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Published February 14th, 2012 – 11:09 GMT

The Syrian army resumed Tuesday its attack on the rebel city of Homs. “The bombing of Homs which began at dawn is the most violent in the past five days. On average, two rockets fall every minute,” stated Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.

According to the organization, new clashes between the forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad and the rebels killed 29 people Monday, including 18 civilians.

Ignoring the calls for calm, the Syrian regime has continued the shelling of Homs, now suffering a humanitarian crisis. The Red Crescent complained about a shortage of bread in the “capital of revolution.”

Since Feb. 4, at least 300 people were killed, according to a UN count.

Elsewhere, Al Jazeera TV reported the Syrian regime’s forces resumed on Tuesday the offensive against the city of Boukamal, near the border with Iraq, as well as towns inn the southern province of Deraa. Columns of tanks and armored vehicles raided the towns and made several arrests.

Meanwhile, media sources claim that Iranian fighters from the Revolutionary Guards and Iraqis from the Shiite Al-Mahdi Army of Moqtada Sadr have been sent to help the Syrian regime. Iran has also dispatched pilots to Syria , especially since Bashar al-Assad feared the defection of his pilots.

Iranian and Iraqi militiamen are primarily deployed in the region of Souwaida (Jebel Al-Arab) which is known for its Druze majority. Lebanese sources fear that this is a warning to the Lebanese Druze and their leader Walid Jumblatt, who continue to denounce the Syrian regime. 

A largely semi-desert country, Chad is rich in gold and uranium and stands to benefit from its recently-acquired status as an oil-exporting state.

In 1982, with French help, Mr Habre captured the capital, N'Djamena, and Mr Oueddei escaped to the north, where he formed a rival government. The standoff ended in 1990, when Mr Habre was toppled by the Libyan-backed Idriss Deby.

By the mid-1990s the situation had stabilised and in 1996 Mr Deby was confirmed president in Chad's first election.

In 1998 an armed insurgency began in the north, led by President Deby's former defence chief, Youssouf Togoimi. A Libyan-brokered peace deal in 2002 failed to put an end to the fighting.

From 2003 unrest in neighbouring Sudan's Darfur region spilled across the border, along with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees. They have been joined by thousands of Chadians who are fleeing rebel fighting as well as violence between ethnic Arab and ethnic African Chadians.

Chad and Sudan accuse each other of backing and harbouring rebels, and the dispute led to severing of relations in 2006. However, since then, progress has been made towards normalising ties, with the two countries' presidents meeting for the first time in six years in 2010.

Chad became an oil-producing nation in 2003 with the completion of a $4bn pipeline linking its oilfields to terminals on the Atlantic coast. The government has moved to relax a law controlling the use of oil money, which the World Bank had made a condition of its $39m loan.

Welsh Labour must not make the mistake of becoming too "managerial" after more than a decade in office, Shadow Welsh secretary Peter Hain has said.

Mr Hain said: "We have got to be constantly on guard to make sure we don't repeat the disease which afflicted us in Westminster – which is the more you stay in power the more managerial you get and the more you lose touch with your supporters."

Welsh Labour had made "massive advances" in the last two years, culminating in "great success" at last year's election where it won 30 of the assembly's 60 seats, he said.

With the Liberal Democrats "marginalised" and Plaid Cymru "drifting", he said his party had "re-established Labour as the leader of the progressive majority in Wales, and that was not the case before 2010".

The key battleground now was in marginal seats where Labour was up against the Conservatives.

He urged activists to learn the lessons of seats such as Cardiff North where Labour had "won against the trend" last year.

Mr Hain chaired a Welsh Labour strategy group, described by the first minister as the "engine room" of Labour's campaign for the local elections this May.

Earlier, Mr Hain used his conference speech to warn Welsh Labour that it faced "closet Tories" standing as independent candidates at the local elections, particularly in north east Wales.

He told delegates the party faced "independents with no manifesto, no plan and no clue – many of them closet Tories: they just knew they'd never get elected in north-east Wales with a blue rosette on."

