle East.". He said in a press statement that "recent events experienced by the French capital Paris urgently requires us to confront these threats and has become an urgent need to double its cooperation with allies in Europe, such as France and allies in the region, practically Turkey." More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HJFFEK Sayfa 5 The House Is Working To Legalize Parties, Oil and Gas Laws After The Adoption Of The Budget The leadership figure in the state of law coalition, MP Ali al-Allaq said "the House is working to legalize parties, oil and gas laws after approving the state budget for 2015," pointing out that" the government is serious about addressing all the files that have caused problems in the country during the previous stage. " He told the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA /: " the political parties, participating in the government, agreed on a range of measures in the national document, including legislation and pass laws related to national reconciliation, and solving problems between the central government and the province." More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HJFFFH Abdul Mahdi, Shamkhani discuss joint cooperation A senior official said on Tuesday that Iran is to boost its economic power by cooperating with neighboring states and neutralizing effects of falling oil prices on political attitudes in order to immune the country against unjust sanctions. Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting Oil Minister of Iraq Adel AbdulMehdi. Shamkhani, also a representative of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to the SNSC, said the country’s decision to strengthen its economic power was in line with the Resistance Economy Strategy introduced by the Leader to avoid negative effects of the anti-Iran sanctions imposed by Western powers. More Details: http://www.iraqinews.com/features/abdul-mahdi-shamkhani-discuss-joint-cooperation/ ICO delegation arrives in Baghdad A delegation from The Islamic Cooperation Organization has just arrived to the capital Baghdad.Informed source told IraqiNews.com”A delegation of the Islamic Cooperation Organization has arrived in Baghdad to meet with top officials in Baghdad, Erbil as well as the Supreme Religious Authority Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Najaf. The visit comes to stress the Organization’s support to Iraq.” More Details: http://www.iraqinews.com/features/ico-delegation-arrives-in-baghdad/ Finland plans to send noncombat troops to Iraq Finnish Minister of Defense Carl Haglund confirmed on Monday that Finland will make a decision soon on sending noncombat troops to Iraq, reported Finnish national broadcaster YLE. Haglund told Sayfa 6 YLE that the decision will be made by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy by the end of January. Finland will send 20 to 30 military trainers to Erbil in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, for training Kurdish fighters to combat Islamic State militants. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63049--finland-plans-to-send-noncombattroops-to-iraq.html Rafsanjani: Iraqi's victories against ISIL showed that terrorism defeat begins in Iraq The Iranian Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in Tehran on Monday underlined significance of cooperation between Iran and Iraq in the Middle East and at international levels. Speaking in a meeting with Iraqi Oil Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi in Tehran, Rafsanjani said manpower resource is more important than all instruments of the world's financial and political powers and if Iran and Iraq cooperate using such an asset, it will make all the regional and international powers humble. More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63050-rafsanjani-iraqis-victories-againstisil-showed-that-terrorism-defeat-begins-in-iraq-.html Masoum arrives at parliament to meet Speakership The President, Foad Masoum, arrived at the parliament building on Tuesday morning. Informed parliamentary source to AIN "President will meet members of Parliament Speakership to discuss the political and security updates in addition to the file of National Reconciliation." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63051-masoum-arrives-at-parliament-tomeet-speakership.html MP Hamid expects endorsing budget law soon MP Suad Hamid of the Iraqi National Alliance expected on Tuesday endorsing the 2015 budget law draft by the end of January, 2015. MP Hamid stated to All Iraq News Agency "The Parliamentary Finance Committee will conduct intensive series of meetings to redraft the budget law and take into consideration some suggestions to amend it after completing the second reading of the law draft." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63052-mp-hamid-expects-endorsingbudget-law-soon-.html Sayfa 7 CoM approves erecting Commercial Airport in Diwaniya MP, Iqbal al-Ghurabi, of the Iraqi National Alliance said that the Council of Ministers approved unanimously erecting a Commercial Airport in Diwaniya province. She said to AIN "The CoM voted on erecting the Airport according to the international standards in the province in cooperation with the Local Government and Investment Commission." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63055-com-approves-erectingcommercial-airport-in-diwaniya.html KSA denies separating borders with Iraq The kingdom of Saudi Arabia denied separating its borders with Iraq. The Commander of the Saudi Borders General Bahri al-Balwi, stated in a press statement "There are no evacuated towns within 20 KMs with the Iraqi borders," noting that "The two sides are cooperating to face the danger of the ISIL terrorists on the borders." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63057-breaking-news-ksa-deniesseparating-borders-with-iraq.html Salah il-Din Chieftains Council calls to investigate occupying Salah il-Din by ISIL The Chieftains Council of Salah il-Din provinces called the parliament to hold an investigation over occupying Salah il-Din province by the ISIL terrorists where the investigation has to be like that of Mosul province. A statement by the Council received by AIN cited "While following up the investigation over occupying Mosul by the ISIL terrorists, Salah il-Din Chieftains Council calls the parliament to hold the same investigation over occupying Salah il-Din by the ISIL terrorists." More Details: http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63059-salah-il-din-chieftains-council-callsto-investigate-occupying-salah-il-din-by-isil.html Masoum, Jobouri assure importance of expediting endorsing Budget law The President, Fuad Masoum, and the parliament Speaker, Saleem al-Jobouri, assured the importance of endorsing 2015 Budget law. A Presidential statement received by AIN cited "Masoum visited Jobouri at the parliament building where the two sides assured the importance of expediting the endorsement of 2015 Budget law and holding the meeting of the three Presidencies." More Details: Sayfa 8 http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php/political-news/63060-masoum-jobouri-assureimportance-of-expediting-endorsing-budget-law.html Sweden hints to send a military force to Iraq The Swedish Foreign Ministry announced the possibility of sending a small military force to Iraq, as a participation in the war against ISIS . The Swedish Foreign Minister , Margot Wallström said that "It is possible to send a small military force to Iraq." Wallström confirmed in her speech during a military conference, held in Salen city east of Sweden, on the need for her country’s involvement in efforts to confront "ISIS" more effectively, noting that "many of the EU countries, contributed to the efforts within this framework." More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12858-sweden-hints-to-send-a-military-force-to-iraq Zarif and Mahdi discuss in Tehran "mechanism" to confront terrorism According to the official Iranian news agency "IRNA" , the Foreign Minister of Iran , Mohammad Javad Zarif received yesterday Monday, the Iraqi Minister of Oil, Adel Abdul-Mahdi and discussed ways to develop bilateral relations. The agency said the two sides stressed in the meeting the need to take advantage of the potential and possibilities