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Israel's open dams flood Gaza, hundreds evacuated

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Hundreds of Palestinians were evacuated from their homes Sunday morning after Israeli authorities opened a number of dams near the border, flooding the Gaza Valley in the wake of a recent severe winter storm. Anadolu/Ashraf Amra

Hundreds of Palestinians were evacuated from their homes Sunday morning after Israeli authorities opened a number of dams near the border, flooding the Gaza Valley in the wake of a recent severe winter storm. Anadolu/Ashraf Amra

Hundreds of Palestinians were evacuated from their homes Sunday morning after Israeli authorities opened a number of dams near the border, flooding the Gaza Valley in the wake of a recent severe winter storm.

The Gaza Ministry of Interior said in a statement that civil defense services and teams from the Ministry of Public Works had evacuated more than 80 families from both sides of the Gaza Valley (Wadi Gaza) after their homes flooded as water levels reached more than three meters.

“Opening the levees to the canal has led to the flooding of several Palestinian homes, and we had to quickly evacuate the afflicted citizens,” the statement said.

Gaza has experienced flooding in recent days amid a major storm that saw temperatures drop and frigid rain pour down. The storm displaced dozens and caused hardship for tens of thousands, including many of the approximately 110,000 of Gaza’s 1.8 million residents left homeless by Israel’s assault over summer.

For 51 days this summer, Israel pounded the Gaza Strip by air, land and sea, destroying as many as 80,000 Palestinian homes. According to the UN, some 30,000 Gazans are still living in emergency shelters.

Gaza civil defense services spokesman Mohammed al-Midana warned that further harm could be caused if Israel opens up more dams in the area, noting that water is currently flowing at a high speed from the Israeli border through the valley and into the Mediterranean sea.

Evacuated families have been sent to shelters sponsored by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in al-Bureij refugee camp and in al-Zahra neighborhood in the central Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Valley is a wetland located in the central Gaza Strip between al-Nuseirat refugee camp and al-Moghraqa. It is called HaBesor in Hebrew, and it flows from two streams — one whose source runs from near Beersheba, and the other from near al-Khalil.

Israeli dams on the river that collect rainwater have dried up the wetlands inside Gaza, and destroyed the only source of surface water in the area.

Lacking any alternative means, locals have continued to use it to dispose of their waste, creating an environmental hazard.

Gaza is also prone to severe flooding, exacerbated by a chronic lack of fuel that limits how much water can be pumped out of flood-stricken areas. The fuel shortages are a result of the eight-year Israeli blockade, which limits the import of fuel for the electric power station in Gaza, as well as other kinds of machinery related to pumping and sewage management that could help Gazans combat the floods. The most recent war has worsened the crisis.

Gaza’s sole power station, which was damaged during the war, is struggling with a severe lack of fuel and is only able to supply the enclave with six hours of power per day.

Gazans are now living by candlelight and wood fire because of electricity shortages, and rely on sandbags to stop their ruined homes from flooding.

This is not the first time Israeli authorities have opened the Gaza Valley dams.

In December 2013, Israeli authorities also opened the dams amid heavy flooding in the Gaza Strip. The resulting floods damaged dozens of homes and forced many families in the area from their homes.

In 2010, the dams were opened as well, forcing 100 families from their homes. At the time, civil defense services said that they had managed to save seven people who had been at risk of drowning.

Following a ceasefire agreement that ended the seven-week summer assault, which left more than 2,160 Gazans dead and over 11,000 injured, Israel said it would reopen Gaza’s border crossings with Israel and allow construction material into Gaza.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said during a visit to the Gaza Strip in October that the devastation he had seen was “beyond description” and “far worse” than that caused in the previous Israel-Gaza conflict of 2012.

According to the Palestinian Authority, rebuilding Gaza will cost $7.8 billion.

However, Israel had repeatedly blocked the entry of building material, prompting the UN in September to broker another deal. The reconstruction of Gaza has yet to begin.

Israel routinely bars the entry of building materials into the embattled coastal enclave on grounds that Palestinian resistance faction Hamas could use them to build underground tunnels or fortifications.

For years, the Gaza Strip has depended on construction materials smuggled into the territory through a network of tunnels linking it to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

However, a crackdown on the tunnels by the Egyptian army after it overthrew then-President Mohammed Mursi has effectively neutralized hundreds of tunnels, severely affecting Gaza’s construction sector.