But Plaid Cymru pointed out that Labour was in coalition with independents running Carmarthenshire council.

Mr Hain also urged the conference to champion the last UK Labour government's record on the economy, and added his voice to attacks on Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan, made by First Minister Carwyn Jones and UK party leader Ed Miliband on Saturday.

"She's been too busy elsewhere, stopping trains, building tunnels and selling houses in her Buckinghamshire constituency," he said.

"She's not a Welsh Secretary, she's an anti-Welsh Secretary."

By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Feb 19, 2012 00:56
Updated: Feb 19, 2012 00:56

RIYADH: Parliamentary heads of the G20 nations will converge in Riyadh on Friday to discuss a range of regional and international issues within the framework of a parliamentary consultation process started by the G20 member nations in Canada in 2010.

This announcement coincides with the first ever meeting of
G20 foreign ministers in Mexico on Sunday, which will be attended by Minister
of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani.

“The high-profile conference of G20 speakers will kick
off in Riyadh on Feb. 24, while the formal sessions will start the next
day,” said Dr. Saleh Al-Namla, a senior member of the Shoura Council, on
Saturday. The conference of the G20 speakers will focus on global security and
stability as well as sustainable economic growth and international cooperation
on regional and international issues of concerns.

Al-Namla, who will present a paper at the conference, said
the event would last for three days. The conference, which seeks parliamentary
solutions to a host of global issues, will focus on the role of energy for
sustainable economic growth and need for global cultural and religious
dialogue. The agenda also includes a detailed discussion on how to boost
parliamentary cooperation for peace and security, and how to help poor
countries across the globe.

On the participation of speakers from G20 member nations,
another Shoura member said parliamentary leaders and delegates from more than
26 countries including G20 nations would attend the consultative event.
“We are very happy to be the host,” said the Shoura member, adding
the meeting is now being held annually to promote parliamentary cooperation
among the member states. He said: “More people than ever are concerned
about global security issues and the parliamentary heads will discuss this
issue in detail”.

The uprisings in the Middle East has also spread the feeling
that no one nation can be isolated in maintaining security and that international
cooperation is essential, he added, while referring to the Saudi participation
in the G20 ministerial meeting in the Mexican coastal resort of Los Cabos on
Sunday. Madani is leading the Saudi delegation to this two-day meeting. This
first meeting of G20 foreign ministers will discuss pressing global issues
including trans-national crime, climate change and food security.

The meeting will be attended by US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and EU foreign policy
chief Catherine Ashton. Other G20 countries including France, China, Brazil and
India will be represented at different levels. Mexico is the current chair of
the G20 and the G20 summit will be hosted on June 18-19 in Mexico.

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By REUTERS

Published: Feb 16, 2012 23:25
Updated: Feb 16, 2012 23:25

DUBAI: A sharp rise in trading turnover shows money is pouring back into Middle Eastern stock markets, after a year in which the global financial crisis and political turmoil in the Arab world kept most markets depressed.

Analysts believe the bulk of the recent buying is by local investors seeking short-term profits, rather than by foreign funds and other long-term institutional investors. 

They say the rallies could be cut short if the global financial environment worsens again — for example, if the euro zone debt crisis flares up once more — or if there is a geopolitical crisis such as conflict with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

Nevertheless, the explosion in trading activity is good news for Middle Eastern brokerages that have struggled for several years with low demand for their services, and it could buoy asset markets and business sentiment across the region.

“The liquidity is here to stay for the near term at least, though global risks could still make people cautious,” said Amer Khan, fund manager at Dubai-based Shuaa Asset Management.

In Saudi Arabia, daily trading volumes have averaged 311 million shares so far this year, up 122 percent from last year’s average. Average daily value traded has climbed 109 percent. This has helped to boost the main stock index by 6 percent this year, following a decline in 2011 of 3 percent.

