Morning News Roundup
Foreign journalists taken hostage in Gaza to be released Saturday, it seems
Published: 08.26.06, 16:04
Palestinian sources estimated that Saturday the affair of the two kidnapped journalists from Fox News in Gaza will come to an end. Saturday, the deadline of the 72-hour ultimatum put forth by kidnappers to the American government passes. According to the ultimatum, the American government had to release Muslim prisoners in American jails.
Despite the expiration of the ultimatum, the Palestinian Defense and Interior Ministry estimated that "the issue is being dealt with in a positive manner, such that the affair is likely to end Saturday." (Ali Waked)
Defying U.N., Iran opens nuclear reactor
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 25 minutes ago
An Iranian plant that produces heavy water officially went into operation on Saturday, despite U.N. demands that Tehran stop the activity because it can be used to develop a nuclear bomb.
Palestinian journalists call for show of solidarity with kidnapped reporters
Published: 08.26.06, 16:27
President of the Palestinian Journalists Association, Naim Tubasi, called in a press conference in Ramallah on all the media to halt their activity for one hour Sunday morning, in a show of solidarity with the two Fox News kidnapped reporters.
Tubasi said that the journalists' abduction was a crime and a stab in the back of the Palestinian nation. (AFP)
Pressure mounts on Sudan to accept UN Darfur mission
Published: 08.26.06, 17:00
As pressure mounts on Sudan to accept UN troops in its violent Darfur region, the Khartoum government is closing ranks in defiance, raising fears of a deadlock that could hasten Darfur's descent into chaos. The top US diplomat on Africa, Jendayi Frazer, is to arrive in
Khartoum on Saturday carrying a strong message from
President George W. Bush that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir should drop his opposition to a UN takeover of a struggling African Union mission in Sudan's west.
During a two-day visit, Frazer hopes to meet Sudanese officials ahead of a Security Council meeting on Monday to discuss a British draft resolution to deploy around 20,000 UN police and soldiers to Darfur. (AP)
Germany demands authority to search Lebanese ships
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 26, 2006
Germany said on Saturday that the ships that it was expected to send to monitor the Lebanese coast must be given the authority to stop suspicious ships and conduct searches on board in order to prevent the smuggling of arms.
The deputy chancellor said he was certain the German government and parliament would approve the sending of the patrol ships, Israel Radio reported.
Hizbullah surprised at Israeli offensive
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 26, 2006
Deputy Chief of Hizbullah, Naeem Kasam said Saturday that the organization was surprised at the extent of Israel's response to the kidnapping of IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.
"We were surprised by the size and strength of the Israeli reaction. We expected that the IDF would bomb areas close to the border for several days and only cause minimal damage," Kasam said in an interview with Lebanese newspaper A-Nahar.
According to the deputy, Hizbullah had information that the US and Israel were planning to launch an attack against the organization in September or October, but due to American and Israeli public pressure following the kidnapping of the two soldiers, the attacks were carried out earlier, prior to Israel being fully prepared for a full-scale attack.
Furthermore, Kasam noted that Hizbullah would not disarm because Israel continued to occupy the Shabba Farms, still held Lebanese prisoners and IAF planes flew in Lebanese airspace on a day-to-day basis.
Israel seeks troops from Muslim nations
By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer2 hours, 15 minutes ago
Israel said Saturday it was encouraging some Muslim countries to send peacekeepers to southern Lebanon, a contribution that would lend credibility to the heavily European force.
Egypt arrests top Muslim Brotherhood members
Fri Aug 25, 3:15 PM ET
The secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Mahmoud Ezzat, and 15 members of the opposition group were arrested north of Cairo, the organization's deputy chief told AFP.
Mohammed Habib said that among those held was Lashin Abu Shanab, a member of the Brotherhood's political leadership, as well as officials from various provinces.
Iraqi officials: Sunni lawmaker freed
(AP)
Kidnapped Sunni lawmaker Tayseer al-Mashhadani was released Saturday after being held for nearly two months, an adviser to the prime minister and a senior official from her party said.
Iraqi PM looks to tribes for unity
By Mussab Al-Khairalla (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged hundreds of tribal leaders gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to unite to end the bitter sectarian bloodshed between Sunnis and Shi'ites that has raised fears of civil war.