(Ma’an, Anadolu, Al-Akhbar)

Anna Hazare to meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over Land ordinance

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anna-hazare

Mumbai: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet in Delhi tonight in the backdrop of the agitation against the Land ordinance.

The meeting will take place at the New Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, Hazare’s aide Dutta Awari told PTI.

The government is bringing a new bill to replace the Land Ordinance amid stiff opposition from non-NDA parties in Parliament and outside.

The Land Acquisition Act, 2013 stipulates mandatory consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners for acquiring land for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects and 80 per cent for acquiring land for private companies.

In December last, the government had promulgated the Ordinance making significant changes in the Land Act including removal of consent clause for acquiring land for five areas — industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defence.

(PTI)

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM for fourth time, has his task cut out

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File photo.

File photo.

Patna: Back in the saddle for the fourth time in the politically important state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar is known as Chanakya in state politics for his carefully crafted behind-the-scene moves and his emphasis on growth and development.

The soft-spoken senior JD(U) leader has his task cut out this time as the state is in election mode with polls just five months away.

With today’s swearing in, 63-year-old Kumar is back in the Chief Minister’s chair he had quit on May 17, 2014 over JD(U)’s debacle in the general election.

After stepping down, Kumar, despite resistance from JD(U) legislators against his resignation, had his way and handpicked Jitan Ram Manjhi to succeed him on May 20, 2014.

But, within eight months of the decision Kumar was forced to change the plot in the wake of dissent against him by Manjhi along with a section of JD(U) ministers and legislators.

BJP used the dissension to the hilt and extended support to Manjhi. But, the floor test could not be taken as Manjhi tendered his resignation ahead of the vote on Friday last.

With the swearing in, a major crisis for Kumar has ended but some big challenges lie ahead for the socialist leader.

Besides, repairing the “damage” done by Manjhi to “sushasan” (good governance) as Kumar said on Friday, the wily politician has to allay the fears of people that company of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, who has been convicted in a fodder scam case, does not mean return of “jungle raj” as alleged by rival BJP.

This would have serious repercussion for Kumar, as he has to lead his party JD(U) and allies RJD, Congress and CPI to Assembly election in the state before November 25 this year.

During his earlier stint as chief minister, Kumar had initiated a series of reforms and stressed on increasing enrolment of students, building roads and bridges and improving healthcare facilities.

BJP, whose relations with Kumar turned bitter after he led his party to severe ties with it on June 16, 2013 following elevation of Narendra Modi, has already coined a slogan “jungle raj II” , warning people of “looming danger of Kumar joining hands with Lalu”.

Kumar has defended his decision to join hands with Lalu, saying the bigger challenge at present was to take on BJP.

Recently he used the title of a Bollywood film “Main Hoon Na” to instill confidence in people and give a guarantee that nothing bad would happen till he was around.

The engineer-turned-politician’s first tenure as Chief Minister was for just seven days from March 3 to March 10, 2000 when he had to quit in the absence of majority. He returned to the CM’s chair on November 24, 2005 as NDA leader.

His third term started from November 26, 2010 when he led NDA to win a two-third majority with 206 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.

After parting company with BJP, the magic figure of 117 eluded him which he cobbled up only with the help of Congress and CPI.

His support base increased after joining hands with RJD during by-election to two Rajya Sabha seats in middle of last year.

However, the drubbing JD(U) received in the 2014 Parliamentary poll forced him to resign on May 17, 2014.

Son of a freedom fighter and a small time Congressman Kaviraj Ramlakhan Singh, Kumar was born on March 1, 1951.

Nicknamed “Munna”, Kumar got married to a school teacher Manju Sinha in 1973. She died after illness in 2007. He has a son named Nishant Kumar.

A degree holder in electrical engineering from Patna Engineering college, now an NIT, Kumar is a product of 1974 JP movement and has been an ardent follower of Rammanohar Lohia and Jayprakash Narayan.

For Kumar, success in politics came very late. He contested Assembly election for the first time from home turf Harnaut in Nalanda district on Janata Party ticket in 1977 but lost to Independent Arun Kumar Singh.

He faced another drubbing at the hands of Arun Singh, an accused in the infamous Belchhi massacre case in which Dalits were killed, in Harnaut in 1980.

After two losses, luck smiled on him in 1985 when he won from Harnaut in 1985 as a Lok Dal candidate. Since then, there has been no looking back for him.