Monday’s volume in Dubai was the highest since April last year, although most of it was short-term trading of small-cap stocks favored by local speculators. The index, which sank 17 percent last year, is up 13 percent so far in 2012.

Even Egypt, which remains vulnerable to unstable domestic politics and the threat of a currency crisis as the country’s foreign reserves shrink, has seen trading volumes rise by some 50 percent from last year’s levels. The index has rebounded 38 percent after last year’s 49 percent tumble.

The recovery of Middle Eastern markets is partly due to a global revival of investor sentiment; rising equities overseas have encouraged Arab investors to return to their markets. 

A monthly poll by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, released this week, showed a dramatic improvement globally in investors’ views on market liquidity conditions, which hit their highest reading since June. A net 44 percent of investors were overweight global emerging markets, up from 20 percent in January — the second biggest jump since 2001.

But there are also specific local factors behind Middle Eastern markets’ strength. In Saudi Arabia, strong economic growth and high oil prices are combining with expectations for economic reforms that could boost equities.

Analysts believe authorities may open the market to direct foreign investment this year, while a long-awaited law facilitating mortgage lending may be passed, spurring the home loan industry. Also, the consultative Shoura Council proposed imposing a tax on undeveloped plots of land, local media reported this month, which could push money out of unproductive land speculation into real estate development or other asset markets.

“Local fundamentals are strong, money is flowing in from other asset classes and the increased demand for equities is likely to continue,” said Asim Bukhtiar, head of research at Riyad Capital.

In Dubai, the slumping real estate market continues to hurt earnings at property developers and banks; Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank, posted a 62 percent decline in fourth-quarter net profit on Wednesday.

But the stock market’s rally appears to be based on a sense that valuations have become cheap — the index hit a seven-year low early this year — and signs that authorities will act to limit the damage to indebted companies.

Emirates NBD revealed on Wednesday that the UAE finance ministry had given it a AED2.8 billion ($762 million), eight-year loan at below market rates to help it take over a struggling Islamic bank last October.

And in Egypt, investors are looking beyond immediate political and economic uncertainties to the prospect that in a few months, the country may have a democratically elected president, complementing the new parliament which was elected last month.

“We are seeing a period of stability after successful parliamentary elections and with a planned presidential vote due in the coming months, Egypt is seen to be moving forward in its political development,” said Mahmoud Othman, trader at Cairo Capital Securities.

On Monday, a deal was announced under which France Telecom would buy out most of the shares held by Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Media and Technology (OTMT) in their jointly owned telecommunications operator Mobinil. Reuters calculations indicated the deal would cost around $2 billion.

Tarke Abaza, trading manager at Naeem Brokerage in Cairo, said he could sense a “very positive vibe in the market following OTMT’s deal due to the current quietness in the political scene.” 

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Wan Zaleha smiles as the smell of freshly-brewed coffee permeates the air at a non-profit centre caring for low-income and needy people in Singapore.

The thought of poor people in Singapore may seem a disconnect with its reputation as an Asian financial hub, shoppers' haunt and food haven.

Ms Ng suffers from a hereditary skin condition and was only able to undergo surgery recently when a donor paid her medical bill. Her husband lost his previous job after he was hospitalised for an operation in October 2011.

In her one-room apartment she fished out unpaid bills, including one for more than S$400 owed in school fees.

''I just want a simple life. But who doesn't want to have money in their pocket?'' she said. ''We didn't even have money to celebrate Chinese New Year.''

Families such as Ms Ng's can apply for aid from a series of public assistance schemes administered by the MCYS. These include subsidies for education as well as financial help for the elderly or disabled who are unable to work.

The ComCare Fund, established in 2005, has helped more than 190,000 through the various schemes. The fund recorded a balance of S$811m in March 2011 and received an additional S$500m in May.

Social assistance is also available, in the form of social services for vulnerable and needy individuals and families. Low-income workers can also tap on wage supplement schemes and job training programmes.

''Singapore has an extensive social safety net,'' said a ministry spokesman. ''Singaporeans enjoy subsidised housing, healthcare and education.''