in the field of bilateral and regional cooperation in order to strengthen political and economic situation in the region. More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12859-zarif-and-mahdi-discuss-in-tehran-mechanismto-confront-terrorism Barzani to the US envoy: Paris events proved threat of terrorism globally The President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani said that the events that took place in Paris that clearly showed that threat of terrorism globally that aim at all parties, stressing that it cannot be fought militarily only but must be fought politically and ideologically seriously. In a statement to the presidency of the region, reported for "Shafaq News", that “ Barzani received, (yesterday) Monday in Erbil, US Special Envoy of the American President in the international coalition for the war against ISIS , John Allen and his accompanying delegation, which included both the Vice US Assistant Secretary of State , Brett Macgork , US ambassador to Iraq, Stuart Jones, US Consul General in Erbil , Joseph Bennington and a number of military advisers in the US military. More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12860-barzani-to-the-us-envoy-paris-events-provedthreat-of-terrorism-globally Sayfa 9 The Tribe of Former commander of ground forces organizes a protest rally due to Ghraoui’s abuse to its leader Atba tribe in Diyala, in which the former ground troops commander , Ali al-Ghaidan belongs who is now on retirement organized on Tuesday, a protest rally in Balad Ruz town (30 km east of Baquba) that was attended by representatives and dignitaries from Atba tribe in several provinces. Sheikh Talib al-Atbe who is a cleric and one of the elders of Atba tribe in Diyala said in an interview to "Shafaq News", that “ Atba tribe in all the provinces met in Balad Ruz district in Diyala to denounce the abuse launched by the former commander of Nineveh operations Lt. Gen. Mahdi Gharrawi against Amir of Atba tribe in Diyala and the father of the former commander of ground forces Ali Ghaidan after describing Ghaidan as a "liar and the son of a liar." More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12861-the-tribe-of-former-commander-of-groundforces-organizes-a-protest-rally-due-to-ghraoui-s-abuse-to-its-leader Saudi Arabia issues a clarification about "removing" villages in the isolation zones with Iraq A senior Saudi security official denied on Tuesday, that his country has removed isolation border villages with Iraq. The Deputy Director General on border’s Guard, Adm Awad al-Balawi said in a press statement that "there are no villages or immigration in the isolation zones with Iraq specified at 20 kilometers inside." More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12868-saudi-arabia-issues-a-clarification-aboutremoving-villages-in-the-isolation-zones-with-iraq Maliki calls Abadi’s government to pay attention to all the neighborhoods and cities of Baghdad The Vice President Nuri al-Maliki called on Tuesday, the current government headed by, Haider alAbadi to the need to pay attention to all the cities and neighborhoods of the capital Baghdad. This came during a meeting at his office today with a number of tribal elders in al-Maamel and 9 Nessan areas in Baghdad, according to a statement issued by his office received by “Shafaq News". More Details: http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12872-maliki-calls-abadi-s-government-to-payattention-to-all-the-neighborhoods-and-cities-of-baghdad Sayfa 10 Iraq submits a tender for the purchase of 30 thousand tons of rice The Iraqi Ministry of Trade announced on Tuesday launching a tender to process the ministry with an amount of 30 thousand tons of rice to cover the requirements of the ration card, while economists justified it and said that production would not fill the growing need for several conditions. Iraq is one of the major importers of grain in the region to cover the ration card program that has been applied since the nineties of the last century. The Ministry of Trade stipulated that the origins must be from America, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam and Thailand with the specifications of " White Grain." More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=28088 France extends airstrikes in Iraq on Islamic State France’s lower house of Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq. The vote came after France’s worst terrorist attacks in decades. Last week in Paris, a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people in a kosher grocery and a policewoman, while two brothers that he knew for years claimed ties to alQaida in Yemen as they killed 12 people at a newspaper office. More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=28085 More Australian military involvement in Iraq Australian special forces are reportedly set to take a stronger role in the fight against Islamic State following Prime Minister Tony Abbott's recent visit to Iraq. Sky News correspondent Jim Middleton said Mr Abbott and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi discussed ways to more effectively use the 200 Australian troops deployed in Baghdad. 'When the prime minister was in Baghdad last week, he left the door open to to the addition of more Australian forces,' he said. 'It took months to actually get (the military) into Iraq and now it appears they are somewhat restricted in their activities.' More Details: http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=28084 A blast bomb exploded in the west of capital Baghdad A security source announced on Tuesday, January 13th, that a blast bomb exploded in Al- Amin neighborhood west Baghdad. The source in a statement told PUKmedia that a blast bomb exploded in the west of capital Baghdad, resulted in killing 2 civilians and wounding 2 others. More Details: Sayfa 11 http://www.pukmedia.com/EN/EN_Direje.aspx?Jimare=28081 2. SYRIA Syrians struggle to cope with winter hardship Syrians are struggling to cope in the sub-zero temperatures with little resources. Many are living in temporary relief shelters and tents that offer inadequate protection from the cold. At least seven Syrians are known to have died because of a snowstorm in the region and at least one of four children who died was from Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus. But while the cold torments civilians, Syrian government forces and other fighters have not let up on combat. More Details: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2015/01/syrians-struggle-cope-with-winter-hardship20151131910426288.html Syrian regime denies report of secret nuclear plant Syria on Monday denied a report that President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was building a secret underground plant with the aim of developing nuclear weapons, state news agency SANA said. “Syria denies these allegations,” said SANA. It accused German news magazine Der Spiegel of publishing “lies and ridiculous allegations, like the idea that Syria is building a nuclear plant.” More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/01/13/Syrian-regime-denies-report-ofsecret-nuclear-plant-.html Coalition strikes pound ISIS targets in Syria, Iraq U.S.-led coalition military forces launched a total of 27 air strikes on territories controlled by the militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group (ISIS), an operation report said Monday. Coalition forces conducted 11 air strikes on ISIS-held positions in Syria over the past 24 hours, including Kobane and Deir Ezzour. The latest attacks on Kobane struck two large ISIS units, an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed 10 militant fighting positions, the report said. The strikes also knocked down five ISIS buildings and two staging positions used by the militant group. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/01/13/U-S-led-air-strikes-target-ISIS-inSyria-Iraq.html Sayfa 12 14 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syria's Deir Ezzur Syrian Troops killed 14 ISIL terrorists in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur, media report said. The army soldiers killed at least 14 Takfiri militants in the towns of Ashara and Swaidan in Deir Ezzur, Xinhua reported. The troops also captured another six ISIL militants in the aforementioned towns, said the report. The Syrian troops have carried out several ambushes against the ISIL militants in recent months. The Deir Ezzur province has a strategic importance owing to its location near Syria's border with Iraq. