SOUTH AFRICA: POLICE MINISTER MTHETHWA DECLARES WAR ON IZINYOKA

PRETORIA, Feb 28 (NNN-BUANEWS) — South Africa Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa has urged the community of Thembalethu in the Western Cape to help identify izinyokas (cable thieves) and ensure that they are thrown in jail.

“When criminals steal these cables they do not take them to the bushes or rivers, they sell them back to society. Unless we take a stance as communities to report these izinyoka to police, we will always be giving these criminals’ empires space to grow,” he said.

Mthethwa said communities need to begin to instil consciousness in society to be intolerant to these izinyoka.

“If communities buy cables from izinyoka, you automatically become inyoka. Our police-led operations supported by this community need to pay attention to this issue as a matter of urgency,” he said.

The community shared their frustrations with the minister during a community participation meeting held at the local community hall on Thursday night.

Present at the meeting were the local police management, Community Policing Forum (CPF) structures, ward councillors and residents.

Mthethwa appealed to the community to refrain from buying stolen cables. The community responded by committing themselves to foster partnerships with the police in fighting this trend as well as other criminal acts affecting them.

“This community’s decision not to sit on the sidelines and throw criticism at police, but actively join the police in fighting crime, is commendable.

“We see you as equal partners in our quest of creating safer communities. It is through such dialogue followed by practical actions that we can defeat the scourge of crime,” he said.

Some of the major challenges facing the community of Thembalethu include escalating rape incidents, domestic violence, house break-ins, common robberies and non functional street lights and house numbering.

Other challenges include an increase in unlicensed liquor operators coupled with drug abuse. Local police management highlighted that these taverns were a major contributor to the escalation of crime and drug use especially by under-age children.

However, through an effective partnership between police and a group of local volunteers, known as Bambanani, crime in the area has decreased. — NNN-BuaNews

CAIRO TO HOST CONF. ON NATO NEW STRATEGY

CAIRO, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — A NATO delegation led by the bloc’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is expected to arrive here next Thursday to attend a two-day conference organized by the bloc in cooperation with the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs (ECFA) on the new NATO strategy.

Chairperson of the (ECFA) Dr. Muhammed Ibrahim Shaker Al-Masri said in a press statement today that the upcoming conference will be attended by the council’s members, besides experts from Egypt and the bloc as well.

He added that there will be a dialogue on the strategy that is being currently formulated in light of the bloc’s discussions some states whether its members and non-members states.

He also pointed out that he held a meeting with the bloc’s public relations official Nicola di Santis and discussed with him the final arrangements and preparations for this conference that comes within the bloc’s opening to the civilian society organizations and the Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a number of the world countries to get acquainted with their views related to NATO’s policy on several issues.

Egyptian assistant foreign minister for the European Affairs Hamdi Louza is going to deliver an address behalf of Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Abul Gheit and there be another address delivered by honorary president of the (ECFA) amb.

Abdul Rauf Al-Ridi on the new strategy of the NATO along with highlighting the conditions in Afghanistan and the bloc’s policy there.

The conference is to be attended by a galaxy of experts, technicians, politicians and strategic centers from the council’s members, universities and international organizations.

The Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs organized last year a similar conference in Cairo and an ECFA delegaton paid a visit to the bloc’s headquarters in Brussels where they held a dialogue with the bloc’s experts.

It is scheduled for the NATO’s delegation to meet during this visit a number of Egyptian high-profile officials. ? NNN-KUNA

MINISTERS OF JUSTICE OF THE AMERICAS ADOPT NEW LEGAL COOPERATION

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (NNN-CNN) — The highest authorities of the Americas in matters of Justice, brought together by the Organization of American States (OAS), concluded their meeting in Brasilia with the adoption of a series of conclusions and recommendations aimed at strengthening effectiveness, efficiency and flow in the joint action of States to prevent, prosecute and fight crime in the region.

The Eight Meeting of Ministers of Justice or other Ministers and Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA VIII), which lasted three days, saw the participation of the highest authorities in matters of legal and judicial cooperation from more than 25 member states of the OAS.

