Egypt the Shura Council approves electoral law

REUTERS

CAIRO Egypt Shura Council, the upper House of the Parliament, adopted on Thursday an electoral law as amended by the Constitutional Court, clearing the way for the President Mohammed Mahalla to a date for the Parliament elections.

Mahalla is expected to ratify the electoral law of 25 February and announce votes will be held in about two months time to decide of the House of Commons, disbanded last year after the original law used to choose it was unfair, the Court held.

The new meeting room is probably have to decide on hard economic measures that the International Monetary Fund is demanding in exchange for a loan of 4.8 billion that Egypt should an economic crisis.

On Monday the Constitutional Court demanded changes to five articles of the revised electoral law. The Shura Council accepted this ruling and the legislation adopted without a vote.

"The decision of the Constitutional Court is binding and we have no right to vote on it. It must be implemented, "said Ahmed Fahmy, President of the Council.

The new law bars members of Parliament from their political preferences change once they are chosen. Under deposed president Hosni Mubarak, were independents often circumstances into joining the ruling of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which Parliament and the political life before the revolution 2011 monopolized.

The law also stipulates that a third of the lower House must be appropriate for independents and prohibits former members of the now defunct NDP from participating in politics for at least 10 years.

Elections will probably be held in more than one stage in different regions by a shortage of poll supervisors.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Government plans within a week to join an International Monetary Fund mission for consultation, Planning Minister Ashraf al-Araby said on Thursday, signalling an immediate resumption of negotiations on a loan of 4.8 billion dollars.

Egypt reached a first agreement with the IMF on the loan agreement in November but final ratification in December postponed because of political turmoil at the time.

Araby told "God willing, we expect to join the IMF-delegation within days," a press conference. Asked to be more specific, he said: "within days, not more than a week." Meanwhile, Egyptian prosecutors an award-winning writer have questioned about allegations that he insulted religion, in the latest of a series of cases to cause concern about freedom of expression in Egypt Islamistrun.

Writer Youssef Ziedan said he had this week have been questioned for four hours about his 2009 novel "Arab theology", which has become a best seller since it was published again recently.

The prosecutors were a three-year-old report from the Islamic Centre, a body of religious scholars, who said statesponsored ziedan followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism was right offended.

Ziedan asked why the authorities examine "Arab theology", which discusses the origins of religious violence, while Egypt with major political, social and economic problems.

"It was really shocking and strange to find myself talking about philosophy with State security agents, especially now at the State of extreme turmoil and violence on the streets that are the focus of their work needs," Ziedan told Reuters after his interrogation on Tuesday.

Safer public parks, playgrounds demanded

Two members of the Municipal Council have called for a revamp of security measures at public parks and playgrounds child safety.

They play have required and rides on parks are classified by age, urging park authorities to follow the ratings.

Hamad al Haoul, Member of the City Council for Rayyan old Division, said: "there are games that could be risky for both children and adults. For example, the trampoline can be very harmful if abused. " Board member of Alzacharh, Hamad bin H Mohannadi said: "safety belts compulsory and the supervisor must ensure that the belts are used by children".

Golf body cuts CO2 emissions in 5 years

The Doha-based Gulf organisation for industrial Consulting (GALLAGHER) has shown that in the past five years has managed to reduce CO2 emissions in the mineral sector with 744 tons and in the packaging sector with approximately 709 tons. GALELA Secretary General Abdulaziz bin Hamad al Ageel, said the Organization was able to spare in factories in the GCC countries – 12 in Saudi Arabia, 8 in Qatar, and every 5 in United Arab Emirates and Bahrain (Bahrain), and 4 in Kuwait.

When energy is stored, means less fossil fuel combustion, lower emissions of CO2, the primary contribution to global warming.

GALLAGHER is committed to the development of industries in the GCC for more than three decades.

Egyptian Shura adopts electoral law

Egypt the Shura, the upper House of the Parliament, adopted on Thursday an electoral law as amended by the Constitutional Court, clearing the way for the President Mohammed Mahalla to a date for lower house elections.

Mahalla is expected to ratify the electoral law of 25 February and announce votes will be held in about two months time to decide of the House of Commons.

On Monday the Constitutional Court demanded changes to five articles of the revised electoral law. The Shura Council accepted this ruling and the legislation adopted without a vote. "The decision of the Constitutional Court is binding and we have no right to vote on it," said Ahmed Fahmy, President of the Council.