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000275 Nusra Militants Withdraw from Beit Sahm, Syria Al-Nusra terrorists withdrew from the town of Beit Sahm in Damascus countryside as the locals demonstrated, demanding the withdrawal of the group's militants after they killed a number of the citizens. In a different context, the Syrian Army struck ISIL strongholds in Deir Ezzur province, killing large number of terrorists, Al-Manar reported Tuesday. The Syrian army also regained the town of Rafraf in Hasakah countryside, inflicting heavy losses upon ISIL militants. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000280 UN aid chief wants more Syria intervention UN aid chief Valerie Amos on Tuesday suggested more intervention in humanitarian emergencies as she said some states were aggressively asserting sovereignty rights to stop action being taken to protect civilians, Al Arabia reported. Amos cited Syria as an example after the United Nations Security Council had to adopt two resolutions to authorize the delivery of cross-border humanitarian aid in a bid to reach millions of people in need as a result of the country's civil war. "I don't think that the Syrian government has ever forgiven me. They see me as personally responsible for pushing the Security Council to agree to those resolutions," Amos told the Council of Foreign Relations in New York. More Details: http://en.trend.az/world/arab/2352963.html? Islamic State video shows boy executing alleged Russian spies in Syria Islamic State has posted a chilling video of a young boy appearing to execute two alleged Russian spies in Syria. Released by the Al-Hayat Media centre, a propaganda arm of IS, the video purportedly Sayfa 13 shows the boy killing two alleged spies with a handgun. The authenticity of the video, released by SITE Monitoring Service, could not be verified. More Details: http://ekurd.net/islamic-state-video-shows-boy-executing-alleged-russian-spies-in-syria-2015-01-14? Syria mirrors Algeria, Afghanistan It is true that every country has its own nature, and thus its own experiences that cannot be applied to any other nation. However, some historical experiences of the Syrian crisis can be used to predict what the future of the country would look like. Some predicted that the Syrian revolution took from Algeria, where generals succeeded in restoring public order through intimidation by using radical Islamist groups of “their own creation”, who terrorised Algerians and forced them to submit to military rule. After about a quarter century since the events broke out in Algeria, Islamist extremist groups disappeared, and generals restored legitimacy in addition to the legitimacy of liberating the people from terrorists and extremists which they created to enhance their power, and to foil the public uprising that could have toppled their regime. More Details: http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/views/arab-views/316540/syria-mirrors-algeria-afghanistan? ‘1,000 recruits joining fight in Syria and Iraq each month’ For more than a decade, Western governments have struggled to stem the flow of their citizens traveling to fight in war zones in Muslim countries, increasing surveillance of those who have expressed an interest in joining extremists, creating computer programs to track suspicious travel patterns and taking other measures. But last week's commando-style raids in France — carried out by at least one man who traveled to Yemen in 2011 to train alongside the Qaeda affiliate there — were deadly reminders that those measures have done relatively little to reduce the threat. The number of people traveling abroad to fight continues to grow, with about 1,000 militant recruits joining the fight in Syria and Iraq each month, according to recent United States government figures. More Details: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/1000-recruits-joining-fight-in-Syria-and-Iraq-eachmonth/articleshow/45879697.cms? Europol: 5 000 EU fighters in Syria pose risk The head of Europe's police organisation Europol said on Tuesday the continent was facing its greatest security threat in more than a decade, with as many as 5 000 Europeans who have joined fighting in Syria posing a risk to their homelands. Europol Director Rob Wainwright also echoed Sayfa 14 warnings from spy chiefs and some political leaders in the wake of last week's deadly attacks by Islamist militants in Paris that European security agencies faced a "capability gap" which could leave their countries at risk. More Details: http://www.news24.com/World/News/Europol-5-000-EU-fighters-in-Syria-pose-risk-20150113? 3. IRAN China to Finance Iran's Energy Development Projects Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Alireza Daemi announced that his ministry will receive nearly $3bln of finance from China to implement at least five development projects in the country. "The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance have been assigned with negotiating the terms of Chinese financing," Daemi stated, adding that the Energy Ministry plans to use its share of the finance for construction and development of three dams and two power plants. Earlier this month, an energy official said that a group of Iranian engineers from the Abadan Oil Refinery and Chinese investors have started discussing ways to expand cooperation for building some new units in the plant. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000485 Iranian FM Arrives in Geneva for Bilateral N. Talks with American Counterpart Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Geneva Wednesday morning to hold a meeting with his US counterpart John Kerry prior to the start of the next round of nuclear talks between Tehran and the six major world powers. Kerry, who has already arrived in the Swiss city, and Zarif are to hold a coordination meeting later today to pave the ground for the next round of IranPowers talks which is to be held on Sunday, January 18. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000340 President: Illogical Demands to Harm Powers in Talks with Iran Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined his government's determination to remove the cruel sanctions against the country, and warned the world powers against raising illogical demands in nuclear talks with Tehran. "I declare to all those countries which have moved on the path of these cruel sanctions and are possibly thinking today of taking more steps on this path that the era of threats and sanctions has ended," Rouhani said, addressing a gathering of Iranian people in the Sayfa 15 Southern province of Bushehr on Tuesday. He referred to the nuclear talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany), and said, "If the G5+1 and negotiators don’t choose the path of logic and don't take rapid action vis a vis Iran, they should know that they will lose." More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931023000803 Official: Over 40 Canadian, European, Asian Companies Eying Iran's Gas Projects A large number of foreign firms have voiced their willingness to invest in Iran's gas projects, a senior energy official announced on Tuesday. "Over 40 firms from Asia, Europe and Canada have held talks with senior Iranian energy officials to invest in Iran's gas projects and even a French company has signed a contract and started operation," Head of Investment Committee of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Asghar Soheilipour told reporters in Kish Island, Southern Iran. He noted that companies from South Korea, Japan, Russia, Italy, Britain, France and Canada have announced that they are willing to invest in Iran's gas projects. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931023000731 New US bans on Iran to spoil nuclear talks: Afkham Iran says any new US sanctions against the Islamic Republic could spoil the ongoing talks aimed at securing a long-term deal over Tehran’s nuclear program. At her weekly press conference on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said any further anti-Iran bans by the US could lead to “a halt” in the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the P5+1 group. More Details: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/14/393032/New-Iran-bans-to-upset-nuclear-talks Iran FM heads to Geneva to meet Kerry ahead of fresh nuclear talks Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has headed to the Swiss city of Geneva to hold talks with his US counterpart John Kerry as Tehran and the P5+1 group of world powers are set to start a new round of nuclear negotiations. The Wednesday meeting between Zarif and Kerry is aimed at bridging the existing differences between the two sides ahead of the official start of the next round of discussions over Tehran’s nuclear energy program on January 18. More Details: Sayfa 16 http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/14/393003/Zarif-heads-to-Geneva-to-meet-Kerry Iran to build 2 more nuclear plants: Rouhani Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says the country is to build two more nuclear plants in the southern city of Bushehr towards the use of peaceful nuclear energy. The president made the remarks on Tuesday while visiting the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. “The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is different from the power plants of other countries since this power plant is the symbol of a nation’s resistance,” he noted. More Details: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/14/392989/Iran-to-build-2-more-Nplants-Rouhani Iran won’t be pressured by slump in oil prices: Rouhani Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the recent fall in global crude prices will not pressure the Islamic Republic. In an address to a gathering of people in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr on Tuesday, President Rouhani said, “Iran won’t be pressured by the slump in oil prices” as it has envisaged economic plans to compensate for the drop. More Details: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/13/392894/Falling-oil-prices-wont-pressure-Iran Rouhani: 11 key projects launched in Bushehr Wrapping up second and last day of his provincial trip to Bushehr Province, President Rouhani held a press conference to answer the questions of reporters in the Province. Among the top plans ratified during the President’s visit to Bushehr are execution of eleven projects in 2015 and 2016 which are aimed at taking big steps in addressing economic issues in the province with $173 million budget. Among the projects approved is the construction of a stadium with seating capacity of 15,000 to meet sport needs of Bushehr. More Details: http://en.mehrnews.com/detail/News/105526 Iran, Malay World to boost cultural ties The conference of ‘Iran and Malay World: Cultural ties’ will be held to study and discuss the cultural ties between Iran and the Malay ethnicity in Southeast Asia. The event is organized by Iran cultural center in Malaysia and Encyclopedia Islamica Foundation. The conference will be attended by Sayfa 17 scholars of EIF and Malaysian universities to discuss Islamic Mysticism, the effects of Persian language on Malayan literature, and Iranian culture and art in Malay World. More Details: http://en.mehrnews.com/detail/News/105524 S. Arabia, Kuwait will suffer more from oil price plunge: Rouhani Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that countries behind the fall in global oil prices would regret their decision and warned that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait would suffer alongside Iran from the price drop. “Those that have planned to decrease the prices against other countries will regret this decision,” Rouhani said in an address to a gathering of people in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr, Reuters reported. More Details: http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/120993--s-arabia-kuwait-will-suffer-more-from-oil-priceplunge-rouhani 4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE Obama to Netanyahu: US committed to 'comprehensive' Iran deal US President Barack Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that America was committed to a "comprehensive" nuclear deal with Iran, and said that Palestinian ICC membership was not "constructive," officials said. "The United States is focused on reaching a comprehensive deal with Iran that prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and verifiably assures the international community of the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program," the White House said in a statement. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69664 Hamas employees begin sit-in at unity government HQ in Gaza Hundreds of Hamas employees began a sit-in in front of the headquarters of the Palestinian unity government in Gaza on Tuesday, vowing to stay until their salaries were paid. "Our sit-in is peaceful and we do not want to destroy public property, but we will stay here until our members are recognised and their salaries paid," union spokesman Khalil al-Zayan said. More Details: Sayfa 18 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69671 Israel closes Muslim charities for alleged Hamas ties Israeli police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency on Monday closed two Muslim charities suspected of channelling funds to finance “terror”, a police statement said. It identified the institutions as Muslim Women for Al-Aqsa, in annexed east Jerusalem, and Al-Fajr in the Arab city of Nazareth in northern Israel. They were suspected of financing “organisations which identify with Hamas” and encouraging activists to confront visitors to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/01/13/Israel-closes-Muslim-charities-foralleged-Hamas-ties.html Israel's facing worsening international isolation, warns Foreign Ministry paper Israel's worsening position on the world stage is expected to decline further in 2015, claims a Foreign Ministry report, which warns that more sanctions could be on the way. More Details: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4614611,00.html Group of new immigrants from France arrives in Israel A group of 24 French immigrants arrived at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Monday and officially made Aliyah to Israel less than a week after the terror attack at a kosher supermarket in a suburb of Paris. Among the new olim is the family of Yohan Cohen who was killed during the attack in France and was laid to rest in the Givat Shaul cemetery in Jerusalem on Tuesday afternoon More Details: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4614853,00.html Rivlin: European leaders must return security to their Jewish communities "This is not how we wanted to welcome you to Israel," President Reuven Rivlin told the families of Yoav Hattab, Yohan Cohen, Francois-Michel Saada and Phillipe Braham - the four victims of the terror attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris. Thousands turned out in force on Tuesday to the state funeral held for the four men at the Givat Shaul Cemetery in Jerusalem. More Details: Sayfa 19 http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4614530,00.html Jerusalem begins diplomatic fight against UN Commission inquiry on Gaza Israel this week launched a campaign to thwart the UN Commission of Inquiry on Gaza, directing its diplomats to ensure that a majority of the 47 countries on the UN body that established the commission do not endorse its report. More Details: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Jerusalem-begins-diplomatic-fight-against-UNCommission-inquiry-on-Gaza-387664 Former ICC top prosecutor: Israel must investigate IDF's alleged war crimes to avoidCprobe Luis Moreno Ocampo, the Former International Criminal Court prosecutor, dropped a bombshell on the Israeli debate over war crimes investigations into last summer’s Gaza war. More Details: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Former-ICC-top-prosecutor-Israel-must-investigate-IDFsalleged-war-crimes-to-avoid-ICC-probe-387620 Studies show Germany viewed favorably by both Israelis and Palestinians The Konrad Adenauer Foundation – a think tank affiliated with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party – introduced on Monday the results