The challenge, though, lies in getting the help to those who need it the most.

They are often unaware of the aid they can get, or unsure of the process to apply for help, said Zulaiha Bakar, co-ordinator at the non-profit Sunlove Marsiling centre that looks after the needs of about 500 low-income and needy people.

Her job also involves assisting them with phone calls and paperwork. ''Some people may not want to be seen receiving help so they don't come to us,'' she added.

Apart from the ministry, there are a host of non-profit, civil and religious organisations, as well as charitable individuals offering services and donations.

But one group that can fall through the cracks, though, are the low-wage-earners who are not eligible for public assistance.

The Singapore government has always maintained its message of ''self-reliance'' and stressed that it cannot adopt a welfare-state system.

Unemployment is low, at 2% and a record 14-year low last year, according to data released last month by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). But a public housing survey in 2008 showed that a third of one-room apartment residents have no earned income.

The MOM data shows that income for the lowest quintile have increased 11% over the last five years, after taking inflation into account.

But it is still critical to address wage issues, said Mr Lien, as Singapore is ''not a cheap place to live in''.

''You can have a home; you can have shelter,'' he said. ''But it's still a struggle.''

Release Date: 01/31/2012Contact Information: Enesta Jones (News Media Only), jones.enesta@epa.gov, 202-564-7873, 202-564-4355
Denise Hawkins (Public Inquiries Only), hawkins.denise@epa.gov, 202-566-1384;
EN ESPAÑOL:
Lina Younes, younes.lina@epa.gov
202-564-9924, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it will provide $9.8 million in grants to 38 states, territories and tribes to help protect the health of swimmers at America’s beaches. The agency also launched an improved website for beach advisories and closings, which will allow the public to more quickly and easily access the most current water quality and pollution testing information for more than 6,000 U.S. beaches.

The website, called BEACON, has the capability to update as frequently as every two hours based on new data provided by states, territories and tribes. Users will have access to mapped location data for beaches and water monitoring stations, monitoring results for various pollutants such as bacteria and algae, and data on public notification of beach water quality advisories and closures. For the first time, users can also access reports that combine notifications and water quality monitoring data. The enhanced system also uses enhanced map navigation and report display tools.

The majority of beach advisories and closures in the United States are due to water test results indicating bacterial contamination, which can make people sick. Bacterial contamination comes from a variety of sources. Some examples are sewer overflows, untreated stormwater runoff, boating wastes, wildlife and pet waste, and malfunctioning septic systems.

During each swimming season, state and local health and environmental protection agencies monitor the quality of water at the nation’s beaches. When bacteria levels in the water are too high, these agencies notify the public by posting beach warnings or closing the beach.

The grants will help local authorities monitor beach water quality and notify the public of conditions that may be unsafe for swimming. This is the 12th year that EPA is providing beach grant funds, bringing the total amount EPA has made available to nearly $111 million.
As a result, the number of monitored beaches has more than tripled to more than 3,600 in 2010. Grant applications must be received within 60 days of publication of EPA’s notice in the Federal Register. EPA expects to award the grants later this year.

View EPA’s enhanced beach advisory and closing information: http://watersgeo.epa.gov/BEACON2/

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Umniah recently signed an agreement with Jordan Duty Free (JDF). By virtue of the agreement, Umniah will provide JDF with top-of-the-line business solutions including Internet services and MPLS connection over microwave, linking all 15 branches with the JDF headquarters.

The flexible services will link all JDF branches under one network, which allows for efficient data exchange and management and will facilitate JDF’s daily operations, whilst ensuring data security and protection.

“This particular partnership is one that we are delighted to be a part of. We greatly value the trust that JDF has placed in Umniah and we are proud to be their service provider of choice,” commented Umniah CEO Ihab Hinnawi

“We are confident that this step represents the beginning of a positive and longstanding partnership that will support and cater to JDF’s telecom needs, enabling them to continue to receive and welcome Jordan’s visitors,” he added.