Close to Chaudhary Devi Lal, Kumar’s inning in national politics started when he contested Lok Sabha election from Barh in 1989 and defeated veteran Congress leader Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav popularly called “Sher-e-Bihar.”

Kumar became Minister of State for Agriculture under Devi Lal in V P Singh government.

In 1991, he was re-elected to Lok Sabha from Barh. He again won Parliamentary elections in 1998 and 1999 but lost in 2004.

He held the Railway, Agriculture and Surface Transport ministries in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Known in political circle as “chotta bhai” (younger brother) of Lalu Prasad, Kumar played a prominent role in making “bade bhai” Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990.

But, their relationship soured after 1994 when Kumar rebelled against his “dictatorial” attitude to walk out of the party.

(PTI)

Rahul Gandhi seeks leave from Congress to reflect on 'recent events'

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Rahul-Gandhi

New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial AICC session expected in April, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has desired to reflect upon “recent events” and the future course of the party.

Party sources said Sunday night he has “requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi for some time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party”.

He believes that the direction that the party adopts at the upcoming AICC session will be of crucial importance for its future and he wishes to prepare for it, the sources said.

Rahul has been “granted a leave of absence for a few weeks after which he will return and resume his active participation in the affairs of the Congress party”, the sources added.

The Congress has been performing badly at the hustings, which started with the Lok Sabha elections last year and continued in the assembly elections in various states including Delhi recently.

The debacle in Delhi, where Congress failed to get even one seat in the 70-member House, was more stunning as the party had ruled the state for 15 years till December 2013.

The AICC session is expected in early April and media reports have suggested that Rahul could be made the party chief on that occasion.

(PTI)

Muslim college boy thrashed for clicking picture with Hindu female classmates

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Govinda Dasa College

Surathkal: A 20 year old college student from the Muslim community was thrashed by right wing goons for posing in a picture with his female classmates, belonging to the Hindu community here on Sunday.

Mohammed Riyaz, a final year BSc student at Govinda Dasa College, Surathkal, was attacked, days after photographs of a group of male and female students of the college went viral on social media.

The said photograph shows a boy, identified as Mohammed Swali, lying on the lap of five girls in the class room. Riyaz, is seen sitting in the corner of the picture.

Over dozens of men took Riyaz, to a secluded place and attacked him with wooden sticks and knife.

Riyaz, who is badly beaten with bruises all over his body, is undergoing treatment in the Intense Care Unit (ICU), at a private hospital in the city.

Cricket World Cup 2015: Moeen Ali-inspired England beat Scotland

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Moeen Ali’s century led England to a 119-run victory over Scotland and a first victory of the World Cup.

Moeen Ali

by Stephan Shemilt, BBC Sport

Moeen made 128 and shared 172 for the first wicket with the stuttering Ian Bell, who contributed 54.

But, when they were parted, England could only manage 131 runs in the final 20 overs of their 303-8.

Still, it was too many for Scotland, who never threatened an upset and were bowled out for 184, with Steven Finn taking 3-26.

Following heavy defeats against co-hosts Australia and New Zealand,the success in Christchurch provides England with a much-needed morale boost.

However, little can be learned as to whether England are in better shape for the sterner tests to come – starting with Sri Lanka in Wellington on Sunday – given the nature of the opposition.

Scotland are the lowest-ranked one-day international side in Pool A and England should be dissatisfied with the way their innings fell away after Moeen departed.

Against an attack barely of county quality – albeit one that improved as the innings progressed – England failed to fully build on a platform of 172-0 after 30 overs, scoring at just over a run a ball from then on and losing eight wickets in the process.

At one point around the beginning of the batting powerplay, they lost three wickets for two runs in three overs, Moeen being caught on the leg-side boundary from the off-spin of Majid Haq, Gary Ballance continuing his poor run by chopping on to his own stumps and Joe Root edging behind.

Before that, Moeen, who gave a half-chance to cover on only seven, scored freely, particularly through fierce pull shots and lofts down the ground.

His 107-ball stay included five sixes and 12 fours, his second ODI century also his highest score.

In contrast, Bell never looked fluent, scratching his way to a half-century in an 85-ball innings that contained only two fours.

It was Bell’s wicket, caught at extra cover off the medium pace of Richie Berrington, that began England’s slide, a decline halted by the late impetus of Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler.

Patient at first, Morgan accelerated to a 42-ball 46, including two sixes, while Buttler contributed an inventive 24 from 14 deliveries.