of two studies showing positive Israeli and Palestinian attitudes toward Germany. Mitchell Barak, the director of the Israeli polling company Keevoon, said “69 percent of Israelis have a favorable impression of Germany” and “81% want a close relationship with Germany.” Barak, who had conducted previous surveys in 2007 and 2009 of Israeli views toward Germany, surveyed 1,000 random Israelis over the age of 18 in December 2014. More Details: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Studies-show-Germany-viewed-favorably-by-bothIsraelis-and-Palestinians-387552 Ashrawi meets with EU, UK officials, calls for support for Palestine During meetings with the European Union and British officials, PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi stressed the importance of ending the Israeli occupation, a statement said Tuesday. More Details: Sayfa 20 http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=753740 Spanish FM urges more help for rebuilding on Gaza visit Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo called for more international help for Gaza as he met Tuesday with families who lost their homes in last summer's war with Israel. More Details: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=753738 Hamas employees start hunger strike over unpaid wages A group of former employees in the Hamas-run government in Gaza went on hunger strike Tuesday following a day of protests over unpaid salaries. More Details: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=753675 Senate bill seeks to force embassy move to Jerusalem Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Dean Heller (R-NV) ushered in the new Congressional session by proposing legislation Tuesday to force the Obama administration to change longstanding US policy and move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem More Details: http://www.timesofisrael.com/senate-bill-seeks-to-force-embassy-move-to-jerusalem/ 5. JORDAN and LEBANON UAE summons Lebanon envoy over Nasrallah's 'hateful' remarks on Bahrain The UAE summoned Wednesday Lebanon’s ambassador to protest “hateful remarks” made by Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah regarding Bahrain in a speech last week, UAE’s state-run agency, WAM, said. Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organization Affairs Tariq Ahmed al-Hidan expressed UAE’s condemnation to Lebanese envoy Hasan Youssef Saad over “these hostile, inflammatory, and hateful remarks,” WAM said. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-14/284060-uae-summons-lebanonenvoy-over-nasrallahs-hateful-remarks-on-bahrain.ashx Sayfa 21 Hariri underlines dialogue in letter to Aoun Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri has underlined the importance of dialogue between the various Lebanese parties in a letter to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun. The letter was delivered to Aoun Wednesday by Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, who is a member of the Future Movement. “Dialogue is beneficial for all Lebanese,” Machnouk told reporters following a meeting with Aoun in Rabieh, north of Beirut. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-14/284059-hariri-underlines-dialoguein-letter-to-aoun.ashx Jumblatt green lights Naameh landfill extension Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt announced Wednesday his support for the Cabinet’s recent decision to extend the deadline for closing the Naameh landfill by three months. The announcement came after a meeting he held at his residence in Beirut's Clemenceau neighborhood, where the ministers of environment and finance explained the new plan to officials from the area of the landfill. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-14/284058-jumblatt-green-lightsnaameh-landfill-extension.ashx Cannabis cultivation should come with security plan: Jumblatt MP Walid Jumblatt has reiterated calls for legalizing the cultivation of cannabis by impoverished farmers in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, stressing that the economic development should go hand in hand with the country’s fight against terrorism. In comments published Wednesday in daily AsSafir, Jumblatt applauded the crackdown on Islamist inmates in Roumieh Prison as a daring security achievement which should be followed by development plans in underprivileged areas. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-14/284054-cannabis-cultivationshould-come-with-security-plan-jumblatt.ashx Hezbollah deputy chief rules out imminent presidential election despite dialogue Hezbollah's deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem has ruled out an imminent presidential election despite recent attempts at dialogue between rivals, citing "complexities" in the case. “I don’t think the presidential election will take place soon due to complexities related to it, even though Hezbollah Sayfa 22 has a clear stance in support for MP Michel Aoun,” Qassem said in remarks published Wednesday in local daily Al-Joumhouria. More Details: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-14/284051-hezbollah-deputy-chiefrules-out-imminent-presidential-election-despite-dialogue.ashx Deputies discuss amendments to anti-money laundering bill MPs on Tuesday renamed the draft anti-money laundering law as the draft anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing law, citing the inseparability of the bill from anti-terror efforts. The new amendments were introduced during the Lower House›s morning session on Tuesday, where several deputies emphasised the importance of the draft law as a legal and regulatory system primarily aiming at detecting, blocking and freezing illegal money transfers suspected to be channelled to finance terrorist activities. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/deputies-discuss-amendments-to-anti-money-laundering-bill Arab women MPs discuss efforts needed to combat gender violence Arab Day for Combating Violence against Women was launched on Monday in a bid to bolster regional efforts to eliminate violence and all forms of discrimination against women. The launch was part of activities of the first annual conference of the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries for Combating Violence Against Women, which is working towards reaching a model Arab law to eliminate violence targeting women, and engage them in security and conflict-resolution efforts. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/arab-women-mps-discuss-efforts-needed-to-combat-gender-violence ‘Japan PM due in Jordan next week’ Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is due in Amman early next week as part of a regional tour scheduled to take place between January 16 and 21, the Japanese embassy said on Tuesday. In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, the embassy said the tour will also take the premier to Egypt, Israel and Palestine. In Jordan, Abe will reaffirm the Japanese government’s strong support for the Kingdom since it has been affected by the unstable regional situation, including the influx of refugees, and it has been at the front line of countermeasures against the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL, according to the statement. More Details: Sayfa 23 http://jordantimes.com/japan-pm-due-in-jordan-next-week Inflation stands at 2.8% at year end The consumer price index (CPI), a measurement of inflation, rose by 2.8 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS). The rate came in conformity with projections made by the government and the International Monetary Fund, which estimated inflation to be less than 3 per cent by the end of 2014. The official report, released by DoS Tuesday, said that the rise in inflation was attributed mainly to higher rentals that went up by 6.9 per cent, tobacco and cigarettes by 13.9 per cent, clothes by 9.9 per cent, education by 4.5 per cent and medical care by 6.9 per cent. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/inflation-stands-at-28-at-year-end ‘Jordan exported 380 gigawatt hours of electricity to Egypt in 2014’ Jordan exported some 380 gigawatt hours of electricity to Egypt in 2014 as the Kingdom is signatory to an agreement to provide the North African country with surplus when needed, according to the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO). In 2014, Jordan imported 20 gigawatt hours of electricity from Egypt, NEPCO Director General Abdul Fattah Daradkeh told The Jordan Times Tuesday. In 1998, Jordan and Egypt signed a deal under which the power grids in both countries were connected, and started supplying each other with electricity when needed and surplus is available, he said in a phone interview. More Details: http://jordantimes.com/jordan-exported-380-gigawatt-hours-of-electricity-to-egypt-in-2014 6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA Yemen appoints police chiefs close to Shiite militia, Saleh Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has appointed top security officials known for their close ties to Shiite militiamen who have overrun the capital and to former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh. He Huthi militia fighters, who now appear in full control of Sanaa, have demanded the government -formed in November under a UN-brokered peace deal -- recruit thousands of their supporters for the army and security forces. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69668 Sayfa 24 UAE’s Mazrouei: OPEC cannot protect oil prices OPEC cannot protect world oil prices which have plunged since June, the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday, arguing that rising North American shale oil output needed to be curbed. "We cannot continue to be protecting a certain price," UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said. "We have seen the oversupply, coming primarily from shale oil, and that needed to be corrected," he told participants in the Gulf Intelligence UAE Energy Forum in Abu Dhabi. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69661 Saudi Arabia Adds 5 Years to Human Rights Lawyer's Prison Sentence A Saudi judge has sentenced a prominent human rights lawyer to an additional five years in jail, after he refused to show remorse or recognize the court that handed down his original 10-year term for sedition. Waleed Abu al-Khair, founder and director of watchdog group Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA), was sentenced last year to 10 years in jail on charges that included breaking his allegiance to King Abdullah, showing disrespect for the authorities and creating an unauthorized association. More Details: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/saudi-arabia-adds-5-years-human-rights-lawyers-prisonsentence Suicide bomber in Saudi border attack recruited family members to join ISIS: source One of the four men who carried out a fatal suicide bomb attack on Saudi border guards last Monday recruited some of his family members to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), informed sources have told Asharq Al-Awsat. The sources said Salim Mohammed Al-Shammari, a Saudi national, went to Syria via Turkey during 2013 to fight with ISIS, taking with him some members of his family whom he had persuaded to join the extremist group. Other members of the family also went to Syria during 2013 in separate groups, the source—who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to brief the media—said. More Details: http://www.aawsat.net/2015/01/article55340370 Strength in Unity "Our unity is our strength," His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa said yesterday. He urged unity to defeat conspirators and enemies of the nation and force them to beat a retreat. Sayfa 25 More detail: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=393879 Saudi rail link study on track A study on a railway connecting Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is expected to be completed by the end of March. Two routes have been proposed for an 87km-long rail link that will connect two stations on either side of the water, according to Transportation Ministry Land Transport and Postal Affairs Under-Secretary Mariam Ahmed Jumaan. More detail: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=393840 Fuel smugglers are targeted Bahrain and other Gulf countries are planning new legislation to curb fuel smuggling. Smuggling of fuel, including diesel, petrol and other products, is frequent across borders where different levels of fuel subsidies create price gaps that criminals can exploit. More detail: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=393842 Bahrain, UK discuss cooperation on reform, rehabilitation Interior Undersecretary, Maj-Gen Khalid Salim Al-Absi, has led Bahrain's delegation on a visit to the United Kingdom aimed at reinforcing cooperation between the two countries. More detal: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/649577 Saudi Arabia increases jail sentence for human rights lawyer A Saudi judge has sentenced a prominent human rights lawyer to an additional five years in jail, his wife said, after he refused to show remorse or recognise the court that handed down his original 10year term for sedition. More detail: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-increases-jail-sentence-for-human-rightslawyer-1.1440594 Sayfa 26 Qatar denies plans to expel Hamas leader Khalid Mesha’al Qatar’s top diplomat on Monday dismissed as “just rumours” an Israeli claim that the Gulf nation agreed to expel a Hamas leader, saying he is a “dear guest” of the energy-rich country. More detail: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/qatar-denies-plans-to-expel-hamas-leader-khalid-mesha-al1.1440288 64 Indian female workers transferred to shelter in Kuwait Sixty-four distressed Indian female workers in Kuwait have been moved to a government-run shelter where they would be provided with free lodging and medical treatment. More detail: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/kuwait/64-indian-female-workers-transferred-to-shelter-in-kuwait1.1440104 Kuwait detains ex-MP Saleh Al Mullah for critical tweets Kuwaiti authorities detained a former liberal lawmaker overnight for questioning and on Wednesday ordered him held for 10 days for tweets criticising the country’s ruler and his support for Egypt’s president, a defence lawyer said. Moredetail: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display1.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2015/January/middleeast_January72.xml§ion=middleeast Multiple festivals to boost tourism Coinciding with the annual school vacation throughout the Kingdom, the tourism development councils and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) announced the launch of different tourism festivals and events in various provinces. More detail: http://www.arabnews.com/travel/news/689246 Sayfa 27 7. EGYPT Canada top diplomat flies to Egypt to push for journalist’s release Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will travel Wednesday to Egypt to seek the release of Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, who was jailed in December 2013 with two other Al-Jazeera journalists. Ottawa's top diplomat said last week he was close to reaching a deal with Egypt on deporting Fahmy to Canada, adding negotiations were at a "critical phase." More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69676 Mubarak corruption conviction overturned An Egyptian court on Tuesday overturned a three-year prison sentence against ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak on corruption charges and ordered a retrial in the sole case still pending against him. In November, another court had dropped murder charges against the 86-year-old former leader over the deaths of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his three decades of autocratic rule. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69666 Egyptian Army Finds Missing Policeman’s Dead Body in Sinai Egyptian troops on Tuesday found the body of a police captain, who had been reported kidnapped in the Sinai Peninsula, the army said. Police Captain Ayman al-Desouky, who had gone missing near the town of Rafah on the border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday, was "killed by terrorist elements," it added. His body was found with a bullet to the head after a joint search with police across the North Sinai towns of al-Arish, Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, during which the "10 terrorists" were killed in a shootout. More Details: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/egyption-army-finds-missing-policeman%E2%80%99s-deadbody-sinai Egypt court overturns Mubarak verdict, orders retrial An Egyptian court on Tuesday overturned former president Hosni Mubarak's conviction on corruption charges and ordered a retrial, but the ex-strongman remained in detention pending a judicial order. More Details: Sayfa 28 http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=753711 Egypt cancels decision to open Rafah crossing Egyptian authorities on Monday canceled a decision to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza for three days this week, a Palestinian official said. More Details: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=753208 Egyptian cleric warns Charlie Hebdo against publishing "racist" cartoons Egypt's Grand Mufti warned the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Tuesday against publishing a new caricature of the Prophet Mohammad, saying it was a racist act that would incite hatred and upset Muslims around the world. More Details: http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/egyptian-cleric-warns-charlie-hebdo-against-publishingracist-cartoons Egypt minister says pardon still possible for Al Jazeera journalists Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi could still pardon three jailed Al Jazeera journalists who are now facing a retrial if he deems it appropriate, the country's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Australian Peter Greste were sentenced last June to seven to 10 years for spreading lies to help a "terrorist organisation" - a reference to Egypt's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. More Details: http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/egypt-minister-says-pardon-still-possible-al-jazeerajournalists El-Sisi tells Ethiopian patriarch that Nile is Egypt's 'source of life' Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on Monday that the Nile is a “source of life” for Egypt, not just a source of development. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/120107/Egypt/Politics-/ElSisi-tells-Ethiopianpatriarch-that-Nile-is-Egyp.aspx Sayfa 29 El-Sisi to political parties leadership: I will not found my own President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced on Tuesday that he would not found a new political party to represent him during his meeting with political party leadership in Egypt for the second consecutive day, reported the Egyptian presidency. More Details: http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/120252/Egypt/Politics-/ElSisi-to-political-partiesleadership-I-will-not-.aspx Mubarak corruption conviction overturned An Egyptian court on Tuesday overturned a three-year prison sentence against ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak on corruption charges and ordered a retrial in the sole case still pending against him. More Details: http://middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69666 Canada top diplomat flies to Egypt to push for journalist’s release Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will travel Wednesday to Egypt to seek the release of Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, who was jailed in December 2013 with two other Al-Jazeera journalists. More Details: http://middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69676 8. NORTH AFRICA Loss of ‘Tunisia child’ plunges Jewish community into grief The loss of a "child of Tunisia" has plunged its small Jewish community into mourning after Yoav Hattab, son of a Tunis rabbi, was killed in last week's jihadist attack on a Paris kosher supermarket. Hattab, a 21-year-old who was in France for international business studies, had a bright future in front of him. "Tunisia paid a heavy price" in the attacks which killed 17 people over three days in the French capital, said Jacob Lellouche, who runs a restaurant in the Tunis suburb of La Goulette and is president of a Jewish cultural organisation. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69673 Sayfa 30 Morocco detains three IS suspects up north Moroccan police have detained three suspected supporters of the Islamic State jihadist group near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The arrests were made in the border town of Fnideq where two men were held last month on suspicion of running a cell recruiting young women via the Internet to join IS, the ministry said. It did not say when the new suspects were detained. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69670 Tunisia arrests three Europeans in record drugs haul on yacht Tunisian police seized five tonnes of cannabis on a yacht and arrested three European nationals, in a record drugs haul for the North African country, the interior ministry said Tuesday. "Three tonnes were seized at first on Sunday and then another two tonnes were found on the yacht" in the coastal resort of Yasmine-Hammamet, south of Tunis, ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui said. More Details: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69675 Libya's warring factions in crunch peace talks The United Nations will host crunch talks between Libya’s warring factions from Wednesday in Geneva, amid warnings that this could be the last chance for peace in the battle-scarred nation. The talks will be overseen by U.N. envoy to Libya and the U.N. chief’s special representative Bernardino Leon. A press conference is scheduled on Wednesday afternoon. The announcement came after the U.N.-backed negotiations looked in doubt on Tuesday after one of the delegations said it would postpone a decision on whether to participate until Sunday. More Details: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/01/13/U-N-to-hold-Libya-peace-talks-inGeneva-on-Wednesday.html Three Libyan Soldiers Killed in Checkpoint Suicide Attack Three Libyan soldiers were killed and five others wounded Tuesday in a suicide car bomb attack on a road checkpoint west of the embattled city of Benghazi, a military official said. The official said an attacker drove a car into the checkpoint, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Benghazi on the road to Ajdabiya. "The bomber drove an explosive-laden car into the checkpoint and detonated it, killing himself along with three army commandos," army commander Hamza Fakhri told The Anadolu Agency. Sayfa 31 More Details: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/three-libyan-soldiers-killed-checkpoint-suicide-attack Morocco cracks down on ISIS backers Security forces in Morocco recently mounted a campaign of arrests in several cities, targeting suspects who declared their loyalty to the Islamic State (ISIS). Efforts were focused on metropolitan Casablanca, Fez, Boulemane, Marrakesh, and Nador. Some were interrogated then released, while others were referred to the public prosecutor on January 7th on terror charges. Sixteen remain in pre-trial detention. More Details: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2015/01/13/feature-01 Tunisia deals blows to terrorists Tunisia's military and security forces continue to make breakthroughs against terrorists across the country. Nearly every day, another terrorist plan is unveiled or a militant stronghold is discovered. "They're suffering and we're hunting them down and giving them hard time around the clock," Defence Ministry Spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said. "They lost the safe havens they used to have in the mountain, and can now expect our strikes at any moment and wherever they are." More Details: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2015/01/13/feature-02 Maghreb 'cyber-jihadists' hack French websites Maghreb hackers hijacked hundreds of French websites since the attacks on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, flooding them with jihadist propaganda, AFP reported on Monday (January 12th). Homepages of several French websites were replaced by phrases like "Death to France" or "Death to Charlie" written against a black background. In one case, visitors to the official website of the Lot department in south-west France were directed to a site broadcasting fundamentalist speech. More Details: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2015/01/13/newsbrief-01 Tunisian