"Iraq needs all of its sons during this stage. There is no difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites," he told the meeting, the first in a series to promote dialogue between the warring sects as part of his national reconciliation programme.
Islamic militia expands in Somalia
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY, Associated Press WriterFri Aug 25, 1:55 PM ET
An Islamic militia that controls most of southern Somalia is now expanding into the center of this Horn of Africa country, imposing order after years of anarchy but also sparking worries of an emerging Taliban-style regime.
U.S. says Darfur is getting worse
By Sue PlemingFri Aug 25, 10:43 PM ET Reuters
The United States, which is trying to get Khartoum to accept a U.N. force in Darfur, said on Friday Sudan was preparing a new offensive in its devastated western province and that rebels there were rearming.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who spoke before leaving for a visit to Sudan, said the situation was getting much worse in Darfur and a U.N. force was needed urgently to stop what Washington has called genocide.
Abbas' party OKs Hamas unity government
By SHAFIKA MATTAR, Associated Press WriterFri Aug 25, 9:11 PM ET
Top leaders of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party gave their leader the go-ahead Friday to begin forming a unity government with the militant Hamas in an effort to end internal feuding and international isolation, a party member said.
Saudi favors 'moderate' oil prices: king
Sat Aug 26, 5:47 AM ET AFP
Oil powerhouse Saudi Arabia favors "moderate" crude prices despite reaping a windfall from record highs on world markets, King Abdullah said in remarks.
"The kingdom's petroleum policy is moderation in prices. Despite the benefits that the increase in prices brings us, we advocate moderation in oil prices," he told the Saudi-owned pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat Saturday.
Two bombs injure four in Turkish city: agency
Sat Aug 26, 3:16 AM ET Reuters
Two bombs exploded in the southern Turkish city of Adana late on Friday, injuring four people, state news agency Anatolian reported.
China, SKorea to work to prevent NKorea nuclear test
Sat Aug 26, 1:18 AM ET AFP
South Korea and China have agreed to work together to try to dissuade North Korea from carrying out a nuclear weapons test, a top presidential advisor has announced.
Published: 08.26.06, 16:04
Palestinian sources estimated that Saturday the affair of the two kidnapped journalists from Fox News in Gaza will come to an end. Saturday, the deadline of the 72-hour ultimatum put forth by kidnappers to the American government passes. According to the ultimatum, the American government had to release Muslim prisoners in American jails.
Despite the expiration of the ultimatum, the Palestinian Defense and Interior Ministry estimated that "the issue is being dealt with in a positive manner, such that the affair is likely to end Saturday." (Ali Waked)
Defying U.N., Iran opens nuclear reactor
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 25 minutes ago
An Iranian plant that produces heavy water officially went into operation on Saturday, despite U.N. demands that Tehran stop the activity because it can be used to develop a nuclear bomb.
Palestinian journalists call for show of solidarity with kidnapped reporters
Published: 08.26.06, 16:27
President of the Palestinian Journalists Association, Naim Tubasi, called in a press conference in Ramallah on all the media to halt their activity for one hour Sunday morning, in a show of solidarity with the two Fox News kidnapped reporters.
Tubasi said that the journalists' abduction was a crime and a stab in the back of the Palestinian nation. (AFP)
Pressure mounts on Sudan to accept UN Darfur mission
Published: 08.26.06, 17:00
As pressure mounts on Sudan to accept UN troops in its violent Darfur region, the Khartoum government is closing ranks in defiance, raising fears of a deadlock that could hasten Darfur's descent into chaos. The top US diplomat on Africa, Jendayi Frazer, is to arrive in
Khartoum on Saturday carrying a strong message from
President George W. Bush that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir should drop his opposition to a UN takeover of a struggling African Union mission in Sudan's west.
During a two-day visit, Frazer hopes to meet Sudanese officials ahead of a Security Council meeting on Monday to discuss a British draft resolution to deploy around 20,000 UN police and soldiers to Darfur. (AP)
Germany demands authority to search Lebanese ships
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 26, 2006
Germany said on Saturday that the ships that it was expected to send to monitor the Lebanese coast must be given the authority to stop suspicious ships and conduct searches on board in order to prevent the smuggling of arms.