If the win was most welcome for England, then next will be the runs scored by Morgan, who had managed only 19 in his previous five innings.

The target of 304 always seemed beyond Scotland and they never came close to pulling off a first win against a Test-playing side.

England put in comfortably their best bowling performance of the tournament, admittedly under little pressure, picking up wickets at regular intervals.

Finn, who conceded 49 runs in two overs against New Zealand, was the pick of the seamers, while Moeen (2-47) had Kyle Coetzer caught at long-on to end his resistance for 71.

Coetzer had earlier added 60 with captain Preston Mommsen, who swept Root to deep square leg to spark the collapse that accelerated the end of the contest.

The final seven wickets fell for 70 runs, with two wickets apiece for James Anderson and Chris Woakes, ensuring England’s margin of victory was extremely comfortable.

But, the fact it could have been greater suggests there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Cricket World Cup 2015: India crush South Africa in Melbourne

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Shikhar Dhawan hit a superb century as defending champions India maintained their unbeaten start to the World Cup with a 130-run win over South Africa.

shikhar_dhawan

by Justin Goulding, BBC Sport

India’s 307-7 was built around Dhawan’s 137, while Ajinkya Rahane made 79 off 60 balls and Virat Kohli 46.

South Africa were bowled out for 177 with 9.4 overs unused as Faf du Plessis’s departure for 55 sparked a collapse of seven wickets for 44 runs.

The defeat was South Africa’s heaviest in World Cup history.

India, who remain top of Pool B with two wins from two games, face the United Arab Emirates in Perth on Sunday, when victory will all but secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Fifth-placed South Africa play West Indies in Sydney on Friday, but the manner in which they subsided on a blameless surface cast doubts on their tag as one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Dhawan’s composed innings was typical of a measured rather than explosive batting display, and two run-outs in a crucial phase of the innings were reward for the pressure India created with an accomplished performance in the field.

“South Africa are such a good side, so I think that makes it an even more satisfying win,” said India captain MS Dhoni, whose side beat Pakistan in their opening game.

“It was a back-to-back good performance from both the bowling and batting unit. A couple of run-outs made things even more impressive.”

Dropped on 53 by Hashim Amla and fortunate not to be run out for 55, left-hander Dhawan combined fluent drives with meaty pulls in a 146-ball innings which featured 16 fours and two sixes.

Having lost Rohit Sharma cheaply after India won the toss, he added 127 with Kohli for the second wicket and 125 in 16 thrilling overs with Rahane for the third.

Dhawan eventually fell to a top-edged pull off Wayne Parnell, whose treatment late in the innings left him nursing figures of 1-85 off nine overs.

The Proteas’ options were limited by the absence of seamer Vernon Philander, who bowled only four overs because of a hamstring injury and will have a scan on Monday.

No South Africa batsman came close to playing with the composure shown by Dhawan as India’s fielders maintained the pressure created by Mohammed Shami’s early removal of Quinton de Kock.

Mohit Sharma had Hashim Amla taken at long leg and Du Plessis drilled the first ball of his second spell to mid-off, either side of Mohit’s most important contribution, running out South Africa captain AB de Villiers for 30 with a magnificent flat throw from deep point.

Smart work from Umesh Yadav and Dhoni accounted for the dangerous David Miller, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hastened South Africa’s collapse to finish with 3-41.

South Africa’s previous heaviest World Cup defeat was by 83 runs to Australia in Basseterre in 2007.

“The run-outs cost us dearly, coming just when we got started with the bat in hand. That’s where we lost the game,” said De Villiers.

“It was not a good enough performance as a batting unit and now we have to regroup.”

PDP, BJP reach agreement to form coalition govt in J&K

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Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the Kashmir chief minister after his party reached an agreement for forming a government with Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), top party sources said on Saturday.

Sources close to PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who returned to winter capital Jammu Friday after spending a week in Mumbai, told IANS an agreement had been reached on all contentious issues between the PDP and the BJP.

“Yes, main agreement has been reached on the draft of the CMP (common minimum programme) on contentious issues like article 370, armed forces special powers act (AFSPA) and the plight of West Pakistan refugees.

“It has been agreed that without any written reference to it, both the parties would respect the wishes of the people of the state in consonance with the constitution of the country with regard to article 370,” a top party source told IANS.

As per the agreement, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the chief minister for the full six years.