journalists in Libya may be alive The Tunisian journalists thought slain by Libyan terrorists may still be alive, Mosaique FM reported on Monday (January 12th). Activist Mustafa Abdelkabir, who is tasked with negotiations for the release of Sofiene Chourabi and Nadhir Guetari, denied a recent report of their beheadings. The Sayfa 32 employees of private channel First TV disappeared on September 8th, 2014 at a checkpoint near Ajdabiya. Last week, the eastern Libyan branch of Daesh said it had executed them. More Details: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2015/01/13/newsbrief-02 9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN Mansour bin Zayed receives Afghan President H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, today received at Emirates Palace Afghan President, Mohammed Ashraf Ghani, who is currently visiting the country. During the meeting, Sheikh Mansour and President Ghani reviewed bilateral relations, focussing on the economic, development and social areas. They also discussed ways to strengthen the relations to meet aspirations of the two countries and peoples. More Details: http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395275100323.html? 6 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Afghanistan's Ghazni At least six Taliban insurgents were blown up by their own explosives in Southeastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan. The Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement that the insurgents were blown up in separate incidents while they were placing roadside mine in the main road of Gilan district, Ghazni province, on Tuesday, Khaama press reported. “In the meantime, a Taliban mine planter was killed by his own explosives while he was placing a roadside mine in the main road of Afshan region, Trinkot city capital of Uruzgan province,” the ministry added. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000786 Peshawar school massacre: Five arrested in Afghanistan over Pakistan murders of 150 pupils and teachers Five men have reportedly been arrested in Afghanistan on suspicion of involvement in last month’s massacre at a school in Pakistan. The incident saw 150 children and teachers killed by seven Taliban gunmen at the Army Public School in Peshawar. According to local media reports, the five suspects detained in Afghanistan all originate from Pakistan. Geo News cited military sources saying the men were believed to be senior commanders "from a proscribed outfit". More Details: Sayfa 33 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/peshawar-school-massacre-five-arrested-inafghanistan-over-pakistan-murders-of-150-pupils-and-teachers-9977503.html Afghanistan's Ghani to Visit Iran Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani will pay an official visit to Tehran soon to discuss peace and anti-terrorism efforts. Presidential Spokesman Nazif Salarzi said that the date of the visit has not been set yet. Nazif Salarzi underlined that Ghani’s visit will focus on the issue of peace and fighting terrorism, and concluding a strategic security agreement. "The articles of peace agreement that was offered by Iran during former President Hamid Karzai, will also be reviewed to be signed by Ashraf Ghani," he added. More Details: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931024000637 Parents of slain APS students reject Imran, Reham visit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Reham Khan encountered protests by angry parents outside the gates of Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar on Wednesday. The parents of deceased students who lost their children in the APS tragedy- chanted “Go Imran Go” while holding placards rejecting Imran Khan's visit. More Details: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-171786-Parents-of-slain-APS-students-reject-Imran,-Rehamvisit Terrorist Network Group Detained In Kandahar National Security Directorate Department (NSD) personnel of Kandahar province in a special operation arrested a network group of 6 terrorists, who wanted to organize suicide attacks and blast along with a suicide attacker in Kandahar province. NSD department press office in the province told BNA, the network group viewing to launch a series of suicide attacks by using of two motorcycles packed with explosive materials in crowded areas of Kandahar city. More Details: http://www.bakhtarnews.com.af/eng/security/item/15922-terrorist-network-group-detained-inkandahar.html? Sayfa 34 We stand by the parents of the slain: Imran Khan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan addressing a press conference at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Wednesday following his visit to the Army Public School said that he was delighted to see the students’ enthusiasm today and he commended their bravery. Imran Khan said he understood and empathised with the parents of the deceased and he stands by them in these difficult times. More Details: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-171807-We-stand-by-the-parents-of-the-slain:-Imran-Khan Afghan Intelligence Uncover Suicide Attack Plot in Taliban's Cradle City © AP Photo/ Allauddin Khan A group of six insurgents have been arrested in connection with plans to carry out suicide attacks with two motorcycles filled with explosives in the busy areas of Kandahar, a statement from the country’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) said, as quoted by Khaama Press newspaper Wednesday. More Details: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150114/1016882897.html? Democratic government decided to form military courts: PM Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the decision to form military courts was made by a democratically elected government not a martial law administrator. The prime minister met President Mamnoon Hussain and said cases against those spreading hatred and sectarianism would be heard in military courts. Prime Minister Sharif added that Pakistan faced major challenges such as the energy crisis and terrorism. More Details: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-171797-Democratic-government-decided-to-form-militarycourts:-PM- 10.TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST House Speaker Visit Turkey Next Saturday House Speaker Salim al-Jubouri is scheduled to begin, on Saturday, an official visit to Turkey in sixth regional visit since his election. A parliamentary source told the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA / that "al-Jubouri, will head a high-level delegation in visit to the Republic of Turkey at the invitation of Sayfa 35 his counterpart President of the Turkish National Assembly Murat Cicek." He added, "Jubouri will discuss overall relations between the two countries and ways of strengthen them, especially security to counter-terrorism and economic exchange between the sides, which reached more than $ 12 billion last year." More Details: http://ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HJFFFE Davutoğlu meets Abbas Palestinian Head of State Mahmuod Abbas met with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Tuesday as part of his Ankara contacts. Talks between Davutoğlu and Abbas and delegations centered on terrorist attacks in France. Prime Minister Davutoğlu and Palestinian Head of State Mahmoud Abbas who attended a Unity march in Paris with other world leaders, dwelled on global cooperation in fight against terrorism. More Details: http://www.trt.net.tr/english/turkey/2015/01/14/davuto%C4%9Flu-meets-abbas-145067 World has 'no perspective' on Syria crisis: Turkey Major world powers have "no perspective" on how to end the bloody crisis in Syria which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and torn the country apart, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister has said. Numan Kurtulmus told a routine Syrian Coordination Committee meeting in Ankara on Wednesday: "This (conflict) is a shame on humanity that transcends the borders of Syria. More Details: http://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/450055--world-has-no-perspective-on-syria-crisis-turkey *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 Sayfa 36 ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü yansıtmamaktadır. Sayfa 37
© Copyright 2024