Subjects on the agenda included concrete measures to strengthen legal and judicial cooperation in the Americas; the promotion of tools to strengthen mutual assistance in penal and extradition matters; measures against cybercrime; assistance and protection to victims and witnesses; prison and penitentiary policy and hemispheric cooperation on matters of forensic investigation, the fight against human trafficking and support for family and child?s rights.

In the context of the meeting, the OAS General Secretariat, represented by Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin, signed an Agreement of Cooperation with the Ibero-American Association of Public Ministries whose President, Spain?s Attorney General, Cándido Conde-Pumpido, participated as an observer of REMJA VIII.

The objective of the agreement is to establish the general foundations to strengthen and facilitate coordination, cooperation and collaboration between the two entities, as well as the exchange of information on relevant aspects of their respective programs and work plans.

The IX Meeting of Ministers of the Americas will be held in El Salvador in 2012. This future meeting will review the commitments made today by the legal authorities and the progress reached on the various subjects discussed at the meeting in Brasilia. — NNN-CARIBBEAN NET NEWS

ISRAEL SAYS WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE ITS ACTIONS IN GAZA WAR

GAZA, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — Israel said on Saturday it would continue to investigate its criticized operations taken during its war on Gaza, the results of which it said would present to its allies and the UN.

The decision was taken after calls by the UN General Assembly for Israel and the Palestinians to inform it, during the next five months of developments made on the investigations made according to the report conducted by head of the UN Fact Finding Mission Justice Richard Goldstone on the war on Gaza.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had questioned Israel’s and the Palestinians’ conviction to separately follow-up on the Goldstone Report, which accuses Israel of war crimes. — NNN-KUNA

EGYPT WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT ARAB, MUSLIM ISSUES – MUBARAK

CAIRO, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak on the event of the birthday of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Saturday, pledged his country’s commitment towards sheltering the issues and interests of the Arab and Islamic worlds.

At a ceremony held on the occasion, he told gatherers that the efforts of Islamic evangelists, researchers, writers and thinkers are an important part of spreading the true essence of the religion, and its precise teachings.

These efforts secure the unity and harmony of cultures, tackling the threat of division and ethnic tension, he explained, adding that his country is well aware of these dangers at home, in reference to the country’s Muslim and Coptic populations.
Mubarak then indicated to the Egyptian constitution, which notes to patriotism as the basis for its democratic system, and which promotes equality in rights and duties between all citizens and prevents the establishment of any religiously-motivated political parties.

He expressed sorrow over the woes and worries currently facing some regions in the Islamic world, naming Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia as some of these.

The Egyptian leader also expressed grief on the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, who continuously have to live under harsh Israeli practices. ? NNN-KUNA

SAUDI ARABIA SAYS SECURITY COOPERATION WITH YEMEN AT HIGHEST

RIYADH, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — Saudi Arabia on Saturday underlined that its relations on the issue of security with Yemen have reached their highest levels.

This came in a comment by Saudi Arabia’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud who received visiting Yemeni Premier Ali Majawwar on Saturday.

Prince Nayef added he was to discuss a number of issues of mutual concern with his Yemeni counterpart later on in the evening.
He also said that the two countries were set to increase the level of security between their borders.

For his part, the Yemeni premier commended Saudi Arabia for its contributions to his country in all fields. ? NNN-KUNA

OBAMA CALLS ON DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS TO ENACT HEALTH REFORM

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — US President Barack Obama called here Saturday in his weekly address on the Democrats and Republicans to “come together,” saying “It is time for us to act” to finally enact “meaningful” health care reform.

He said that on Thursday, “we brought both parties together for a frank and productive discussion about this issue,” during which there were “many areas of agreement, and that he heard “some ideas from our Republican friends that I believe are very worthy of consideration”.

“But still, there were differences … And while we agreed that Americans with pre-existing conditions should be able to get coverage, we disagreed on how to do that,” he affirmed.

He stressed that some of those disagreements can be resolved and some cannot “And no final bill will include everything that everyone wants. Thats what compromise is”.

Obama voiced belief “that we cannot lose the opportunity to meet this challenge”.
“It is time for us to come together. It is time for us to act.