IQ gains in 2012 rises to QR 8.4 bn

TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA industries Qatar (IQ), one of the industrial giants of the region with interests in the production, distribution and sale of a wide range of petrochemicals, fertilizers and steel products, on Thursday reported a net profit of QR 8.4 billion for the financial year that ended on 31 December 2012. The turnover of the group reached QR 18.7 billion.

"The end of the financial year ended 31 December 2012 marked the end of an era for industries Qatar. The group now has 10 years since its initial public offering in 2003 completed and recorded by the best financial results on record, "Minister of energy and industry, Chairman and Managing Director of IQ, he Mohammad bin Saleh al Sada said in a statement.

Based on the results, the members of the Board recommended a dividend of QR 8.50 per share.

According to the financial statement of IQ, total assets grew by QR 8.7 billion to QR 40.2 billion in the past decade. The group operations soared to new products, new markets and services in new geographical areas. And equity increased from QR30 billion at the start over QR5 billion at the end of 2012.

The previous financial year was also notable as it was to witness the launch of the other group important capital expenditure (Capex) projects, namely Qafco 5 and 6 and LDPE-3.

Elaborating on the results of the income of the group, IQ Chief Coordinator Abdulrahman Ahmad al Shaibi said, "the increase in revenues can be attributed to volume-driven growth across all segments.

In line with international trends, the group experienced price weakness in its main products, with the exception of methanol and MTBE where prices bucked the trend and grew by 9% and 5% respectively-service suite. " He said revenue dipped in the fourth quarter on the previous quarter on reduced urea and steel output and understated steel prices.

Capacity utilisation within the whole group, and the fourth quarter sank marginally on 101 percent closed.

73 killed in Damascus blast

AP & DPA

DAMASCUS A MASSIVE car bomb explodes near the headquarters of the ruling party in Damascus Syria on Thursday, killing at least 73 people and scattering mutilated bodies amid the smoldering wreck.

Syrian State media put the toll at 60 with more than 200 wounded. However, anti regime activists said 59 died, making this the deadliest attack in the capital since the Syrian rebellion began nearly two years ago. In may, a double suicide bombing killed 55 people in Damascus.

Within hours of the bombing on car, went two other bombs elsewhere in the city and a mortar attack struck the army's central command. Thirteen people were killed by the other two bombs, said activists.

While no group has claimed responsibility, the attacks suggest that rebel fighters who got bogged down in their attempts to storm the capital resort to guerrilla tactics Assad the grip on the capital.

The statement of the day struck a deadliest attack main street on the edge of the Central Mazraa district, near the headquarters of Assad's Baath party and the Russian Embassy, as well as a mosque, a hospital and a school.

TV footage of the blast site showed firefighters dousing a flaming car with snakes and lifeless and dismembered bodies blown into the grass of a nearby park. The State news service, SANA, published photos show a large crater in the middle of the rubblestrewn Street and charred cars keep black bodies.

Witnesses on the scene said a car exploded at a checkpoint security between the Russian Embassy and the central headquarters of Assad the ruling party.

Ambulances raced to the scene of the explosion, which shattered windows and sent a huge cloud of smoke visible throughout much of the city, witnesses said.

State TV called it a "terrorist" attack by a suicide bomber.

The regime often refers to rebels fighting to topple Assad as terrorists.

The Britain-based activist group the Syrian Observatory for human rights said at least 59 people were killed, including 16 members of the security forces. The rest were civilians, it said.

State media also reported that the security forces in Damascus had arrested a second, would-be suicide bomber driving a car packed with explosives near the site of the bombing of Mazraa.

In the southern city of Deraa, where Syria uprising began almost two years ago, the Observatory said 18 people were killed in an air attack on a field hospital, included eight rebel fighters, three medics, a woman and a young girl.

A video posted online showed the bodies of dead and wounded people on the backs of trucks in loads and moved to a different location.

Some were bloody and had connected heads, while others were carried out on stretchers.

On Thursday said the British Foreign Secretary William Hague that his message to Assad is that "it's time to go." He said that the senseless killing must end through a political process.

He also called on Assad to respond to dialogue offer recently by Syrian opposition chief Moaz al Khatib.

"A political agreement on a transition is the way forward in Syria in order to bring this terrible and unacceptable loss of life," he said.

Khatib has said he is open for talks with the regime as a way of removing the power.

The Government has refused.