The PDP insider who is engaged with the BJP in the dialogue process on government formation on behalf of his party also said instead of accepting the demand that the AFSPA should be revoked from the entire state within one year, it has now been agreed by the two parties that a committee would be formed which would recommend gradual, but timely, revocation of the act from areas in the state.

Sources in the BJP said: “The PDP has agreed to the BJP demand that the CMP should accept that the problems faced by West Pakistan refugees should not be politicized, but treated as a humanitarian issue that needs to be addressed on humanitarian grounds.”

When asked to comment on media reports that government formation in the state was imminent because the PDP and the BJP had agreed on the draft of the common minimum programme (CMP) for governance, party chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told IANS in winter capital Jammu: “I am meeting Mufti Sahib today and if anything has been worked out, we will hold a briefing about it during the day.”

Unlike his steady dismissal of any agreement with the BJP during the last nearly two months when he maintained the “structured dialogue between the BJP and the PDP had not even started”, Akhtar sounded less circumspect Saturday about his lack of knowledge regarding an agreement on the common minimum programme with the BJP.

West Pakistan refugees are those over 25,000 families who came to the state after the India-Pakistan wars of 1947, 1965 and 1971.

Since these people were not citizens of the erstwhile state of Kashmir as it existed before accession to India in 1947, they cannot vote in the state assembly elections, nor buy property in the state.

These refugees cannot apply for government jobs since all the state government jobs in Kashmir are reserved for permanent residents of the state.

As an anomaly, the West Pakistan refugees can vote in the parliament elections, but not in the state assembly elections since the state has a constitution of its own in addition to the country’s constitution and both apply concomitantly to the state.

With regard to the PDP demand on return of NHPC owned hydro-electric power projects in the state to state ownership, the sources said it had been agreed that the two would work together for central assistance for state ownership of these projects.

“The nuts and bolts job has been completed. All that now remains is an announcement on the agreement between the two which could be made within the next two to three days,” said sources.

The sources added that Mufti Mohammaad Sayeed would formally call on prime minister Narendra Modi after the PDP and the BJP announce having formalized the draft of the CMP.

(IANS)

Protests in Anantnag against blasphemous posters

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Representational Image.

Representational Image.

Srinagar: Protests erupted in Anantnag on Saturday after blasphemous posters surfaced in the town, the eyewitness said.

The eyewitness said the posters insulting Islam’s Prophet were thrown out from a fast moving car which scattered along the road in Tool Roonipora village of Anantnag.

After seeing the posters, the people of the area took out a protest march towards Achabal town where forces baton-charged them.

“The forces baton-charged the protesters in Achabal town and also detained some of them,” an eyewitness said.

The incident has forced a shutdown in Tool Roonipora village.

District administration and senior police officials have reached the spot to pacify the angry protestors.

(AM)

Only 5% of $5.4bn aid pledged to Gaza actually received says Palestinian government official

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Palestinians praying under a mosque in Gaza destroyed in the 51-day Israeli summer offensive. Photo: Anadolu

Palestinians praying under a mosque in Gaza destroyed in the 51-day Israeli summer offensive. Photo: Anadolu

by Tom Porter, IBTimes

Only about 5% of the international aid pledged to help rebuild Gaza after the conflict with Israel last year has actually been received, according to a Palestinian government source.

The source in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa told humanitarian news service IRIN that while governments worldwide had pledged to contribute $5.4bn (£3.49bn, €4.74bn) to relief efforts, only about $300m had actually been received, reports  Al Jazeera.

Gaza was heavily bombed by Israel during the month long war with Hamas in July last year, with nearly 100,000 homes destroyed and about 2,200 people, most of them Palestinian civilians, killed, according to UN figures.

In a conference in Cairo following the conflict, countries around the world pledged billions towards reconstruction costs and aid.

Among the largest pledges were those from Qatar, which offered $1bn, while Saudi Arabia and the US pledged $500m and $212m respectively.

In January, Egypt and Norway urged countries to honour their pledges.

“No one has said to us that they’re not committed to what they have pledged, but also due to the oil price and other issues in the Gulf, there has been a bit of a lingering,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende told a news conference, reports Reuters.

In late January, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency announced that it had suspended all reconstruction work in Gaza after running out of money, and that tens of thousands of Gazans were living in rubble.

“People are literally sleeping amongst the rubble, children have died of hypothermia,” Robert Turner, the agency’s director for Gaza said.

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