It is time for those of us in Washington to live up to our responsibilities to the American people and to future generations. So lets get this done,” he remarked. — NNN-KUNA

GCC TEAM FOR YEMEN CONVENES IN RIYADH

RIYADH, Feb 28 (NNN-KUNA) — A GCC working team entrusted with following up the implementation of development projects previously pledged for Yemen convened here Saturday.

The meeting was attended by Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abd al-Karim Ismail al-Arhabi and representatives of GCC member states’ ministries of finance and development funds.

It was also attended by delegation of the UN, World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and donor countries, including the European Union (EU), the US, Japan, German and Holland.
The team was made up by the joint technical committee that was formed in March 2006 at the discretion of GCC and Yemeni foreign ministers for considering the development needs of Yemen for 2006-2015.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting the Conference in its capacity as the largest donor to Yemen emanating from the principle of neighborhood and brotherhood between both countries and its keenness on the enhancement of Yemen’s security, prosperity and stability.

During a donor conference in London in November 2006, the GCC countries pledged about 50 per cent of the total pledges made by donor countries to support development in Yemen.
The Riyadh Conference will deal with a number of topics pertaining to effective assistance to be provided to Yemen to tackle Yemen’s internal problems, including terrorism, unemployment and poverty.–NNN-KUNA

SOUTH AFRICA: THOUSANDS OF FIREARMS, AMMUNITION SURRENDERED

PRETORIA, Feb 28 (NNN-BUANEWS) — Over 6,300 firearms and more than 90,000 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered to the South African Police Service to date.

This is in line with the Ministerial Amnesty which expires on April 11 this year. Under the amnesty, anyone who has an illegal or unregistered gun, ammunition or firearm parts can hand them in without being prosecuted.

The theme is “Together we can do more against crime. Awulethe umshini wakho; surrender your firearm.”

Police spokesperson Zweli Mnisi told BuaNews that statistics show that when citizens and government work together, crime can be reduced.

“We did not achieve this goal alone but in partnerships with communities, business, civil and organized structures in advocating for a gun-free society.”

The continued surrendering of firearms coupled with various police operations across the country, brings the police a step closer to the realisation of being in total control of the streets, he said.

Mnisi said there was a large pool of illegal firearms in circulation around the country and these weapons were a major contributor to the high rate of serious and violent crime in the country.

The reduction of the number of firearms in circulation, he said, was an important part of the South African Police Service’s strategy to combat violent crime.

The surrendered weapons are destroyed following a process prescribed by firearms control regulations.

Illegal firearms may be handed to any SAPS member on duty at any police station. The member must then issue a receipt for the weapon and ammunition received. — NNN-BuaNews

MALAYSIA: RTM TARGET 4 MILLION VIEWERS DURING 2010 WORLD CUP

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Feb 28 (NNN-Bernama) — Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has targeted four million viewers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup as more matches will be broadcast live on TV1 and TV2, as compared with the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

RTM’s Director-General of the Broadcasting Department Ibrahim Yahaya said RTM was confident of the figure because the station would telecast 24 live and 11 delayed matches.

“From the 24 live matches, 20 will be telecast on TV1 and four on TV2 while all 11 delayed telecasts will be on TV1,” he told reporters after launching a road show to gather support for the 1Malaysia, 1World campaign initiated by RTM here Saturday.

He added that since most of the matches would start after 11pm, prime time programmes on TV1 and TV2 would not be affected or disrupted except for some preliminary matches that kick off at 7.30pm.

Ibrahim said RTM would intensify efforts to promote the tournament through a nationwide road tour and stimulate the World Cup football fever through a nationwide road show that would be held at nine locations, featuring various programmes like football trivia, quiz, mini futsal matches between RTM and celebrities, ball juggling, indie band, etc.

The locations identified for the road show are National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Jusco Seremban (March 13-14), Plaza Angsana, Johor Baharu (March 27-28), Gurney Plaza, Penang (April 10-11), Green Town Mall, Ipoh (April 24-25) KB Mall, Kota Baharu (May 1-2), East Cost Mall, Kuantan (May 15-16), Spring Hill, Kuching (May 29-30) and One Utama, Damansara (June 5-6).

For the record, RTM has been telecasting World Cup matches from 1974, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

Last week, Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim announced that RTM had been given the exclusive rights to telecast the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa scheduled from June 11 to July 12.

– NNN-BERNAMA