The deputy chancellor said he was certain the German government and parliament would approve the sending of the patrol ships, Israel Radio reported.
Hizbullah surprised at Israeli offensive
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 26, 2006
Deputy Chief of Hizbullah, Naeem Kasam said Saturday that the organization was surprised at the extent of Israel's response to the kidnapping of IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.
"We were surprised by the size and strength of the Israeli reaction. We expected that the IDF would bomb areas close to the border for several days and only cause minimal damage," Kasam said in an interview with Lebanese newspaper A-Nahar.
According to the deputy, Hizbullah had information that the US and Israel were planning to launch an attack against the organization in September or October, but due to American and Israeli public pressure following the kidnapping of the two soldiers, the attacks were carried out earlier, prior to Israel being fully prepared for a full-scale attack.
Furthermore, Kasam noted that Hizbullah would not disarm because Israel continued to occupy the Shabba Farms, still held Lebanese prisoners and IAF planes flew in Lebanese airspace on a day-to-day basis.
Israel seeks troops from Muslim nations
By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer2 hours, 15 minutes ago
Israel said Saturday it was encouraging some Muslim countries to send peacekeepers to southern Lebanon, a contribution that would lend credibility to the heavily European force.
Egypt arrests top Muslim Brotherhood members
Fri Aug 25, 3:15 PM ET
The secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Mahmoud Ezzat, and 15 members of the opposition group were arrested north of Cairo, the organization's deputy chief told AFP.
Mohammed Habib said that among those held was Lashin Abu Shanab, a member of the Brotherhood's political leadership, as well as officials from various provinces.
Iraqi officials: Sunni lawmaker freed
(AP)
Kidnapped Sunni lawmaker Tayseer al-Mashhadani was released Saturday after being held for nearly two months, an adviser to the prime minister and a senior official from her party said.
Iraqi PM looks to tribes for unity
By Mussab Al-Khairalla (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged hundreds of tribal leaders gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to unite to end the bitter sectarian bloodshed between Sunnis and Shi'ites that has raised fears of civil war.
"Iraq needs all of its sons during this stage. There is no difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites," he told the meeting, the first in a series to promote dialogue between the warring sects as part of his national reconciliation programme.
Islamic militia expands in Somalia
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY, Associated Press WriterFri Aug 25, 1:55 PM ET
An Islamic militia that controls most of southern Somalia is now expanding into the center of this Horn of Africa country, imposing order after years of anarchy but also sparking worries of an emerging Taliban-style regime.
U.S. says Darfur is getting worse
By Sue PlemingFri Aug 25, 10:43 PM ET Reuters
The United States, which is trying to get Khartoum to accept a U.N. force in Darfur, said on Friday Sudan was preparing a new offensive in its devastated western province and that rebels there were rearming.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who spoke before leaving for a visit to Sudan, said the situation was getting much worse in Darfur and a U.N. force was needed urgently to stop what Washington has called genocide.
Abbas' party OKs Hamas unity government
By SHAFIKA MATTAR, Associated Press WriterFri Aug 25, 9:11 PM ET
Top leaders of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party gave their leader the go-ahead Friday to begin forming a unity government with the militant Hamas in an effort to end internal feuding and international isolation, a party member said.
Saudi favors 'moderate' oil prices: king
Sat Aug 26, 5:47 AM ET AFP
Oil powerhouse Saudi Arabia favors "moderate" crude prices despite reaping a windfall from record highs on world markets, King Abdullah said in remarks.
"The kingdom's petroleum policy is moderation in prices. Despite the benefits that the increase in prices brings us, we advocate moderation in oil prices," he told the Saudi-owned pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat Saturday.
Two bombs injure four in Turkish city: agency
Sat Aug 26, 3:16 AM ET Reuters
Two bombs exploded in the southern Turkish city of Adana late on Friday, injuring four people, state news agency Anatolian reported.
China, SKorea to work to prevent NKorea nuclear test
Sat Aug 26, 1:18 AM ET AFP
South Korea and China have agreed to work together to try to dissuade North Korea from carrying out a nuclear weapons test, a top presidential advisor has announced.
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